September 1470 King Henry VI Restored

September 1470 King Henry VI Restored is in 1469-1471 Wars of the Roses: Warwick Rebels.

On 13th September 1470 Warwick the Kingmaker (age 41) and George, Duke of Clarence (age 20) landed at Dartmouth, Devon and/or Plymouth, Devon [Map].

On 2nd October 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. His brother Richard (age 18) travelled with him; it was his eighteenth birthday.

Gilbert Debenham (age 38) travelled with King Edward IV of England.

On 3rd October 1470 Henry VI (age 48) was re-adepted, ie restored, King of England.

Thomas Tresham (age 50) was released.

In November 1470 King Edward IV of England (age 28) was attainted. George York 1st Duke of Clarence (age 21) was awarded the Duchy of York.

Chronicle of Robert Fabyan [-1512]. In the moneth of Septembre [September 1470], & X yere of the kyng, the foresayd duke of Clarence, accompanyed with y^e erlys of Warwyke, of Penbroke, & of Oxenforde, & other many gentylmen, ladyd at Dartmouth in Deuynshyre, & there made theyr proclamacions in the name of kynge Henry the VI and so drewe ferther into the lande. Wherof herynge, y^e comons of that coutre and other drewe vnto theim by great companyes.

A Brief Latin Chronicle. In the year of our Lord 1470, around the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Mary [8th September 1470], the Duke of Clarence and the Earl of Warwick, along with many others who had been expelled to France by King Edward a little earlier because of their rebellions, returned to England. Landing in Devon, they gathered an army.

Anno Domini millesimo lxx°, circiter festum Nativitatis Beate Marie regressi sunt in Angliam dux Clarencie, comes de Warwic, cum multis aliis, qui paulo ante per regem Edwardum in Franciam propter suas rebelliones effugati fuerant, et in Devonia applicantes exercitum colligerunt.

Warkworth's Chronicle. 8th September 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.

Collectanea by John Leland [1502-1552]. [13th September 1470] In the Monith of Octobre anno D. 1470. the Bisshop of Winchester, the Duke of Claraunce, and the Erle of Warwike took King Henry, that was right coursely kept, owte of the Toure of London, and bringging to Westminstre, restorid hym to his Kingly Dignite.Yet had the People much hatid afore King Henry for the Death of Humfrey Duke of Glocester, and the poyfening of John Holande Duke of Excester.But il Officers did this whom Innocent Henry did truste.

Memoirs of Philip de Commines Book 3 Chapter V. 13th September 1470. Upon the Earl of Warwick's landing¹, great numbers came in to him; and King Edward when he heard it, was much alarmed; and (when very late) he began to look about him, and sent to the Duke of Burgundy to desire that his fleet might be ready at sea to intercept the Earl of Warwick on his return to France, for on land he knew how to deal with him. The Duke of Burgundy was not well pleased with these words, for he looked upon it as a greater piece of policy to have hindered the earl from landing, than to be forced to run the hazard of a battle, to drive him out again. The Earl of Warwick had not been landed above five or six days before the whole country came in to him, and he encamped within three leagues of the king, whose army was superior to the earl's (had they been all true to his interest), and waited on purpose to give him battle: the king was possessed of a fortified village or house¹, to which (as he told me himself) there was no access but by one bridge, which proved of great service to him; the rest of his forces were quartered in the neighbouring villages. As he sate at dinner, news was suddenly brought him that the Marquis of Montague, the Earl of Warwick's brother, and several other persons of quality, were mounted on horseback, and had caused their soldiers to cry, "God bless King Henry." At first King Edward would give no credit to it, but despatched other messengers to inquire, and in the meantime armed himself, and posted guards to defend the bridge in case of any assault. There was with him at that time a very prudent gentleman called the Lord Hastings², High Chamberlain of England, in great authority with the king; and he deserved it, for though his wife was the Earl of Warwick's sister, he continued loyal to his king, and was then in his service (as he told me afterwards) with a body of 3000 horse. There was likewise with him the Lord Scales³ (brother to King Edward's queen) besides several good knights and gentlemen who began to think that all was not well, for the messengers confirmed what had been told the king before, and that the enemy was marching boldly on, with a design to surprise him in his quarters.

Note 1. Rapin states that Edward was at Lynn at this time.

Note 2. William, Lord Hastings, son of Richard Hastings, and Alice, daughter of Lord Camoys. He married Catherine, daughter of Richard Neville, last Earl of Salisbury; and was beheaded by order of Richard III on the 13th of June, 1483.

Note 3. Anthony Woodville, Lord Scales and Earl Rivers, was the son of Richard Woodville and Jacquetta of Luxembourg. He married 1. Elizabeth, daughter of Lord Scales, and 2. Mary, daughter of Henry Fitz Lewes. He was beheaded in 1483,

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The Chronicle of Walter of Guisborough, a canon regular of the Augustinian Guisborough Priory, Yorkshire, formerly known as The Chronicle of Walter of Hemingburgh, describes the period from 1066 to 1346. Before 1274 the Chronicle is based on other works. Thereafter, the Chronicle is original, and a remarkable source for the events of the time. This book provides a translation of the Chronicle from that date. The Latin source for our translation is the 1849 work edited by Hans Claude Hamilton. Hamilton, in his preface, says: "In the present work we behold perhaps one of the finest samples of our early chronicles, both as regards the value of the events recorded, and the correctness with which they are detailed; Nor will the pleasing style of composition be lightly passed over by those capable of seeing reflected from it the tokens of a vigorous and cultivated mind, and a favourable specimen of the learning and taste of the age in which it was framed." Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback.

A Brief Latin Chronicle. 2nd October 1470. Edward, seeing their boldness, fled with a few followers to Flanders, where he was honorably received by the Duke of Burgundy.

Edwardus autem, videns eorum audciam, fugit cum paucis in Flandriam, ubi a duce Burgundie honorifice est susceptus.

Memoirs of Philip de Commines Book 3 Chapter V. 2nd October 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 away 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, the capital of North Holland, distant about twenty miles from Amsterdam.

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Warkworth's Chronicle. 2nd October 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.

A Brief Latin Chronicle. 6th October 1470. And on the feast of Saint Faith the Virgin, the Duke of Clarence, brother of King Edward, and the Earl of Warwick, along with other lords, led King Henry (age 48) from the Tower of London, clothed him in royal apparel, and escorted him through Cheapside to the bishop's palace in London. That year, the people of Kent, driven by their usual wickedness, rose up and plundered many in Southwark, London, and soon withdrew.

Et in festo Sancte Fidis Virginis dux Clarencie, frater Regis Edwardi, et comes de Warwic, cum ceteris dominis, regem Henricum de Turri London educentes, regali apparatu indutum per Chepam usque ad palacium episcopi London. perduxerunt. Hoc anno Cantigene consueta nequicia agitati insurgunt et multos in Sowthwerk, London. spoliant, et infra breve recesserunt.