Battle of Shrewsbury

On 21st July 1403 King Henry IV of England (age 36), with his son the future King Henry V of England (age 16), defeated the rebel army of Henry "Hotspur" Percy (age 39) at the Battle of Shrewsbury at the site now known as Battlefield, Shrewsbury [Map]. King Henry V of England took an arrow to the side of his face. John Stanley (age 53) was wounded in the throat. Thomas Strickland (age 36) fought and was awarded £38 and two of the rebel Henry's horses. Richard Beauchamp 13th Earl Warwick (age 21) fought for the King. Walter Blount (age 55), the King's Standard Bearer, was killed by Archibald Douglas 1st Duke Touraine (age 31).

Thomas Wendesley (age 59), Edmund Cockayne (age 47) and Robert Goushill were killed.

Edmund Stafford 5th Earl Stafford (age 25) was killed. His son Humphrey Stafford succeeded 6th Earl Stafford, 7th Baron Stafford.

Hugh Shirley (age 52) was killed; he was one of four knights dressed as King Henry IV of England.

Of the rebels, Henry "Hotspur" Percy, Madog Kynaston (age 43) and John Clifton were killed.

Thomas Percy 1st Earl of Worcester (age 60) was beheaded after the battle. Earl Worcester extinct.

Richard Vernon 11th Baron Shipbrook (age 48) was hanged. Baron Shipbrook forfeit.

John Rossall was killed. His sister Eleanor Rossall (age 26) inherited a half-share in the Rossall Shrewsbury [Map] estates.

John Massey (age 65) was killed.

Chronicle of Adam of Usk. 21st July 1401 In the next year, on behalf of the crown of England claimed for the earl of March, as is said, a deadly quarrel arose between the king and the house of Percy of Northumberland, as kin to the same earl, to the great agitation of the realm as it took part with one side or the other; and a field being pitched for the morrow of Saint Mary Magdalene (23rd July), the king, by advice of the earl of Dunbar of Scotland, because the father of the lord Henry Percy and Owen Glendower were then about to come against the king with a great host, anticipating the appointed day, brought on a most fearful battle against the said lord Henry and the lord Thomas Percy, then earl of Worcester. And, after that there had fallen on either side in most bloody slaughter to the number of sixteen thousand men, in the field of Berwick¹ where the king afterwards founded a hospice for the souls of those who there fell two miles from Shrewsbury, on the eve of the said feast, victory declared for the king who had thus made the onslaught. In this battle the said lord Percy, the flower and glory of the chivalry of Christendom, fell, alas!, and with him his uncle. Whereby is the prophecy fulfilled: 'The cast-off beast shall carry away the two horns of the moon.'² There fell also two noble knights in the king’s armour, each made conspicuous as though a second king, having been placed for the king’s safety in the rear line of battle. Whereat the earl of Douglas of Scotland, then being in the field with the said lord Henry, as his captive, when he heard victory shouted for king Henry, cried in wonder: 'Have I not slain two king Henries (meaning the said knights) with mine own hand? Tis an evil hour for us that a third yet lives to be our victor.'³

Note 1. Berwick was the village where Hotspur passed the night before the battle of Shrewsbury.

Note 2. The application of the 'two horns of the moon' to the two Percys who fell is no doubt suggested by the Percy badge, a crescent. See a memorandum in Nicolas, Acts of the Privy Council, i. 209, in which the Percy retainers are described at this very time as wearing the badge: 'et pluseurs chivachent devers lui, leur cressans as braas' i.e. 'and several rode toward him, their crests on their arms.'

Note 3. "This battell lasted three long houres, with indifferent fortune on both parts, till at length, the king crieng Saint George! victorie! brake the arraie of his enemies, and adventured so farre, that (as some write) the earle Dowglas strake him downe, and at that instant slue sir Walter Blunt, and three other, apparelled in the king’s sute and clothing, saieng: I marvell to see so many kings thus suddenlie arise one in the necke of an other." Holinshed, iij. 26. "Another king! they grow like Hydra’s heads." Shakespeare’s Henry IV, pt. I, act V. sc. iv.

Holinshed's Chronicle [1525-1582]. 21st July 1403. It was reported for a truth, that now when the king had condescended unto all that was resonable at his hands to be required, and seemed to humble himselfe more than was meet for his estate, the earle of Worcester (upon his returne to his nephue) made relation cleane contrarie to that the king had said, in such sort that he set his nephues hart more in displeasure towards the king, than ever it was before, driving him by that meanes to fight whether he would or not: then suddenlie blew the trumpets, the kings part crieng S. George upon them, the adversaries cried Esperance Persie, and so the two armies furiouslie joined. The archers on both sides shot for the best game, laieng on such load with arrowes, that manie died, and were driven downe that never rose againe.

The Scots (as some write) which had the fore ward on the Persies side, intending to be revenged of their old displeasures doone to them by the English nation, set so fiercelie on the kings fore ward, led by the earle of Stafford, that they made the same draw backe, and had almost broken their adversaries arraie. The Welshmen also which before had [...]aine lurking in the woods, mounteines, and marishes, heari[...]g of this battell toward, came to the aid of the Persies, and refreshed the wearied people with new succours. The king perceiving that his men were thus put to distresse, what with the violent impression of the Scots, and the tempestuous stormes of arrowes, that his adversaries discharged freely against him and his people, it was no need to will him to stirre: for suddenlie with his fresh battell, he approched and relieved his men; so that the battell began more fierce than before. Here the lord Henrie Persie, and the earle Dowglas, a right stout and hardie capteine, not regarding the shot of the kings battell, nor the close order of the ranks, pressing forward togither bent their whole forces towards the kings person, comming upon him with speares and swords so fiercelie, that the earle of March the Scot, perceiving their purpose, withdrew the king from that side of the field (as some write) for his great benefit and safegard (as it appeared) for they gave such a violent onset upon them that stood about the kings standard, that slaieng his standard-bearer sir Walter Blunt, and overthrowing the standard, they made slaughter of all those that stood about it, as the earle of Stafford, that daie made by the king constable of the realme, and diuerse other.

The prince that daie holpe his father like a lustie yoong gentleman: for although he was hurt in the face with an arrow, so that diverse noble men that were about him, would have conueied him foorth of the field, yet he would not suffer them so to doo, least his departure from amongst his men might happilie have striken some feare into their harts: and so without regard of his hurt, he continued with his men, & never ceassed, either to fight where the battell was most hot, or to incourage his men where it seemed most need. This battell lasted three long houres, with indifferent fortune on both parts, till at length, the king crieng saint George victorie, brake the arraie of his enimies, and aduentured so farre, that (as some write) the earle Dowglas strake him downe, & at that instant slue sir Walter Blunt, and three other, apparelled in the kings sute and clothing, saieng: I maruell to see so many kings thus suddenlie arise one in the necke of an other. The king in deed was raised, & did that daie manie a noble feat of armes, for as it is written, he slue that daie with his owne hands six and thirtie persons of his enimies.

The other on his part incouraged by his doings, fought valiantlie, and slue the lord Persie, called sir Henrie Hotspurre. To conclude, the kings enimies were vanquished, and put to flight, in which flight, the earle of Dowglas, for hast, falling from the crag of an hie mounteine, brake one of his cullions, and was taken, and for his valiantnesse, of the king frankelie and freelie deliuered.

There was also taken the earle of Worcester, the procuror and setter foorth of all this mischeefe, sir Richard Vernon, and the baron of Kinderton, with diverse other. There were slaine upon the kings part, beside the earle of Stafford, to the number of ten knights, sir Hugh Shorlie, sir John Clifton, sir John Cokaine, sir Nicholas Gausell, sir Walter Blunt, sir John Caluerleie, sir John Massie of Podington, sir Hugh Mortimer, and sir Robert Gausell, all the which receiued the same morning the order of knighthood: sir Thomas Wendesleie was wounded to death, and so passed out of this life shortlie after. There died in all upon the kings side sixteene hundred, and foure thousand were greevouslie wounded. On the contrarie side were slaine, besides the lord Persie, the most part of the knights and esquiers of the countie of Chester, to the number of two hundred, besides yeomen and footmen, in all there died of those that fought on the Persies side, about five thousand. This battell was fought on Marie Magdalene even, being saturdaie. Upon the mondaie folowing, the earle of Worcester, the baron of Kinderton, and sir Richard Vernon knights, were condemned and beheaded. The earles head was sent to London, there to be set on the bridge.

Beauchamp Pageant. [21st July 1403] 7. Here shewes howe at the batell of Shrewesbury betwen Kyng Henry the iiij^th and Sir Henry Percy Erle Richard (age 21) there beyng on the kynges party ful notably and manly behaved hym self to his greet lawde and worship In which batell was slayne the said Sir Henry Percy and many other with him. And on the kynges party there was slayne in the kynges cote armour chef of other, the Erle of Safford. Earl Richardes Auntes son with many others in greet nombre. on whos sowles God have mercy Amen.

Note. This plate refers to the battle of Shrewsbury fought on 21st. July, 1403 between King Henry IV. and Sir Henry Percy. On the left side are seen the forces of the King with the royal banner and that of the Earl of Warwick, who is recognisable by his helmet crest of the bear and ragged staff; the three other horsemen have no distinguishing mark. Beneath them are the English archers in salades, jacks, and shirts of chain mail. One foot soldier with a spear stands over a fallen archer of the enemy's party. On the right are the forces of Percy, the horsemen in retreat; while one mounted man staggers from a lance thrust delivered by the Earl of Warwick, and Hotspur, with the Percy crescent as a crest, himself falls backward pierced in the breast by an English arrow. The archers of Percy, armed and equipped like the King's troops, and bearing small buckles on their sword hilts, are making a stand against the English archers. The banner of Percy's troops is reversed, and accordingly the lions rampant in the first and fourth quarters are in wrong positions. In plate 40 the same mistake is made with the Earl's banner. Strutt in his engraving has carelessly placed the arrow of one of the English archers on the right or wrong side of the bow. A similar mistake is made on plate 40. The Percy banner (reversed as before stated), bears 1 and 4, gold a lion rampant azure, the ancient arms of the Dukes of Brabant and Lovaine, and 2 and 3 gules three lucies hauriant silver for Lucy, the arms of Hotspur's stepmother.