1460
Richard Nevill earl of Salisbury is murdered at Pontefract castle. He was captured after the battle of Wakefield and held in custody pending ransom. He was set upon my a mob and executed, possibly by Robert Holland, Bastard of Exeter.
Oh… and it’s my birthday!
1460
Battle of Wakefield.
Richard duke of York and his son Edmund, earl of Rutland are killed. Thomas Nevill, son of Richard Nevill earl of Salisbury is killed, as are William Bonville lord Harrington, husband of Salisbury’s daughter, Katheryn, and Edward Bourchier, son of York’s sister Isabel.
1462
Dunstanburgh castle surrenders to Warwick and his brother John lord Montagu. The captains are offered pardon with their lives. Henry Beaufort duke of Somerset goes to Durham, where he becomes (temporarily) reconciled with Edward IV.
1462
Bamburgh castle surrenders to Warwick and his brother John lord Montagu.
Report on Professional Development program held 2-5 April 1461, to address some pressing concerns arising from the Battle of Towton.
It is important to stress from the outset that the purpose of this intensive four day program was not to point fingers and lay blame. We are all responsible for what goes on in the workplace, and this includes Occupational Health and Safety. It is our view that, while we got some things right, we could have done better across the board. We seem to have forgotten something very important – a safe working environment is everyone’s responsibility. In light of this, it was decided that an urgent PD session should be held as soon after the incident as possible, with a view to doing better going forward, with ALL parties represented, so far as was practical.
Up until the incident at our Ferrybridge sub-branch, which we will not be dealing with separately as, by and large, it involved events similar to those that occurred at the Towton office, we had 85 days without a workplace accident. This admirable record wasn’t just broken at Towton, it was smashed. OH&S has looked into this and we were, frankly, shocked by our findings. It is clear that staff members have little regard for safety, their own or that of others.
This report is divided into five sections reflecting the timetable: Occupational Health and Safety, Conflict Resolution, Workplace Bullying, Industrial Relations, focusing specifically on Unfair Dismissal and Selection Panel Training, and a final session of Resolutions and Recommendations.
Occupational Health and Safety
The following concerns were addressed:
1. Lack of mandated breaks;
2. Use of equipment (eg longbows) not rated for Blizzards;
3. Dangerous tools and equipment (eg very sharp swords, heavy axes);
4. Lack of protective gear;
5. Lack of weather appropriate clothing;
6. Dangerous animals (eg horses) loose in the workplace;
7. Overcrowding in sickbay/low level of co-ordination among First Aid Officers.
1. Lack of mandated breaks
Studies clearly show that optimal performance cannot be achieved when staff members are physically and mentally not at their peak. Forward planning in such matters as adequate transport is essential when large groups are moving between work sites. Several nameless and frankly unwashed staff members claimed that they had been required to walk, and that they were not able to enjoy their mandated fifteen minute break upon arrival at the Towton office. This is unacceptable. Processes need to be put into place and strictly adhered to in the future. A form has been generated that will help track individual staff members’ break times. These are to be signed off by the staff member and two (2) Senior Managers. (Senior Manager is defined as anyone holding the rank of baron or above. The requirement for two signatures is reduced to one (1) if the Senior Manager in question is a Duke or a Marquis. If the Senior Manager is a King, an imperious wave of the hand is sufficient.)
2. Use of equipment not Blizzard-rated
This particularly affected our Lancastrian Department. A small avalanche of complaints has been received in this regard, most stating that the arrows from these bows did not reach their intended target (ie, the Yorkist Department). The Yorkist Department, on the other hand, stated that their bows were fine and they didn’t know what the Lancastrian Department’s problem was. A committee will be formed to look into the feasibility of establishing a Blizzard Rating rubric. The Earl of Warwick asked if this was to include Mist and Fog, but it was decided there were too many variables for this to be practicable, such as Mist Raised by Magic from a Very Great Distance by a Witch.
3. Dangerous tools and equipment
A number of accidents, many unfortunately fatal, were recorded, the immediate cause of which was the use of dangerous tools and equipment. Razor sharp swords, heavy axes, things with pointy bits are NOT suitable tools for the workplace. An independent inventory and review of all equipment is to be carried out and anything that is deemed likely to cause physical injury is to be removed and banned from the workplace and safer alternatives distributed. There were several strenuous objections to this, mostly along the lines of “If you take away our swords, what’s the point of us”? but these were dismissed. What staff do is not the concern of OH&S, making sure they do it safely is. We must all operate within the parameters set down in the OH&S Policy and Procedures Handbook. There are to be no exceptions to this! Threatening us with sharp swords, heavy axes and things with pointy bits isn’t going to change anything. Copies of the Handbook will be distributed to every member of staff, just as soon as the monks have returned from RSI leave.
4. Lack of protective gear
Standards have slipped of late and many staff members were wearing protective clothing that was both obsolete and old. It was stressed (once again) that padded jackets and leather coats offer little or no protection. One of nameless and once again unwashed, who under the current anti-discrimination laws we were forced to invite and not sneer at too much, stated that proper equipment cost money and could it not be provided by the Company, or at least be made available at a subsidised rate. Most members of Senior Management sneered at this suggestion. It must be understood – provision of proper protective gear is YOUR responsibility. Running to your immediate superior and complaining that they haven’t given you a coat of chainmail will not be tolerated. The nameless and decidedly unwashed staff member was taken aside during lunch and given a sound thrashing for his impudence. While management doesn’t condone this, it is the responsibility of each Senior Manager to keep their subordinates in check and it is our policy to allow each Senior Manager to do so in a way he thinks fit.
5. Lack of weather appropriate clothing
See 4. above.
6. Dangerous animals loose in the workplace
A presentation on the Practical Use of the Horse Park was given. Several members of Senior Management protested at this, saying that their horses were essential equipment that allowed them to move quickly and effectively between the workplace and Wales. This was greeted by howls of “Fight on foot, you soft southern shandypants!” by members of our Northern Branch. One of the nameless and (you’d think they’d have at least heard of soap) unwashed was heard to mutter that he didn’t know why he was being asked to sit through a presentation about horses and horse parks as he’d had to run away as fast as he could at the risk of being trampled by several members of Senior Management on their way to Wales. He was taken outside and given a sound thrashing.
7. Overcrowding in sickbay/low level of co-ordination among First Aid Officers
The First Aid Officers were overwhelmed and could not keep up with the flow of injured staff members. The remedy for this is twofold: changed work practices (as outlined in points 1-6 above) and the provision of intensive training for First Aid Officers. We need more volunteers and the more First Aid Officers we have, the better the report on our Strategic Plan will look. On a related matter, the Fire Wardens were deeply disappointed that the practice fire drill scheduled for the day in question was not well attended. This may have been partly due to the blocking of emergency exits and partly to an erroneous belief that fires simply don’t happen during blizzards. OH&S assures all staff that fires can happen anytime and it costs nothing to be prepared.
Conflict Resolution
This was to be conducted by Humphrey Duke of Buckingham, but he was unavoidably deceased. It was pointed out that this has been the case for some months and that our Records Management Department really needs to get on top of things. Sir John Nevill offered to take the session in his absence, but it was felt that he had a conflict of interest, in that he is very much interested in conflict. We attempted to contact Margaret of Anjou to run the session, but she was unavailable, citing a ‘family emergency’. Finally, George Nevill, bishop of Exeter and (currently) Chancellor, agreed to do it. His advice, which took the form of an eight hour sermon, boiled down to one thing: Let the Yorkist Department run things and everything will be fine. This motion was carried by general acclamation by the Yorkist Department. The Lancastrian Department abstained.
Workplace Bullying
A number of complaints, mainly from the nameless and increasingly unwashed, has been received suggesting that they weren’t rostered on and had been coerced into coming to work under threat of death. While we find this difficult to believe, we must allow for the possibility that some members of Senior Management have resorted to bullying tactics. This is unacceptable! A Rostered Day Off is sacrosanct. And if a staff member calls in sick they must not be bullied into coming to work unprepared. It’s worth quoting from one of the complaints. “I don’t even work for the Lancastrian Department. I just know a guy who knows a guy who knows a guy who does. But I had to turn up anyway and now I have a bloody great hole in the side of my head!” There was general agreement that this was unfortunate but just one of those things. A Getting People to Do What You Want Without Threatening to Kill Them PD session will be run next month. All members of Senior Management, in particular anyone whose last name is Percy, are urged to attend.
Industrial Relations
1. Unfair dismissal
Henry VI has lodged a complaint with the Tribunal asking that his recent dismissal be overturned. He states that he was not given sufficient notice or grounds for the dismissal and he has not yet received his payout and is having difficulty accessing his superannuation. At this point, the Earl of Warwick interjected with “Not given sufficient grounds or notice? We’ve only been telling him since 1455!” After some robust discussion, he agreed to look into the matter further, with a view to getting back to us by 1470 at the latest.
2. Selection Panel Training
The new King was appointed without the position being advertised; without the convening of a Selection Panel; without being required to send in an application and a resume; and without being interviewed. He was appointed on references alone. Popular acclaim, and an eight hour sermon by Bishop George Nevill, are not the appropriate processes and procedures. The Duke of Gloucester pointed us to page 228 of the Human Resources Manual, stating that a new King can only be appointed on the death of the previous King and that it was Henry VI’s fault for not being killed in an appropriate manner. Someone from the Lancastrian Department threw a copy of the OH&S Policy and Procedures Handbook at him, but he ducked and it hit the Duke of Clarence, knocking the beer right out of his hand.
Recommendations and Resolutions
The following recommendations and resolutions were made:
1. The Lancastrian Department should stop snivelling and come to terms with Workplace Change.
2. The Yorkist Department are a bunch of usurping thugs and need to go back to where they came from.
3. The Bishop of Exeter is a splendid Chancellor and should be confirmed in the position for life.
4. All women in a hundred mile radius should be brought to Edward IV so that he need never be alone ever for the rest of his life.
5. The Earl of Warwick should be proclaimed the Greatest Man that Ever Lived and be given leave by the College of Arms to have this emblazoned on his banner.
6. Henry VI would quite like to be King again some day.
A quick word from the Head of the Counselling Department
Our doors are always open if you want to, you know, pop in for a bit of a chat about things.
(My thanks to Martin Heskins for inspiring this post.)
1476
Death of Isobel Nevill, duchess of Clarence. A son, Richard, was born and died some months previously.
1454
Alianor Nevill, daughter of Richard Nevill & Alice Montacute, earl and countess of Salisbury, marries Thomas Stanley.
Having found this the other day, I decided to go through it page by page, culling anything of interest. So far, I’ve found a lot of things of interest! I can’t print it, nor can I find a way to clip and save pages, so I’m transcribing stuff as it comes up. A series of letters between the King (via his council) to various lords, knights and squires of the north, mentioned in my posts on the Nevill-Percy feud, I now have on my hard drive. I should like to share them with you, if I can pray your indulgence. Some of them are either copies of others, or contain chunks of repeated text. They begin with quite confident peremptoriness – summonses to appear before council – please explain letters, and end with a somewhat weary plea to both Lord Egremont and John Nevill to just knock it off already!
Had Henry VI not become ill, and had York’s (almost) first act on being named Protector and Defender not been to high tail it north to sort it all out, it may have dragged on for years and ended very badly… It is the opinion of some that the feud did drag on for years and ended more than badly for just about all the men involved.
From the king to Lord Egremont, 7 June 1453
By the King
Right trusty and welbeloved. For certain greet causes and considerations suche as move us and as most of reson sitte us night to hert we will and neverthelesse straitely charge you yt all excusations leide aparte ye in alle haste possible seen thees oure letters come personally unto oure presence to here and understand suche things as then shalbe opened unto you on oure behalf and we woll that ye faille not herein in any wyse and as ye love and tender oure worship and welfare. Yeven tc at Westm the vjj day of Juyn the yere tc xxxj.
From the king to John Nevill, 26 June 1453
By the King
Trusty and welbeloved. It is come to oure knowlache how by occasion of certaine discords and debates moeved betwyx you and the Lord Egremond divers things and novelries contrarie to oure pees have of late daies been committed betwixt you into grete trouble and vexation of oure countree and sugitts there with the whiche demeanyng of reason we may not be well content wherefore and for other causes moevyng us we woll and in the straitest wyse charge you that in alle hast possible after the recevyng of these oure letters ye comme and appere before us and oure counsaille to here and understand suche matiers as shalbe opened to you at your commyng and also that in the meane tyme ye kepe oure pees nothing doing or attempting by your self nor suffering to be doo or attempted by any of youres that may be to the offense or hurt of the same oure pees not levyng this oure commaundement upon the faith and ligeance that ye owe unto us. Yeven tc at Westm the xxvi day of Juyn the yere tc xxxj.
To oure trusty and welbeloved John Neville knyght son to oure right trusty and welbeloved cousyn therle of Salesbury
From the king to Lord Egremont, 26 June 1453
By the king
Divers tymes herebeofre we have yeve you in commaundment by oure letters for suche causes as moeved us to have be and appered before us and our counsaille at daies and place conteigned in the same to the whiche oure letters and commaundment ye in no wyse obeying have differed so to appere as ye yit doo wheof we not wt oute cause gretely mervaille and take it to displesir willing for so muche and in the straitest wyse charging you eftesones that in all hast possible seen thees oure leeters ye come and appere personally befor us and oure saide counsaille to here and understand that shalbe laide before you at youre commyng and over this that in the meane tyme ye bere and kepe the pees ayenst alle oure subgetts no thing doing or attempting nor suffryng to be doo or attempted by any of yours in any wyse to the contrarie and yat ye faille not in execution of this oure commaundment or any part therof upon the faith and ligeance that ye owe unto us. Yeven at Westm the xxvj day of Juyn the yere tc xxxj.
This having got them nowhere, king and council appealed to their fathers.
From the king to the earl of Salisbury, 27 July 1453
Right trusty and welbeloved cousyn. For as moch as we be acertaigned by credible information that of late dayes grete assembles and riottous gaderings of people have be made in the shire that ye dwelle in as wel by yur sone Sr John Nevill knyght as other persones unto right grete vexation and trouble of oure contre and subgitts there directly ayenst oure laws and pees by ye which to grete an inconvenience were like to ensew if it were not hastily purveyed for. We therfor write unto you at this tyme exhorting and in ye straitest wise also charging that ye by all the ways and meanes possible unto you doo your effectuell labour and diligences that the said assembles and gaderings of people be pute downe and utterly ceesed and that ye see our pees be kept by you and yours not suffering any thing to be doo or attempted to the contrary by any personne as ferforth as ye shall mowe and over this that our trusty and welbeloved counsailler William Lucy knyght and other our commissionours which we sende thider as it accordeth for our honnour and worship and the conservation of oure laws not levyng this upon the faith and ligeaunce that ye owe until us. Yeven tc at Westm the xxfij day of Juyll.
Item semble to therle of Northum for his son the Lord Egremond
In letters to Egremont and John Nevill, king and council attempt to show their teeth with threats of forfeiture. They were ignored.
From the king to Lord Egremont and to sir John Nevill, son of the earl of Salisbury.
This letter is undated, but it was probably written on or about 27 July 1453.
By the King
Right trusty and welbeloved. For as moche as we be credibly enfourmed yat divers riottous assembles and gaderings of people have of late dayes be made in the contree yat ye dwelle in and so yit continue to the which ye have take upon you to be leder and so yit be contrary unto our laws and to greet trouble of oure pees and subgetts there. We wol and in the straitest wyse charge you yat incontinent seen yees oure letters ye putting downe and departing of all suche assemblees and gaderings kepe oure pees and be obeying unto oure commissioners yat we sende yider at yis tyme for the cause of the which we have deputed and ordeigned oure trusty and welbeloved counsailler William Lucy knight to be oon and we wol yat ye faile not herein upon peyne of forfaiteur of all your goodes and lands and upon ye faith and ligeance yat ye owe unto us. Yeven tc at Westm ye
To ye Lord Egremond
Item to oure trusty welbeloved John Nevill knight sonne to our right trusty and welbeloved cousyn the Erle of Salesbury
If striking at the head doesn’t work, perhaps if their support trickled away John and Egremont would be forced to settle down. A wide net was cast in the next few letters. It didn’t make a shred of difference. The second letter has no specific addressee/s.
From the king to sir John Conyers, sir James Pickering and others, 27 July 1453
By the King
It is comen to oure knowlach how diverse riottes routes and gaderings of people contrary to oure lawes and pees of late dayes have be made and yit contynue in the shire and contree that ye dwelle in unto grete trouble and vexation of oure subgitts there by occasion whereof irreparable inconveniences were like to folowe that God forbide olesse than hasty provision were made in this behalfe of the which routes and gaderings ye have be a grete sturer and moever and also leder wherof we gretely marvaille and take it as we nedes must to right grete displesire. For as moche as we wol and in the moste straiteest wyse charge yowe that ye surceesing of alle such gaderings and riots making and thoo that so been made deviding and utterly ceesing kepe oure pees noo thing attempting or doing or suffering to be doo or attempted by any of youres or other any thing contrarie to oure pees and more over that ye duely be obeying unto oure trusty and welbeloved counsailler William Lucy knyght an other oure commissioners whiche we sende at this tyme thidre for the said cause in all things concernyng thexecution of oure laws and conservation of oure pees not levyng soo to doo upon pein of forfaiteur of alle youre landes and goodes and upon the faith and ligeaunce that ye owe unto us. Yeven under oure prive seell at Westm the xxvij day of Juyll.
To John Conyers
James Pekering
Rauffe Randolf knyghts
Thomas Mouneforth
Ric of Aske
Rauf Neville
Thomas Sewer squiers
John Aclom
From the king on the same subject, 27 July 1453
By the King
Trusty and welbeloved. For asmoche as we have understand by credible reporte made unto us howe yat by unlawefull assembles and gaderings of people made in divers parties in ye countree yat ye dwelle ynne ye same oure contree and subgitts yerof have be and been gretely troubled vexed and uneased we sende yider at this tyme oure trusty and welbeloved counsailler William Lucy knyght with oure letters of commission with oyer to enquire of suche matters and to doo yat may be to ye reformation of yat is doon oyerwyse yan oure lawe wold and so to conservation of keping of oure pees. For so muche we write unto you exhorting praying and neverthelesse charging you upon ye feight and trouth yat ye owe unto us yat at such tyme as ye shall be required by oure said counsailler ye favoure and assiste him by alle menes to you possible in all ying yat may concerne thexecution of oure lawes ye levying downe and ceesing of such assembles and gaderings ye keping of oure pees and good rule and tranquyllitee of oure saide contree and subgitts and yat ye faille not herein in any wyse. Yeven tc at Westm the xxvij day of Juyll
And to the younger Percy brothers, amongst others…
From the King to sir Ralph Percy, Richard Percy, sir John Penyngton and others, 10 August 1453
By the King
It is comen to oure knowlache howe divers riottes routes and gaderings of people contrarie to oure laws and pees of late dayes have be made and yit continue in the shire and contree that ye dwelle in unto greet trouble and vexation of oure subgetts yere by occasion whereof to irreparable inconvenience were like to folowe that God forbide olesse thane hasty provision were made in this behalf of the whiche riottes and gaderings ye may be a greet sturrer and moever and also leder as we be right credibly enformed wherefore we greetly mervaille and take it as we nedes must to right greet displesir. For so moche as we woll and in the moost straitest wise charge you that ye surceesing of all such gaderings and routes making and thoo that so ben made dividing and utterly ceesing kepe oure pees noo thing attempting or doing or suffering to be do or attempted by any of yours or other asmoche as in you is any thing contrarie to oure pees and moreover that ye duely be obeying to oure trusty and welbeloved counsailler William Lucy knyght and other oure commissioners whiche we sende at yis tyme yider for the saide cause in alle yinge concernyng the execusion of oure lawes and conservation of oure pees not levyng so to doo upon paine and forfaiteur of all youre landes and goodes and upon the feith and ligeaunce yat ye owe unto us. Yeven tc at Westm the x day of August the yere tc xxxj
Sir Rauf Percy Sir Henri Fenwyk
Ric Percy Sir William Martindale
Sir John Penyngton John Swynbourne squire
Rolande Kyrkeby
Henri Belingham squiers
William Lee
Kinsmen of the Nevills received letters as well, thanking them for their unbiased help. Despite this, they were soon replaced by a commissioner sent by the king, sir William Lucy, who could not be accused of favouring the Nevill cause over that of the Percies. Westmoreland was Salisbury’s nephew and the bishop of Durham was his brother, Robert.
By this time the skirmish at Heworth was a couple of months in the past but not forgotten, one suspects, by John Nevill…
From the king to the earl of Westmoreland and the bishop of Durham, 8 October 1453
By the King
Right trusty and welbeloved cosin. We have understand by credible reporte made unto us the greet labours paines and diligences that ye have nowe of late tyme doon and doo daily for the letting and appesing of such troubles and unlwawful gaderings of people as not long ago have be and yit as it is saide contynue in the contree ther ye dwelle and ther a boute and that ye in no wise though ye be nygh of blode and allie to the pties making such assembles have favoured or lened in such unfyttyg demenyng to that one ptie or to that other butt have be redy and ben to helpe strength and assite such lords spuel and tempel [spiritual and temporal] ther as ben fully disposed and sette indifferently to the coservacon of our pees easing and ceesing of the saide gaderings and good and restful governance of our saide contree and subgitts of which your good disposicon and sadde demenyng we be right wel content and thanke you spially willyng exhorting and also praying you hertely so to contynue wherin ye shal do thing ful acceptable unto God to our saide contree and subgittes and behoveful and pfitable and right plesant to us and thankeful and cause us to be the more desirous to do thing that may be to yo pleasur and behove. Yeven under our prive seel at Westm the viij day of Octobr.
To therle of Westmerl
Itm semble to the revent fader in God our right trusty and welbeloved cosin the Bisship of Duresme.
Though the archbishop of York at the time, William Bothe, was not related by blood to the Nevills (so far as I know) he did seem to be a little partisan, accompanying Salisbury, his sons and retainers to the averted-in-the-nick-of-time almost showdown outside Topcliffe in October 1453.
From the king to the archbishop of York, 8 October 1453.
By the King
Moost revernt fader in God our right trusty and welbeloved. We have understande by credible reporte made unto us that ye according to the degree and astate that ye stande in have goodly and godly doo your parte and daily do to thappesing and ceesing of suche troubles and unlawful gaderings of people as not long agoo have be and yit as it is saide continue in the contrees that ye dwelle in deserving therin as we can right grete and spial thanke willyng exhortyng and prayng you hertely that ye wol so contynue and that ye wol not departe frome that contree unto the tyme the saide trouble and unlawfuyl assemblees be fully appesed and extint as our pfite trust is on you understandyng for certaine that herin y shal do thyng ful acceptable to God to our saide contree and subgittes behoveful and pfitable and right plesant to us and thankeful and cause us to be the more desirous to do thing that may be to your pleasir and behove. Yeven under our prive seel at Westm the viij day of Octobre.
To tharchebisshop of Yorke
Threats of forfeiture against the sons having failed, the threat was turned on the fathers…
From the king to the earls of Salisbury and Northumberland, 8 October 1453.
By the Kyng
Cousin. Howe it be that at al tymes before this ye have be holde a sadde a sober and a wel reuled man as it sitteth you in al wyse so to be and somoche the more for the degree and astate that ye stande inne the which is ordained you not to abuse it but to use to the worship of God and to the avice and supportacon of us in keping of our pees and of our lawes to the which ye owe to do so moche the grett diligence that ye be oon of the commssioners of the pees in the countrees that ye dwelle inne and also stande charged oon of the lords of our Counsail in receiving of the which charge y were sworne that yf ye sholde from that tyme forth hiere of any debate betwixt lord and lord by stiring of the which the good reste and pees of this oure lande might in any wyse be letted or troubled whom soever of thaime it touched ye yf it touched you sholde be reuled by the lords of oure said Counsil and in no wyse take upon you the reule therof at yor own hande the which notwithstanding and also that in oure Parlement which is yit continued ye and all othr lords wer warned that yf any of you felt him grieved ayenste other shold putte in his grief in writing and besides this notwithstanding the straite charge and comaundement yeven unto you nowe late by oure lres of prive seal by the which ye sholde have putte you in yor devoir by all meenes possible to the cessing and putting down of thassemblees and gadering remembred in the same oure lres ye wtoute any request or complaint made to us of any grief do unto you have sith that tyme as it is saide take upon you or be disposed to take upon you contrarye to oure saide comaundement and also to oure pees and lawes to make the grettest assemblee of our liegemen and therto have appointed tyme and place that ever was made wtin this oure lande at any tyme that man can thinke the whiche yf it so be do or heraft happe to be doo by you youre ordenaunce or appointement yf any of oure liegemen be perished by the meane therof we wol that ye holde for undoubted that aswel ye as thoo that have be counsailling and helping you therin shal so be so chastised that bothe ye and thay and all othr oure subgitts shal have matier and cause to eschewe to attempte any thing like heraft. And as toward you yf ye so have attempted ayenste oure estate and yours desving therby to be straunged from thoccupacon of the said astate that ye stand we shal in no wyse spare you in this case but rather more grievously punyssh you than we wolde do the leste persone of oure lande the which neverthelesse as oure Lord knoweth we wold be right lothe to do. Yeven tc at Westm the viij day of October.
To oure cousin therle of Salisbury
Itm semble to our cousin therle of Northumbr
The next letter is the one sent to Egremont. John Nevill hadn’t been ‘putte … to the worshippe and astate of Baron”, and the beginning of the letter to him – as the addendum suggests – was different.
Letter from the King to lord Egremont and sir John Nevill, son of the earl of Salisbury, 8 October 1453
Howe it be that not long agoo we putte you to the worshippe and astate of Baron not for any greet service that ye hadde do to us before that tyme but for the trust and trowing that we hadde of the good service that ye sholde do us in tyme comyng in esiall in keping of the rest and pees of oure lande and in letting of alle that sholde mowe be to the contrarye neverthelesse we be credibly enfourmed that ye ne use not the saide astate to the saide entente but to the contrarie deservyng therby to be straunged therfroo in espial in that that notwtstanding oure lres late addressed unto you bering date at Westm the xxvij day of Juyll last passed by the which we yave you in the straitest wyse in comaundement upon the faith and ligeance that ye owe unto us to putte downe and departe alle such assemblees and gaderings of people as at that tyme ye hadde made and arraised ayenst oure pees in comocon and trouble of our subgitts of the contree that ye dwell in and to kepe our peax like as it was conteigned in the same oure lres ye ne have in any wyse obeyed nor accomplysshed oure saide comaundement but as it appreth wel in contempt therof have multiplied and daily do gaderynggs of people of oure subgitts redy to goo to the feld as by credible reporte we have understand ye dispose you fully to doo as it were in lande of werre unto full greet hurt unease and trouble of our said contree and subgitts and of lyklyhode to destruccon and undoing therof that God forbade if it were not sette apart. Wherfore we wol and in the moost straitest wyse charge you as before that having consideracon to the nonn observance of the contynue of oure saide lres the contempt that ye be ronne in ayenst us in that behalf and the charge that may be leyde upon you therefore in tyme comyng ye in restful and peisible wyse departe such people as ye have assembled and surseesse of suche novelries as you have begonne keping oure pees and makyng it to be kept by alle yours and other as ferre as in you is and that ye faille not so to doo upon paine and forfaiteur of all that ye may forfaite unto us and upont the faith and ligeance that ye owe unto us. Yeven tc at Westm the viij day of Octobr the yere tc xxxij
To the Lord Egremond
Itm to John Nevyll knyght son to Therle of Salisbury begynnyng at notwithstanding tc
That is the end of the correspondence on the subject. Shortly after this, Henry VI suffered from his first bout of incapacitating illness and Richard, duke of York, became Protector and Defender of England and sorted it all out… at least until May 1455 and the first battle of St Albans.
bef 9 December 1462
Death of Alice Montacute, countess of Salisbury
1459
Parliament is called to attaint the leading Yorkist men and Alice Montacute countess of Salisbury. Their estates are confiscated, some Nevill property given into the custody of the still (at that stage) loyal lord Henry Fitzhugh, Salisbury’s son-in-law.
A Nevill Feast 