POLITICAL HISTORY 



The ill success of Henry in Wales was in striking contrast to the 

 success of the Percys at Homildon Hill, and was a decided factor in forming 

 against him the great league of Northumberland and his son Hotspur, 

 Douglas, Glendower, and Mortimer in 1403. Henry was at Lichfield on 

 1 1 July, on his way to Scotland to assist Northumberland, and probably 

 there heard the news of the Percys' rebellion. He accordingly changed his 

 plans, and resolved to strike a sudden blow at the rebels in the west, and 

 from Burton on 1 6 July he ordered the sheriffs of several counties, including 

 Staffordshire, to cause proclamations to be made that all lords, knights, esquires, 

 and yeomen of their respective bailiwicks should hasten sufficiently armed 

 to the king's person to resist Sir Henry Percy, and they were to arrest any 

 person suspected of rebellion whom they might meet. 155 The king's com- 

 missioners to issue this proclamation in Staffordshire were the Earl of Stafford 

 and Robert Fraunceys the sheriff. The king also wrote from Burton to the 

 council in London for money, assuring them he was strong enough to over- 

 throw any combination of his enemies, and then marched through Lichfield 

 with all speed to Shrewsbury, evidently without waiting for the money or 

 the men he had asked for when at Burton, and on the 2ist the battle was 

 fought, and Hotspur defeated and slain. 156 At the battle, in which the 

 men of Cheshire fought gallantly for Hotspur, Edmund the fifth earl of 

 Stafford and father of the first duke was killed fighting for the king. 157 



Staffordshire must have been, unlike Cheshire, overwhelmingly on the 

 king's side, as the estates of the house of Lancaster had now come to the 

 crown, and Stafford, the most powerful noble in the county, was loyal to the 

 throne. 



There is, however, an account of a fight which shows some difference 

 of opinion, for the two knights Sir Robert Mauveisyn and Sir William 

 Handsacre marching, the former to help Henry and the latter Hotspur, for 

 Shrewsbury met not far from their own homes, and in the fight that followed 

 Sir William was slain, and Sir Robert went on to meet his death at 

 Shrewsbury. 158 



Four days after the battle Henry was at Stafford, and stayed at Lichfield 

 from the 26th to 2 8th July on his way to Derby. In the summer of 

 1404 Henry IV, who, although only thirty-seven, seems to have already fatally 

 impaired his original energy, retired to his northern castles and was at Tutbury 

 in the middle of August, where he remained until the 2ist, proceeding to 

 Lichfield, where he had ordered a grand council to assemble. 159 From a list 

 still preserved 16 it consisted of eight bishops, eighteen abbots and priors, 

 nineteen lords and barons, and ninety-six representatives from the counties, 

 the cities and boroughs not being represented. The situation to be faced was 

 serious ; in Wales the garrisons were clamouring for pay, as neither the king 

 nor anyone else seemed to have any money, 161 the troops in Scotland were 

 mutinous, and an invasion was expected from France. It was decided that 

 ihe king should not go to Wales, but remain near Tutbury ready for 



155 Rymer, Foedera (orig. ed.), viii, 313 ; Cal. ofPat. 1401-5, p. 297. 



156 Wylie, Engl. under Hen. 1Y, i, 35 I. 



157 H. S. Riley, Annals ofRlc. II and Hen. IV, i, 370. 



158 Shaw, Hist, of Staffs, i, 4950, 179. Political differences were aggravated by a family feud. 



159 Royal and Hist. Letters of Hen. IV (Rolls Ser.), i, 433. 



160 Sir Harris Nicolas, Ordinances of P.O. (Rec. Com.), ii, 85. '" Stubbs, Const. Hist, iii, 41. 



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