Ful worshipfull wise & discrete sires we recommaunde us un to you in as goodli wise as caan be þought and in as mochell as we fynde of olde governaunce of þis toun that oure predecessours hadde in cours to wryte to your worshipfull estate to be mene and movers toward þe kyng our souveraigne lord and þe gracious lordes of is counseill for þe relevying & sustentacioun of þis said toun the yeveth us occasioun to wryte to yow attys tyme. Of which it were to longe to wryte the particuler circumstaunces of þe mischiefs and disese þat is suffred here to our unportable distresse and hevynesse. With more þt we sende to yow at this time how þarmynakz[846] þt been in Rewe prese fast and have prayhed a boute Samme de boys[847] and takyn mony prisouners and brent þe toun of Staples. And as it is said of presumpcioun þey purpose & avaunte to override þe lordshipes heere of Guysnes & oþer and to renne heere a fore þis toun. So ferforth þat þe pore tenauntz forsake þe land & drawe þeim in to þe said toun & castelx and leve þe villages desolate the which yef þei were destruyed that god defende were pryved of our sustenaunce of levying and conforte & þe people anyentysed for evyr prayeng & besechyng you as ye þt be þe principall of all þe citees of þe Roiaulme of Engelond that it like to yor trew affeccioun that ye have & owe to have to þe said toun to contynue & exercise þe commendable promocioun as your said worthy predecessours hadden in use for þe salvacioun of þe said toun. As ye þat were trust singulerly in and as a principall membre oweth to do & ministre to is parties atte reverence of god whom we be sech preserve you ever & graunt yow parfite conclusyoun of yor desires with good lyf and long. Wrytene at Cales þe xxvij day of Juyn. No. 17. Letter from Henry VI to the Mayor, Aldermen and Sheriffs of London touching the prevention of disturbance within the City. Dated Lichfield, 3 Sept., 35 Hen. VI [1456]. Letter Book K, fo. 287. By the king.