1901430.
Earl Richard Neville & 1901431. Countess Alice de Montagu
1400, Richard born in England, s/o 7605706. Ralph Neville & 3802861. Joan Beaufort.
1406, Alice born in England, heir & d/o 3802862. Thomas Montague & 3802863.
Eleanor Holand.
Bef. 2/1420 at Orleans, France, Richard married Alice.
2/1421, Richard a carver at the coronation feast of Queen
Catherine, wife of King Henry V.
8/31/1422, Henry VI (an infant) succeeded Henry V as King of
England.
4/17/1424, IPM of Lucy widow of Edmund Earl of Kent. Essex:
… of the inheritance of the following kin and heirs of the late earl: … Alice
now wife of Richard Nevill, chevalier , and daughter of Eleanor who was the wife
of Thomas earl of Salisbury, and 4th sister; … She died on 14 April last. …,
Alice 17 years and more, … (S) MMC, E-CIPM 22-328.
1424, Richard involved in the liberation of King James I of
Scotland from England. [James I, then age 12, had been captured with his father
by pirates off the coast of England 3/22/1406. His father soon died, leaving
James as King. James accompanied Henry V on his campaigns in France. James was
ransomed for £40,000.]
1/1425, Richard appointed Constable of the royal castle of
Pontefract.
10/21/1425, Richard’s father, Earl of Westmoreland, died.
[Richard, a younger son by his father’s 2nd marriage, was not the
heir.]
1426-7, “Thomas Womewill, esquire to Sir Richard Nevill,
knight, Warden of the West March: Indenture of military service: Yorks.” (S)
UKNA.
1428, Alice age 22 heir to her father’s lands and titles.
5/3/1429, Richard created 5th Earl of Salisbury
in right of his wife.
11/6/1429, Richard the Deputy Constable at the coronation of
King Henry VI. [The Duke of Bedford was not present.]
1/3/1430, Thomas Haryngton esquire, son of William Haryngton
knight, to Cuthbert abbot of Coverham and the convent … Quitclaim with warranty
of the advowson of a mediety of the church of Sedbergh in Lonesdale co. York …
Witnesses: Richard Neville earl of Salisbury, William lord Fitz Hugh, William
Haryngton, Thomas Tunstall knights, … (S) CCRs.
12/16/1431, Richard with
King Henry VI at his coronation as King of France at Notre Dame, Paris. [The
only English king to be crowned king in England and France.]
2/1435, Richard resigned the Wardenship of the East March
and the Captaincy of Berwick.
4/22/1435, “This indenture
made betwixt Richard [Neville] Erle of Salisbury.. and Thomas Dacre, Knygth,
son and heire to ye lorde Dacre …” (S) UKNA. [Thomas is Richard’s nephew.]
12/9/1435, Richard and his
brother William attended parliament at Westminster. (S) CPRs, 3/11/1436.
3/10/1436, “… to Richard
Nevill, earl of Salisbury and Alice his wife and her issue, …” (S) UKNA.
3/11/1436, In the parliament
… the king (age 14) desired Richard, earl of Salisbury, and William, lord of
Fauconberge, ‘chivaler’ to cross into France and serve him there, which agreed
to do to certain conditions, and particularly to the consent of their mother
Joan, countess of Westmoreland, … unlawful entries … likely to be done in their
absence by Ralph, earl of Westmorland, John and Thomas his brothers, … £4000
… bond … (S) CPRs.
5/1436-11/1437, Richard with
Richard, Duke of York [his brother-in-law] in France.
11/1437, Richard, named to
the Privy Council, took up residence in London at ‘The Harbour’ in Dowgate.
[The main home of the Nevill’s, Bisham Manor, was a days ride from London.]
1438, Richard appointed as a
Knight of the Garter.
11/1440, Richard, on the death of his mother, took
possession of his father’s lands in Yorkshire.
5/4/1442, King Henry VI confirmed Richard’s title of Earl
for the dignity of his life.
11/7/1444, Richard and other members of a royal embassy
left for France to escort [Queen by
proxy wedding] Margaret back to England.
1446, Alice an executor of the will of her kinswoman Maud
Clifford, widow of Richard, Earl of Cambridge.
1447, Richard assisted in the arrest of Humphrey, Duke of
Gloucester, at Bury St. Edmonds.
9/1449, Richard retained the services of Sir Walter
Strickland and 290 men for the term of his life against all folk, saving
allegiance to the King.
2/1452, Earl Richard and many other magnates assembled with
Henry VI at Northampton to council the King on how to handle the Duke of York
who was leading a force towards London. [Duke Richard of York, s/o Richard of
Conisburgh – Earl of Cambridge (1415, beheaded as part of the ‘Southampton’
plot), s/o Edmund of Langley – 1st Duke of York, s/o King Edward
III.]
1453, Warwick, Richard’s son, had his lordship of Glamorgan,
Wales taken away by the king and given to the Duke of Somerset. This caused the
Neville clan to side with the Yorks against the Lancasters. [As with most
families, there were some members on both sides. The Duke of York’s claim to
the throne was actually stronger than that of the King.]
8/1453, Younger members of Richard’s family and of the Percy
family, the two most powerful families of the north, happened upon each other
and a war broke out between the clans.
1454, In support of the Duke of York as protector of the
Realm while King Henry was “seized with madness”, Richard brought “seven score
knights and squires besides other many” to London.
1454, Sir Thomas Stanley, knight, by fine, received
Harwarden, Wales from Richard Nevill, earl of Salisbury and his wife Alice. (S)
A Tour of Wales, Pennant, V1, 2014, P94.
4/1/1454, The Duke of York gave Richard the Great Seal,
making Richard the Chancellor of England. [The King was incapacitated.] (S) The
Wars of the Roses, Neillads, 1993, P70.
4/10/1454, The Duke of York, as Protector, named Richard as
Chancellor of England.
1454, “Petitioners: Mayor of Calais; … [Richard Nevill],
Chancellor of England.” (S) UKNA.
By 3/1455, King Henry had recovered and Richard was removed
as Chancellor. The king pardoned all who had benefited from the Duke of
Somerset’s imprisonment [which included Richard.] Richard returned to his
castle at Middleham.
1455, Richard of York [white rose] formed an army of 3000 in
the north, Richard [Salisbury (1901430)] an army of 2000, and his son – Richard
[Warwick] an army of 2000, and marched towards London. Lancastrians [red rose],
King Henry VI, Edmund Beaufort, Duke of Somerset (184678), Humphrey Stafford,
Duke of Buckingham [commander], with a smaller force of 2000-3000 left London
to intercept Yorkist forces. [The King’s request for support had been sent out
too late. Many arrived after the battle.] The Yorkists also had advantages in
cannon and archers.
5/20/1455, The forces of York arrived at Royston,
Hertfordshire, where they released a letter stating that they meant no harm to
the King, and had raised an army and moved south in self defense against the
Duke of Somerset.
5/22/1455, Richard fought at the 1st battle of
St. Albans, Hertfordshire [with his son Richard]. York and Salisbury attacked
from the East with little success. Warwick led mounted knights in an attack on
the Lancastrian rear by breaking into the town from the side. The royalist lost
300 including Somerset and Thomas de Clifford [commander of the vanguard], and
many other nobles. King Henry, wounded, submitted to Yorkist control. Queen
Margaret and 2-year-old son Edward went into exile. This was the opening battle
of the 30-year, Lancaster-York, War of the Roses. [Abbot Whethamstead of St.
Albans gave and eyewitness account of the events.]
5/23/1455, Richard with the Duke of York and Earl of Warwick
escorted the captured king back to London. (S) The Wars of the Roses, Neillads,
1993, P78.
7/9/1455, At parliament called by the Duke of York, again
Protector, the York-aligned magnates renewed their oaths of allegiance to the
king.
2/1456, Henry VI revoked the Duke of York’s appointment as
Protector.
8/1456, Richard returned to Middleham castle.
2/1458, York [Lieutenant of Ireland], Richard [Salisbury]
and Warwick [Captain of Calais] were commanded by King Henry to endow a chantry
for the souls of those killed at the battle of St. Albans as well as compensate
financially the families of Clifford, Northumberland, and Somerset.
3/24/1458, “Loveday”, the King and Queen and Yorkist leaders
walked hand-in-hand through the streets of London. Richard and the Duke of
Somerset walked together. (S) The Wars of the Roses, Neillands, 1992, P83.
11/1458, Richard’s son met with him at Middleham before
returning to Calais to inform him of the Queen’s attempt on his position as
Captain of Calais and on his life.
11/23/1458, soon after All-Saints day, Richard at castle
Middleham met other powerful men. They agreed to support the Duke of York’s
claim to the throne. (S) Journal of the Architectural, … Historical Society,
1857, P83.
5/10/1459, Richard wrote his will.
5/20/1459, To the receivers, farmers or other the occupiers
for the time being of the lordships, manors, lands etc. of Richard late duke of
York, Edward late earl of March, Richard late earl of Warrewyk, Richard late
earl of Salisbury, Edmund late earl of Roteland, Alice late countess of
Salisbury, … (S) CCRs.
6/1459, Richard summoned to a Great Council at Coventry, a
Lancastrian stronghold. Instead, like other Yorkists, he did not attend and
went initially to Middleham castle, Yorkshire. (S) The Wars of the Roses,
Neillands, 1992, P85.
9/1459, The Yorkists then decided to concentrate their
forces at Ludlow castle. Richard was intercepted on his way to Ludlow castle.
9/23/1459, Richard [Salisbury] fought the battle of Blore
Heath in western England [Shropshire], where his opponent Lord Audley [James
Touchet] was slain and two of his sons captured. Richard faced a superior force
in numbers, but one which did not have the experience of his forces. Richard
strategically pinned Audley’s forces on a steep brook embackment and decimated
them with arrows, causing many others to flee. 2000-3000 were slain in a
prolonged battle, mostly on Audley’s side.
9/24/1459, Richard, having travelled overnight to evaded other
royal forces of the Queen, went to market Drayton [where he learned that his
sons Thomas and John had been captured at Acton Bridge], and then and met up
with York, reached Worcester, where they swore oaths to the king, but received
no reply. The Yorkists, 25,000 strong, made an advance on Worcestor. They
encountered a superior royalist force and withdrew to Ludford bridge near
Ludlow.
10/10/1459, The royal forces appeared opposite the forces of
York.
10/12/1459, King Henry sent an offer of pardon to York at
Ludford, which did not include pardons for Richard and his associates. During
the night, Andrew Trollope, the Yorkist vanguard commander and his forces
deserted. Salisbury made his way, with his son Warwick and the Earl of March
[s/o the Duke of York and future Edward IV], to Devon, then by sea, to Guernsey
[a channel island] and then Calais, where Warwick was still Captain. The Duke
of York made his way to Ireland with is son Rutland.
11/20/1459, Richard and his son, the Earl of Warwick, attained
for high treason. [23 lords, ladies and gentlemen attained.] (S) The Wars of
the Roses, Neillands, 1992, P89.
1/28/1460, Lord Rivers, his wife the Duchess of Bedford, and
their son Anthony Wydville were brought before Salisbury, his son Wawick, and
March in Calais; having been captured in Sandwich.
6/1460, Warwick and Salisbury sent forces to capture
Sandwich and establish a beachhead for an invasion.
6/26/1460, Richard recrossed the Channel back to England with
Warwick and March, and landed at Sandwich with 2000 men. From there they went
to Canterbury.
7/2/1460, The Salisbury-Warwick-March army reached London
with a force of 40,000, of which 500 were mounted. They were welcomed by the
citizens of London.
7/5/1460, Lord Fauconberg, brother of Salisbury, left London
heading north with 10,000 men. Soon after Warwick and March followed, leaving
Salisbury in London with 2000 men to lay siege to the Tower.
7/18/1460, Richard captured the Tower.
9/8/1460, The Duke of York returned from Ireland.
10/10/1460, During parliament, York rode into London at the
head of a large retinue. York decared himself king. Ultimately, York was named
successor to Henry. [The Yorkist attainders were also erased.] Warwick and
Salisbury did not support York’s claim to the throne. The Queen quickly raised
an army in response to her son being disinherited.
11/1460, The Queen’s army of 20,000 marched south through
York ravishing the countryside.
12/9/1460, York and Salisbury rode north out of London at
the head of 6000 men heading for Sandal castle near Wakefield, arriving on the
21st. There they would wait for March and reinforcements from
Shrewsbury.
12/29/1460, The Lancastrians infiltrated 400 men into the
ranks of the Yorkists.
12/30/1460, Richard, captured at the battle of Wakefield,
his sons Thomas and Rutland killed. The Duke of York was killed, as well as his
son Edmund, Earl of Rutland. About 1000 were slain, evenly split between the
sides.
1/1461, Richard , 5th
Earl of Salisbury, was taken to Prontefract castle where he was killed by
commoners while escaping.
[––Alice––]
5/19/1462, Geoffrey Beauchamp 'yoman,' Thomas Kenegy
'stacioner,' Richard Haydyff 'draper' and Richard Wright 'goldsmyth,' all of
London, to Alice countess of Salisbury. Recognisance for £100,
to be levied etc. in the city of London. … (S) CCRs.
5/31/1462, William Plompton of Plompton and George Darell of
Sesay, both co. York knights, to Alice countess of Salisbury, late the wife of
Richard earl of Salisbury. Bond in £1000 payable at Easter day next. (S)
CCRs.
1462, Alice died; buried with Richard at Bisham Priory,
Berkshire.
(S) Magna Carta Ancestry, P579. (S) Dictionary of Battles,
Eggenberger, 1967. (S) The Wars of the Roses, Weir, 1995.
Children of Richard
and Alice: [6 sons, 6 daughters]
i. Cecily Neville, born 1424 in England. [Eldest daughter.]
1434, Cecily married Henry de Beauhamp, s/o 369358. Earl
Richard Beauchamp & 369359. Elizabeth Berkeley.
7/28/1450, Cecily died.
ii. Earl Richard Neville, born 11/22/1428 in England.
1435, Richard, age 6,
betrothed to Lady Anne Beauchamp, daughter of Richard de Beauchamp, Earl of
Warwick, & Isabel Despenser.
1449, Richard made 16th Earl
of Warwick and named the Constable of Calais.
5/22/1455, Richard fought with
his father at the 1st battle of St. Albans. Richard led mounted knights in an
attack on the Lancastrian rear.
11/20/1459, Warwick and his
father attained.
12/30/1460, Richard’s father
captured at the battle of Wakefield, and killed soon after. [The Duke of York
was also killed.] Richard became 6th Earl of Salisbury, and the richest magnate
in the history of England, owning twice what any other had possessed. March
became the 4th Duke of York.
3/29/1461, The Earl of March
and Warwick’s forces, with a wind at their back in a blinding snow storm giving
their archers and spearmen a significant advantage, began the battle of Towton,
Yorkshire. This battle was the largest and bloodiest fought on British soil. As
many as 28,000 died at the battle, 8000 Yorkists.
4/14/1471, Richard, Earl of
Warwick, “the King maker”, age 42, head of the Lancastrian army, killed at the
battle of Barnet against royalist forces of Edward IV. A heavy fog limited
visibility. A combined total of 1000 knights died. Both handguns [relatively
new] and cannon were used during the fight.
iii. Alice Neville (950715), born ~1430 in England.
