After the kings nauie was gained, and his capteins (as before yée haue heard) on the sea taken; the lords lieng at Calis, being aduertised from the lord Fauconbridge (who after the taking of Montford laie still in Kent) that the people of that countrie and other parts were altogither bent in their fauour [and no lesse addicted to doo them seruice both with bodie and goods, than the Irishmen séemed to be at their receiuing of the said duke of Yorke, and his yoonger sonne Edmund earle of Rutland, whom they so highlie honoured, that they offered to liue and die in their quarell] they conceiued therevpon so great hope in their fréends within the realme, that they determined to passe the sea, and therewith entring their ships with fiftéene hundred men landed all at Sandwich.
Abr. Fl. ex I. S. pag. 697.
The men of Kent sent to Calis for the earles.
[But it is to be read in a late writer, that the commons of Kent dreading the like vengeance towards them, as fell vpon them of Newburie, sent priuilie messengers to Calis to the foresaid erles, beséeching them in all hast possible to come to their succour. Wherevpon the said earles sent ouer into Kent the lord Fauconbridge, to know if their déeds would accord with their words: so that anon the people of Kent and the other shires adioining, resorted to the said lord Fauconbridge in great number. Wherefore when the earles knew the willing harts of those people, they prepared to come into this land. Against whose comming, a long ballet was fixed vpon the gates of Canturburie, made in fauour of the duke of Yorke and the said earles, beginning thus: In the daie of fast and spirituall affliction, the celestiall influence of bodies transitorie, &c.
Whethamsted.
1460
Now as they passed through Kent, there came to them the lord Cobham, Iohn Gilford, William Pech, Robert Horne, and manie other gentlemen; so that before they approched to London, their number was estéemed aboue fourtie thousand fighting men for the fame of their landing being once knowen, gentlemen and yeomen resorted to them out of all the south parts of the relme. Vpon which rumor, Thomas lord Scales, a man in great fauour with the king & quéene, accompanied with the earle of Kendall a Gascoigne, and the lord Louell, resorted to London with a great companie of armed men, declaring to the maior, that their repaire onelie was to defend and kéepe the citie from spoile of such traitors as the king was credible informed were thither comming. To whom the maior answered, that he néeded no fellow helper, either to defend or gouerne the citie to him committed in charge. With which answer the lord Scales and his associats nothing contented, entred into the Tower, dailie deuising waies how to grieue the citizens, whom he perceiued to fauour rather the duke of Yorks part than the kings.
Couentrie the quéenes secret harbour.
But shortlie after the earles of March and Warwike, and other of their affinitie, came to London, and were of the maior and citizens ioiouslie receiued, to whome resorted Thomas archbishop of Canturburie, the bishops of London, Lincolne, Salisburie, Elie, and Excester, with manie other prelats and religious persons: amongst whome also was the popes legat to treat of peace, if néed so required. Vpon good deliberation and aduise had and taken amongst these lords how to go forward with their weightie enterprise, the earles of March and Warwike, William lord Fauconbridge, Henrie lord Bourchier, called earle of Eu, with a great number of men which came out of Kent, Essex, Surrie, and Sussex, to the number (as some writers affirme) of fiue and twentie thousand persons, departed from London toward the king lieng at Couentrie, then called the quéenes secret harbour, leauing behind them to kéepe the Londoners in their promised fréendship, the earle of Salisburie, the lord Cobham, and sir Iohn Wenlocke, which tooke such order, and watched the gates and entries on ech side so diligentlie, that no succours might come to the lord Scales lodging in the tower; who tooke therewith such displeasure, that he shot out his great ordinance against them within the citie, and they likewise shot at him againe, to the hurt and no pleasure of both parts.