[17] Those who were employed to number and bury the dead, (as we are told by a contemporary writer, who lived near the scene of action, Continuat. Hist. Croyland, p. 533.) declared that their number amounted to thirty-eight thousand. Amongst these were many persons of rank and fortune; as the earls of Northumberland, Westmoreland, and Shrewsbury,—the lords Clifford, Beaumont, Nevil, Willoughby, Wells, Roos, Scales, Grey, Dacres and Molineux,—besides a prodigious number of knights and gentlemen!
Henry's Hist. of England, vol. v. pp. 137, 138, 4th ed.
[18] Edward did not leave York until after Easter, and was crowned the 29th of June at Westminster. The dukes of Somerset and Exeter, seeing the battle lost, fled with the king, queen, and prince of Wales, and never thought themselves safe until they arrived at Edinburgh. Henry, on coming to Edinburgh, was only attended by four men and a boy.
Note to Pinkerton's Hist. of Scotland, vol. ii. p. 248.—From the Paston Letters.
[19] 'A marriage between Edward prince of Wales and Mary, the daughter of Scotland, was proposed and resolved, but delayed by the youth of the parties, and finally prevented by the misfortunes and death of the prince. To conciliate the expected aid, Berwick was surrendered to the Scots: an object, often wished and attempted since the disgraceful invasion of Edward Baliol. In return, a Scottish army entered England and laid siege to Carlisle, which held for Edward IV. but the English, led by lord Montague, raised the siege, and defeated the Scots with great slaughter.'
Pinkerton, p. 248.
The Paston Letters say, that six thousand Scots were slain at Carlisle.
The lord Montague, I imagine, should be sir John Nevel, brother to the earl of Warwick, created lord Montacute after the battle of Towton.
[A.D. 1441.]