“In the meantime,” says the chronicler, “King Edward, which the day before had come within a mile of Tewkesbury, put his brother, the Duke of Gloucester, in the forewarde, and himselfe in the middlewarde; the Lorde Marques and the Lorde Hastyngs led the rere garde. The Duke of Gloucester, which lacked no pollicy, valiauntly with his battayle assaulted the trenche of the Queene’s campe, whome the Duke of Somerset with no less courage defended. Then the Duke of Gloucester, for a very pollitik purpose, with all his men reculed backe, the which Somerset perceiuying, like a knight more couragious than circumspect, came out of his trenche with his whole battayle and followed the chase, not doubting but the Prince and the Lorde Wenlocke, with the middlewarde, had followed just at his backe. But whether the Lorde Wenlocke dissimulated the matter for King Edward’s sake, or whether his harte serued him not, still he stoode lookyng on. The Duke of Gloucester, takyng the advantage that he adventured for, turned again face to face to the Duke of Somerset’s battayle; which, nothyng lesse thinkyng on than of the returne, were within a small space shamefully discomfited. <g>Somerset</g>, seeyng hys unfortunate chaunce, returned to the middlewarde, where, seeyng the Lorde <g>Wenlocke</g> standyng still, and after having reuyled and called hym traytor, with hys axe strake the braynes out of his heade. “The Duke of Gloucester entered the trench, and after him the King, where, after no long conflict, the Queene’s part went almost all to wrecke, for the most part were slaine. Some fled for succour in the thicke of the Parke, some into the Monastarye, some into other places. The Queene was founde in her chariot almost dead for sorow, the Prince was apprehended and kept close by Sir Richard Croftes. The Duke of Somerset and the Lorde Prior of St. Johns were by force taken prisoners, and many other also. In the field and chase were slaine John, Lord Somerset, the Earle of Deuonshire, [Illustration] Sir John Delues, Sir Edward Hampden, Sir Robert Wychingham, Sir John Lewkenor, and three thousand other.” In this battle the last blood and strength of the House of Lancaster being spent, Edward was established ----“On England’s royal throne, Repurchased by the blood of enemies.-- What valiant foemen, like to autumn’s corn, Have we mow’d down, in tops of all their pride! Three Dukes of Somerset, threefold renown’d For hardy and undoubted champions: Two Cliffords, as the father and the son, And two Northumberlands; two braver men Ne’er spurr’d their coursers to the trumpet’s sound. With them the two brave bears, Warwick and Montague, That in their chains fetter’d the Kingly Lion, And made the forest tremble when they roar’d. Thus have we swept suspicion from our seat.”----