Now! Then! On Shipton Moor, the Earl of Westmorland, acting for Henry IV, tricks the Archbishop of York and the Duke of Norfolk, rebellious defenders of York’s rights and purses

29 May 1405: On Shipton Moor, the Earl of Westmorland, acting for Henry IV, tricks the Archbishop of York and the Duke of Norfolk, rebellious defenders of York’s rights and purses

Anon. 1856. An English Chronicle of the Reigns of Richard II, Henry IV, Henry V, and Henry VI. Ed. John Silvester Davies. London: Camden Society. Known as The Davies Chronicle and Davies’s Chronicle. William Marx’s 2003 edition contains material unavailable to Davies. Get it:

Excerpt

The archbishop and the lord Mowbray gathered a great host and went toward the earl of Westmorland, and the earl came against them with another host sent from the king to take them. When they were nigh together, the earl prayed the archbishop and the lord Mowbray that they might speak together and treat of peace. They went to the earl, and the earl had there bottles with wine, and made them drink. While the said earl feigned himself to treat, a knight of his rode to the archbishop’s host, and said that the lords were accorded, and in token thereof they drank together, “and therefore the archbishop commands every man for to go home again, for he shall this night sup with the earl.” The archbishop’s men were afeared, for there was a little hill between the archbishop and them, so that they might neither see him nor the earl. Nonetheless, they weened [supposed] it had be true that the knight said, and went their way and were disparpled [dispersed]. The knight returned again to his company, and anon the earl and he, with their host, fell upon the archbishop and lord Mowbray, and took them, and led them to the king to Pontefract. After this the king came to York, and the citizens of the city came out barefoot and ungirt, with halters about their necks, and fell down before the king asking mercy and grace, because they rose with the archbishop. And when the archbishop should die, he said, “Lo! I shall die for the laws and good rule of England.”

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To facilitate reading, the spelling and punctuation of elderly excerpts have generally been modernised, and distracting excision scars concealed. My selections, translations, and editions are copyright.

Abbreviations

Comment

“Rights and purses” is from Sara Butler’s discussion of Scrope’s rebellion (Butler 2022).

Henry IV, part 2:

HASTINGS.
My lord, our army is dispersed already:
Like youthful steers unyoked, they take their courses
East, west, north, south; or, like a school broke up,
Each hurries toward his home and sporting-place.
WESTMORELAND.
Good tidings, my Lord Hastings; for the which
I do arrest thee, traitor, of high treason:
And you, lord archbishop, and you, Lord Mowbray,
Of capital treason I attach you both.
MOWBRAY.
Is this proceeding just and honourable?
WESTMORELAND.
Is your assembly so?
ARCHBISHOP.
Will you thus break your faith?
LANCASTER.
I pawn’d thee none:
I promised you redress of these same grievances
Whereof you did complain; which, by mine honour,
I will perform with a most Christian care.
But for you, rebels, look to taste the due
Meet for rebellion and such acts as yours.
Most shallowly did you these arms commence,
Fondly brought here and foolishly sent hence.
Strike up our drums, pursue the scattr’d stray:
God, and not we, hath safely fought to-day.
Some guard these traitors to the block of death,
Treason’s true bed and yielder up of breath.
(Shakespeare 1899)

Shakespeare’s principal source is Holinshed’s Chronicles (Holinshed 1808/1965):

The subtle policy of the Earl of Westmorland and the archbishop’s protestation why he had on him arms

When the earl of Westmorland perceived the force of the adversaries, and that they lay still and attempted not to come forward upon him, he subtly devised how to quail their purpose, and forthwith dispatched messengers unto the archbishop to understand the cause as it were of that great assembly, and for what cause (contrary to the king’s peace) they came so in armour. The archbishop answered, that he took nothing in hand against the king’s peace, but that whatsoever he did, tended rather to advance the peace and quiet of the commonwealth, than otherwise; and where he and his company were in arms, it was for fear of the king, to whom he could have no free access, by reason of such a multitude of flatterers as were about him; and therefore he maintained that his purpose to be good and profitable, as well for the king himself, as for the realm, if men were willing to understand a truth: and herewith he showed forth a scroll, in which the articles were written whereof before ye have heard.

The messengers returning to the earl of Westmorland, showed him what they had heard and brought from the archbishop. When he had read the articles, he showed in word and countenance outwardly that he liked of the archbishop’s holy and virtuous intent and purpose, promising that he and his would prosecute the same in assisting the archbishop, who rejoicing hereat, gave credit to the earl, and persuaded the earl marshal (against his will as it were) to go with him to a place appointed for them to commune together. Here when they were met with like number on either part, the articles were read over, and without any more ado, the earl of Westmorland and those that were with him agreed to do their best, to see that a reformation might be had, according to the same.

The earl of Westmorland’s politic dealing and the archbishop of York and the earl marshal arrested

The earl of Westmorland using more policy then the rest: “Well (said he) then our trauell is come to the wished end: and where our people haue beene long in armour, let them depart home to their wonted trades and occupations: in the mean time let us drink together in sign of agreement, that the people on both sides may see it, and know that it is true, that we be light at a point.” They had no sooner shaken hands together, but that a knight was sent straight ways from the archbishop, to bring word to the people that there was peace concluded, commanding each man to lay aside his arms, and to resort home to their houses. The people beholding such tokens of peace, as shaking of hands, and drinking together of the lords in loving manner, they being already wearied with the unaccustomed trauell of war, brake up their field and returned homewards: but in the mean time, whilst the people of the archbishops side withdrew away, the number of the contrary part increased, according to order given by the earl of Westmorland; and yet the archbishop perceived not that he was deceived, until the earl of Westmorland arrested both him and the earl marshal with diverse other. Thus sayeth Walsingham.

But others write somwhat otherwise of this matter, affirming that the earl of Westmorland in deed, and the lord Rafe Eeuers, procured the archbishop and the earl marshal, to come to a communication with them, upon a ground just in the midway betwixt both the armies, where the earl of Westmorland in talk declared to them how perilous an enterprise they had taken in hand, so to raise the people, and to move war against the king, advising them therefore to submit themselves without further delay unto the king’s mercy, and his son the lord John, who was present there in the field with banners spread, ready to try the matter by dint of sword if they refused this counsel: and therefore he willed them to remember themselves well: and if they would not yield and crave the king’s pardon, he had them do their best to defend themselves.

The archbishop of York, the earl marshal, and others put to death

Hereupon as well the archbishop as the earl marshal submitted themselues unto the king, and to his son the lord John that was there present, and returned not to their army. Whereupon their troops scaled and fled their ways: but being pursued, many were taken, many slain, and many spoiled of that that they had about them, and so permitted to go their ways. Howsoever the matter was handled, true it is that the archbishop, and the earl marshal were brought to Pomfret to the king, who in this meane while was advanced thither with his power, and from thence he went to York, whither the prisoners were also brought, and there beheaded the morrow after Whitsunday in a place without the city, that is to understand, the archbishop himself, the earl marshal, Sir John Lampleie, and Sir Robert Plumpton. Unto all which persons, though indemnity were promised, yet was the same to none of them at any hand performed. By the issue hereof, I mean the death of the foresaid, but specially of the archbishop, the prophesy of a sickly canon of Bridlington in Yorkshire fell out to be true, who darkly enough foretold this matter, and the unfortunate event thereof in these words hereafter following, saying:

Pacem tractabunt, sed fraudem subter arabunt,
Pro nulla marca, saluabitur ille[Archiepiscopus] hierarcha.

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Original

And this same year, master Richard Scrope archbishop of York, and the lord Mowbray that was earl marshal of England, and a knight called sir William Plumpton, gathered a strong power in the north against the king; and the king sent thither his power and took them, and they were beheaded at York: and soon afterward Almighty God showed for the said archbishop many great miracles.

And the cause of the said rising was this: The earl’s son of Nottingham and his heir the lord Mowbray complained to the archbishop of York, and said that his ancestors were ever wont of right to be marshals of England, and be that they held their land; and notwithstanding that, the king had given the said land with the office to the earl of Westmorland. The archbishop communed of this with wise men of counsel, and afterward he made a sermon in the church of York, and exhorted and stirred the people to assist in helping with the correction and amendment of the mischiefs and misgovernances of the realm, having in consideration the great poverty of the merchants in whom was wont to be the substance of the riches of all the land: and also the great raisings of taxes, tallages and customs under colour of borrowing: and also, that due payment be made for the king’s vittles: and that the clergy and the common people were not vexed nor charged with importable charges of taxes and tallages as they had long time been: and that the heirs of noblemen and of lords of the land might be restored to their inheritance whole, every man after his degree and birth: and also that such covetous men as were of the king’s counsel, that took away and turned to their own use such goods as were ordained to the common help of the land, and make themself rich withal, be removed and put away from the king.

These articles and many other the archbishop made be written in English, and were set on the gates of the city, and sent to curates of the towns about, for to be preached openly.

And the said archbishop and the lord Mowbray gathered a great host, and went toward the earl of Westmorland; and the earl came against them with another host sent from the king to take them; and when they were nigh together, the earl prayed the archbishop and the lord Mowbray, that they might speak together and treat of peace; and they went to the earl, and the earl had there bottles with wine, and made them drink; and while the said earl feigned himself to treat, a knight of his rode to the archbishop’s host, and said that the lords were accorded, and in token thereof they drank together, “and therefore the archbishop commandeth every man for to go home again, for he shall this night sup with the earl.”

The archbishop’s men were afeared, for there was a little hill between the archbishop and them, so that they might neither see him nor the earl; nonetheless, they wende it had been true that the knight said, and went their way and were disparpled [dispersed]; and the knight returned again to his company: and anon the earl and he, with their host, fell upon the archbishop and lord Mowbray, and took them, and led them to the king to Pontefract.

After this the king came to York, and the citizens of the city came out barefoot and ungirt, with halters about their necks, and fell down before the king asking mercy and grace, because they rose with the archbishop.

The archbishop of Canterbury, Arundel, hearing all this, came in haste to the king and to him said, “Sire, I am your ghostly father and the second person of the realm, and ye should accept no man’s counsel sooner than mine, if it be good: I counsel you that if the archbishop of York have trespassed so much against you as it is said, reserve him to the pope’s judgement, and he will so ordain that ye shall be pleased; and if ye will not so, I counsel let him be reserved to the judgement of the parliament, and keep your hands undefiled from his blood.” The king said, “I may not for rumour of the people.” And the archbishop required a notary to make an instrument of the king’s answer, that if need were it might be presented unto the pope.

Then were the archbishop of York and the lord Mowbray damnified unto death, and sir William Plumpton with them, and [8 June] were beheaded without the city of York.

And when the archbishop should die, he said, “Lo! I shall die for the laws and good rule of England.” And then he said unto them that should die with him, “Let us suffer death meekly, for we shall this night, be God’s grace, be in paradise.” Then said the archbishop to him that should smite off his head, “For His love that suffered five wounds for all mankind, give me five strokes, and I forgive thee my death.” And so he did: and thus they died.

And anon after, as it was said, the king was smitten with leprosy: for the which archbishop, Almighty God soon afterward wrought many great miracles.

When the Pope heard of the death of the archbishop of York, he cursed all tho that slew him, and all that were assenting to his death or thereto gave counsel, and commanded the archbishop of Canterbury that he should denounce all them accursed: but the archbishop would not do it alone.

Then sent the king to the Pope, and said that the sedition of the people would not suffer him live, and sent also unto him the habergeon [mail shirt] that the archbishop was armed in, with these words: “Pater, vide si tunica hec sit filij tui an non.” And the pope answered again in this wise, as it was said: “Sive hec sit tunica filij mei an non, scio quia fera pessima devoravit filium meum” – and so by private means of money the matter was ceased.

1059 words.