May 9th 1471: Thomas Neville, the Bastard of Fauconberg
The Barbican Gate, Sandwich
King Edward was right to be concerned about further risings in the country. As well as stirrings in the north he was also watching Kent, often the home of rebellions. When Warwick left London to confront Edward, way back in March, he asked Thomas Neville, his cousin, to raise men in Kent. These had not been involved in any campaigning to date.
Thomas Neville, or Fauconberg, was the natural son of Warwick’s uncle, Lord Fauconberg, and history has labelled him the Bastard of Fauconberg. He was a noted sailor, credited with clearing the east coast of pirates in more peaceful times, he joined his cousin’s rebellion and provided a fleet to protect Warwick and Queen Margaret’s crossings.
Not much is known about his actions through April, but in early May, too late to help the cause, he was preparing to assault London. He had landed at Sandwich and started raising support. His ships sailed north along the Kent coast and into the Thames estuary.
And in the same time that the battle of Tewkesbury was, Sir Water Wrottesley and Geffrey Gate, knights of the Earle of Warwick’s, were governors of the town of Calais, did send Sir George Brooke knight out of Calais, with ccc. of soldiers unto Thomas Bastard Fauconberg, that was on the sea with the Earle of Warwick’s navy, that he should the navy save, and go into Kent, and to raise all Kent, to that intent to take King Harry out of the tower and destroy King Edward, if he might.
This is from Warkworth’s chronicle, which goes on to say that Fauconberg went to Canterbury where the gentlemen of Kent answered his call, and a move on London was started.