Arrest of Grey and Vaughan

Initially the arrest of Anthony Woodville on the morning of 30th April 1483, was little more than confinement to his lodging to prevent him alerting his men at Stony Stratford.

Was Edward V lodged at Stony Stratford?

Remarkable new insights from Carson (Blog post The Mysterious Affair at Stony Stratford) have questioned  the long held belief that Stony Stratford was where Richard encountered the King;s party, saddled and ready to move on to London, and as the place where he placed Richard Grey and Thomas Vaughan under arrest.  Carson's work is an indepth study of the events of 30th April, 1483 and I cannot do it justice here but I will try to put into place the issues raised. Firstly, Richard Grey had not travelled with the Ludlow party but had joined the King from London, with his own contingent of men, thus breaking the terms agreeing the maximum number in the King's party at 2000.  Grey was encountered by Richard and Buckingham on the Northampton Road, in the vicinity of Grafton Regis (Carson refers to it as Grafton Woodville) and was duly arrested. Secondly,The King, it seems, had not resided in Stony Stratford but had lodged in the Woodville stronghold of Grafton. The large force, however, had been left at Stony Stratford. With their leader, Rivers, relieved of his command, Richard had them dismissed and sent back to their home. 

Returning to  Grafton, Richard and Buckingham paid all due respect to Edward, informing him that with much regret, cause had been found to question the loyalty and peaceable intent of his uncle, step-brother and his Chamberlain Sir Thomas Vaughan (no also placed under arrest). They would be held pending the outcome of future events. The honour of escorting the King to London was now Richard's and Buckingham's. No doubt there were protests, but further discussion would have to wait. For now, they would escort the King to Northampton, where his subjects were waiting to welcome him

Outnumbered by at least 4-1, Richard had  achieved his goal without bloodshed or drama.  

As an aside, Carson points out the distinction Mancini made between the 2000 force of Anthony Woodville, describing them as 'attendants' while the combined force of 600 men of Richard and Buckingham;s contingent as 'a large body of soldiers'  Even the myth was taking shape.