Historie of the arrivall of Edward IV. in England and the finall recouerye of his kingdomes from Henry VI. A.D. M.CCCC.LXXI. / Ed. by John Bruce.

Here folowethe howe the sayd bastard Faucomberge, with his felashippe, assayled the citie of London, and set fyer upon the bridge of London, and brent greate parte thereof, and upon othar two gates of the sayde citie; and how they were honorably recountred, and discomfeted, and dryven to the watar, and soo the citie delyveryd from them.

The bastard and his fellashippe, thus returnyd agayne from Kyng∣stonn brigge, afore London, purposynge to execute theyr greate rancowr and malice agayns the citie of London, and that in all haste, to

th'entent they myght have theyr praye afore the Kyngs comynge, whiche they thowght not to abyde, and it to cary awaye in theyr shipps, whiche were ready to attend for the same entent of roberye, but a myle or two from the sayde citie. Wherefore, incontinent, they assayled the citie with greate violence, with shot of goons, suche as they had browght owt of theyr shipps, in great nombar, and layd them on length the watar syde, streight ovar agaynst the citie; where with they prevayled no thinge, for the citi∣zens agayne-warde in dyvars placis layde ordinaunce, and made so sharp shott agaynst them, that they durst not abyde in eny place alonge the wa∣tarsyde, and so were dryven from theyr owne ordinaunce. Wherefore the bastard purveyed an othar mean to annoy and greve the sayde Citie sore, and therefore ordeynyd a great fellowshipe to set fyre upon the bridge, and to brene the howsynge upon the bridge, and, through therby, to make them an open way into the sayd citie. An othar greate felashipe he sett ovar the watar with his shipps, mo then iij^M men, whiche were devided into two partes; one partye went to Algate, wenyng to have entred the citie there, by assaulte; an othar partye went to Bysshops-gate, wenynge to have en∣tred there by an othar assaulte; wher they shot goonns and arrows into the citie, and dyd moche harme and hurte. And, at the laste, set fiere upon the gates, for to have brent them, and so trustinge to have entred at large. Theyr brennynge at the bridge profytid them of no thynge; albe they brent many howses to the nombar of iij^xx, but the citizens hadd set suche ordenaunce in theyr ways that, thowghe all the way had been open, it had bene to harde for them to have entred by that way, but upon theyr lyves. The maior, aldarmen, and worshipfull citizens of the citie were in good array, and set to every parte, where was behovefull, greate felowshipe, welle ordered, and ordeyned, for to withstand the malice of thes forsayd rebells.

To the citizens, and defence of the citie, came th'Erle of Essex, and many knights, squiers, gentlemen, and yemen, right well arraied, which had right great diligence in orderinge the citizens, and firste to prepare and ordayne for the defence and surtye of the sayd cittie and people thereof where it was necessarye, and preparyd how and where they myght best ysswe owt upon them, and put them from theyr purpos. By which medelinge of gentlemen, and lords servauntes, with the citizens,

in every parte, the citizens were greatly encoragyd to set sharply upon them with one hoole entent, where elles it had be lykely they shuld nat have willed to have done so moche therto as was donne. For, as it is afore∣sayde, greate nombar of the citie were there that with right good wille woulde they have bene sofferyd to have enteryd the citie, to th'entent to have fallen to myscheffe and robberye with them. And so, aftar continu∣ynge of muche shote of gonnes and arrows a greate while, upon bothe par∣ties, th'Erle Ryvers, that was with the Qwene, in the Tower of London, gatheryd unto hym a felashipe right well chosen, and habiled, of iiij or v^c men, and ysswyd owt at a posterne upon them, and, even upon a poynt, cam upon the Kentyshe men beinge abowte the assawltynge of Algate, and mightely laied upon them with arrows, and upon them in hands, and so killyd and toke many of them, dryvynge them from the same gate to the watar syde. Yet netheles, three placis wer fiers brennynge all at ones. The Maior, Aldarmen, and many of the sayde citie, were anone in theyr harnes, and parted theyr felashippe into divers partes, as them thowght moste behofefull, but a great parte of the citizens were at Algate, and with them many gentlemen and yemen, which all made the defence that they best myght; and shott many gouns, and arrows, amonge them; but for thy the Kentishemen spared nat to assayle at bothe the gates, so that the sayde lorde and citizens determined in themselve to arredy them in good array, and to ysswe owt upon them, in hands, and put them to flyght and discomfiture. About iij^M and [mo] fell in the chas of them, and slew mo than vij^c of them. Many were taken, and aftar hanged; the remenaunt went to the watarsyde, and toke theyr boates, and went to theyr shipps, and ovar to that othar syde agayn.

Thes haynows traytowrs and robbers, the bastard and his felawshyppe, seing they cowthe in nowyse profite to theyr entents, by litle and litle withdrewe them to the Blackhethe, to an hill three myle from London, the xvj., xvij., and xviij. day of Maye, there abydynge by the space of three dayes; but, theyr abydynge, they had certayne knowledge that the Kynge was comynge with great puisaunce, whereof they greatly adrad, seinge that they myght nat have theyr praye of London, ne havynge hardies to abyde the Kynge and his puisaunce, they disperbled; they of Calais, to Calais, the sonest they cowlde; suche as were of othar contrys, into theyrs; many of Kent, to theyr howses; the mariners, and myschevows robbars, rebells,

and riotours with them, to theyr shipps; and drewe downe to the sea coaste with all theyr shipps.

The Kynge this season, well accompanied and mightely with great lordes, and in substaunce all the noblemen of the land, with many othar able men, well arraied for the werre, to the nombar of xxx^M horsemen, cam to the citie of London, sone aftar the disperblynge of the Kentyshe hooste, the xxj. day of Maye, the Twesdaye; where he was honorably re∣ceyved of all the people, the maior, aldermen, and many othar worshipfull men, citizens of the sayd citie. At the metyng of them the Kynge dubed Knyghtes the maior, the recordar, dyvars aldarmen, with othar worshipfull of the sayd citie of London, whiche as hadd mannly and honorably acquit them selfe agaynst the bastard, and his crwell hooste; honoringe, and rewardinge them with the ordar, of his good love and grace, for theyr trwe acquitaill, and as they had ryght well and trewly de∣servyd that tyme.

Here it is to be remembred, that, from the tyme of Tewkesbery fielde, where Edward, called Prince, was slayne, thanne, and sonne aftar, wer taken, and slayne, and at the Kyngs wylle, all the noblemen that came from beyond the see with the sayde Edward, called Prince, and othar also theyr parte-takers as many as were of eny might or puisaunce. Qwene Margaret, hirselfe, taken, and browght to the Kynge; and, in every party of England, where any commotion was begonne for Kynge Henry's party, anone they were rebuked, so that it appered to every mann at eye the sayde partie was extincte and repressed for evar, without any mannar hope of agayne quikkening; utterly despaired of any maner of hoope or releve. The certaintie of all whiche came to the knowledge of the sayd Henry, late called Kyng, being in the Tower of London; not havynge, afore that, knowledge of the saide matars, he toke it to so great dispite, ire, and indingnation, that, of pure displeasure, and melencoly, he dyed the xxiij. day of the monithe of May. Whom the Kynge dyd to be browght to the friers prechars at London, and there, his funerall service donne, to be caried, by watar, to an Abbey upon Tha∣mys syd, xvj myles from London, called Chartsey, and there honorably enteryd.

The Kynge, incontinent aftar his comynge to London, taried but one daye, and went with his hole army, aftar his sayd traytors into Kent,

them to represse, in caas they were in any place assembled, and for to let them to assemble by any comocion to be made amongs them, wher unto they, heretoforne, have often tymes bene accustomyd to doo. But, trewthe it was, that they were disperbled as afore; but the sayd bastard Faucomberge, with great nombar of mariners, and many othar mischevows men, called his sowldiours, or men of were, went streyght to Sandwyche, and there kept the towne with strengthe, and many great and small shipps, abowt xl and vij, in the haven, all undar his rule. And, as sone as they undarstode the Kynge and his hoste aprochid nere unto them, the sayd bastard sent unto hym suche meanes as best he cowthe, humbly to sew for his grace and pardon, and them of his feloshipe, and, by appoyntement, willed there to be delyveryd to the Kyngs behove all his shipps, and be∣came his trwe liegemen, with as streight promyse of trew legiaunce as cowthe be devised for them to be made, whiche, aftar delyberation taken in that parte, for certayn great consyderations, was grauntyd. Wherefore the Kynge sent thethar his brothar Richard, Duke of Gloucestar, to re∣ceyve them in his name, and all the shipps; as he so dyd the xxvj. day of the same monithe; the Kynge that tyme beinge at Cantorbery.

And thus, with the helpe of Almighty God, the moaste glorious Virgin Mary his mothar, and of Seint George, and of [all] the Saynts of heven, was begon, finished, and termined, the reentrie and perfecte recover of the iuste title and right of owr sayd soveraygne Lord Kynge Edward the Fowrthe, to his realme and crowne of England, within the space of xj wekes; in the whiche season, moienaunt the helpe and grace of Allmyghty God, by his wysdome, and polyqwe, he escaped and passyd many great perills, and daungars, and dificulties, wherin he had bene; and, by his full noble and knyghtly cowrage, hathe optayned two right-great, crwell, and mortall battayles; put to flight and discomfeture dyvars great assembles of his rebells, and riotows persons, in many partyes of his land; the whiche, thowghe all they were also rygorously and maliciously disposed, as they myght be, they were, netheles, so affrayde and afferyd of the verey asswryd courage and manhod that restethe in the person of our seyd sovereigne lord, that they were, anon, as confused. Whereby it apperithe, and fayth∣fully is belevyd, that with the helpe of Almyghty God, whiche from his begynning hitharto hathe not fayled hym, in short tyme he shall appeas his subgetes thrwghe all his royalme; that peace and tranquillitie shall

growe and multiplye in the same, from day to day, to the honour and lovynge of Almyghty God, the encreace of his singuler and famows renoume, and to the great ioye and consolation of his frinds, alies, and well-willers, and to all his people, and to the great confusion of all his enemys, and evyll wyllars.

Here endethe the arryvaile of Kynge Edward the Fowrthe. Out of Mastar Flyghtwods boke, Recordar of London.