"Guide to Livery at the Battle of Bosworth" Topic

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Killerkatanas	22 Nov 2022 3:08 p.m. PST
Hi, After several weeks of research, I have compiled this list of known livery colors and badges worn by the forces of Richard and Henry at the Battle of Bosworth. The sources for this come mostly from the terrific booklet "Standards, Badges, and Livery Colors of the Wars of the Roses" by McGill and Jones, along with 15mm and 28mm recreations of flags from Freezywater, Citadelsix, Peter Smith, and Mikhail Betskii. I have also used information from the following websites: Complete Guide to Heraldry: link Battle of Bosworth Field – a list of combatants: link The Peerage – index to War of the Roses Combatants: link Livery Color's database: link Useful List of Livery Colors: link Wikipedia – for the numerous names of the Dukes, Earls, Viscounts, Lords, and Sirs. Here on TMP – correspondences, postings, and topics. The following identifications are organized with the livery color(s) (right/left), followed by the badge. There are a few badges that I could not identify, and these are identified with a ????. RICARDIANS Richard III – blue/crimson, w/white boar or rose John Howard – red, w/white lion rampant Henry Percy – red/black, w/white half crescent Thomas Howard – white/red, w/white helmet Francis Lovell – blue/yellow, w/white hound Richard Ratcliffe – white/black, ???? John Zouch – black/purplish red, w/white donkey head Walter Deveraux – white/red, w/yellow horseshoes William Catesby – purplish red/blue, ???? Marmaduke Constable – red, w/yellow anchor James Harrington – black, w/white Harrington knot John Scrope – white, w/black Cornish chough (bird) John Conyers – white, w/red cross crosslets John De la Pole – blue/yellow, w/white Antelope TUDORS Henry Tudor – white/green, w/red dragon Jasper Tudor – white/green, w/red dragon John de Vere – orange, w/blue star outlined in white Philiberte de Chande – French troops w/white crosses on a blue or red background Gilbert Talbot – red/black, w/white talbot (dog) John Savage – white, w/black unicorn head William Stanley – red, w/white stag (deer) head Thomas Stanley – orange/green, w/yellow eagles feet Ap Thomas – white, w/black raven Simon Digby – blue, w/white Osrich with horseshoe in beak Robert Willoughby – red/white, w/black blackmoores head Edward Woodvlle – green, w/white Sparrow? Edward Poynings – red, w/white running unicorn William Berkley – red/white, ???? Walter Hungerford – red/green, w/two white sickles William Beaumont- white, w/green broom cod John Wells – yellow/black, w/yellow Fleur-de-lis I hope this helps others. Please add to, comment, and correct this list as you see the need.
Dal Gavan	24 Nov 2022 4:10 p.m. PST
Good work there, KK. Thomas Howard may also have used black with a white lion rampant, mate, if only for his immediate household. It's recorded that Ed IV sent him some black cloth as a present, because it was his livery colour. John de la Pole could also use a yale as a badge, while Berkley used a (red?) unicorn.
Warspite1	25 Nov 2022 3:32 p.m. PST
@Dal Gavan: Has someone been reading my book? :) Dal is right. In Bills, Bows and Bloodshed I do report that the Howard, Duke of Norfolk household wore black as a household livery yet we also know that he expected his Paston retainers to wear red. The black may have started as a mourning livery for the death of his first wife but it continued during the life of his second wife as gifts from Edward IV confirm. Barry
Dal Gavan	25 Nov 2022 7:46 p.m. PST
Me read, Barry? Real multi-syllable words and everything? Perish the thought, mate. :-) I don't actually have any of my books here- they're all in storage. But I do have a couple of spreadsheets and, one day, I'll make notes as to where I got the info (I have done it for some, all Lancastrians, but not Howard yet).
Killerkatanas	06 Dec 2022 9:41 p.m. PST
My research is done. I thought that I would share my final results here for anyone else that is looking for information. RICHARDIANS Richard III – blue/crimson, w/white boar or rose John Howard – red (possibly black), w/white lion rampant Henry Percy – red/black, w/white half crescent Thomas Howard – white/red, w/white helmet Francis Lovell – blue/yellow, w/yellow padlock Richard Ratcliffe – white/black, w/???? John Zouch – black/purple-red, w/white donkey head Walter Deveraux – white/red, w/yellow horseshoes William Catesby – purple-red/blue, w/yellow lion passant Marmaduke Constable – red, w/yellow anchor James Harrington – black, w/white Harrington knot John Scrope – white, w/black Cornish chough (bird) John Conyers – white, w/red cross crosslets John De la Pole – blue/yellow, w/white Antelope or "Yale" Henry Grey – red/green, w/white badger Thomas Burgh – blue, w/blue and yellow striped wreath "Torse" TUDORS Henry Tudor – white/green, w/red dragon Jasper Tudor – white/green, w/red dragon John de Vere – orange, w/blue star outlined in white Philiberte de Chande – French troops w/white crosses on a blue or red background Gilbert Talbot – red/black, w/white talbot (dog) John Savage – white, w/black unicorn head William Stanley – red, w/white stag (deer) head Thomas Stanley – orange/green, w/yellow eagles feet Ap Thomas – white, w/black raven Simon Digby – blue, w/white ostrich with horseshoe in beak Robert Willoughby – red/white, w/black blackmoores head Edward Woodvlle – green, w/white vase? Edward Poynings – red, w/white running unicorn William Berkley – red/white (possibly just plain red), with red (possibly white) unicorn Walter Hungerford – red/green, w/white sickle with brown handle William Beaumont- white, w/green broom cod John Wells – yellow/black, w/white bucket and chains Richard Tunstall – black/white, w/white cockerel, red beak and yellow comb, wattle and feet Reginald Bray – white, w/black falcon's claw Additional information was provided in the rules "Bills, Nows, and Bloodshed" by Barry Slemmings. Please feel free to comment and correct.
Warspite1	07 Dec 2022 1:55 a.m. PST
I get in everywhere! Warspite 1 (aka Barry Slemmings)

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