May 4th 1471: The Battle of Tewkesbury

The Battle of Tewkesbury

(Graham Turner: Studio 88)

The Lancastrians chose the battleground in an area which was difficult to attack. They must have been at their stations, in three ‘battles’, at the crack of dawn, anxiously awaiting the enemy. They probably didn’t have long to wait. Edward’s army marched along the banks of the Swilgate River to Tewkesbury fully prepared to fight, trumpets sounding and banners flying.

Upon the morrow following, Saturday, the iiij. day of May, [the King] apparelled himself, and all his host set in good array; ordained three wards; displayed his banners; did blow up the trumpets; committed his cause and quarrel to Almighty God, to our most blessed lady his mother, Virgin Mary, the glorious martyr Saint George, and all the saints; and advanced, directly upon his enemies; approaching to their field, which was strongly in a marvellous strong ground pyght, full difficult to be assailed.

Edward’s vanguard, led by his brother, Richard, Duke of Gloucester, opened the battle by assailing the Duke of Somerset’s troops, the Lancastrian right flank, with cannon-shot and arrows. They had an advantage over Somerset in artillery. They were unable to charge the Lancastrians, though, because of the difficulty of the terrain.

Nevertheless the King’s ordinance was so conveniently laid afore them, and his vanward so sore oppressed them, with shot of arrows, that they gave them right-a-sharp shower. Also they did again-ward to them, both with shot of arrows and guns, whereof nevertheless they ne had not so great plenty as had the King. In the front of their field were so evil lanes, and deep dykes, so many hedges, trees, and bushes, that it was right hard to approach them near, and come to hands.

Somerset took the initiative and attackrd, but not a frontal attack. He took his men quietly out of the battlefield and charged at King Edward’s men, not Gloucester’s. After the initial surprise, Somerset was pushed back towards Gloucester, who joined in the assault, and then into the range of two hundred mounted knights who had been placed in woods at the side of the battlefield. They saw their chance and charged. This put Somerset’s men to flight.

But Edmond, called Duke of Somerset, having that day the vanward, whither it were for that he and his fellowship were sore annoyed in the place where they were, as well with gunshot, as with shot of arrows, which they ne would nor durst abide, or else, of great heart and courage, knightly and manly advanced himself, with his fellowship, somewhat aside-hand the King’s vanward, and, by certain paths and ways therefore afore purveyed, and to the King’s party unknown, he departed out of the field, passed a lane, and came into a fayre place, or close, even afore the King where he was embattled, and, from the hill that was in that one of the closes, he set right fiercely upon the end of the King’s battle. The King, full manly, set forth even upon them, entered and won the dyke, and hedge, upon them, into the close, and, with great violence, put them up towards the hill, and, so also, the King's vanward, being in the rule of the Duke of Gloucester.

Here it is to be remembered, how that, when the King was coming afore their field, or he set upon them, he considered that, upon the right hand of their field, there was a park, and therein much wood, and he, thinking to purvey a remedy in case his said enemies had laid any ambush in that wood, of horsemen, he chose, out of his fellowship, ij c spear, and set them in a plomp, together, near a quarter of a mile from the field, giving them charge to have good eye upon that corner of the wood, if case that any need were, and to put them in devowre, and, if they saw none such, as they thought most behovefull for time and space, to employ themselves in the best-wise as they could; which provision came as well to point at this time of the battle as could well have been devised, for the said spears of the King’s party, seeing no likeliness of any ambush in the said wood-corner, seeing also good opportunity to employ them self well, came and brake on, all at once, upon the Duke of Somerset, and his vanward, aside-hand, unadvised, whereof they, seeing the King gave them enough to do afore them, were greatly dismayed and abashed, and so took them to flight into the park, and into the meadow that was near, and into lanes, and dykes, where they best hoped to escape the danger; of whom, nevertheless, many were distressed, taken, and slain.

King Edward’s whole army advanced on the Lancastrian lines, and quickly overcame them, causing a mass retreat. Several of the leaders were killed in this confusion, including Prince Edward, the Prince of Wales, Lancastrian heir. This act, the death of the heir, ended Lancastrian hopes and aspirations.

And, even at this point of their flight, the King courageously set upon that other field, were was chief Edward, called Prince and, in short while, put him to discomfiture and flight; and so fell in the chase of them that many of them were slain, and, namely, at a millstream, in the meadow fast by the town, were many drowned; many ran towards the town; many to the church; to the abbey ; and elsewhere ; as they best might.

In the winning of the field such as abode hand-strokes were slain incontinent; Edward, called Prince, was taken, fleeing to the town-wards, and slain, in the field. There was also slain Thomas, called the Earl of Devonshire; John of Somerset, called Marquis Dorset; Lord Wenlock; with many other in great number.

Hall’s Chronicle says that Lord Wenlock, who was jointly commanding the Lancastrian centre, had taken no action when he saw the predicament that Somerset’s men were in. Somerset, surviving the assault, angrily accused him of treachery and ‘spilled his brains on the field’. There is no other source for this, and Wenlock remains an enigmatic player in the power struggle.