THE BATTLE OF MORTIMER'S CROSS (1461).
Source.—Gregory's "Chronicle," in the Collections of a London Citizen, p. 211. (Camden Society.)
Also Edward Earl of March, the Duke of York's son and heir, had a great journey at Mortimer's Cross in Wales the second day of February next so following, and there he put to flight the Earl of Pembroke,[18] (and) the Earl of Wiltshire. And there he took and slew of knights and squires to the number of 3,000.
[18] Jasper Tudor.
And in that journey was Owen Tudor taken and brought unto Hereford, and he was beheaded at the market place, and his head set upon the highest grice[19] of the market cross, and a mad woman combed his hair and washed away the blood of his face, and she got candles and set them about him, burning more than a hundred. This Owen Tudor was father unto the Earl of Pembroke, and had wedded Queen Catherine, King Harry the VI.'s mother, thinking and trusting all the way that he should not be beheaded until he saw the axe and the block, and when that he was in his doublet he trusted on pardon and grace till the collar of his red velvet doublet was ripped off. Then he said: "That head shall lie on the stock that was wont to lie on Queen Catherine's lap," and put his heart and mind wholly unto God, and full meekly to his death.
[19] Grices = steps upon which crosses are placed.
BATTLE OF TOWTON (1461).
Source.—Ingulph's Chronicles, pp. 425, 426. (Bohn Edition.)
Edward pursued them as far as a level spot of ground, situate near the castle of Pomfret 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 fugitives with their swords, just like so many sheep for the slaughter, 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 rewards 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 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 furrows and ditches along with the melted snow, in a most shocking manner, for a distance of two or three miles.