Source.—Gregory's "Chronicle" in the Collections of a London Citizen, pp. 208, 209. (Camden Society.)
And that same night the King [Henry VI.] removed unto London, against his will, to the bishop's palace of London, and the Duke of York come unto him that same night by torch-light and took upon him as King and said in many places that "this is ours by very right." And then the Queen, hearing this, voided unto Wales, but she was met beside the Castle of Malpas, and a servant of her own that she had made both yoeman and gentleman and after appointed for to be in office with her son the prince, spoiled her and robbed her and put her so in doubt of her life and son's life also. And then she come to the castle of Hardelowe [Harlech] in Wales, and she had many great gifts and [was] greatly comforted, for she had need thereof. And most commonly she rode behind a young poor gentleman of fourteen year age, his name was John Combe, born at Amysbery in Wiltshire. And there hence she removed full privily unto the Lord Jasper, Lord and Earl of Pembroke, for she durst not abide in no place that was open, but in private. The cause was that counterfeit tokens were sent unto her as though they had come from her most dread lord the King Harry the VI.; but it was not of his sending, neither of his doing, but forged thing;... for at the King's departing from Coventry toward the field of Northampton, he kissed her and blessed the prince, and commanded her that she should not come unto him till that he send a special token unto her that no man knew but the King and she. For the lords would fain had her unto London, for they knew well that all the workings that were done grew by her, for she was more wittier than the King, and that appeareth by his deeds.
THE BATTLE OF WAKEFIELD (1460).
Source.—Hall's Chronicle, pp. 250, 251. (London: 1809.)
[Note.—Hall's Chronicle was first published in 1542, and therefore the following extract is by no means contemporary with the events it describes. But it is the only account of the battle of Wakefield, and it derives some authority from the fact that Hall had an ancestor who was slain in the fight.]
The duke of York with his people descended down the hill in good order and array and was suffered to pass forward, toward the main battle: but when he was in the plain ground between his castle and the town of Wakefield, he was environed on every side, like a fish in a net or a deer in a buckstall: so that he, manfully fighting, was within half an hour slain and dead, and his whole army discomfited.... While this battle was in fighting a priest called Sir Robert Aspall, chaplain and schoolmaster to the young earl of Rutland, second son to the abovenamed duke of York, of the age of twelve years, a fair gentleman and a maidenlike person, perceiving that flight was more safeguard than tarrying, both for him and his master, secretly conveyed the earl out of the field ... but or he could enter into a house the lord Clifford espied, followed and taken, and by reason of his apparell demanded what he was. The young gentleman, dismayed, had not a word to speak, but kneeled on his knees imploring mercy and desiring grace both with holding up his hands and making dolorous countenance, for his speech was gone for fear. "Save him," said the Chaplain, "for he is a prince's son, and peradventure may do you good hereafter." With that word the Lord Clifford marked him and said, "By God's blood, thy father slew mine, and so will I do thee and all thy kin," and with that word stuck the earl to the heart with his dagger, and bade the chaplain bear the earl's mother and brother word what he had done.... This cruel Clifford and deadly blood-supper, not content with this homicide or child-killing, came to the place where the dead corpse of the duke of York lay, and caused his head to be stricken off, and set on it a crown of paper and so fixed it on a pole and presented it to the Queen, not lying far from the field, in great despite and much derision, saying, "Madame, your war is done; here is your King's ransom."
THE RAVAGES OF THE LANCASTRIANS AFTER THE VICTORY OF WAKEFIELD (1460).
Source.—Ingulph's Chronicles, pp. 421, 422. (Bohn Edition.)
The duke being thus removed from this world, the north-men, being sensible that the only impediment was now withdrawn, and that there was no one now who could care to resist their inroads, again swept onwards like a whirlwind from the north, and in the impulse of their fury attempted to overrun the whole of England. At this period too, fancying that everything tended to insure them freedom from molestation, paupers and beggars flocked forth from those quarters in infinite numbers, just like so many mice rushing forth from their holes, and universally devoted themselves to spoil and rapine, without regard of place or person. For, besides the vast quantities of property which they collected outside, they also irreverently rushed, in their unbridled and frantic rage, into churches and the other sanctuaries of God, and most nefariously plundered them of their chalices, books, and vestments, and, unutterable crime! broke open the pixes in which were kept the body of Christ, and shook out the sacred elements therefrom. When the priests and the other faithful of Christ in any way offered to make resistance, like so many abandoned wretches as they were, they cruelly slaughtered them in the very churches or church yards. Thus did they proceed with impunity, spreading in vast multitudes over a space of thirty miles in breadth, and, covering the whole surface of the earth just like so many locusts, made their way almost to the very walls of London; all the moveables which they could possibly collect in every quarter being placed on beasts of burden and carried off. With such avidity for spoil did they press on, that they dug up the precious vessels, which, through fear of them, had been concealed in the earth, and with threats of death compelled the people to produce the treasures which they had hidden in remote and obscure spots.