the first time, and but few could hear the descriptive account so ably given 

 en route by Mr. Flavell Edmunds. It was the last battle fought on Hereford- 

 shire soil, and beyond question the most important. It revived the fortunes of 

 the House of York at a time when they seemed almost hopeless, and placed 

 the victor on the throne. Mr. Edmunds published the best account of this 

 battle some years since, and a brief summary of his excellent paper cannot tail 

 to be acceptable. 



The year 1460 closed with great gloom for the House of York. At the 

 battle of Wakefield Green, December 30th, 1160, Richard Duke of York was 

 slain, and his head, surmounted in mockery with a paper crown, frowned above 

 one of the gates of York. His youngest son, the Earl of Rutland, was bar- 

 barously murdered by Lord Clifford in the pursuit ; and many of the staunchest 

 Yorkists in the north were dead or in prison. This brilliant success for the 

 House of Lancaster raised their hopes to the uttermost, and it only remained for 

 them to crush the young Earl of March before he could overcome his father's 

 death. Orders were therefore given by the Queen to Jasper Tudor, Earl of 

 Pembroke, and James Butler, Earl of Ormond and Wylshire, to advance into 

 Herefordshire and attack him. They at once did so, and joining the Lancastrian 

 troops whioh occupied Leominster, they drove the Yorkists from their posts 

 on Cursneh Hill and Eyton and marched towards Wigniore, to seize the castle 

 and ravage the rich domain of the Mortimers. 



The young Earl well justified Queen Margaret's fears. He was only 

 twenty years old, but his manners were good and prepossessing, and the energy 

 and courage with which he met the reverse of his party won the hearts of his 

 followers. He had raised an army amongst his Herefordshire friends and 

 tenants, and joined by Griffith ap Griffith and many of the Welsh was preparing 

 to march northwards to meet the victorious Lancastrians, when the news of 

 this attack reached him. Quickly reversing his step3 he marched homewards 

 to defend his ancestral castle. 



The evening of February 1st, 1461, found the Lancastrian army on the great 

 plain, their right commanded by the Earl of Ormond, the centre by Sir Owen 

 Tudor, and the left by his son, the Earl of Pembroke. The young Earl Edward, 

 was believed to be far away collecting his friends and adherents. The Lancas- 

 trians expected, therefore, to find only the garrison of Wigmore Castle and such 

 few troops as could hastily be got together to oppose them ; and great must have 

 been their surprise as the day broke to see the Yorkists before them drawn 

 up in close battle array at the entrance of the beautiful valley of Aymestry. 



The young Lord of Wigmore, knowing the ground, had very skilfully taken 

 up his position to oppose the Lancastrians. His left was protected by the 

 river Lugg, his main body in one solid column occupied the narrow valley, and 

 his left was on the high ground above the present inn at Mortimer's Cross. 

 The morning was cold, some snow lay upon the ground, and Edward's army was 

 awe-struck on observing in the clear pale sky that singular phenomenon which 



