No. 18.

Letter from King Henry VI to the City ordering the seizure of foreign ships of war in the Thames. Dated Coventry, 10 March [1456-7].

Letter Book K, fo. 288b.

By the king.

Trusty and welbeloved We be enfourmed by a full grevous and a lamentable complainte made unto us and our counseill by marchantz estraungiers of Italie beyng heere within þis that where as they nowe late by vertue of our lettres patentz have shipped certeyn wolles wollencloth and other marchandises in diverse shippes of Zeland and paied truely alle duetees belongyng unto us And upon that have their Cokettes [848], there have certeyn shippes of werre aswell of Caleis as of Sandewiche encountred the said shippes of Seland within the Themyse at Tilbery or there nigh. And in maner of werre assaulted them and doo their werst to take and despoile them the whiche demeanyng is full gretely ayenst our honeur and worship in especial sith the saide marchantes been heere undre our sauf conduit and ligue. It is so also an example to discorage every marchaunt, and thereof must ensue not onely grete disclaundre to this our land but also the subversion of thentrecourse of marchandise. Wherin resteth gretly the welefare of our subgettes, With the whiche horrible dede, we be right gretely displeased as we have cause so to be. And will in no wise suffre that it passe over unpunysshed, And forasmuche at this straunge demeanyng is commytted and doon undre the boundes of yo^r franchises and in suche place where ye have jurisdiccõn and power by suche franchises as ourre noble progenitours and we have graunted unto you as it is doon us to understande. It is yo^r parte to resiste correct and reforme the said wronges wherefore we by thavise of o^r grete Counseil woll that callying to yo^r remembraunce our lawes made in þ^t behalve and in especial the statue made by our noble progenito^r King Edward the third in the ixth yeer of his regne and oþer statutes made in þat behalve ye immediatly aftre pereceivyng of thees our lettres sette remedye in þe matier abovesaid. And þat ye take þe said shippes of Werre and malefactours and commytte theym to prisoun there straitely to be kept and to have as they have deserved, And provide that þe said shippes of Seland and marchandise be at their full fredome, and restored to their goodes if any be take fro them. Letyng you wite for certeyn if ye be remysse or necligent in þe punisshing of þis mysgovernaunce and executyng this our comaundement, as we thinke ye have be in oþere afore this, ye shall renne into þe peyne provided by our lawes aswele in yo^r franchise as oþerwise. Wherto we shall entende withoute any grace to be shewed to you. And if so bee ye doo effectuelly yo^r devoir in this matier þat sitteth us right nigh to hert we shal thanke you. And lete you have knowliche þat ye have doon us singler pleasir. Yeven undre o^r privee seal at our citee of Coventre the x daie of Marche.