Biography of Thomas Scales 7th Baron Scales 1397-1460

On 18th June 1429 the Battle of Patay was the final engagement of the Loire Campaign of the Hundred Years War. The French forces commanded by Joan of Arc [aged 17], Étienne Vignolles "La Hire" and Jean Poton Xaintrailles [aged 39] defeated an English force of 5000. The English lost around 2000 men with Thomas Scales 7th Baron Scales [aged 32], Thomas Rempston [aged 40], and John "Old Talbot" Talbot 1st Earl of Shrewsbury [aged 46] being captured. John Fastolf [aged 49] fought.

Chronicle of Gregory. 5th July 1450. And uppon the morowe the Sonday at hyghe mas tyme a lette to be heddyd a man of Hampton, a squyer, the whyche was namyd Thomas Mayne. And that same evyn Londyn dyd a rysse and cam out uppon them at x [of] a the belle, beyng that tyme her captaynys the goode olde lorde Schalys [aged 53] and Mathewe Goughe. Ande from that tyme unto the morowe viij of belle they were ever fyghtynge uppon London Brygge [Map], ande many a man was slayne and caste in Temys, harnys, body, and alle; and monge the presse was slayne Mathewe Goughe and John Sutton aldyrman. And the same nyght, a-non aftyr mydnyght, the Captayneof Kentte dyde fyre the draught brygge of London; and be-fore that tyme he breke bothe Kyngys Bynche [Map] ande the Marchelsy [Map], and lete out alle the presoners that were yn them.

Chronicle of Gregory. 6th July 1450. And uppon the morowe by tymys came my lord the Cardynalle of Yorke [aged 70], and my Lord of Cauntyrbury, and the Byschoppe of Winchester [aged 52], and they tretyde by twyne the Lord Schalys [aged 53] and that captayne, that the sore conflycte and skarmasche was sessyde, ande gaffe the captayne and his mayne a generalle chartoure for him and for alle his company in his name, callyng him selfe John Mortymere, and thoroughe that mene they were i-voydyde the moste partye. And the vj day aftyr that, the Satyr-daye at evyn 3 the iij heddys were takyn downe of London Brygge, that is to say, the Lord Say [deceased] is hedde, Crowmers [deceased], and the Bayleyes, and the othyr ij [2] heddys sette uppe a-yenne that stode a-pon London Brygge be-fore, and the body whythe hedde were i-burydde at the Gray Fryers at London.

On 20th July 1460 Thomas Scales 7th Baron Scales [aged 63] was murdered by boatmen whilst travelling from the Tower of London [Map] to Sanctuary, Westminster Abbey [Map]. His daughter Elizabeth succeeded 8th Baroness Scales. She was, or had been married to, Henry Bourchier (the year of his death may been 1458). She was in 1466 married to Anthony Woodville 2nd Earl Rivers [aged 20], brother of King Edward IV's [aged 18] wife Elizabeth Woodville Queen Consort England [aged 23]; an example of the Woodville family marrying rich heiresses.

A Brief Latin Chronicle. Meanwhile, with Lord Scales [aged 62] and many others guarding the Tower of London, after cannon shots were fired at the besiegers outside the Tower and sailors on the Thames, many were killed. Eventually, after the Tower was surrendered to Sir John Wenlock [aged 59], who was besieging it, Lord Scales, on the night of Saint Margaret¹, attempting to escape by boat from those lying in wait for him, was captured and killed. And shortly thereafter, Sir Thomas Browne [aged 57] along with five others, who were condemned for extortion, robbery, and treason, were beheaded at Tyburn.

Note 1. The Feast of Saint Margaret the Virgin i.e. 20th July.

Interim, domino Scales cum multis aliis Turrim London. servante, factis jacturis gunnorum in extra existentes obsessores Turris et nautas in Tamesi, multi interfecti sunt. Tandem, reddita Turre predicta Johanni Wenloc militi obsidenti eam, dominus Scales in nocte Sancte Margarete volens in cimba evadere ab insidiantibus sibi, captus et interfectus est. Et infra breve Thomas Browne miles cum aliis quinque qui super extorcione rapinis et prodicione damnati sunt apud Tyburne decapitati sunt.

Chronicle of Gregory. 20th July 1460. As for the sege of the Towre, it is com¹ and opyn i-knowe, I passe ovyr. But son aftyr the ende of the sege the Lord Schalys [aged 63], that notabylle warryoure, was slayne at Synt Mary Overeyes [Map] with water men, and laye there dyspoyly nakyd as a worme. But the lordys were full sory of his dethe.

Note 1. Apparently the writer intended to say "commonly."