This battle, which fixed the house of Lancaster on the throne during three reigns, is among those of the first importance recorded in ancient English history, and may be named as the first of those conflicts between the white and red roses, which some years after deluged the nation with some of its best blood, and filled it with intestine ravages and divisions. Owen Glyndwr had the mortification to be obliged to remain inactive at the head of his troops at Oswestry, from whence he retired on hearing of Percy’s defeat: and although he afterwards attempted, he was unable to regain the independence of his native country.—He died in Herefordshire in 1414. Henry returned thanks to heaven for this brilliant victory, and founded the collegiate church at Battlefield on the spot where it is probable most of the slain were buried. During the fatal quarrel between the houses of York and Lancaster, which is computed to have cost the lives of eighty princes of the blood, and to have almost entirely annihilated the ancient nobility of England, Shrewsbury remained steadily attached to the Yorkists, and previous to the battle of St. Albans, Richard Plantagenet, duke of York wrote to his “right worshipful friends the bailiffs, burgesses and commoners of the good town of Shrewsbury,” requesting assistance in his enterprise for the recovery of his throne. After his defeat and death at Wakefield, his son Edward, earl of March, appeared in Shrewsbury, entreating a supply of men to revenge his father’s death. With an army of 23,000 men chiefly raised in this neighbourhood, he obtained a decisive victory at Mortimer’s Cross in Herefordshire, from whence advancing rapidly to London he was shortly afterwards proclaimed king. Edward, duly sensible of the strength and inviolable attachment of Shrewsbury to his cause, committed the care of his queen to its inhabitants, and during her residence here she twice lay in at the convent of the Black Friars, and was delivered of Richard and George Plantagenet, the former of whom was murdered in the Tower through the cruelty of his uncle Richard III. and the latter died young. In 1484, Henry Stafford, duke of Buckingham, having entered into a conspiracy for the purpose of depriving Richard of a throne which he had acquired by such manifold injustice, and his endeavours being frustrated, fled to the house of one Bannister, at Shinewood, near Wenlock, in order to concealment, but notwithstanding Bannister was indebted to the duke for the property he enjoyed, unable to withstand the temptation of so large a reward as £1000, basely betrayed him to John Mitton, esq. then sheriff of the county, who conducted him to Shrewsbury, where Richard shortly after arrived, and feasted his eyes with the execution of his enemy.