CHESTER 1400 - 1491

1399 Henry of Lancaster, in arms against Richard II., mustered his troops under the Walls of Chester, whence, on the 19th of August, he marched for Flint, and returned on the following day with Richard, whom he lodged in a tower over the outer gateway of the castle, opposite to Glover's Stone, from whence he was conveyed prisoner to London.

A precept was issued to the Mayor of Chester in 1400, to apprehend and imprison John and Adam Hesketh, because they and their confederates had assaulted the castle, had seized the keys of the Eastgate, had be headed Thomas Molineux, and made divers proclamations in the city in favour of Richard II. and against the king.

1401 About thie time an award was made, that no tithes should be paid to the parson of Trinity parish, in Chester, for the Rhodes Eye

The year 1409 is remarkable fur the mayor; John Ewloe, being removed from the government of the city, which was transferred to Sir William Brereton, a military officer, who was appointed governor by the king. This violent proceeding was occasioned by the displeasure of the king towards the citizens, many of whom had taken part with Henry Percy at the battle of Shrewsbury, for which they were fined, arid afterwards pardoned. King Richard II. had rendered himself very popular in this county, particularly by having adopted the Cheshire men hr his body guard, and his erection of the county into a principality. Moreover earl Percy, the king's enemy, was well-known and beloved by the citizens, and had filled the office of constable of the castle a few years before. This nobleman issued a proclamation as he passed through Chester on his way to Shrewsbury, in which be appealed their loyalty in favour of their late unfortunate monarch whom he affirmed still to be alive.By these arts, numbers of the ciyizens and country men were drawn to his standard ; but after the battle ; which proved fatal to Percy and hid adherents , a treaty of amnesty was concluded by prince Henry's commissioners with the Chester and cheshire men , which was enrolled at Chester .

1412 - By the appointment , of the mayor (Roger Potter), wheat was praised by two bakers and two citizens at 3s. 6d. the quarter; so that if four bushels went to the quarter, as at that time it is thought they had, that was but 10d. ob our old bushel, that is about 3d. our new bushel

1414 - Wheat sold at four shillings the quarter.

1437 - Wheat sold for seven shillings a bushel, being a very dear rate according to that time; so that the poor in Chester and elsewhere, made them bread of peasen, vetches and fern roots.

1441 - The gaolers of the castle and the Northgate fought together on the Roods Eye, whose names were Rockley and Rooley.
By an inquisition taken in 1450, the city of Chester represented as being then become so decayed and depopulated, by reason of the choaking of its harbour by sands, and the consequences of Glendwr's rebellion in Wales, that the citizens were unable to pay their rent to ne crown, namely, 100 l. fixed by Edward I. as the yearly sum required to be paid by the city, for their various freedomss and franchises. In the year 1455, the city was honoured with the presence of Margaret of Anjou, queen of Henry VI. She came "upon progresse with manye great lordes and ladyes with her, and was graciously received by the mayor and citizens." In the year preceding the battle of Blore Heath, the queen again visited Chester, and won the hearts of the citizens by her royal courtesy and hospitality. After the battle, the two song of the Earl of Salisbury, taken in the fight, and sent to be imprisoned in the castle of Chester, were released by an order from the king to Sir John Mainwaring who delivered them to the lord Stanley, as his prisoners, together with Sir Thomas Harrington, Raufe Rokesby, Thomas Ashton, Robert Evereux, and others.

1455 The city suffered severely during the sanguinary period of the Wars of the Roses, and was on one occasion (in 1455) visited by Margaret of Anjou, the warlike queen of Henry VI.

1456. - The commonalty of the city arose, but were suppressed, and committed to the Northgate, and afterwards to the castle.

l459. - Sir John Done and Mr. Troutbcck, and many others, were slain at the battle of Bloreheath, taking part with the queen against the Earl of Salisbury.

Henry VI , with Queen Margaret and her son Edward , visited Chester , and bestowed little silver swans on the Cheshire gentlemen who espoused her cause .

1465. - Many citizens of Chester were slain at the Mold fair, by Reginald Griffith and his retinue
The account of this last transaction is thus exemplified by Dr. Cowper : This year happened a bloody fray between Reginald ap Griffith ap Bleddyn (ancestor of the Wynnes of Tower) at the head of a great number of the Welsh, and many citizens of Chester. There was a dreadful slaughter on both sides, and Reginald having taken prisoner Robert Brynn, who had been Mayor of Chester three years before, carried him away to his fortress near Mold, and there hanged him in the large ground room within the tower. There are now (1756), in the hands of the owner of Rainault's Tower, several copies of verses composed by the Welsh bards, congratulating this is ancestor, on his several triumphs over the English, particularly for one signal victory, when he pursued his adversaries to the gates of Chester, and plundered and burned all Handbridge. This Reinault bravely defended
This story is told by Llwyd, in his translation from the British, in the following manner : " This Reynault ap Griffith ap Bleddyn, was one of the brave defender. of Harlech Castle: he afterwards dwelt at the Tower, near Mold, but wag always at variance with the citizens of Chester. A great number of them being at Mold fair, in 1465, a scuffle ensued, and much Slaughter , In which Reynault succeeded in taking Robert Byrne, Mayor of In 1461, and hung him on the staple still remaining in the hall of his house, at Tower. Two hundred "tall men," afterwards sallied from Chester to besiege Raynault's house, upon which, retiring to a wood, he permitted them in part to enter it, when rushing from his covert, he degraded himself, and sullied his former triumphs, by burning them in it, and pursued the remainder into the Dee, in which they perished. Lewis Glyn Cothi, a cotemporary of Raynault, celebrates his exploits, and uncharitably describes his exploits and uncharitably describes Chester, as the habitation of the seven deadly sins. "

Harlech castle, in Merionethshire, for Henry VI. which the last fortress that held out for that unhappy prince. On this account Reinault was attainted by King Edward IV

In 1470, the king was at Chester, as appears by his grant of the shrievalty of Cheshire to William Stanley of Hooton, quamdiu placuerit. Witness ourself at Chester, &c. &c.

1475. - Edward, Prince of Wales, son to Henry VI. came to Chester before Christmas, and was immediately conveyed to the castle with great triumph. ( Referring to the last item, Mr. Ormerod says, this is probably incorrect. Prince Edward, son to Henry VI. as murdered after the battle of Tewkesbury, in 1471. Prince Edward, son to Edward I V. must be intended. )

1484 - This year, regni regis Richard III. secundo, Sir John Savage, Jun. and eight of his brethren, were made free of this city: their names,1. Sir John Savage, 2. James, 3. Laurence, 4. Edward, 6. Christopher, 6. George, 7. William, 8. Richard, 9. Humphry.

1488. - This year was the composition made between the abbot and the parishioners of St. Oswald's, for their new church.

1489. - This year St. Peter'. steeple was pointed, and by the parson and others a goose was eaten upon the top thereof, and part cast into the four streets. - Smith
At the request of the Earl of Derby and George Lord Strange, there was granted unto Hugh Dutton, sword-bearer, his meat, drink, and a gown, and 13s.4d to be paid him yearly out of the treasury.

1491. - A great tempest on St. John's day in Christmas. A child of Tendon ap Thomas was slain by the fall of a principal from St. Peter's church, and a child of Ralph Davenport was sore hurt the same day. Simon Ripley, abbot of St. Werburg , died the 30th of August, and was buried at Warwick.