Fauconberg retreats from London
On 14 May 1471 the force commanded by Thomas Neville was forced to retreat from positions close to the walls of London.
Siege of London
Thomas Neville, the Bastard of Fauconberg, had been harassing London from the River Thames for several days. On 12th May the land forces that had been mustered for the Lancastrian cause demanded entry to the City of London. This was flatly rejected.
Assaults on London repelled
An attempt to storm across London Bridge was repelled by the retinues of the Lords who had stayed to guard the city. On 13th May a combined naval and land attack was made, mainly to the West of the city. On the 14th simultaneous assaults on London Bridge and the East Gate, backed by artillery from the Thames, stretched the defences. But they held. Earl Rivers then sallied from a postern gate, forcing Fauconberg to retreat.
“so aftar continuynge of muche shote of gonnes and arrows a greate while, upon bothe parties, th’Erle Ryvers, that was with the Qwene, in the Tower of London, gatheryd unto hym a felashipe right well chosen, and habiled, of iiij or v{c} men, and ysswyd owt at a posterne upon them, and, even upon a poynt, cam upon the Kentyshe men beinge abowte the assawltynge of Algate, and mightely laied upon them with arrows, and upon them with hands, and so killyd and toke many of them, dryvynge them from the same gate to the watar syde. Yet netheles, three placis wer fiers brennynge all at ones. The Maior, Aldarmen, and many of the sayde citie, were anone in theyr harnes, and parted theyr felashippe into divers partes, as them thwoght moste behofefull, but a great parte of the citizens were at Algate, and with them many gentlemen and yemen, which all made the defence that they best myght; and shott many gouns, and arrows, amonge them; but for thy Kentishemen spared nat to assayle at bothe the gates, so that the sayde lord and citizens determined in themselve to arredy them in good array, and to ysswe owt upon them, in hands, and put them to flyght and discomfiture”. Arryvaile of Kynge Edward IV.