Historie of the Arrival of Edward IV in England and the Finall Recouerye of His Kingdomes from Henry VI

INTRODUCTION, THE principal original historical authorities for the period to which the following narrative relates are, I. The Second Continuation of the History of Croyland 11. Fabyans Chronicle 111. An English Chronicle from which there are large extracts in Lelands Collectanea IV. The Anglica Historia of Polydore Vergil Q and V. The Memoires of Philip de Comines to these is now added, in the following narrative, a sixth authority, of greater value than any of them. The Continuator of the Histoy of Croyland is one of the best of our English Historians of the class to which he belongs. His name is unknown, but it appears in his work that he was a Doctor of Canon Law, was one of Edward the Fourths Councillors, and was employed by that monarch upon a foreign mission. Published in Gales Rerum Anglicarum Script. Thus connected with the house of York, but not writing until after the battle of Boworth, he holds the balance pretty evenly between the rival parties. He does not dwell much upon minute facts but the general current of events is clearly, and, in all probability, accurately, detailed by him. Fabyans narrative is such an one as might be expected from a citizen and an alderman of the reign of Henry.VII. full, and no doubt correct, upon all points connected with the popular feeling and with transactions which took place in the City of London, but brief and inaccurate respecting events which passed elsewhere. Fabyans bias was towards the Lancastrian party. I have added Philip de Curnines to the catalogue of authorities, principally with a view to his account of Edtvard the Fourths proceedings on the Continent preparatory to his return into England, and his narrative of the battle of Tewkesbury which last he seems to have received from some of those who fled from thence to the Continent. His relation of the intermediate events is extremely inaccurate. Upon these authorities, which in many points are most singularly contradictory, all our subsequent Chroniclers, with one exception, which will be noticed hereafter, have based their statements. Rastall abridges Pabyan Hall translates Polydore Vergil and Philip de Comines Stowe transcribes the Cllronicle quoted by Leland and the rest follow some one author and some another. The present narrative has higher claims to authority than any of those I have noticed. Itwas written upon the spot immediately after the events to which it relates by some person possessed of full means of knowledge and it will be seen that it was adopted by Edward IV. as an accurate relation of his achievements...