35 



Those accounts seem to be all that we have to guide us as to the pre- 

 cise positiou of Richard's army when the battle commenced, for the old 

 historians have not devoted their attention to describing it. 



This position upon the hill was certainly, as Mr. Hutton correctly 

 states, an excellent one, and Henry must have begun the attack at 

 some disadvantage, for the hill was against him.^ 



The old historical writers state that, when Henry marched from his 

 camp to the attack, he left the morass on his right,^ which is important, 

 and tends to confirm the explanation before attempted respecting the 

 position of Richard's army. Mr. Hutton mentions that Henry ad- 

 vanced from the south end of the field,^ and that Richard's forces were 

 posted in battalia upon Amyon Hill.* If so, it seems tolerably clear 

 that Heniy's army faced, as has already been mentioned, to the north- 

 eastward, and that of Richard to the south-westward ; and it appears 

 naturally to follow, that Richard had the town of Market Bosworth, or 

 the village of Sutton Cheney, or both of them, in his rear, or rather iu 

 the rear of his left wing. 



It is remarkable that, in Mr. Huttou's plan of the field of battle, at 

 page 1, Henry's army is drawn as facing towards the south-eastward, 

 and Richard's army is delineated facing towards the north-westward, 

 with Market Bosworth at a distance iu advance of his right, and with 

 Sutton Cheney rather to the rear of his right, and with his left extended 

 towards the well, but with Lord Stanley's forces interposed between it 

 and the King's army; yet, in the other plan, delineated by Mr, Pridden, 

 and introduced by J. NichoUs, F.S.A., into the work at page 244, 

 Henry's army is depicted facing to the north-eastward, and the army of 

 Richard is delineated as facing to the south-westward (which seems to 

 be probable), and with Sutton Cheney to the rear of his left, and with 

 King Richard's Well between the two armies, and rather before Richard's 

 right centre. 



With respect to the tradition that Richard quenched his thirst at the 

 well during the battle, I have merely to remark, that it was an impro- 

 bable circumstance to have occurred in such a place. 



In the army of King Richard, the Duke of Norfolk and his son, the 

 Earl of Surrey, had the honour of leading the van, consisting princi- 

 pally of archers, the main body (or the " Main Battle," as it was at 



> Hutton, p. 96. 



" Hall, HolinsUsd, Grafton, Baker, Speed, Stow. It must be borne in mind that tlie 

 morass formed part of what is at present tlie wood, and that a portion of the latter extends 

 nearly to the well : Henry's army, in advancing, would naturally bear away a little to the 

 left, in order to avoid the morass. 



' Hutton'* " iioswarlh Field," p. 09. 



■* Uutton'b " Bosworth Ficlu," pp. 87 — 94. 



