The quéene being in France, did obteine of the yoong French king then Lewes the eleuenth, that all hir husbands friends, and those of the Lancastriall band, might safelie and suerlie haue resort into anie part of the realme of France, prohibiting all other of the contrarie faction anie accesse, or repair into that countrie. ¶ Thus ye haue heard, how king Henrie the sixt, after he had reigned eight and thirtie yeares & od moneths, was driuen out of this realme. But now leauing him with the princes of his part, consulting togither in Scotland, and queene Margaret his wife gathering of men in France, I will returne where I left, to proceed with the dooings of king Edward.
This yoong prince, hauing with prosperous success obteined so glorious a victorie in the mortall battell at Towton, and chased all his aduersaries out of the realme, or at the least waies put them to silence, returned after the maner and fashion of a triumphant conquerour, with great pompe vnto London; where according to the old custome of the realme, he called a great assemblie of persons of all degrees, and the nine & twentith daie of Iune was at Westminster with solemnitie crowned and annointed king. ¶ In which yeare, this king Edward called his high court of parlement at Westminster, in the which, the state of the realme was greatlie reformed, and all the statutes made in Henrie the sixt his time (which touched either his title or profit) were reuoked.
In the same parlement, the earle of Oxford far striken in age, and his sonne and heire the lord Awbreie Véer, either through malice of their enimies, or for that they had offended the king, were both, with diuerse of their councellors, attainted, and put to execution; which caused Iohn earle of Oxford euer after to rebell. There were also beheaded the same time, sir Thomas Tudenham knight, William Tirell, and Iohn Montgomerie esquiers, and after them diuerse others. Also after this, he created his two yoonger brethren dukes, that is to saie, lord George duke of Clarence, lord Richard duke of Glocester; and the lord Iohn Neuill, brother to Richard earle of Warwike, he first made lord Montacute, and afterwards created him marques Montacute.
Beside this, Henrie Bourchier brother to Thomas archbishop of Canturburie, was created earle of Essex; and William lord Fauconbridge was made earle of Kent. To this Henrie lord Bourchier, a man highlie renowmed in martiall feats, Richard duke of Yorke long before this time, had giuen his sister Elizabeth in mariage, of whome he begat foure sonnes, William, Thomas, Iohn and Henrie: the which William being a man of great industrie, wit, and prouidence in graue and weightie matters, maried the ladie Anne Wooduile, decended of high parentage, whose mother Iaquet was daughter to Peter of Lutzenburgh earle of saint Paule, by the which Anne he had lord Henrie earle of Essex, one daughter named Cicile, maried to Water lord Ferrers of Chartleie and an other called Isabell, which died vnmaried.
1462.
Iohn Stow.
An. Reg. 2.
The duke of Summerset & other, submit them to king Edward.
The earle of Kent was appointed about this time to kéepe the seas, being accompanied with the lord Audelie, the lord Clinton, sir Iohn Howard, sir Richard Walgraue, and others, to the number of ten thousand, who landing in Britaine, wan the towne of Conquet, and the Isle of Reth, and after returned. When all things were brought in order, and framed as king Edward in maner could wish, Henrie duke of Summerset, sir Rafe Persie, and diuerse other, being in despaire of all good chance to happen vnto king Henrie, came humblie, & submitted themselues vnto king Edward, whome he gentlie receiued. Which clemencie notwithstanding, both the one and the other (when time serued) reuolted from king Edward, and betooke themselues to take part with Henrie, vnto whom they had béene adherents before: bicause they grew in hope that in the end the confederats, to whom they so closelie did cleaue both in effection and seriousnesse of labour (though they pretended a temporall renunciation of all dutie and seruice for their securitie sake) should haue the honor of victorie against their gainstanders. But as commonlie the euents of enterprises fall out flat contrarie to mens expectation and hope; so came it to passe with these, whose hope though it were gréene and flourie in the prosecuting of their affaires, yet in the knitting vp of the matter and vnluckie successe thereof, it fell out in triall to be a flattering, a false, and a fruitlesse hope: and therefore that is a true and a wise sentence of the comicall poet & well seruing the purpose: