Nestled in the lore attached to Edward between Lewes and his escape from captivity one year later is a rescue attempt launched by his mother the queen from her base in France. In November 1264 she had somehow convinced a group of his household knights, holed up in Bristol, to ride out to Wallingford 80 miles away and free him and Henry of Almain from their castle arrest. These knights managed to carry their assault into the inner court before the wardens warned them to desist, else they would deliver Edward, using a mangonel, by airmail. He was even produced on the ramparts to inform them that his captors meant business. The attack was broken off and it would be another six months before Edward got his chance to ride off into legend.
To get an idea what the Middle English of that period looked like, here is an excerpt from Robert of Gloucester’s Chronicle that describes this event.
Ilithered with a mangenel, hom with hom to lede,
Sir Edward vpe wal withinne com al so & sede,
& bed hom wende home aze, other he was ded iwis,
This other wende thus hom, tho hii hurde this.
Tho Sir Simon de Mountfort hurde of this dede,
He let the king of Alemaine & Sir Edward lede,
