Queen’s
Men Editions

Modernized excerpts of Anglia Historia (Vergil).

Para1Richard, in the meantime, according as his force and tyranny well required, was afeared least that many should become the queen’s friends, and procure the commonalty¹ to commotion, when they should see the crown bereft from prince Edward; therefore he commanded forthwith five thousand soldiers which were levied in Yorkshire (for to them he most trusted) to be sent unto him, under the conduct of Richard Ratcliffe, and gave to him in charge to dispatch divers things by the way. He, guarded with that company, stayed at Pontefract, and commanded the keeper of the castle to put to death Anthony lord Rivers, Richard Gray, and Thomas Vaughan, as the Gloucestrian had commanded (according as I have before written), that by reason of his presence such an horrible fact might be executed without uproar, which done, he conducted his company to London. Richard, thus guarded with that number of faithful and trusty soldiers, attempted confidently to execute all other things. And so, having assembled together a company of the nobility, he was created king at Westminster the day before the nones of July, and adorned with the regal diadem, together with Anne his wife, the people rather not repining² for fear than allowing thereof, and was called Richard the III. That was the year of man’s salvation.

Para2Wherefore he sent warrant to Robert Brakenbury, lieutenant of the Tower of London, to procure the Princes’ death with all diligence, by some mean convenient.³ From thence he departed to York, where he was joyfully received of the citizens, who for his coming made certain days public and open triumph; but king Richard, that he might advance himself openly to all men, yea to the country people (so desirous was he to prowl after vain applause and congratulation), denounced⁴ a day wherein the archbishop of York, at his request, appointed general procession, in the solemnity whereof himself and the queen went crowned. King Richard carried with him Edward earl of Warwick, the son of his brother George duke of Clarence, by reason of whom least any danger might to himself be derived, he sent him to be kept in ward at a castle called Sheriff Hutton. But the lieutenant of the Tower at London after he had received the king’s horrible commission was astonished with the cruelty of the fact, and fearing lest if he should obey the same might at one time or other turn to his own harm, did therefore defer the doing thereof in hope that the king would spare his own blood, or their tender age, or alter that heavy determination. But any one of those points was so far from taking place, seeing that the mind therein remained immovable, as that when king Richard understood the lieutenant to make delay of that which he had commanded, he anon⁵ committed the charge of hastening that slaughter unto another, that is to say James Tyrrell, who, being forced to do the king’s commandment, rode sorrowfully to London, and, to the worst example that hath been almost ever heard of, murdered those babes of the issue royal.

Para3While king Richard was thus occupied in so great trouble of mind and alteration of devices for fear of stir to come, behold⁶ he heard that the same was broken out, for he had intelligence that the castle of Hammes⁷ held with Henry by men of the earl of Oxford, and that he, with James Blunt, captain thereof, were fled to Henry himself; wherefore thinking it best to withstand the beginning, he sent forthwith to recover the hold, a good part of the garrison which was at Calais. Those who were within the castle, when they saw the adversary approach, armed themselves quickly to the defense, and anon sent messengers to earl Henry to demand aid. Henry without delay commanded the earl of Oxford with choice soldiers to go and held his friends, who in their first arrival encamped themselves not far from the castle; the while they held their enemy’s intentive⁸ upon that part, Thomas Brandon, with thirty valiant men, entered the castle by the marsh, which joineth unto the place. Then they who were within, having received new supply, skirmished⁹ with the enemy from the wall more sharply than before. The earl of Oxford also at their backs was no less earnest; whereby it fell out that the enemies of their own free will gave unto the besieged free liberty to depart with bag and baggage, which condition the earl of Oxford, who came for that end to deliver his friends from danger, and especially the wife of James, the captain thereof, did not refuse, but leaving the castle returned safe with his company to Paris.

Para4Then Henry, thinking it needful to make haste, that his friends should not be any longer kept in perplexity between hope and dread, uncertain what to do, after he had made his prayers to God that he might have an happy and prosperous journey, he loosed¹⁰ from the mouth of Seine with two thousand only of armed men and a few ships, the calends¹¹ of August, and with a soft southern wind. The weather being very fair he came unto Wales the 7th day after, a little before sunset, where, entering the haven called Milford, and forthwith going a-land, he took first a place the name whereof is Dale,¹² where he heard that certain companies of his adversaries had had their stations the winter bypassed to have kept him from landing. From thence departing in the break of day he went to Haverford,¹³ which is a town not ten miles from Dale, where he was received with great goodwill of all men, and the same he did with such celerity¹⁴ as that he was present and spoken of all at once. Here he understandeth that Richard Thomas and John Savage, with all their force and friends, did help king Richard to the uttermost of their power, clean contrary to that he was certified of in Normandy. But the inhabitants of Pembroke, at the same very time, comforted all their dismayed minds, for they gave intelligence, by Arnold Butler, a valiant man, demanding forgiveness of their former offences, that they were ready to serve Jasper, their earl. Henry, his army thus augmented, departed from Haverford, and goeth forward five miles toward Cardigan.¹⁵ The while the soldiers refreshed themselves hear of rumor was suddenly spread through the whole camp, the author whereof was uncertain, that Gwalter Herbert and those who were in camp at the town of Carmarthen were at hand with an huge army.

Para5In the meantime king Richard, hearing that the enemy drew near, came first to the place of fight, a little beyond Leicester (the name of that village is Bosworth), and there, pitching his tents, refreshed his soldiers that night from their travel, and with many words exhorted them to the fight to come. It is reported that king Richard had that night a terrible dream; for he thought in his sleep that he saw horrible images as it were of evil spirits haunting evidently¹⁶ about him, as it were before his eyes, and that they would not let him rest; which vision truly did not so much strike into his breast a sudden fear, as replenish the same with heavy cares: for forthwith after, being troubled in mind, his heart gave him the opinion that the event¹⁷ of the battle following would be grievous, and he did not buckle¹⁸ himself to the conflict with such liveliness of courage and countenance as before, which heaviness that it should not be said he showed as appalled with fear of his enemies, he reported his dream to many in the morning. But (I believe) it was no dream, but a conscience guilty of heinous offences, a conscience (I say) so much the more grievous as the offences were more great, which, thought at none other time, yet in the last day of our life is wont to represent to us the memory of our sins committed, and withal to show unto us the pains imminent for the same, that, being upon good cause penitent at that instant for our evil-led life, we may be compelled to go hence in heaviness of heart.

Para6Now I return to my purpose. The next day after, king Richard, furnished thoroughly with all manner of things, drew his whole host¹⁹ out of their tents, and arrayeth his vaward,²⁰ stretching it forth of a wonderful length, so full replenished both with footmen and horsemen that to the beholders afar off it gave a terror for the multitude²¹, and in the front were placed his archers, like a most strong trench and bulwark;²² of these archers he made leader John duke of Norfolk. After this long vaward followed the king himself, with a choice²³ force of soldiers. In this meantime Henry, being departed back from the conference with his friends, began to take better heart, and without any tarry²⁴ encamped himself nigh his enemies, where he rested all night, and well early in the morning commanded the soldiers to arm themselves, sending withal to Thomas Stanley, who was now approached the place of fight, as in the midway betwixt the two battles, that he would come to with his forces, to set the soldiers in array.²⁵ He answered that the earl should set his own folks in order, while that he should come to him with his army well appointed. With which answer, given contrary to that was looked for, and to that which the opportunity of time and weight of cause required, though Henry were no little vexed, and began to be somewhat appalled,²⁶ yet without lingering he of necessity ordered his men in this sort. He made a slender vaward for the small number of his people; before the same he placed archers, of whom he made captain John earl of Oxford; in the right wing of the vaward he placed Gilbert Talbot to defend the same; in the left verily he sat John Savage; and himself, trusting to the aid of Thomas Stanley, with one troop of horsemen, and a few footmen did follow; for the number of all his soldiers, all manner of ways, was scarce 5,000 besides the Stanleyans, whereof about 3,000 were at the battle, under the conduct of William. The king’s forces were twice so many and more. Thus both the vawards being arrayed, as soon as the soldiers might one see another afar off, they put on their head-pieces and prepared to the fight, expecting the alarm²⁷ with attentive ear. There was a marsh betwixt both hosts, which Henry of purpose left on the right hand, that it might serve his men instead of a fortress, by the doing thereof also he left the sun upon his back; but when the king saw the enemies passed the marsh, he commanded his soldiers to give charge upon them. They making suddenly great shouts assaulted the enemy first with arrows, who were nothing faint unto the fight but began also to shoot fiercely; but when they came to hand-strokes, the matter then was dealt with blades. In the meantime, the earl of Oxford, fearing lest his men in fighting might be environed of the multitude, commanded in every rank that no soldiers should go above ten foot from the standards;²⁸ which charge being known, when all men had throng thick together, and stayed awhile from²⁹ fighting, the adversaries were therewith afeared, supposing some fraud, and so they all forbore the fight a certain space, and that verily did many with right goodwill, who rather coveted the king dead than alive, and therefore fought faintly.³⁰ Then the earl of Oxford in one part, and others in another part, with the bands of men close one to another, gave fresh charge upon the enemy, and in array triangle vehemently renewed the conflict. While the battle continued thus hot on both sides betwixt the vawards, king Richard understood, first by espials,³¹ where earl Henry was afar off, with small force of soldiers about him; then after drawing nearer he knew it perfectly by evident signs and tokens that it was Henry; wherefor, all inflamed with ire, he struck his horse with the spurs, and runneth out of the one side without the vawards against him. Henry perceived king Richard come upon him, and because all his hope was then in valiancy of arms,³² he received him with great courage. King Richard, at the first brunt, killed certain, overthrew³³ Henry’s standard, together with William Brandon, the standard-bearer, and matched also with John Cheney, a man of much fortitude, far exceeding the common sort, who encountered³⁴ with him as he came, but the king with great force drove him to the ground, making way³⁵ with weapon on every side. But yet Henry abode the brunt longer than ever his own soldiers would have thought, who were now almost out of hope of victory, when as lo, William Stanley, with three thousand men came to the rescue: then truly in a very moment the residue³⁶ all fled, and king Richard alone was killed fighting manfully in the thickest press of his enemies. In the meantime also the earl of Oxford after a little bickering³⁷ put to flight them that fought in the forward, whereof a great company were killed in the chase. But many more forbore to fight, who came to the field with king Richard for awe,³⁸ and for no goodwill, and departed without any danger, as men who desired not the safety³⁹ but destruction of that prince whom they hated. there were killed about a thousand men, and amongst them of noblemen of war John duke of Norfolk, Gwalter L. Ferris, Robert Brakenbury, Richard Ratcliffe and many more. Two days after at Leicester, William Catesby, lawyer, with a few that were his fellows, were executed. And of those that took them to their fate Francis L. Lovell, Humphrey Stafford, with Thomas his brother and much more company, fled into the sanctuary of St. John,⁴⁰ which is at Colchester, a town by the seaside in Essex. As for the number of captives, it was very great; for when king Richard was killed, all men forthwith⁴¹ threw away weapon, and freely submitted themselves to Henry’s obeisance,⁴² whereof the most part would have done the same at the beginning, if for king Richard’s scurriers,⁴³ scouring to and fro, they might so have done. Amongst them the chief were Henry earl of Northumberland, and Thomas earl of Surrey. This man was committed to ward,⁴⁴ where he remained long; he as friend in heart was received into favor. Henry lost in that battle scarce a hundred soldiers, amongst whom there was one principal man, William Brandon, who bore earl Henry’s standard. The field was foughten⁴⁵ the 11th calends of September, in the year of man’s salvation, and the fight lasted more than two hours.

Para7The report is that king Richard might have sought to save himself by flight;⁴⁶ for they who were about him, seeing the soldiers even from the first stroke to lift up their weapons feebly and faintly, and some of them to depart the field privily,⁴⁷ suspected treason, and exhorted him to fly, yea and when the matter began manifestly to quail,⁴⁸ they brought him swift horses; but he, who was not ignorant that the people hated him, out of hope to have any better hap⁴⁹ afterward, is said to have answered, that that very day he would make end either of war or life, such great fierceness and such huge force of mind he had: wherefore, knowing certainly that that day would ether yield him a peaceable and quiet realm from thenceforth or else perpetually bereave⁵⁰ him the same, he came to the field with the crown upon his head, that thereby he might either make a beginning or end of his reign. And so the miserable man had suddenly such end as wont is to happen to them that have right and law both of God and man in like estimation, as will, impiety, and wickedness. Surely these are more vehement examples by much than is able to be uttered with tongue to terrify those men which suffer no time to pass free from some heinous offence, cruelty, or mischief.

Para8Henry, after the victory obtained, gave forthwith thanks unto Almighty God for the same; then after, replenished with joy incredible, he got himself unto the next hill, where, after he had commended his solders, and commanded to cure⁵¹ the wounded, and to bury them that were slain, he gave unto the nobility and gentlemen immortal⁵² thanks, promising that he would be mindful of their benefits, all which mean while the soldiers cried, “God save king Henry, God save king Henry,” and with heart and hand uttered all the show of joy that might be; which, when Thomas Stanley did see, he set anon king Richard’s crown, which was found among the spoil⁵³ in the field, upon his head, as though he had been already by commandment of the people proclaimed king after the manner of his ancestors, and that was the first sign of prosperity. After that, commanding to pack up all bag and baggage, Henry with his victorious army proceeded in the evening to Leicester, where, for refreshing of his soldiers from their travail and pains, and to prepare for going to London, he tarried two days. In the meantime the body of king Richard naked of all clothing, and laid upon an horseback with the arms and legs hanging down on both sides, was brought to the abbey of monks Franciscans at Leicester, a miserable spectacle in good sooth,⁵⁴ but not unworthy for the man’s life, and there was buried two days after without any pomp or solemn funeral.