Battle of Lose-coat Field
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Losecoat Field (also known as the Battle of Empingham
) was fought on 12 March 1470, during the Wars of the Roses
. Spellings of Losecoat vary with Losecote and Loose-coat also seen.
(House of York
) was defeated and captured at the Battle of Edgecote Moor
by Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick
(House of Lancaster
). However with the help and support of his brother Richard, Duke of Gloucester
he had by now regained power.
In March 1470 Warwick found himself in a similar position to that which he had been in before the battle of Edgecote. He was unable to exercise any control over, or influence, Edward's policies. Warwick wanted to place another of the King’s brothers, George, Duke of Clarence on the throne so that he could regain his influence.
When his family fell foul of Edward in 1470, Sir Robert Welles (8th Baron Willoughby de Eresby)
turned to Warwick for help. Warwick judged the time was ripe for another coup d'etat
, to kill or remove Edward from the throne.
Welles started gathering armed forces at his base in Lincolnshire, ready for a show of arms against the King. The unrest in Lincolnshire
, prompted the King to act, and he started gathering men for his army on 4 March. The news of the King’s intention to march to Lincolnshire quickly spread panic among people there. Due to Welles’ voluntary misinterpretation, rumours were quickly spread that the King was coming to try the previously pardoned rebels from Edgecote, and that he would ‘hang and draw a great number’ of them.
With the encouragement of Warwick and Clarence, Sir Robert Welles set himself up as a ‘great captain’ of the people of Lincolnshire. On 4 March summons were sent to all the surrounding estates requesting every able man to join him in the resisting of the King. On the 7th the King heard that the rebels were marching towards Stamford
with an army of 100,000 men, having recruited many men from the local counties, especially from Yorkshire.
The King later received letters from Clarence and Warwick stating they were marching North with all their men to support the King. The King then unsuspectingly issued commissions of array which included Warwick's name, authorising him to raise his own army of professional soldiers. Edward then received news that the rebels had changed course for Leicester
, as had Warwick and Clarence, no doubt leaving the King with a good idea of their intentions.
Sir Robert Welles received a letter from the King telling him to disband his rebel army, or his father (Lord Welles, previously taken prisoner by Edward) would be executed. Welles quickly turned back with his army to Stamford. Edward’s confidence grew when Welles failed to rendezvous with Warwick and his experienced forces.
in Rutland
.
Edward positioned his men in a battle line to the north of Welles' army, and then, in the space separating the two forces, had Lord Welles executed in view of both armies.
This action set off the rebels (currently numbering 30,000), advancing with cries of ‘a’Warwick’ and ‘a’Clarence'. A single barrage of cannon balls was fired and then Edward had his men charge towards the enemy. Before the leaders of this attack could even come to blows with the rebel front line the battle was over. The rebels broke and fled rather than face the King's highly-trained men.
Both captains, Sir Robert Welles and his commander of foot Richard Warren were captured during the rout and were executed a week later on 19 March.
According to popular etymology, the name of the battle is explained in this way: many of Welles’ men were wearing jackets displaying Warwick’s and Clarence’s livery. Not wanting to be caught wearing such identification when the rout began, many of them discarded their garments. The battle was thus called ‘Lose-coat’.
However the name is probably derived from the more mundane Old English hlose-cot meaning 'pigsty cottage'. Forms of Losecote also appear as field names in other parishes in Rutland. Contemporary accounts refer to the battle site as Hornfield (Horn
is an adjacent parish). An adjacent woodland is now called Bloody Oaks.
Empingham
Empingham is a village in the county of Rutland in the East Midlands of England. It lies close to the dam of Rutland Water and the A606 runs through the village...
) was fought on 12 March 1470, during the Wars of the Roses
Wars of the Roses
The Wars of the Roses were a series of dynastic civil wars for the throne of England fought between supporters of two rival branches of the royal House of Plantagenet: the houses of Lancaster and York...
. Spellings of Losecoat vary with Losecote and Loose-coat also seen.
Background
Almost a year earlier, in July 1469, King Edward IVEdward IV of England
Edward IV was King of England from 4 March 1461 until 3 October 1470, and again from 11 April 1471 until his death. He was the first Yorkist King of England...
(House of York
House of York
The House of York was a branch of the English royal House of Plantagenet, three members of which became English kings in the late 15th century. The House of York was descended in the paternal line from Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York, the fourth surviving son of Edward III, but also represented...
) was defeated and captured at the Battle of Edgecote Moor
Battle of Edgecote Moor
The Battle of Edgecote Moor took place 6 miles northeast of Banbury , England on 26 July 1469 during the Wars of the Roses. The site of the battle was actually Danes Moor in Northamptonshire, at a crossing of a tributary of the River Cherwell. The battle pitted the forces of Richard Neville, 16th...
by Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick
Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick
Richard Neville KG, jure uxoris 16th Earl of Warwick and suo jure 6th Earl of Salisbury and 8th and 5th Baron Montacute , known as Warwick the Kingmaker, was an English nobleman, administrator, and military commander...
(House of Lancaster
House of Lancaster
The House of Lancaster was a branch of the royal House of Plantagenet. It was one of the opposing factions involved in the Wars of the Roses, an intermittent civil war which affected England and Wales during the 15th century...
). However with the help and support of his brother Richard, Duke of Gloucester
Richard III of England
Richard III was King of England for two years, from 1483 until his death in 1485 during the Battle of Bosworth Field. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty...
he had by now regained power.
In March 1470 Warwick found himself in a similar position to that which he had been in before the battle of Edgecote. He was unable to exercise any control over, or influence, Edward's policies. Warwick wanted to place another of the King’s brothers, George, Duke of Clarence on the throne so that he could regain his influence.
When his family fell foul of Edward in 1470, Sir Robert Welles (8th Baron Willoughby de Eresby)
Robert Welles, 8th Baron Willoughby de Eresby
Robert Welles, 8th Baron Willoughby de Eresby was an English baron. He was the son of Richard Welles, 7th Baron Welles and Joan Willoughby, 7th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby....
turned to Warwick for help. Warwick judged the time was ripe for another coup d'etat
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
, to kill or remove Edward from the throne.
Welles started gathering armed forces at his base in Lincolnshire, ready for a show of arms against the King. The unrest in Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire
Lincolnshire is a county in the east of England. It borders Norfolk to the south east, Cambridgeshire to the south, Rutland to the south west, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire to the west, South Yorkshire to the north west, and the East Riding of Yorkshire to the north. It also borders...
, prompted the King to act, and he started gathering men for his army on 4 March. The news of the King’s intention to march to Lincolnshire quickly spread panic among people there. Due to Welles’ voluntary misinterpretation, rumours were quickly spread that the King was coming to try the previously pardoned rebels from Edgecote, and that he would ‘hang and draw a great number’ of them.
With the encouragement of Warwick and Clarence, Sir Robert Welles set himself up as a ‘great captain’ of the people of Lincolnshire. On 4 March summons were sent to all the surrounding estates requesting every able man to join him in the resisting of the King. On the 7th the King heard that the rebels were marching towards Stamford
Stamford, Lincolnshire
Stamford is a town and civil parish within the South Kesteven district of the county of Lincolnshire, England. It is approximately to the north of London, on the east side of the A1 road to York and Edinburgh and on the River Welland...
with an army of 100,000 men, having recruited many men from the local counties, especially from Yorkshire.
The King later received letters from Clarence and Warwick stating they were marching North with all their men to support the King. The King then unsuspectingly issued commissions of array which included Warwick's name, authorising him to raise his own army of professional soldiers. Edward then received news that the rebels had changed course for Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
, as had Warwick and Clarence, no doubt leaving the King with a good idea of their intentions.
Sir Robert Welles received a letter from the King telling him to disband his rebel army, or his father (Lord Welles, previously taken prisoner by Edward) would be executed. Welles quickly turned back with his army to Stamford. Edward’s confidence grew when Welles failed to rendezvous with Warwick and his experienced forces.
The battle
Edward's scouts informed him that the rebel army was some five miles from Stamford, arrayed for battle beside the Great North Road to the north of Tickencote Warren near EmpinghamEmpingham
Empingham is a village in the county of Rutland in the East Midlands of England. It lies close to the dam of Rutland Water and the A606 runs through the village...
in Rutland
Rutland
Rutland is a landlocked county in central England, bounded on the west and north by Leicestershire, northeast by Lincolnshire and southeast by Peterborough and Northamptonshire....
.
Edward positioned his men in a battle line to the north of Welles' army, and then, in the space separating the two forces, had Lord Welles executed in view of both armies.
This action set off the rebels (currently numbering 30,000), advancing with cries of ‘a’Warwick’ and ‘a’Clarence'. A single barrage of cannon balls was fired and then Edward had his men charge towards the enemy. Before the leaders of this attack could even come to blows with the rebel front line the battle was over. The rebels broke and fled rather than face the King's highly-trained men.
Both captains, Sir Robert Welles and his commander of foot Richard Warren were captured during the rout and were executed a week later on 19 March.
According to popular etymology, the name of the battle is explained in this way: many of Welles’ men were wearing jackets displaying Warwick’s and Clarence’s livery. Not wanting to be caught wearing such identification when the rout began, many of them discarded their garments. The battle was thus called ‘Lose-coat’.
However the name is probably derived from the more mundane Old English hlose-cot meaning 'pigsty cottage'. Forms of Losecote also appear as field names in other parishes in Rutland. Contemporary accounts refer to the battle site as Hornfield (Horn
Horn, Rutland
Horn is a civil parish in the county of Rutland in the East Midlands of England. In 2001 it had a population of 9. The parish is part of the Exton Hall estate of the Earls of Gainsborough.-History:...
is an adjacent parish). An adjacent woodland is now called Bloody Oaks.