Biography of Richard Beauchamp 2nd Baron Beauchamp Powick 1435-1503

On 3rd May 1471 Richard Beauchamp 2nd Baron Beauchamp Powick [aged 36] barred the gates of Gloucester against Margaret of Anjou's Lancastrian army preventing them from crossing the River Severn.

On 4th May 1471 King Edward IV of England [aged 29] was victorious at the 4th May 1471 Battle of Tewkesbury. His brother Richard [aged 18], Richard Beauchamp 2nd Baron Beauchamp Powick [aged 36], John Howard 1st Duke of Norfolk [aged 46], George Neville 4th and 2nd Baron Abergavenny [aged 31], John Savage [aged 49], John Savage [aged 27], Thomas St Leger [aged 31], John Tuchet 6th Baron Audley, 3rd Baron Tuchet [aged 45], Thomas Burgh 1st Baron Burgh of Gainsborough [aged 40] fought. William Brandon [aged 46], George Browne [aged 31], Ralph Hastings, Richard Hastings Baron Willoughby [aged 38], James Tyrrell [aged 16], Roger Kynaston of Myddle and Hordley [aged 38] were knighted. William Hastings 1st Baron Hastings [aged 40] commanded.

Margaret of Anjou [aged 41] was captured. Her son Edward of Westminster Prince of Wales [aged 17] was killed. He was the last of the Lancastrian line excluding the illegitmate Charles Somerset 1st Earl of Worcester [aged 11] whose line continues to the present.

John Courtenay 7th or 15th Earl Devon [aged 36] was killed and attainted. Earl Devon forfeit. Some sources refer to these titles as being abeyant?

John Wenlock 1st Baron Wenlock [aged 71] was killed. Baron Wenlock extinct.

John Delves [aged 49], John Beaufort [aged 30], William Vaux of Harrowden [aged 35] and Robert Whittingham [aged 42] were killed.

Edmund Beaufort [aged 32], Humphrey Tuchet [aged 37] and Hugh Courtenay [aged 44] were captured.

Henry Roos fought and escaped to Tewkesbury Abbey [Map] where he sought sanctuary. He was subsequently pardoned.

William Carey [aged 34] was killed.

11th May 1477 two servants of George York 1st Duke of Clarence [aged 27] were hanged at Tyburn [Map] for being sorcerers and planning the murder of Richard Beauchamp 2nd Baron Beauchamp Powick [aged 42].

John Stacy and Thomas Burdett of Arrow in Warwickshire [aged 52] were hanged.

Croyland Chronicle 1478. Before 18th February 1478. The indignation of the duke [aged 28] was probably still further increased by this; and now each began to look upon the other with no very fraternal eyes. You might then have seen, (as such men are generally to be found in the courts of all princes), flatterers running to and fro, from the one side to the other, and carrying backwards and forwards the words which had fallen from the two brothers, even if they had happened to be spoken in the most secret closet. The arrest of the duke for the purpose of compelling him to answer the charges brought against him, happened under the following circumstances. One Master John Stacy, a person who was called an astronomer, when in reality he was rather a great sorcerer, formed a plot in conjunction with one Burdet, an esquire, and one of the said duke's household; upon which, he was accused, among numerous other charges, of having made leaden images and other things to procure thereby the death of Richard, lord Beauchamp [aged 43], at the request of his adulterous wife [aged 43]¹. Upon being questioned in a very severe examination as to his practice of damnable arts of this nature, he made confession of many matters, which told both against himself and the said Thomas Burdet. The consequence was, that Thomas was arrested as well; and at last judgment of death was pronounced upon them both, at Westminster, from the Bench of our lord the king, the judges being there seated, together with nearly all the lords temporal of the kingdom. Being drawn to the gallows at Tyburn [Map], they were permitted briefly to say what they thought fit before being put to death; upon which, they protested their innocence, Stacy indeed but faintly; while, on the other hand, Burdet spoke at great length, and with much spirit, and, as his last words, exclaimed with Susanna²⁸, 'Behold! I must die; whereas I never did such things as these."

Note 28. History of Susanna, verse. 43.