The king hauing knowledge of all these dooings, assembled a great armie, and accompanied with the duke of Summerset (latelie come from Guisnes) and the duke of Buckingham, and diuerse other great lords that tooke his part, came to Northampton; where the quéene perceiuing hir puissance to be able to match in fight with the aduersaries, tooke vpon hir to incourage hir fréends and well-willers: for the king studied of nothing but of peace, quietnesse, and solitarie life. When the whole hoast of the kings part was assembled, the same issued foorth of the towne, and passing ouer the riuer of Tine, lodged in the new field betwéene Harsington and Sandifford, stronglie fensing themselues about with high banks, and déepe trenches. On the other part, the lords being herewith aduanced verie néere the place where the kings people laie without Northampton; the bishops that were there with them, by the aduise and consent of the said lords, sent vnto the king the bishop of Salisburie, to vnderstand his mind, and to mooue him vnto some treatie of peace, and to admit the archbishop of Canturburie, and the other bishops there present, to be mediatours in the matter, that some good accord might be concluded betwixt the parties, so as an vniuersall peace might be restored in all parts through the whole realme. [Sidenote: The battell of Northampt[=o].] [Sidenote: _Wethamsted._] The bishop of Salisburie dooing this message not so circumspectlie as had béene conuenient, returned without bringing anie towardlie answer; but rather words of high despite and vtter defiance. For the lords that were about the king, trusting in their warlike engines and strength of place, in which they were incamped, though otherwise inferior in number of men, purposed to abide the brunt of battell; and so led with the spirit of rashnesse, sent none other answer backe againe by the bishop, but contumelious words sounding greatlie to the reproch of their aduersaries; who being sore offended therewith determined to séeke reuenge with dint of sword. The earle of March as then being in the floure of his lustie and most couragious youth, lieng betwéene Toucetor and Northampton, determined to set on the kings armie without longer delaie: and therevpon in the night season remooued his campe toward Northampton, and in marching forward set his men in order of battell: whereof the vant-ward was led by the earle of Warwike, which either by strength or stealth wan a streict which the lord Beaumont kept, going toward the kings campe; and herewith entring freshlie with his people, began the battell about seauen of the clocke the ninth daie of Iulie. After him followed the earle of March with the banner of his father. ¶ Others write, that the earle of March led the fore-ward, the erle of Warwike the middleward, and the lord Fauconbridge the rere-ward. [Sidenote: The L. Graie of Ruthen.] [Sidenote: _Edw. Hall._] [Sidenote: The kings part discomfited.] [Sidenote: The K. taken.]