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 yor 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 yor parte to resiste correct and reforme the said wronges wherefore we by thavise of or grete Counseil woll that callying to yor remembraunce our lawes made in þt behalve and in especial the statue made by our noble progenitor 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 yor franchise as oþerwise. Wherto we shall entende withoute any grace to be shewed to you. And if so bee ye doo effectuelly yor 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 or privee seal at our citee of Coventre the x daie of Marche.
No. 19.
The same to the same touching the peace of the City. Dated Kenilworth, 22 March [1456-7].
Id., ibid.
By þe king.
Trusty and welbeloved we grete you wele and late you wite that certeyn of yor breþeren aldermen of our cite of London hath shewed unto us by þe declaracõn of your Recorder of þe good diligence that ye entended to have put you in to þe performyng of our commandement yeoven unto you by our lettres of prive seal in case our said lettres had come unto you in convenable tyme as for tharrest and attachement to have be made of certeyn shippes and persones þat late in our Ryver of Thamyse made gret attemptatz ageynst our ligue and sauf conduct of þe which yor goode disposicioun and benivolence we hold us wele content and can you þerfore right goode thankes charging you that if it hapne any of þe said shippes or mysdoers to repaire herafter unto or saide citee or unto þe franchise þerof that thenne ye doo put them undre arrest and to be kept in sure warde abiding the determinacon of our lawes the which we wol in all wise be executed. And over this we charge you in yor effectuel devoir to see that our peas be kept at alle tymes within our saide citee And if any misgoverned persone of what estate or condicioun so ever he be make any stiring riot or attempt any thing to þe breche of or paix within oure saide citee and franchise of þe same þat thenne ye doo yor peyne to suppresse them and to put hem in warde and so þat they be duely punisshed according to their demerites. In which thing doyng ye shal mynistre unto us cause of grete plaisir and deserve of us þerfore right good and especial thanke in tyme to come. Yeven under our signet at or Castell of Kenelleworth the xxij daye of Marche.