King Edward flees to Burgundy

King Edward flees to Burgundy is in 1469-1479 Wars of the Roses: Warwick Rebels.

Warkworth's Chronicle 1470. 29 Sep 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 stronge enoghe to gyff batayle to Markes Montagu (age 39); and then anone Kynge Edwarde haysted hym in alle that he myght 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 Chamberleyne, Lorde Say, withe dyverse other knyghtes and squyers, 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.

Memoirs of Philip de Commines Book 3 Chapter V. 02 Oct 1470. And thus King Edward made his escape in the year 1470, by the assistance of a small vessel of his own and two Dutch merchantmen, attended only by 700 or 800 men, without any clothes but what they were to have fought in, no money in their pockets, and not one of them knew whither they were going. It was very surprising to see this poor king (for so he might justly be called) run avay in this manner, and be pursued by his own servants. He had indulged himself in ease and pleasures for twelve or thirteen years together, and enjoyed a larger share of them than any prince in his time. His thoughts were wholly employed upon the ladies (and far more than was reasonable), hunting, and adorning his person. In his summer-hunting, his custom was to have several tents set up for the ladies, where he treated them after a magnificent manner; and indeed his person was as well turned for love-intrigues as any man I ever saw in my life: for he was young, and the most handsome man of his time; I mean when he was in this adversity, for afterwards he grew very corpulent. But see now how, on a sudden, he is fallen into the calamities of the world! He sailed directly for Holland. At that time the Easterlinjzs1 were at war both with the English and French; they had many ships at sea, and were dreaded by the English, and upon good grounds; for they were good soldiers, had done them much prejudice that year already, and bad taken several of their ships. The Easterlings at a great distance descried the ships which were with the king, and about seven or eight of them began to give them chase; but being far before them, he gained the coast of Holland, or rather some thing lower, for he put into Friesland, not far from a little town called Alquemare2, where he came to an anchor, and, it being low water, the king could not get into the harbour, but ran himself as near the town as he could. The Easterlings came as near him as they could possibly make, and dropt their anchors, intending to board him the next tide.

Note 1. Easterlings, in French Ostrelins, was the name given to the merchants of the Hanseatic League,

Note 2. Alkmaar, tlie capital of North Holland, distant about twenty miles from Amsterdam.

On 02 Oct 1470 King Edward IV of England (age 28) fled from King's Lynn, Norfolk [Map] to the court of Charles the Bold (age 36) who married to his sister Margaret (age 24) two years earlier.