Warwick The Kingmaker

WARWICK FOR KING HENRY

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Even less time than may have been anticipated passed before Warwick and King Edward were at peace; it was only going to continue from September 1469 to March 1470, a period of seven months. Even while it did hold, everything appeared to be so calm outside that its rupture shocked the globe. Nothing could have appeared more promising for those who enjoy calm periods than the events during the winter of 1469–1470. A Parliament validated all of the King's immunity awards to rebels from the previous year, and while it was in session, the King unveiled a plan to tie York and Neville closer than ever. Despite being married for six years, Edward and Elizabeth Woodville only produced three daughters due to their wedding. He then suggested that his eldest daughter—the presumed heir—marry George, son of Montagu, the male Neville heir. Edward gave the youngster the title of Duke of Bedford to match his expectations. Given that Montagu did not participate in the uprising and had even engaged in combat with Robin of Redesdale, the King's decision to bestow this ultimate honour upon him was made all the more straightforward.

While Clarence and King Edward were in London in February, Warwick was in Montagu, in the North. Everything was relatively peaceful when suddenly word of problems in Lincolnshire broke. The property of a certain Sir Thomas Burgh, one of Edward's most loyal employees, was taken over by riotous bands led by Sir Robert Welles, son of Lord Willoughby and Welles, who also raised the customary seditious shouts about the wicked rule of the realm. Nothing really hazardous appeared to be on foot at first. Willoughby arrived in London quickly enough to make his reasons when the King summoned him to account for his son's actions, depending on the safe conduct that was provided to him. But when the unrest turned into a genuine uprising, word spread that Sir Robert Welles had summoned the whole Lincolnshire force, gathered 15,000 men, and instructed his soldiers to yell for King Henry. Edward sent orders to assemble a massive force to crush the rebels as soon as possible. 

Warwick and Clarence received two commissions and were asked to gather the men from Warwickshire and Worcestershire. Although their orders were dated March 7th, the goal for which they were given had already been accomplished before they had been carried out in full. Lord Willoughby was taken captive by Edward as he hurried north in one of these incredible spurts of energy that he occasionally displayed. With the armies of the home and eastern counties at his back, he left London on the sixth and arrived in Stamford on the eleventh. He encountered the rebels on the 12th at Empingham, close to Stamford, and when Welles refused to order them to withdraw, he killed his elderly father, Willoughby, in front of his troops. The battle was remembered as Lose-coat Field because the Lincolnshire soldiers fled in shameful disarray in front of the King's cannon, tossing off their cassocks with the Welles colours in such a hurry. A few days later, Sir Robert was apprehended and executed in Doncaster, ending the uprising. The Duke of Norfolk was especially well-accompanied; no lord there so well. The King examined his forces on Tuesday, the 21st: "It was stated that never were seen in England so many goodly men, and so well arranged for a combat." A few thousand soldiers from the shires that Warwick and Clarence had been sent to raise were with them as they lay that day in Chesterfield, en route to Lincoln as directed.

As Sir Robert Welles was dying, Edward abruptly informed his men that he had learned Warwick and Clarence were responsible for the uprising. Even though Welles had occasionally used the title of King Henry, it was now claimed that he had been seeking to install Clarence as monarch and was doing so with Warwick's full consent. Edward continued by saying that he had already sent the Duke and the Earl a message asking them to arrive at his presence immediately and alone. He now labelled them traitors since they refused to come without safe conduct, but he would spare their deaths if they came before him respectfully and promptly within a week. When the proclamation reached Warwick and Clarence, they did not follow it and fled for their lives. The army was immediately ordered to march on Chesterfield.