59 an engagement, by which their fate was likely A. C. 1461. to be decided for ever. Somerset being informed that Fitzwalter had seized the pass of Ferrybridge, concluded that Edward's design was to give him battle; and that he might attack him with lefs advantage, he refolved to repel the repel the troops of Fitzwalter to the other fide of the river. For this purpose he sent a detachment under lord Clifford, who furprised the Yorkifts, and drove them from the pass with great flaughter, after an obstinate action, in which Fitzwalter and the Baftard of Salisbury loft their lives. The earl of Warwick was extremely alarmed at the news of this difafter, which he no fooner received than he rode full speed to Edward, and communicated the tidings with marks of uncommon emotion; but, to convince his fovereign that his confufion did not proceed from any fear of his own personal danger, he killed his horfe on the spot, and kiffing the hilt of his sword, which was made in the form of a cross, swore that even if the whole army fhould forfake the king, he would remain alone, and spend the last drop of his blood in defence of his majefty. Edward, far from being difpirited by this check, which feemed to diforder Warwick fo much, ordered proclamation to be made in his army, that all perfons who were afraid of staying fhould have free leave to retire: That he would reward thofe who fhould do their duty; but that he would fhew no mercy to any perfon who should fly from the battle. Then he ordered lord Falconbridge to pass the Aire at Castleford, about a league above Ferrybridge, and retake the post which the enemy had won. This order. was executed with fuch diligence and secrecy, that the detachment had croffed the river before the Lancaftrians had the leaft intimation of their de-. fign, then attacking Clifford by furprize, that nobleman The queen is routed with great Towton, A.C. 1461. nobleman and the brother of the earl of Weftmoreland were flain, and their forces intirely routed. The pass of Ferrybridge being thus regained, Edward croffed the river, and, early in the morning flaughter at of Palm-funday, advanced towards the Lancaf trians, who, to the number of fixty thousand, occupied the fields between Towton and Saxton. Tho' the Yorkists did not exceed nine and forty thousand, they were chofen men, and Edward did not entertain the leaft doubt of victory; but, before the battle joined, he published an order through his army, that his foldiers fhould not encumber themfelves with prifoners. About nine in the morning it began to fnow, and a fharp wind drove the fleet full in the faces of the Lancaftrians, difordering their fight in fuch a manner, that they could not judge the diftance between themselves and the enemy. The lord Falconbridge, who commanded the van of Edward's army, taking advantage of this accident, ordered his archers to advance within fhot of Henry's line, and let fly a fhower of arrows, which were no fooner difcharged than they retired again to their former ftation. The Lancaftrians feeling the effects of this flight, believed the Yorkists were within their reach, and plied their bows until their quivers were quite exhaufted, without having done the leaft execution. Then Falconbridge advanced again with his archers, who now fhot their arrows without oppofition, and flew a vaft number of the enemy, even with the fhafts which they picked from the field, after their own quivers were emptied. The earl of Northumberland and Sir Andrew Trollop, who commanded the van of Henry's army, feeing the disadvantage under which they laboured, in this way of fighting, advanced to clofe combat, and each fide fought with equal couage, obftinacy, and rancour. The battle raged with great fury from morning till night; and Ed ward A. C. 1461 ward exhibited fuch proofs of surprising courage, activity, and conduct, that the fate of the day depended in a great measure on his personal behaviour, and that of the earl of Warwick. Towards the evening, the Lancaftrians being difcouraged by the death of the earls of Northumberland and Weftmoreland, the lords Dacres and Willes, Sir Andrew Trollop, and many other officers of diftinction, began to give ground, though not in great disorder, intending to retreat to the bridge of Tadcaster. They accordingly preferved their ranks, and wheeled about occafionally as they retired, until Edward and Warwick animating their men to render the action decifive, they redoubled their efforts, and charged with fuch impetuofity, that the Lancas trians were broken and intirely routed. Great numbers were flain in the field of battle and in the purfuit; but the chief carnage happened at the fmail river Coc, which difembogues itself into the Warf. Thither the fugitives fled in hope of fording the stream, but it was fo fwelled with the rains as to be rendered impaffable, until a kind of bridge or mound was formed by the dead bodies of the Lancaftrians, who were flaughtered on the banks, or drowned in the river, which ran purple with their blood. Nor will this circumftance appear incredible, when we confider, that above fix and thirty thousand men were killed in this battle. The dukes Stowe. of Somerset and Exeter escaped with great difficulty; Biondi. but the earl of Devonshire was taken. Immedia- Speel. tely after this great victory, Edward advanced to York, in hope of feizing the perfons of Henry and Margaret; but this princefs had retired with her husband to Berwick. There being joined by the dukes of Somerfet and Exeter, fhe concluded a treaty with the Scottish miniftry, and repaired to that kingdom, where he and her husband met with a very hofpitable reception. This, however, fhe Grafton. |