HENRY BEAUFORT (1436-1464) became duke of Somerset in and soon began to take part in the struggle against Richard, duke of York, but failed to dislodge Richard's ally, Richard Neville, earl of Warwick, from Calais. He took part in the vic tory of the Lancastrians at Wakefield in 146o, escaped from the carnage at Towton in 1461, and shared the attainder of Henry VI. in the same year. In May 1464 he was captured at Hexham and was beheaded immediately after the battle. The title of duke of Somerset was assumed by his brother, EDMUND BEAU FORT (c. 143 8-14 71) , who fled from the country after the dis asters to the Lancastrian arms, but returned to England in 1471, in which year he fought at Tewkesbury, and in spite of a promise of pardon was beheaded after the battle on May 6, 1471. His younger brother JOHN BEAUFORT was killed probably at this battle, and so on the execution of Edmund the family became extinct.
See Thomas Walsingham, Historia Anglicana, edited by H. T. Riley (1863-64) ; W. Stubbs, Constitutional History of England, vols. ii. and iii. (Oxford, 1895) ; The Paston Letters, edited by James Gairdner t19o4)•