After this proclamation ended, the lord Fauconbridge, sir Walter Blunt, Robert Horne with the fore-ward passed the riuer at Castelford, three miles from Ferribridge, intending to haue inuironed the lord Clifford and his companie, but they being therof aduertised, departed in great hast toward king Henries armie; yet they met with some that they looked not for, & were so trapt yer they were aware. For the lord Clifford, either for heat or paine, putting off his gorget, suddenlie with an arrow (as some saie) without an head, was striken into the throte, and immediatlie rendred his spirit; and the earle of Westmerlands brother and all his companie almost were there slaine, at a place called Dintingdale, not far from Towton. This end had the lord Clifford, which slue the earle of Rutland knéeling on his knees, whose yoong sonne Thomas Clifford was brought vp with a sheepheard in poore habit, euer in feare to be knowne, till king Henrie the seuenth obteined the crowne, by whom he was restored to his name and possessions. [Sidenote: The lord Faucounbridge.] [Sidenote: Saxton.] [Sidenote: _Whethamsted_ saith, that K. H[=e]ries power excéeded in number king Edwards by twentie thousand men.] [Sidenote: An heauie proclamai[=o].] [Sidenote: Palmesundaie field.] When this conflict was ended at Ferribridge, the lord Fauconbridge, hauing the fore-ward, bicause the duke of Norffolke was fallen sicke, valiantlie vpon Palmesundaie in the twilight set foorth his armie and came to Saxton, where he might apparantlie behold the host of his aduersaries, which were accompted thréescore thousand men, and thereof aduertised king Edward, whose whole armie amounted to eight and fortie thousand six hundred and thréescore persons: which incontinentlie with the earle of Warwike set forward, leauing the rere-ward vnder the gouernance of sir Iohn Wenlocke, sir Iohn Dinham, and other. And first of all, he made proclamation, that no prisoner should be taken. So the same daie about nine of the clocke, which was the nine and twentith daie of March, being Palmesundaie, both the hostes approched in a faire plaine field, betwéene Towton and Saxton. When ech part perceiued other, they made a great shout; and at the same instant there fell a small sléete or snow, which by violence of the wind that blew against them, was driuen into the faces of king Henries armies, so that their sight was somewhat dimmed. The lord Fauconbridge, leading K. Edwards fore-ward, caused euerie archer vnder his standard to shoot one flight (which before he caused them to prouide) and then made them to stand still. The northerne men feeling the shot, but by reason of the sléet, not well viewing the distance betwéene them and their enimies, like forward men shot their sheafe arrowes as fast as they might: but all to losse, for they came short of the southerne men by thréescore yards. [Sidenote: The earle of Northumberland.] [Sidenote: The obstinate minds of both parts.]