Late Medieval Books, Warkworth's Chronicle 1470

Warkworth's Chronicle 1470 is in Warkworth's Chronicle.

1470 Welles' Rebellion and Battle of Losecoat Field aka Empingham

1470 Earldom of Northumberland returned to the Percy Family

1470 Skirmish of Southampton

1470 Angers Agreement

1470 Warwick and Clarence return to England

1470 King Edward flees to Burgundy

1470 Execution of John Tiptoft

1471 King Edward lands at Ravenspur

Welles' Rebellion and Battle of Losecoat Field aka Empingham

Feb 1470. And in the x. yere1 of Kynge Edwardes regne, in the moneth of Marche, the Lorde Willowby (age 42), the Lorde Welles his sonne2, Thomas Delalond knyght, and Sere Thomas Dymmoke (age 42) knyght, the Kynges Champyon, droff oute of Lyncolneschyre Sere Thomas à Burghe, a knyght of the Kynges howse, and pullede downe his place, and toke alle his goodes and cataylle that they mighte fynde, and they gaderid alle the comons of the schyre to the nowmbre of xxx. M¹., and cryed "Kynge Herry," and refused Kynge Edwarde. And the Duke of Clarence and the Earl of Warwick (age 41) causede alle this, lyke as they dyde Robyne of Riddesdale to ryse afore that at Banbury felde. And whenne Kynge Edwarde herde hereof, he made oute his commyssyons, and gaderyd a grete peple of menne, and sent his pardone to the Lorde Wyllowby, and a commaundement that they schuld come to hym, and so he dyd. And whenne the Kynge was sure of hym, he and alle his oste went towarde Lyncolneschyre, the Lord Welles, and alle the othere peple were gaderd togedere, and commawndede Lorde Wyllowby to sende a lettere to hys sonne and to alle the peple that he gaderyde, that they schulde yelde them to hym as to ther sovereyne Lorde, or ellys he made a woue3 that the Lorde Willowby schuld lese his hede; and he wrote and sent his lettere forthe, but therfor they wulde noʒt ceysse; wherfor the Kynge comawndyde the Lorde Wyllowhby hede for to be smytene of, notwithstondynge his pardone.

And so the Kynge toke his oste and went towarde his enemyes, and losyde his gonnys of his ordynaunce uppone them, and faught with them, and anone the comons fledde away; but ther was many manne slayne of Lyncolneschyre, and the Lorde Wellys, Sere Thomas Delalonde, and Sere Thomas Dymmoke, knights, takene and beheddede.

Note 1. And in the x. yere. It may be remarked that the regnal years of Edward IV. commence on the fourth of March, "quo die Rex Edwardus iiijtus. incepit regnare [On that day King Edward IV began to reign];" -MS. Magnus Rotulus Pipa, 1 Edw. IV, com. Cornub. Cf. MS. Bib. Geo. III. Mus. Brit. 52. fol. 33, rº.

Note 2. The Lorde Welles his sonne. See the Excerpta Historica, p. 282, for the confession of Sir Robert Welles, which throws very considerable light on this history. It appears that the Duke of Clarence (age 20) took a much more active part in the conspiracy than is generally supposed; that the motive which actuated the multitude was chiefly the fear of the King's vengeance; that a servant of Clarence's was in the battle, and afforded Welles considerable assisttance; that when Lord Welles went to London pursuant to the King's commands, he desired his son, in the event of his hearing that he was in danger, to hasten to his assistance with as many followers as possible; that the real object of the rebellion was to place the crown on Clarence's head; and that both Clarence and Warwick had, for some time, been urging Lord Welles, and his son, to continue firm to their cause.

The following documents are given from the Close Rolls of 10 Edw. IV. (m. 8. dorso.) and are valuable illustrations of the history of this insurrection.

"De proclamationibus faciendis. - Rex vicecomiti Warr' et Leicestr' salutem. Præcipimus tibi firmiter injungentes, quod statim, post receptionem præsentium, in singulis locis infra ballivam, tuam tam infra libertates quam extra, ubi magis expediens videris, ex parte nostra publicas proclamationes fieri facias, in hæc verba [Of making proclamations. - The King to the Sheriff of Warwick and Leicester, greetings. We strictly command you, that immediately upon the receipt hereof, in all places within your bailiwick, as well within liberties as without, where you deem it most expedient, you cause public proclamations to be made on our behalf, in these words]:

"For as moche as hit hath plesyd God, of his godeness and grace, to send to our soveraigne Lord the victorye of his Rebelles and Traitours of his shire of Lincolne, late assembled in grete nombre, leveyng werre ayenst his Highness, contrary to their ligeaunce and duete; Oure said Soveraigne Lord, therefore, not willing his subgettis, other than such as now attend upon his most Royall Person, to be putte to charge, labour, and businesse, by vertue of his commissions of array, and other writing, late addressed to dyvers shires, citees, and townes, for the resistens of the malicious and traiterous purpose of the said Rebelles, wolle, and in the most straitest wise chargeth, that noon of his subgettes presume, ne take uppon hym, to ryse, ne make any assemble or gadering, by reason of any of the seid commissions or writings, ne be moeving, steryng, writing, or commaundement ´made, or hereafter to be made, by any persone or persones of what estate, degree, or condition sooever he be of, lesse than hit bee by the Kinges commission, Prive Seal, or writyng under his signet, of new to be made aftir this the xiij. day of Marche. And if any persone or persones presume, or take uppon theym or hym, to doe the contrary hereof, Our Said Soveraigne Lord woll repute and take hym and them soo doyng as his ennemyes and Rebelles, and wool procede to their lawfull Punycion in the most streitest wise, according to his Lawes and Statutes in such case ordeyned.

"Et hoc nullatenus omittas. Teste Rege apud Stamford xiij °. die Martii.

"Per Ipsum Regem [By the King Himself]"

(Here follow the names of counties.)

"De proclamationibus faciendis. - Rex vicecomiti Eborum salutem. Præcipimus tibi, quod statim post receptionem presentium, in singulis locis infra ballivam tuam, tam infra libertates quam extra, ubi magis expediens videris, ex parte nostra publicas proclamationes fieri facias in hæc verba [Of making proclamations. - The King to the Sheriff of York, greetings. We command you that immediately upon the receipt of these presents, in all places within your bailiwick, as well within liberties as without, where you deem it most expedient, you cause public proclamations to be made on our behalf in these words]:

"Howbeit that the King our Soveraine Lord graunted unto Georg Duc of Clarence, and Richard Earl of Warwyk, his pardon generall of all offences committed and doon ayenst him, afore the fest of Christmasse last passed, trusting thereby to have caused theym to have shewed unto him their naturall love, ligeaunce, and duetie, and to have assisted his Highness, as well in subdueing insurrections and rebellions late made ayenst him in the countie of Lincolne, as in all other things concerning the suertie of his persone; and, in trust that they soo wold have done according to their promisses to hym made, his said Highness auctorized theym by his commission undre his grete seal to assemble his subgetts in certain shires, and theym to have brought to his said Highnes, to the entent aforesaid; yet the said Duc and Earl, unnaturally, unkindly, and untruly intending his destruction and the subversion of his reaume, and the commonwele of the same, and to make the said Duke King of this his said Reaume, ayenst Gods law, mannes law, and all reason and conscience, dissimiled with his seid Highness, and, under colour thereof, falsly and traiterously provoked and stured, as well by their writings as otherwise, Sir Robert Welles, late calling himselfe Great Capitayne of the Commons of the seid shire of Lincolne, to continue the said insurrections and rebellions, and to levee warre ayenst hym, as they, by the same, soe dyd with banners displayed, avauncing theymselfe in plain bataylle, unto the time his said Highnesse, by the help of God, put them to flight; wherein the said Duc and Earl promitted to the said Sir Robert and Commons to have yeven them their assistences to the uttermost of their powers, and soo wolde have done, if God ne had yeven unto hym the said victorie, as the same Sir Robert Welles, Sir Thomas de la Laund, Richard Wareyn, and other have openly confessed and shewed before his seid Highnes, the Lordes of his blood, and the multitude of his subgettis attending upon hym in his host at this tyme; which Sir Robert Welles, and the said other pety capitaynes, affirmed to be true at their dethes, uncompelled, unstirred, or undesired soo to doo; and as by the confession of the said Robert Welles, made under his writing and signe manuell, it apperith. And after that the said Duc and Earl, understanding and seing that this ther seid labours wold not serve to the perfourmyng of their fals and traiterous purpose afore declared, laboured by their writings and messages sent into Yorkeshire into divers persons there, theym straitly charging to doo make open proclamations in their owne names, without making mention of his seid Highnes, that all maner men upon peyn of deth shuld come unto theym, and yeve theym their assistences in resisting of hym; whereupon his seid Highnes sent unto the said Duc and Earl, by Garter King of Armes, summonicion and warnyng of their said accusations undir his prive seal, straitly charging theym to come unto his said Highnes, resonably accompanyed according to their astates and degrees, to answer unto their said accusations; which to doo they presumptuously refused, and withdrew themselfe, and fled with their felaship into Lancashire; soo as his said Highness with his host for lak of vitaill might not follow them, to the intent that they might gadre his subgettes in gretter nombre, and to be able to performe their said fals and traiterous purpose and entent; for the which causes they have deserved to be published as fals traitours and rebelles, and to have the uttermost punition of the law; yet, nathelesse, our said Soveraigne Lord considering the nighness of blood that they be of unto him, and the tendre love which he hath afore time borne to theym, were therefore loth to lese theym, if they wold submitt theym to his grace, and put hym in suertie of their good demeaning hereafter.

"Wherefore our said Sovereigne Lord woll, and in the most straitest wyse chargeth, the said Duc and Earl, that they, in their persones, come in humble and obeysant wyse, and appier afore his Highnes the xxviij. day of this present month of March, Wednesday next, or afore, wheresoever he than shall be, to answer unto the said accusations; which if they woll soo doo, and come declare theymselfe nat guilty, his Highness woll be thereof right glad, and have hem in his grace and favour; and if they refuse thus to doo, then our said Soveraigne Lord reputeth, taketh, and declareth thaym as his rebelles and traitoures, willing and straitly charging all his subgetts to doo the same, and that noon of his subgetts from that time forth receive theym, ne eyther of theym ayd, favour, or assist with mete, drink, ne money, or otherwise, ne noon other persone which, after the said Duc and Earl have refused to come to our said Soverain Lord as is aforesaid, abydeth with theym, or aydeth theym, or assisteth in any wise; but that every of the King's subgetts putte hem in effectuell devir to take the said Duc and Earl, and all other soo abyding with theym, or aiding or assisting theym, as is abovesaid, and theym suerly bring to his Highnes uppon peyn of deth; And he that taketh and bringeth the said Duc or Earl shall have for his reward, to hym and his heires, an C. li. worth of his lond of yerely value, or M¹. li. in redy money, at his election; and for a knyght xx.li. worth of his lond, or C. marc in money; and for a squyer x. li. worth of his lond, or xl. li. in money; and over that cause our said soveraigne Lord to have hym and theym soo doing in the more tendre favour of his good grace at all times hereafter.

"Et hoc sub periculo incumbenti nullatenus omittas. Teste Rege apud Eborum xxiiijo die Martii [And under the penalty incumbent, do not omit in any way. Witnessed by the King at York on the twenty-third day of March].

"Per Ipsum Regem [By the King Himself]".

"Consimilia brevia diriguntur vicecomitibus in Com' subscriptis sub data predicta, videlicet, Majori et vicecomitibus Civitatis London''." (&c.)

"Rex Vicecomiti Eborum Salutem. Præcipimus tibi firmiter injungentes, quod, statim post receptionem præsentium, in singulis locis infra ballivam tuam, tam infra libertates quam extra, ubi magis expediens videris, ex parte nostra publicas proclamationes fieri facias, in hæc verba-

"Howbeit that the King our Soveraigne Lord graunted unto Georg Duke of Clarence, and Richard Earl of Warrewyk, his pardon generall of all offences committed and doone ayenst him, afore the fest of Cristemasse last past; trusting thereby to have caused theym to have shewed unto hym theyr naturall love, ligeaunce, and duetee, and to have assisted his Highnesse, as well in subdueing insurrections and rebellyons late made ayenst him in the Counte of Lincolne, as in all other things concerning the suertee of his persone; and in trust that they wold soo have done according to their promisses to hym made, his said Highnesse auctorised theym, by his commission under his great seall, to assemble his subgietts in certain shires, and them to have brought unto his said Highnesse, to th'entent aforesaid; yet the said Duke and Earl unnaturally, unkindely, and untruly entending his destruction, and the subversion of his reaume, and the commonwele of the same, and to make the seid Duke King of this his said Reaume, ayenst God's lawe, mannes lawe, all reason and conscience, dissimiled with his said Highness; and under colour thereof, falsly and traiterously provoked, laboured, and stured, as well by their writings as otherwise, Sir Robert Welles, late calling himselfe Grete Capitayne of the commons of the said Shire of Lincolne, to continue the said insurrections and rebellions, and to levee werre ayenst him, as they by the same soo did, with banners displayed, avauncing theymselfe in pleyn bataille, unto the time his said Highness, by the help of God, put theym to flyght; wherein the said Duke and Earl promytted to the said Sir Robert and Commons to have yeven theym their assistences to the uttermost of their powers, and soo wold have doone, yf God ne had yeven unto hym the said victorye, as the same Sir Robert Welles, Sir Thomas de la Laund, Richard Waryng, and other, have openly confessed and shewed before his said Highness, the Lordes of his blode, and the multitude of his subgietts attending upon him in his host at this time; which Sir Robert Welles, and the other pety Captaynes, affermed to be true at their dethes, uncompelled, unstured, or undesired soo to doe; and as by the confession of the said Sir Robert Wells, made under his writyng and sign manuell, it appereth; and after that the said Duke and Earl, understanding and seing that this ther said labours wold not serve in the performing of their fals and traiterous purpose, afore declared, laboured, by their writings and messages sent into Yorkeshire to dyvers persones there, theym streitly charging to doo make open proclamations in their owne names, without mention makeing of his said Highness, that all manner men, uppon peyn of deth, should come unto theym, and yeve theym their assistence in resisting of him; whereupon his said Highnesse sent unto the said Duke and Earl, by Garter Kyng of Armes, summonition and warnyng of their said accusations undre his privie seal, straitly charging theym to come unto his said Highness resonably accompanyed, according to their astates and degrees, to answere to their said accusations; which to doo they presumptuously refused, and withdrewe themselfe, and fled with their felaship into Lancashire, soo as his said Highness with his host, for lake of vitayl, might not follow theym, to th'entent that they might gather his subgetts in greter noumbre, and to be hable to perfourme their said fals and trayterous purpose and entent; ffor which causes they have deserved to be published as fals traitours and rebells, and to have the uttermost punytion of the lawe. Yet nathelesse our said soveraigne Lord considered the nyghnesse of of blode which they be of unto him, and the tender love which he hath afore time borne to theym, therefore was loth to have lost theym, yf they would have submitted theym to his grace, and to have put hym in suertee of their good beryng hereafter; wherefore he sent his writts of proclamation unto dyvers open places, straitly charging theym to have come and appered in their persones afore his Highness in humble and obeysaunt wyse, the xxviijth, day of this present month of Marche or before, to have aunswered unto the said accusations, shewing by the same that yf they soo would have done, and could have declared theymselfe not guilty, his Highness would have be therewith right gladd, and have had theym in his grace and favour, and that, though they soo cowde not have doon, yet his Highness would not have forgeten their seid nighness of blode, ne the love and favour that he aforetime bare to theym, but wold have ministred to theym ryghtwyssely his lawes with favour and pitee shewyng; which they did not, but obstinately refused soo to doo, and dayly aftir withdrew theymself more and more from his Highness; and after the said proclamations, made as before, it hath be evidently shewed by open confessions made at his citee of Yorke, afore our said Soveraigne and his Lordes than there being with hym, by dyvers persones of grete reputation, that the seid Duke and Earl intended the finall destruction of his most royall persone, and the subversion of this his reaume, and the commonwele of the same, which confessions the said persones have affirmed by their solempne othes, made upon the receyving of the blessed sacrament, to bee faithfull and true; wherefore, the præmisses considered, and the grete obstinacy which they shewed hemself to be of, and yet doo contrarye to their ligeaunce, faith, and duetee, our said soveraigne Lord, to the example of all other like offenders, reputeth, taketh, and declareth the said Duke and Earl as his Rebelles and Traytours, willing and straitly charging all his subgetts to doo the same; and that noon of his said subgetts from hensforth receyve theym, ne eyther of theym, ayd, favour, or assist with mete, drynke, or money, or otherwise; nor noo other persone beyng with, or adhering to them, or either of theym, but that every of his said subgetts putt hem in effectuell devoyr to take the said Duke and Earl, and the seid persones soe being with hem, or adhering to theym, or either of theym, and hem surely bring to the King, upon peyn of deth, and forfaiture of all that they may forfait; and he that soo doth shall have for his reward of either of theym C. li. worth of land by yere to him, and to his heires, or a Ml li. in redy money at his election.

"Et hoc nullatenus omittas. Teste meipso apud Notingham xxxj °. die Martii.

"Per Ipsum Regem [By the King Himself]".

(Here follow the names of counties.)

(From Madox's transcripts in the British Museum. MS. Add. 4614.)

Note 3. Woue. So in MS. for vowe.

Skirmish of Southampton

[10 May 1470] And whenne the Duke of Clarence and the Earl of Warwike herde the felde was loste, and how there cownselle was dyscoverede, they fledde westwarde to the see syde, and toke there here schippys, and sayled towarde Southamptone, and e[n]tendet there to have a grete schyppe of the seide Earl of Warwicks (age 41), callyde the Trinite; but the Lorde Scales, the Quenes brother, was sent thedere by the Kynges commawndement, and other withe hym, and faught with the seide Duke and Earl, and toke there dyverse schyppes of theres and many of ther men therein; so that the Duke and the Earl were fayne to flee to the Kynge of Fraunce, where they were worschipfully receyved. And after this the Kynge Edwarde came to Southamptone, and commawndede the Earl of Worcetere (age 43) to sitt and juge suche menne as were taken in the schyppes, and so xx. persones of gentylmen and yomenne were hangede, drawne, and quartered, and hedede; and after that they hanged uppe by the leggys, and a stake made scharpe at bothe endes, whereof one ende was putt in att bottokys, and the other ende ther heddes were putt uppe one; for the whiche the peple of the londe were gretely displesyd; and evere afterwarde the Earl of Worcestre was gretely behatede emonge the peple, for ther dysordinate dethe that he used, contrarye to the lawe of the londe.

Angers Agreement

22 Jul 1470. And whenne the seide Duke of Clarence and the Earl of Warwick (age 41) were in Fraunce, there apperede a blasynge sterre in the weste, and the flame therof lyke a spere hede, the whiche dyverse of the Kynges house sawe it, whereof they were fulle sore adrede. And thanne in Fraunce whenne the seide lordes where, they toke there counselle qwhat was beste for to do; and they coude fynde no remedy but to sende to Quene Margaret, and to make a maryage betwex Prynce Edwarde (age 16), Kynge Herry sonne, and an other of the seid Earl of Warwikys doughters [Anne Neville (age 14)], whiche was concluded, and in Fraunce worschippfully wedded. And there it was apoyntede and acordede that Kynge Herry schuld rejoyse the kyngdome1 of England ageyne, and regne as welle as he dyd before, and after hym hys Prynce Edward and his heyres of his body lawfully begotyne; and if it appenede that he disceysed witheoute heyres of his body lawfully gotene, thenne schulde the kyngdome of England, with the lordschyppes of Irlonde, remane unto George, the Duke of Clarence, and his heyre[s] for evere more. Also it was apoyncted and agreede that Herry Duke of Excetre (age 40), Edmunde Duke of Somersett, brother to Herry that was slayne at Hexham felde, the Earl of Devynschire called Courtnay, and alle othere knyghtes, squires, and alle other that were putt oute and atayntede for Kynges Herry quarrelle, schulde come into England ageyne, and every man to rejoyse his owne lyflode and inhabytauntes3; whiche alle this poyntment aforeseide were wrytene, indentyde, and sealede, bytwixe the seide Quene Margaret, the Prynce hire sonne, in that one party, and the Duke of Clarence, and the Earl of Warwik, one that othere party. And moreovere, to make it sure, they were sworne, and made grete othys eche to othere, wiche was done be alle Kynge of Fraunce counselle.

Note 1. Kynge Henry schuld rejoyse the kyngdome. "On halmesse evyn, abowt thre after noyne, comyn into the Comowne Howus, the Lordys spiritual and temporal, excepte the Kyng, the Duk of York, and hys sonys; And the Chawnceler reherset the debate had bytwyn owre soveren Lord the Kyng and the Duk of York upon the tytelys of Inglond, Fraunce, and the Lordschep of Erlond, wyche mater was debat, arguet, and disputet by the seyd lordes spiritual and temporal byfore owre soveren Lord and the Duk of York longe and diverse tymys. And at the last, by gret avyce and deliberacion, and by the assent of owre soveryn Lord and the Duk of York, and alle the lordes spiritual and temporal ther assemelyd by vertu of thys present parlement, assentyt, agreyt, and acordyt, that owre sovereyne Lord the Kyng schal pessabylly and quyetly rejoys and possesse the crowne of Inglond and of Fraunce and the Lordchip of Irlond, with al hys preemynences, prerogatyves, and liberteys duryng hys lyf. And that after hys desese the coroun, etc. schal remayne to Rychard Duk of York, as rythe inheryt to hym, and to hys issue, prayng and desyring ther the comownes of Inglond, be vertu of thys present parlement assemylet, to comyne the seyd mater, and to gyff therto her assent. The wyche comyns, after the mater debatet, comynt, grawntyt, and assentyt to the forseyd premisses. And ferthermore was granted and assentyt, that the seyd Duk of York, the Erl of March, and of Rutlond, schul be sworne that they schuld not compas ne conspyrene the kynges deth ne hys hurt duryng hys lyf. Ferthermore the forseyd Duk schulde be had, take, and reportyt as eyr apparent prince and ryth inheryter to the crowne aboveseyd. Ferthermore for to be had and take tresoun to ymagyne or compas the deth or the hurt of the seyd Duk, wythe othyr prerogatyves as long to the prince and eyr parawnt. And fferthermore the seyd Duk and hys sonys schul have of the Kyng yerly x.M¹. marces, that is to sey, to hemself v. M¹., to the Erl of Marche iij M¹., the Erl of Rutlond ijM¹. marces. And alle these mateyrs agreyd, assentyt, and inactyt by the auctorite of thys present parlement. And ferthermore, the statutes mad in the tyme of Kyng Herry the fowrth, wherby the croune was curtaylet to hys issu male, utterly anullyd and evertyth, wyth alle other statutes and grantys mad by the seyd Kynges days, Kyng Herry the V. and Kyng Herry the vjte, in the infforsyng of the tytel of Kyng Herry the fourth in general." — Rot. Harl. C. 7, Membr. 4, dorso.

The following document, from Chart. Antiq. Cotton. XVII. 11, is exceeding curious, and I take the opportunity of inserting it here.

"Jhesus. Maria. Johannes.

.... the most nobylle and Crysten prynce, oure most dradde soverayne Lorde Kynge Hary the syxte, verrey true undoutyde Kynge of England and of Fraunce, nowe beynge in the hondys of hys rebellys and gret en[e]my, Edwarde, late the Erl of Marche, usurpur, oppressour, and distroyer of oure seyde Soverayn Lorde, and of the nobylle blode of the reme of England, and of the trewe commenes of the same, by hys myschevus and inordinate newe founden lawes and ordenaunces inconveniant, to the uttyrmoste destruccion of the goode commenes of the seyde reme of England; yf yt so schulde contenne ffor the reformacion wherof, in especialle for the comenwelle of alle the seyde reme, the ryзt hyghe and my3ty Prynce George Duke [of] Clarens, Jasper Erl of Penbroke, Richarde Erl of Warewyke, and Johnne Erl of Oxenforde, as verrey and trewe fey3tfulle cosyns, subgettes, and liege men to oure seyde soveraine Lorde Kynge Harry the syxt, by sufficiante autorite commysyd unto theme in thys behalfe, be the hole voyse and assent of the moste nobylle pryncesse Margaret, Quene of England, and the Ryzt Hyze and my3ty Prynce Edwarde, atte thys tyme beyng Quene,2 into thys reme to putte theme in ther moste uttermoste devers to dylyver oure seyd Sopheraine Lord oute of hys grete captivite, and daungere of hys enmyes, unto hys liberte, and by the grace of Gode to rest hym in his rialle estate, and crowne of thys hys seyd reme of Englond, and reforme..... and amende alle the grete myschevus oppressions, and alle odyr inordinate abusions, nowe raynynge in the seyde reme, to the perpetualle pese, prosperyte, to the comene welfare of thys reme. Also ytt ys fully concludyd and grauntyde that alle mail men within the reme of England, of whatt estat, degre, condicion that they be of, be fully pardonede of alle maner tresoun or trespace imagenyd or done, in eny maner of wyse contrary to ther legeyns, agayne oure soveraine Lorde the Kynge, the Quene, and my Lorde the prynce, before the day of comynge and entre of the sayde Duke and Earls in thys sayde reme; so that they putte them in ther uttermost dever, and att thys tyme drawe them to the compeny of the seyde Duke and Earls, to helpe and to fortefy theme in ther purpose and jorney; excepte suche persons as be capitalle enmyes to oure seyde soferaine Lorde, withowte punyschement of the whyche god pece and prosperite of thys reme cannatte be had; and excepte alle suche as atte thys tyme make any rescistens ageyns the seyde Duke and Erlys, or eny of theme, or of ther compeny. Also the sayde Duke and Erlys, in the name and behalfe of oure seyde soferaine Lorde Kynge Harry the syxt, chargyne and commawndyne that alle maner of men, that be betwen xvj. yeres and lxti., incontinently and immediatly aftyr thys proclamacion made, be redy, in ther best aray defensabell, to attende and awayte upponne the sayde Duke and Erlys, to aschyst theme in ther jorney, to the entente afore rehercyd, upponne payne of dethe and forfiture of alle that they [may forfeyte], withinne the reme of Englond; excepte suche persons as be visette with syknesse, or with suche noune poure that they may not go."

Note 2. This sentence is transposed in the document.

Note 3. So in MS. for inheritances.

08 Sep 1470. And in the same x. yere aforeseide, a lytelle before Michaelmesse, the Duke of Clarence (age 20) and the Earl of Warwick (age 41) londede in the west countre, and gadered there a grete peple.

Earldom of Northumberland returned to the Percy Family

[27 Mar 1470]. The Lorde Markes Montagu (age 39) hade gaderyd vi. Ml men, by Kynge Edwardes commysyone and commaundement, to the entente to have recistede the seide Duke of Clarence, and the Earl of Warwick (age 41). never the lattere, the seide Markes Montagu hatyde the Kynge, and purposede to have taken hym; and whenne he was withein a myle of Kynge Edwarde, he declarede to the peple that was there gaderede with hym, how Kynge Edwarde hade fyrst yevyne to hym the Earldome of Northumberlonde, and how he toke it from hym and gaff it Herry Percy, whos fadere was slayne at Yorke felde; and how of late tyme hade he made hym Markes of Montagu, and yaff a pye's neste to mayntene his astate withe: wherefor he yaff knoleage to his peple that he wulde holde withe the Earl of Warwick, his brothere, and take Kynge Edwarde if he might, and alle tho that wolde holde with hym.

02 Oct 1470. But anone one of the oste went oute frome the fellawschippe, and tolde Kynge Edwarde alle manere of thynge, and bade hym avoyde, for he was not strong enoghe to gyff batayle to Markes Montagu (age 39); and then anone Kynge Edwarde haysted hym in alle that he might to the towne of Lynne, and ther he toke schyppynge one Michaelmesse day, in the x. yere of his regne, with Lorde Hastynges, that was the Kynges Chambearlyne, Lorde Say, withe dyverse other knyghtes and squires, passed and saylede overe the see into Flaunders, to his brother-in-lawe1 the Duke of Burgeyne2, for socoure and helpe, &c.

Note 1. The Harl. MS. 7353, is a most curious roll on vellum, containing pictures on one side representing parts of scripture history, and on the other assumed similar transactions in the life of Edward IV. We have, 1. The King on his throne. 2. The King encouraging his soldiers. 3. The King with a triple sun shining upon him through three golden crowns, and saying "Domine! quid vis me facere? [Lord! What do you want me to do?]" 4. Pardoning Henry after the battle of Northampton. 5. Setting sail for Calais. At the bottom is a genealogical tree, with portraits of all the members of the houses of York and Lancaster, very fantastically arranged.

Note 2. Duke of Burgeyne. Charles the Bold (age 36), Duke of Burgundy, married Edward's sister on the 18th of June, 1467 [1468?]. It was to this marriage that Edward owed his preservation abroad, and the final recovery of his kingdom. An account of the marriage, with the reception of the Princess in Flanders, may be seen in MS. Cotton. Nero, C. IX. Cf. Cart. Antiq. Mus. Brit. XI. 54.

[After 02 Oct 1470]. Here is to knowe, that in the begynnynge of the moneth of Octobre, the yere of oure Lorde a м.cccc.lxx, the Bisshoppe of Wynchestere, be the assent of the Duke of Clarence and the Earl of Warwick (age 41), went to the toure of Londone, where Kynge Herry was in presone by Kynge Edwardes commawndement, and there toke him from his kepers, whiche was not worschipfully arayed as a prince, and not so clenly kepte as schuld seme suche a Prynce; they hade hym oute, and newe arayed hym, and dyde to him grete reverens, and brought him to the palys of Westmynster, and so he was restorede to the crowne ageyne, and wrott in alle his lettres1, wryttes, and other recordes, the yere of his regne, Anno regni Regis Henrici Sexti quadragesimo nono, et readempcionis sue regie potestatis primo. Whereof alle his goode lovers were fulle gladde, and the more parte of peple. never the lattere, before that, at he was putt oute of his reame by Kynge Edwarde, alle England for the more partye hatyd hym, and were fulle gladde to have a chounge; and the cause was, the good Duke of Glouceter was put to dethe, and Jhon Holonde, Duke of Excetre (age 40), poysond, and that the Duke of Suffolke, the Lorde Say, Danyelle Trevyliane, and other myscheves pepie that were aboute the Kynge, were so covetouse towarde them selff,and dyde no force of the Kynges honour, ne of his wele, ne of the comone wele of the londe, where Kynge Herry trusted to them that they schuld do, and labour in tyme of innocence evere for the comone wele, whiche they dyde contrary to his wille; and also Fraunce, Normandy, Gasgoyne, and Guyane was lost in his tyme2. And these were the causes, withe other, that made the peple to gruge ageyns hym, and alle bycause of his fals lordes, and never of hym; and the comon peple seyde, yf they mighte have another Kynge, he schulde gett alle ageyne and amende alle manere of thynges that was amysse, and brynge the reame of Englond in grete prosperite and reste. never the lattere, whenne Kynge Edwarde iiijth regnede, the peple looked after alle the forseide prosperytes and peece, but it came not; but one batayle after another, and moche troble and grett losse of goodes amonge the comone peple; as fyrste, the xv. of alle there goodes, and thanne ane hole xv., at yett at every batell to come ferre oute there countreis at ther awne coste; and these and suche othere brought England ryght lowe, and many menne seyd that Kynge Edwarde hade myche blame for hurtynge marchandyse, for in his dayes they were not in other londes, nore withein England, take in suche reputacyone and credence as they were afore, &c.

Note 1. Wrott in alle his lettres. Cf. MS. Harl. 7, fol. 64, rº; Sir Harris Nicolas's Chronology of History, p. 304; Cart. Antiq. Mus. Brit. XXII. 42.

Note 2. Was lost in his tyme. This was a never-failing source of rebuke against Henry; so Ocland says:

'Quippe erat Henricus quintus, dux strenuus olim, Mortuus hinc damni gravior causa atque doloris."

Indeed, he was Henry the Fifth, once a valiant duke, Now dead, a cause of great loss and sorrow.

Anglorum prælia. Edit. 1582. Edward, in one of his earlier proclamations, says, HE that directeth the hertes of all Princes "hath" putte in oure remembraunce the lamentable state and rayne of this reaume of Englond, and the losse of th'obeissaunce of the reaume of Fraunce, and Duchies of Guyenne, and Normandie, and Anjou. " Rot. Claus. 1 Edw. IV. m. 38, dorso.

26 Nov 1470. And xxvj. day of Novembre, Kynge Herry callede a parleament at Westmynster, beynge there George the ArcheBishop of Yorke, Chaunceler of England, whiche [discussed] this proposicion before the Kynge and his Lordes and the comons of that same parleament assemblede, Revertimini1 ad me filii revertentes, ego enim vir vester. Jeremie tercio, etc. And in the moneth of Februarij after, Herry Duke of Excetre (age 40), Eadmunde Duke of Somersett, Lorde Jhon of Somersett his brothir, Earl of Ormond, Jasper Earl of Penbroke, brother to the Kynge Herry, and the Earl of Richmonde, with many other knights, and squyres, gentilmen, and yomen, came into England, and entered into ther lordschippys and londe, whiche at the parleament above seide and alle other attaynderes that were made in Kynge Edwardys tyme were anullede, and Kynge Herry was amitted to his crowne and dignite ageyne, and alle his men to there enherytaunce.

Note 1. Revertimini, &c. This is perhaps quoted from memory, for the reading in the Latin Vulgate is Convertimini filii revertentes, dicit Dominus, quia ego vir vester; which is thus translated, - "Turn, O backsliding children, saith the Lord, for I am married unto you;" Jeremiah, iii. 14. It is almost unnecessary to remark that this is the sermon with which it was usual to preface the opening of a parliament; the present one was most admirably fitted for the occasion.

Execution of John Tiptoft

18 Oct 1470. And thenne was takene the Earl of Worcetre (age 43), whiche was arested and areynede befor Sere Jhon Veere (age 28), the Earl of Oxenforde, sonne and heyre to the forseide Earl of Oxenforde whiche was behedede1 at the Toure Hille, as before wrytene; and so the Earl of Worcetre was juged be suche lawe as he dyde to other menne; and, whenne he was dede, his body and his hede was buryede togedyr at the Blacke Frerys in Londone, with alle the honoure and worschyppe that his frendes coude do.

Note 1. "Was behedede." "His diebus captus est ille trux carnifex, et hominum decollator horridus, Comes de Wacester, et in Turri Londonie incarceratus, et in breve prope dictam turrim decapitatus, et apud Fratres Predicatores, juxta Ludgate, obscure sepultus [In these days, that cruel executioner and dreadful decapitator of men, the Earl of Worcester, was captured and imprisoned in the Tower of London, shortly thereafter beheaded near the said tower, and buried in obscurity at the Dominican Friars, near Ludgate]." -MS. Arundel, Coll. Arm. 5, fol. 171, v°. This coming from a partizan of the same side with the Earl, at a period when party politics necessarily ran so high, is strikingly conclusive of that nobleman's character. Cf. Chron. p. 9, l. 13—21.

Also Quene Elisabeth, Kynge Edwardes wyf, wiche hade welle vetelede and fortifyed the Toure of Londone, when sche herde that here soevereyne and husbonde was fledde, sche went secretly oute of the toure in to sanctuary at Westmynster, with alle here childrene, and sche hir selff was grete withe childe, and was delyverede ther ryght of a sonne that was callede Prynce Edwarde of England; and ther sche abode stylle in grete troble, tylle Kynge Edwarde came in ageyne tylle hire.

King Edward lands at Ravenspur

14 Mar 1471. And in the secunde weke of Marche, the xlix. yere of the regne of Kynge Herry the vjte, and in the x. yere of the regne of Kynge Edwarde the iiijte, the same Kynge Edwarde toke his schippynge in Flaunders, and hade withe hym the Lorde Hastynges and the Lorde Say, and ix. c. of Englismenne and three hundred of Flemmynges with hande-gonnes, and sailed toward England, and hade grete troble uppon the see with stormys, and lost a schyppe withe horse; and purpost to have londede in Northfolke, and one of the Earl [of] Oxenfordes brother withe the comons of the cuntre arose up togedere, and put hym abake to the see ageyne. And after that, at he was so trobled in the see, that he was fayne to londe in Yorkeschyre at Ravenys-spore [Map]1; and there rose ageyns hym alle the cuntre of Holdernes, whose capteyne was a preste, and a persone in the same cuntre called Sere Jhon Westerdale, whiche aftyrwarde for his abused disposycion was casten in presone in the Marchalse at Londone by the same Kynge Edwarde: for the same preste mett Kynge Edwarde and askede the cause of his landynge; and he answeryde that he came thedere by the Earl of Northumberlondes avyse, and schewede the Earls lettere y-send to hym, &c. undere his seale; and also he came for to clayme the Duchery of Yorke, the whiche was his inherytaunce of ryght, and so passed forthe to the cite of Yorke, where Thomas Clyfford lete hym inne, and ther he was examynede ayenne; and he seyde to the mayre and aldermenne and to alle the comons of the cite, in likewyse as he was afore in Holdernes at his landyng: that was to sey, that [he] never wulde clayme no title2, ne take uppone honde to be Kynge of England, nor wulde have do afore that tyme, but be excitynge and sturing of the Earl of Warwick (age 42); and therto afore alle peple, he cryed "A! Kynge Herry! A! Kynge and Prynce Edwarde! " and wered ane estryche feder, Prynce Edwardes lyvery. And after this he was sufferd to passe the cite, and so helde his wey southwarde, and no man lettyd hym ne hurtyde hym.

Note 1. At Ravenyspore. See Mr. Jones's Essay on the Rival Roses, p. xxv.

Note 2. Nevere wulde clayme no title. He took a solemn oath to that effect; Cf. MS. Sloan. 3479, and MS. Harl. 2408.

Afterwarde that, he came towarde Notyngham, and ther came to hym Sere William a Stanley with ccc. men, and Sere William Norys, and dyverse other menne and tenauntes of Lorde Hastynges, so that he hade Ml Ml. menne1 and moo; and anone after he made his proclamacyone, and called hym self Kynge of England and of Fraunce. Thenne toke he his wey to Leycetre, where were the Earl of Warwick and the Lord Markes his brother with iiij. Ml menne or moo. And Kynge Edwarde sent a messyngere to them, that yf thai wulde come oute, that he wulde feght withe them. But the Earl of Warwick hade a letter from the Duke of Clarence, that he schulde not feght withe hym tylle he came hym self; and alle was to the distruccion of the Earl of Warwick, as it happenede aftyrwarde. Yet so the Earl of Warwick kept stille the gates of the toune schet, and suffrede Kynge Edwarde passe towarde Londone; and a litelle oute of Warwick mett the Duke of Clarence with Kynge Edwarde, with vij. Ml men, and ther they were made acorde, and made a proclamacion forthewithe in Kynge Edwardes name; and so alle covandes of fydelite, made betwyx the Duke of Clarence, and the Earl of Warwick, Quene Margarete, Prince Edwarde hir sonne, bothe in England and in Fraunce, were clerly brokene and forsakene of the seide Duke of Clarence; whiche, in conclusione, was distruccion bothe to hym and them for perjury schall never have better ende, witheoute grete grace of God. Vide finem, &c.

Note 1. Ml Ml. menne i.e. 2000 men.