10 - MURDER

Summary

The queen landed at Orwell in Suffolk on 24 September. She was accompanied by John of Hainault, the earl of Kent, Roger Mortimer, William Trussell, John Cromwell and an army of approximately 1,500 Germans and Hainaulters. The archbishop of Dublin, the bishops of Hereford, Lincoln and Ely and the earl of Norfolk joined her immediately. Archbishop Reynolds, backing both horses, secretly assisted her with cash while also providing a large number of armed men for the king. Rumours were put about that the pope had dispensed the people from their oath to King Edward and issued excommunication against all who opposed the queen and her son. Letters reporting the size of the invading army were sent out, support called for and received.

One of these letters reached London but went unanswered for fear of the king. Edward had only recently returned to London from Porchester and appears to have disbelieved the first rumours of his wife's landing. He cannot have remained incredulous for long, for one of Isabella's ships sailed down the Thames with the news of her arrival. The king then called the burgesses of London to the Tower, which he had fortified extensively and where he was now staying, and sought their aid. But the Londoners, although professing themselves willing to support Edward against foreigners and traitors, would do nothing against the queen and her son.