he new year (1423), the sheriffs of London
received orders to make proclamation for all soldiers who were in the
king's pay to assemble at Winchelsea by the 1st day of March, as an
expedition was to set sail from that port for the purpose of defending the
town and castle of Crotoye. The business was pressing and necessitated a
repetition of the order to the sheriffs a fortnight later (22 Feb.).(805)

(M426)

On the 23rd February William Crowmere, the mayor, William Sevenoke,
William Waldene, and John Fray were appointed commissioners to enquire
into cases of treason and felony within the city; and two days later they
found Sir John Mortimer, who was charged with a treasonable design in
favour of the Earl of March, guilty of having broken prison.(806) He was
subsequently convicted of treason both by lords and commons, and sentenced
to death.

(M427)

On the 5th June (1423) the hearts of the citizens were gladdened with the
news that they were likely to be repaid some of the money they had
advanced to the king's grandfather. Orders were given for all persons to
whom Henry IV was indebted at the time of his decease, and who had not yet
received from his executors a moiety of the sums due, to send in their
bills and tallies to Sir John Pelham and John Leventhorp, two of the
king's executors, sitting at the Priory of Saint Mary, Southwark, by the
Monday next after Midsummer-day.(807) We can believe that few orders ever
met with readier response from the inhabitants of the city.

(M428)

At home as well as abroad Gloucester soon made enemies; among them was his
own uncle, the Chancellor, Henry Beaufort, Bishop of Winchester, a wealthy
and ambitious prelate. During Gloucester's absence on the continent,
whither he had gone to recover the estates of his newly-married wife, the
ill-fated Jacqueline of Hainault, Beaufort garrisoned the Tower with
creatures of his own. When Gloucester returned mutual recriminations took
place, and the mayor was ordered (29 Oct., 1425) to prevent Beaufort
entering the city. A riot ensued in which the citizens took the part of
the duke, and the bishop had to take refuge in Southwark. The quarrel was
patched up for awhile until Bedford, who was sent for, should arrive to
act as arbitrator.(808) He arrived in London on the 10th January, 1426.
The citizens, who had more than once been in communication with the
duke(809) during his absence abroad, presented him with a pair of basins,
silver-gilt,