Towton – on the Battle of England’s Civill Warres (spelling as on the Tract) by John Ryley Robinson North of England Tractates No 18 in 1877.
was published by Tweddell in
JR Robinson had visited many European battle field but not an English one. This one of a few accounts of different battle fields that Tweddell published in the Tractates – the others will follow in due course.
“The Battle of Towton was fought during the English Wars of the Roses on 29 March 1461, near the village of the same name in Yorkshire. It was “probably the largest and bloodiest battle ever fought on English soil”.According to chroniclers, more than 50,000 soldiers from the Houses of York and Lancaster fought for hours amidst a snowstorm on that day, which was Palm Sunday. A newsletter circulated a week after the battle reported that 28,000 died on the battlefield. The engagement brought about a monarchical change in England—Edward IV displaced Henry VI as King of England, driving the head of the Lancastrians and his key supporters out of the country.”
I like this quote from the text – sadly just as relevant today – in fact worse given modern warfare –
Writing in 1877 – Ryley wrote
“ About 400 years have passed since that time advancing civilisation should have long ago taught mankind that mutual extermination is not the way to establish right or do awy with evil But, alas! how far are we yet from the happy condition in which fighting will be unknown, when the spears and swords shall be converted into pruning hooks and ploughshares.“