fell a small sléete or snow, which by violence of the wind that blew against them, was driuen into the faces of king Henries armies, so that their sight was somewhat dimmed. The lord Fauconbridge, leading K. Edwards fore-ward, caused euerie archer vnder his standard to shoot one flight (which before he caused them to prouide) and then made them to stand still. The northerne men feeling the shot, but by reason of the sléet, not well viewing the distance betwéene them and their enimies, like forward men shot their sheafe arrowes as fast as they might: but all to losse, for they came short of the southerne men by thréescore yards.

So their shot almost spent, the lord Fauconbridge marched forward with his archers, which not onelie shot their whole sheafes, but also gathered the arrowes of their enimies, and let a great part flie against their first owners, and suffered a great sort of them to stand, which sore troubled the legs of the northerne men, when the battell ioined. The earle of Northumberland and Andrew Trollop, chiefe capteins of king Henries vawward, séeing their shot not to preuaile, hasted to ioine with their enimies, and the other part slacked not their pase. This battell was sore foughten, for hope of life was set aside on either part, & taking of prisoners proclamed a great offense, so euerie man determined to vanquish or die in the field.

This deadlie conflict continued ten houres in doubtfull state of victorie, vncerteinlie heauing and setting on both sides; but in the end, king Edward so couragiouslie comforted his men, that the other part was discomfited and ouercome, who like men amazed, fled toward Tadcaster bridge to saue themselues, where in the mid waie is a little brooke called Cocke, not verie broad, but of a great déepenesse, in which, what for hast to escape, and what for feare of their followers, a great number was drowned there. It was reported, that men aliue passed the riuer vpon dead carcasses, and that the great riuer of Wharfe whereinto that brooke dooth run, and of all the water comming from Towton, was coloured with bloud.

The chase continued all night, and the most part of the next daie, and euer the northerne men (as they saw anie aduantage) returned againe, and fought with their enimies, to the great losse of both parts. For in these two daies were slaine (as they that knew it wrote) on both parts six and thirtie thousand seuen hundred thréescore & sixteene persons, all Englishmen and of one nation, whereof the chiefe were the earles of Northumberland and Westmerland, the lord Dacres, and the lord Welles, sir Iohn Neuill, Andrew Trollop, Robert Horne, and manie other knights and esquiers, and the earle of Deuonshire was taken prisoner, but the dukes of Summerset and Excester fled from the field and saued themselues.

After this great victorie, king Edward rode to Yorke, where he was with all solemnitie receiued; and first he caused the heads of his father, the earle of Salisburie, and other his freends, to be taken from the gates, and to be buried with their bodies: and there he caused the earle of Deuonshire, and thrée other to be beheaded, and set their heads in the same place. King Henrie, after he heard of the irrecouerable losse of his armie, departed incontinentlie with his wife and sonne to the towne of Berwike, and leauing the duke of Summerset there, went into Scotland, and comming to the king of Scots, required of him and his councell, aid, and comfort.

The yoong king of Scots, lamenting the miserable state of king Henrie, comforted him with faire words and friendlie promises, and assigned to him a competent pension to liue on, during his abode in Scotland. King Henrie, in recompense of this courtesie and friendship, deliuered to the king of Scots the towne of Berwike, whereof he had got possession. He faithfullie supported the part of king Henrie, and concluded a mariage betwixt his sister, and the yoong prince of Wales, but the same was neuer consummate, as after ye shall heare. When king Henrie was somwhat setled in the relme of Scotland, he sent his wife and sonne into France to king Reiner hir father, trusting by his aid and succour to assemble an armie, and once againe to recouer his right and dignitie: but he in the meane time made his aboad in Scotland, to see what waie his friends in England would studie for his restitution.

The quéene being in France, did obteine of the yoong French king then Lewes the eleuenth, that all hir husbands friends, and those of the Lancastriall band, might safelie and suerlie haue resort into anie part of the realme of France, prohibiting all other of the contrarie faction anie accesse, or repair into that countrie. ¶ Thus ye haue heard, how king Henrie the sixt, after he had reigned eight and thirtie yeares & od moneths, was driuen out of this realme. But now leauing him with the princes of his part, consulting togither in Scotland, and queene Margaret his wife gathering of men in France, I will returne where I left, to proceed with the dooings of king Edward.

This yoong prince, hauing with prosperous success obteined so glorious a victorie in the mortall battell at Towton, and chased all his aduersaries out of the realme, or at the least waies put them to silence, returned after the maner and fashion of a triumphant conquerour, with great pompe vnto London; where according to the old custome of the realme, he called a great assemblie of persons of all degrees, and the nine & twentith daie of Iune was at Westminster with solemnitie crowned and annointed king. ¶ In which yeare, this king Edward called his high court of parlement at Westminster, in the which, the state of the realme was greatlie reformed, and all the statutes made in Henrie the sixt his time (which touched either his title or profit) were reuoked.

In the same parlement, the earle of Oxford far striken in age, and his sonne and heire the lord Awbreie Véer, either through malice of their enimies, or for that they had offended the king, were both, with diuerse of their councellors, attainted, and put to execution; which caused Iohn earle of Oxford euer after to rebell. There were also beheaded the same time, sir Thomas Tudenham knight, William Tirell, and Iohn Montgomerie esquiers, and after them diuerse others. Also after this, he created his two yoonger brethren dukes, that is to saie, lord George duke of Clarence, lord Richard duke of Glocester; and the lord Iohn Neuill, brother to Richard earle of Warwike, he first made lord Montacute, and afterwards created him marques Montacute.

Beside this, Henrie Bourchier brother to Thomas archbishop of Canturburie, was created earle of Essex; and William lord Fauconbridge was made earle of Kent. To this Henrie lord Bourchier, a man highlie renowmed in martiall feats, Richard duke of Yorke long before this time, had giuen his sister Elizabeth in mariage, of whome he begat foure sonnes, William, Thomas, Iohn and Henrie: the which William being a man of great industrie, wit, and prouidence in graue and weightie matters, maried the ladie Anne Wooduile, decended of high parentage, whose mother Iaquet was daughter to Peter of Lutzenburgh earle of saint Paule, by the which Anne he had lord Henrie earle of Essex, one daughter named Cicile, maried to Water lord Ferrers of Chartleie and an other called Isabell, which died vnmaried.