Page:VCH Staffordshire 1.djvu/283

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. 239