The Last Knight Errant: Sir Edward Woodville & the Age of Chivalry by Christopher Wilkins Page A
Authors: Christopher Wilkins
Tags: nonfiction, History, Biography & Autobiography, Medieval, England/Great Britain, 15th Century, Military & Fighting
Ads: Link
arrangements. The Great Chronicle reports that one rich Suffolk widow raised her tax contribution from £10 to £20 in return for a kiss from the King. Another account describes a widow who offered twice as much ‘for thy lovely face’ than he was expecting, so he kissed her in gratitude. She was so delighted that she doubled again the contribution. He needed all the money he could raise and it was not usually that easy. The coffers had been empty when he took the throne and he used a variety of devices to increase the royal revenues.3 He also kept expenditure down by avoiding where he could the expense of war.
However, in March 1472 there was a plea from Duke Francis of Brittany for help against the French who had been conspiring. King Louis was threatening to invade and had persuaded King James III of Scotland to take 6,000 men to seize part of Brittany. But King Edward, rather than commit his realm, gave permission (on 20 June 1472) for his kinsman: ‘Anthony Wydville, Earl of Rivers may take 1,000 men at arms and archers to Brittany and other parts beyond the seas at his own expense with captains appointed by him to go where he pleases.’ 4
Perhaps this was by way of pecuniary punishment for the trip to Portugal; the cost of contracting the men would have been around £2,500 to £3,000, plus rations and ship hire, but he would probably recover the costs from Duke Francis. Anyway the task would have appealed to Anthony, who was recently back from his disappointing ‘day upon the Saracens’.
He raised his troop under the banner of the silver scallop of Scales and sailed to Brittany accompanied by ‘Sir Edward Wydville’. This is the first time we hear formally of Edward who, knighted before the expedition sailed, would then be around 14, the age when young noblemen went to war.5
When the French invaded, the Bretons and their English allies were ready for them, and after a number of skirmishes the French were forced to withdraw in August. The Scots had not come, as King James had been unable to finance the expedition and neither did his Estates approve of their king gallivanting off abroad. King Edward had been watching closely and presumably had forgiven Anthony for his idiosyncratic behaviour, because he now commissioned him to negotiate the terms under which England would help Brittany. It was an interesting time for Edward to be watching and listening to his brother.
The diplomatic efforts culminated in the Treaty of Châteaugiron (September 1472) which was underpinned by the arrival of 2,000 archers from King Edward. This gave Duke Francis an edge when he negotiated a peace treaty with France in October and, a month later, John Paston was writing from London with the news that Lord Rivers was expected back shortly but had lost many soldiers through fflyxe or dysentery. While they were campaigning, the brothers’ mother died; she left Edward a manor in Northamptonshire, which he later sold for £200, plus an annuity of £50.6
In Brittany Anthony had been given the additional task of getting ‘possession of therls of Pembroke and Richmond’ who had fled there from Wales after Tewkesbury. King Edward wanted both Tudors, Earl Jasper of Pembroke and Earl Henry of Richmond, under lock and key in England, as Lancastrians on the loose were dangerous. But Duke Francis had given his word for their safety and could not be persuaded to hand them over.
Nevertheless, after much haggling and prevarication, by the following summer England, Burgundy and Brittany had reached agreement on a battle plan against France under which England was to mount an invasion before July the following year. This meant the rest of the summer was free for private activities and so it is hardly surprising that Anthony took himself off on a pilgrimage to Spain and – given ‘Sir Edward Wydville’s’ later interest in Spain – he was most probably accompanied by his brother.
They sailed from Southampton for the Jubilee and
However, in March 1472 there was a plea from Duke Francis of Brittany for help against the French who had been conspiring. King Louis was threatening to invade and had persuaded King James III of Scotland to take 6,000 men to seize part of Brittany. But King Edward, rather than commit his realm, gave permission (on 20 June 1472) for his kinsman: ‘Anthony Wydville, Earl of Rivers may take 1,000 men at arms and archers to Brittany and other parts beyond the seas at his own expense with captains appointed by him to go where he pleases.’ 4
Perhaps this was by way of pecuniary punishment for the trip to Portugal; the cost of contracting the men would have been around £2,500 to £3,000, plus rations and ship hire, but he would probably recover the costs from Duke Francis. Anyway the task would have appealed to Anthony, who was recently back from his disappointing ‘day upon the Saracens’.
He raised his troop under the banner of the silver scallop of Scales and sailed to Brittany accompanied by ‘Sir Edward Wydville’. This is the first time we hear formally of Edward who, knighted before the expedition sailed, would then be around 14, the age when young noblemen went to war.5
When the French invaded, the Bretons and their English allies were ready for them, and after a number of skirmishes the French were forced to withdraw in August. The Scots had not come, as King James had been unable to finance the expedition and neither did his Estates approve of their king gallivanting off abroad. King Edward had been watching closely and presumably had forgiven Anthony for his idiosyncratic behaviour, because he now commissioned him to negotiate the terms under which England would help Brittany. It was an interesting time for Edward to be watching and listening to his brother.
The diplomatic efforts culminated in the Treaty of Châteaugiron (September 1472) which was underpinned by the arrival of 2,000 archers from King Edward. This gave Duke Francis an edge when he negotiated a peace treaty with France in October and, a month later, John Paston was writing from London with the news that Lord Rivers was expected back shortly but had lost many soldiers through fflyxe or dysentery. While they were campaigning, the brothers’ mother died; she left Edward a manor in Northamptonshire, which he later sold for £200, plus an annuity of £50.6
In Brittany Anthony had been given the additional task of getting ‘possession of therls of Pembroke and Richmond’ who had fled there from Wales after Tewkesbury. King Edward wanted both Tudors, Earl Jasper of Pembroke and Earl Henry of Richmond, under lock and key in England, as Lancastrians on the loose were dangerous. But Duke Francis had given his word for their safety and could not be persuaded to hand them over.
Nevertheless, after much haggling and prevarication, by the following summer England, Burgundy and Brittany had reached agreement on a battle plan against France under which England was to mount an invasion before July the following year. This meant the rest of the summer was free for private activities and so it is hardly surprising that Anthony took himself off on a pilgrimage to Spain and – given ‘Sir Edward Wydville’s’ later interest in Spain – he was most probably accompanied by his brother.
They sailed from Southampton for the Jubilee and
Similar Books
