Support for Edward, Earl of March. 1460/61
Wherefore, the Lord of Mercy, who, our sins so requiring it, hath oftentimes permitted the wickedness of the unrighteous to prevail, to minister to our punishment, being desirous to put an end to evils of so disastrous a nature, raised up for us a defender in Edward, the illustrious earl of March, eldest son of the before-named noble duke of York, lately deceased. He, being now in his one-and-twentieth year, had remained in Wales ever since the time when his father had met his death. He was now in the flower of his age, tall of stature, elegant in person, of unblemished character (6), valiant in arms, and a lineal descendent of the illustrious line of king Edward the Third. For his father was great-great-grandson to the most illustrious Lionel, duke of Clarence, third son of the before-named king Edward, and cousin in the fourth degree to the most illustrious prince, Richard the Second, the late king of England; who, on the accession of king Henry the Fourth, had been forced to resign the crown of this kingdom. Accordingly, the nobles of the realm, and all the people who inhabited the midland counties of England, as well as those who were situate in the eastern and western parts thereof, or in any way bordered upon the midland districts, seeing that they were despised and abandoned by king Henry, who, at the instigation of the queen, had betaken himself to the north, utterly forsook him, after he had completed a reign of thirty-nine years; and their hearts were now no longer with him, nor would they any longer admit of his being king. Besides, in consequence of a malady that had been for many years increasing upon him, he had fallen into a weak state of mind, and had for a length of time remained in a state of imbecility and held the government of the relam in name only. Upon this, the nobles and people immediately sent special messengers into Wales to the before-named earl of March, in whom they could place entire confidence, to disclose to him the wishes of the people, and request him, with earnest entreaties, to hasten into England to their speedy succour, as further delay only seemed to increase their perils.
Source: http://www.r3.org/on-line-library-text-essays/crowland-chronicle/part-ii/
