The Issue Roll is the administrative account of how many people [and who] were in the Tower of London. This issue roll covers the period from 21 April to 14 May 1471. It shows that there was a garrison of 100 men staying in the Tower with the Constable, John, Lord Dudley.
Documents also show that Queen Elizabeth was in residence along with the Princes and Princesses. The royal family’s presence at the Tower during this period was for their protection: the starting point of this period being after the Battle of Barnet but before the Battle of Tewkesbury. Furthermore, it is known that King Henry VI was held at the Tower of London at this time.
The significance of the document is that it relates to a period during which King Henry VI died. There has been discussion about where he died and who did it—a popular theory being that he was killed by Richard Duke of Gloucester in the Wakefield Tower. However, records also show that upon returning to London of Richard Duke of Gloucester, he and a great number of his men also took up residency within the Tower. It had been besieged by the Bastard of Fauconberg, and so troop numbers were kept high until terms were made with him.
The Issue Roll is one of the very few documents that offer anything concrete on the period during which he died. It does not tell historians anything conclusive on Henry’s demise.