Same year.—“And they that were within the Tower cast wild fire into the city, and shot many small gunnes, whereby they brent and slew men, women, and children, in the streetes; also they of the city layd great guns on the further side of the Thames against the Tower, and brake the walls in divers places.”—Stow’s _Annals_, pp. 408, 409. Same year.—At the battle of Northampton, “the King’s ordinance of guns might not be shot, there was so great raine that day.”—Stow’s _Annals_, fo. 409; see also Speed’s _History_, fo. 844. The exact date uncertain, but in the reign of Henry VI.—An account is given in Fenn’s _Collection of Original Letters_, of a sea-fight, which took place in the reign of Henry VI., between some English ships and some ships of Holland, Zealand, Flanders, &c., in which Robert Wenyngton appears to have commanded the English vessels; and he states that the enemy’s ships “schotte atte us a 1000 gonnys and quarrell owte of nu’ber, and have slayn meny of my felyschyp and meymyd all soo.”—The meaning seems to be, that there were 1000 discharges from the enemy’s guns. The engagement is noticed here, although the guns were used on board the enemy’s vessels, because there can scarcely be a doubt, that if they were used on board those vessels, at that period, they must also have been in use on board English vessels.—Fenn’s _Collection of Original Letters_, vol. i. p. 210. 1463.—At the siege of the castle of Bamborough, after the battle of Hexham, when defended by Sir Ralph Grey, the Earl of Warwick, “cum maximis bumbardis, obsedit idem castrum. Et ibi in casu quoque cujusdem parietis castri, excussione bumbardi, cecidit dictus R. Gray quem credebant mortuum.” _Annales W. Wyrcestrii_. Same year.—At the sieges of the castles of Alnwick, Dunstanborough, and Bamborough, ordnance was sent from Newcastle, sufficient both for the sieges and for the field, in case any action in the field should be fought. Ordnance was, at the same period, conducted from Newcastle to Warkworth Castle, to the Earl of Warwick.—Fenn’s _Collection of Original Letters_, vol. i. p. 274. 1464.—In the fourth year of Edward IV., Henry Cressewell held the office of “kepyng of the artillery within oure castell of Pountfret, in oure shire of York.”—5 _Rot. Parl._ 4 Edw. IV. fo. 532. Same year.—John Newburgh held the office “of keping of the artellerye within oure castell of Carnarvan, and gunner of alle oure townes and castells within Northewales.” &c.—Same, 4 Edward IV. fo. 543. 1464.—Roger Kelsall held “the office of the artyllary withynne our castell of Chestre.”—_Rot. Parl._ 4 Edward IV. fo. 546. 1467–8.—Henry Cresswell continued to hold the office of keeping the artillery of the castle of Pontefract.—Same, 7 and 8 Edw. IV. fo. 585.