Hall's Chronicle 1470

When Quene Margarete, whiche sojorned with Duke Reyner her father, called kyng of Sicile, &c. Harde tell that the erle of Warwicke and the Duke of Clarence, had abandoned Englande, and wer come to the Frenche Courte: hopyng of newe comfort, with all diligence came to Amboyse, with her onely son Prince Edward. And with her came Jasper erle of Penbroke, and Ihon erle of Oxenford, whiche after diverse long imprisonrnentes lately escaped, fled out of Englande into Eraunce and came by fortune to this assemble. After that thei had long commoned, and debated diverse matters, concernyng their suretie and wealthe, they determined by meane of the Frenche kyng, to conclude a league and a treatie betwene [July 1470 Angers Agreement, 22nd July 1470] them: And first to begin with all, for the more sure foundacion of the newe amitie, Edward Prince of Wales, wedded Anne second daughter to therle of Warwicke, which Lady came with her mother into Fraunce. This mariage semed very straunge to wise men, consideryng that the erle of Warwicke, had first disherited the father, and then to cause his sonne, to mary with one of his daughters, whose suster the duke of Clarence before had maried, whiche was euer extreme enemie to the house of Lancaster: wherevpon they divined that the mariage of the Prince, should euer be a blot in the dukes iye, or the mariage of the Duke, a mole in the iye of the Prince, eche of them lokying to be exalted, when therle on hym smiled: and eche of them again thinkyng to be over throwen when the erle of hym lowred. After his mariage the duke and therles toke a solempne othe, that they should neuer leaue the warre, untill suche tyme as kyng Henry the sixt, or the prince his sonne, were restored to the full possession and Diademe of the Realme: and that the Quene and the Prince, should depute and appoynt the Duke and the erle, to begovernors and conservators, of the publique wealthe, till suche tyme as the Prince wer come to mannes estate, and of liabilities meete and conveuient, to take vpon hym so high a charge, and so greate a burden. There were many other condicions concluded, which bothe reason, & the weightines of so great a busines, required to he setforward.

While these Lordes wer thus in the Frenche Courte, there landed at Caleis a damosell, belongyng to the Duches of Clarence (as she saied) whiche made Monsirede Vawclere beleve, that she was sent from kyng Edwarde to the erle of Warwicke, with a plain ouerture and declaracion of peace. Ot the which tidynges, Vawclere was very glad for the erles sake, whom he thought (by this peace) to bee restored to all his old possessions, romes and digities. But he was sore by this damosel deceived for her message (as it after proved) was the beginning of the erles confusion. For she perswaded the Duke of Clarence, that it was neither naturall, nor honorable to hym, either to condiscende or take parte, against the house of Yorke (of whiche he was lineally disccnded) and to set up again the house of Lancastre, whiche lignage of the house of Yorke, was not only by the whole Parliament of the realme, declared to be the very and indubitate heires of the Kyngdome: but also kyng Henry the sixte and his bloud affirmed thesame, and therupon made a composicion, whiche of record appereth. Farthermore she declared, that the mariage with therles daughter with Prince Edward, was for none other cause but to make the Prince kyng, and clerely to extinguishe all the house of Yorke, of whom the duke hymself was one, and next heire to the croune, alter his eldest brother and his children. These reasons, and the mariage of the Prince to the Erles daughter, so sancke in the Dukes stomacke, that he promised at his returne, not to be so an extreme enemie to his brother, as he was taken for, whiche promise afterwarde he did not forget. With this answere the damosell departed into Englande, therle of Warwicke therof beyng clerely ignoraunt.

When the league was concluded (as you before have harde) the Frenche kyng lent them shippes, money, and men, and that thei mighte the surer saile into Englande, he appoynted the Bastard of Burgoyn, Admirall of Fraunce with a greate navie, to defende theim against the armie of the Duke of Burgoyne, whiche was stronger then bothe the Frenche kynges navie, or the Englishe flete. Kyng Reyner also did help his daughter, to his smal power, with menne, and muoicions of warre. When this, armie (whiche was not small) was conscribed and come together to Harflete, at the mouthe of the riuer of Seyne, expectyng wind and wether. The Erie of Warwicke received letters out of Englande, that men so muche daily and hourely, desired and wished so sore his arrival and returne, that almoste all men were in harnesse, lokyng for his landyng: wherefore he was required to make hast, yea, hast more then hast, although he brought no succor with hym. For he was farther assured, that assone as he had once taken lande, there should mete hym many thousandes (as after it proved in deede) to do hym what service or pleasure, thei could or might: all this was the offer of the comon people. Beside this diverse noble men wrote, to helpe hym with me, harnesse, money, and all thynges necessary for the warre: beside their awne persones, whom thei promised to aduenture in his querell. When therle had received these letters, he not a litle regardyng suche an offer, and so many greate benefites to hym, even at hande apparauntly proffered, fully determined with the duke, and the erles of Oxenford and Penbroke (because Quene Margaret and her sonne, were not fully yet furnished for suche a jorney) to go before with part of the navie, and part of tharmie, and to attempt the firste brunte of fortune and chaunce, whiche if it well succeded, then should Quene Margarete and her soonne, with the residue of the navie and people followe into Englande. The erle of Warwick thinking this weighty matter, not worthy to be lingered, but to be accelerate with al diligence possible, takyng his leve of the Freche kyng Lewes, gevyng him no small thanks, bothe on the behalfe of kyng Henry, and also for his awne parte, and so beyng dismissed; came where his navie laie at Anker, commaundyng his men to go on ship bord, myndyng to take his course toward Englande.