Edw. Hall. fol. ccix. Now let all Englishmen (saith Edward Hall) con|sider (as before is rehearsed) what profit, what com|moditie, and what helpe in distresse, the mariage of the ladie Margaret, king Edwards sister to the duke Charles, did to him in his extreame necessitie; and but by that meane vncurable extremitie: for his alies and confederats in Castile and Arragon were too far from him, either speedilie to flie to, or shortlie to come fro with anie aid or armie. The French king was his extreme enimie, and freend to king Henrie, for whose cause in the king of Scots (for all the leage betwéene them) he did put little confidence and lesse trust. The states and all Eastland were with him at open war, and yet by this marriage, God prouided him a place to flie to, both for refuge and reléefe.

[But for the further and cleerer explanation of these stratagems, Abr. Flem. or rather ciuill tumults, it shall not be amisse to insert in this place (si [...]h I cannot hit vp|on one more conuenient) a verie good note or additi|on receiued from the hands of maister Iohn Hooker chamberlaine of Excester; the contents whereof are of such qualitie, that they cannot stand in concur|rence with anie matter introduced within the com|passe of the ninth yeare of this kings reigne (as he had quoted it) and therfore I thought it méet to trans|fer the same to this tenth yeare; considering that some part of the matter by him largelie touched, is briefelie in the premisses alreadie remembred.]

¶This yeare (saith he) was verie troublesome, and full of ciuill wars and great discords. For after that king Edward the fourth was escaped out of prison, Iohn Hooker, aliàs Vowell. at Wolneie besides Warwike, he mustered and pre|pared a new armie. Wherevpon the earle of War|wike and the duke of Clarence, mistrusting them|selues, prepared to passe the seas ouer to Calis, and fi [...]st of all sent awaie the duches of Clarence daugh|ter to the said earle, who was then great with child, and she being accompanied with the lord Fitz War|ren,Lord Dinhã, and baron Carew, with their power come to Ex|cester. the lord Dinham, and the baron of Carew, and a thousand fighting men came to this citie of Exce|ster the eightéenth daie of March, and was lodged in the bishops palace. Sir Hugh, or (as some saie) sir William Courtneie, who then fauoured the partie of king Edward the fourth, assembled a great troope and armie of all the fréends he could make, and inui|roning the citie, besieged the same; he pulled downe all the bridges, rampered vp all the waies, and stop|ped all the passages, so that no vittels at all could be brought to this citie for twelue daies togither, which being doone vpon a sudden and vnlooked for, vittels waxed short and scant within the citie, and by reason of so great a multitude within the same, the people for want of food began to murmur and mutter.