Lewys Glyn Cothi a 15th-century Welsh poet wrote the following lines
The mightiest of Christendom,
And through a fault it was lost:
At Banbury the vengeance was exacted
Upon fair Wales, and the great fine.
There was heard all at once
Crying of battle between great spears.
And through a fault it was lost:
At Banbury the vengeance was exacted
Upon fair Wales, and the great fine.
There was heard all at once
Crying of battle between great spears.
He was referring to the deaths of William Herbert, Earl of Pembroke and his brother Richard who were executed following the Battle of Edgcote in 1469. Of the Herbert brothers death Guto'r Glyn, another Welsh poet wrote
"I was killed, I and my nation too."
The moment that this Earl was killed"
"I was killed, I and my nation too."
The moment that this Earl was killed"
According to Guto'r Glyn's poem the battle took place on Monday 24th July, however 'history' claims the date as the 26th July 1469 the the Battle of Edgcote took place in Northamptonshire between the royal army of William Herbert, Earl of Pembroke and northern rebels under one Robin of Redesdale. History tells us that Pembroke’s army was weak due to the Earl of Devon withdrawing his troops taking the majority of the archers with him. This action culminated in a victory for the rebels.
On the day that followed the battle William Herbert was summary executed at Northampton on the order of the Earl of Warwick who was there to watch. His body was taken for burial at Tintern Abbey. In his will Herbert instructed his widow Anne, to betroth their daughter Maud to Henry Tudor, but this was not to be, Tudors mother would have other plans for him. However, William's son also William, did marry into the royal family (of sorts) his second wife was Kathrine, the illegitimate daughter of Richard III, he had been married to the sister of Elizabeth Woodville previous to that. Maud, went on to marry Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland.
With regard to the execution of Richard Herbert contemporary sources state that he was executed on the day of the battle. His body was taken to Abergavenny and interred at St Mary’s Priory.
So why did Richard Neville have Herbert executed without trial? Well, they were rivals, this was due in part to Herbert’s influence with Edward IV, his increasing power in Wales and the relationship between Herbert and the family of Elizabeth Woodville, this Warwick saw as a threat to his influence in the royal court. Therefore, the answer is quite simply revenge.
You can read more on the subject of revenge in my blog Vengeance in Mine.
meanderingthroughtime.weebly.com/wars-of-the-roses-blog/vengeance-is-mine
With regard to the execution of Richard Herbert contemporary sources state that he was executed on the day of the battle. His body was taken to Abergavenny and interred at St Mary’s Priory.
So why did Richard Neville have Herbert executed without trial? Well, they were rivals, this was due in part to Herbert’s influence with Edward IV, his increasing power in Wales and the relationship between Herbert and the family of Elizabeth Woodville, this Warwick saw as a threat to his influence in the royal court. Therefore, the answer is quite simply revenge.
You can read more on the subject of revenge in my blog Vengeance in Mine.
meanderingthroughtime.weebly.com/wars-of-the-roses-blog/vengeance-is-mine
RSS Feed
