the war with the people of Scotland.--The King Sir Edward seized
his castle,--held the festival of Easter there, and afterwards
went--towards Berwick-on-Tweed, and besieged the town.--The
ill-fated people at first surprised--two ships of English, and
put them to death.--King Edward heard of it, and attacked the
gates;--the English passed the ditches without respite.--On
Easter Friday in the afternoon he conquered--the town of Berwick;
the English slew there--four thousand Scotchmen, and many others
perished.--Sir Edward lost there one knight and no more,--Richard
de Cornwall [was he], a Fleming struck him--with an arrow which
he shot out of the red hall.--Soon was the hall taken, the
fire cleared the way.--The keeper of the castle when he saw
the necessity,--delivered the castle to King Edward before it
was assaulted.--William Douglas was chosen in it,--and Richard
Fraser, to do injury to the king;--the king has them prisoners.
Jesus Christ be thanked!
The Earl of the March, the famous Patrick,--of his own free
will came in to the king’s peace;--Gilbert de Umfraville before
remained--with King Edward, to whom he was sworn;--Sir Robert
de Bruce with all his household--holds always his fealty to
King Edward,--and has shown him love in his wars against the
Scots.--When Berwick was taken, there was found within it--gold
and silver without measure, and plenty of the other metals,--and
all the nobility which belonged to a city.--The Baliol has
lost the issue and entry--of the noblest town that was in his
power.--King Edward holds it conquered by the sword,--causes
it to be surrounded with a ditch large and broad,--in reproof
of the Scot who had sung of him,--and made rhymes in English
for mockery.--Let him pike and let him dike,--they said in
scorn,--how it may best be.--He pikes and he dikes,--in
length as he likes,--as they may best see.--Scattered are the
Scots,--huddled in their huts,--they never thrive:--Right if I
read,--they tumble in Tweed--who dwelt by the sea.
Whilst Sir Edward with earls and barons--caused Berwick to be
surrounded with ditches,--there are issued from Scotland three
earls, by name--Mar, Ross, and Menteith, with forty thousand
rascals;--they were going in the route in parties,--they reduced
Tindale to ashes and cinders,--the town of Corbridge and the
two monasteries--of Hexham and Lanercost they have destroyed
by fire,--they have made slaughter of the people of the
country,--carried off their goods, driven away the canons.--After
the ravage like fools and miserable wretches--they are gone to
Dunbar to their confusion.--They have taken the castle, and erect
their tents,--the houses belonged to the Earl of the March.--King
Edward heard tell of it, and issued summonses--to recover Dunbar,
and take the thieves--who had made destruction of holy church.--A
little before this time, through the regions,--the cardinal
returned from Cambrai with an answer--of the King of France, as
we shall hear afterwards;--Sire Amy de Savoy, a count of great
renown,--came in his company, and Otho de Grauntsoun.--The
latter came with his companions from Cyprus,--who, when Acres
was taken, escaped--by passing the neighbouring sea, without
other accidents.--I have told you before what evil and what
destruction--were done to holy church wrongfully and without
reason;--and you have often heard in the holy sermons--that God
is just in all his dealings:--Now hear of Dunbar, where without
evasions--the enemies of God are caught in a fold like sheep.
On the first Monday in the month of May,--at Berwick-upon-Tweed
the king heard say,--how the foolish rascals, who had
burnt--Hexham and Lanercost, nor spared the monasteries,--had
taken Dunbar, the castle by the sea,--where the Earl Patrick
kept his wife.--The King Sir Edward forthwith caused to be
sent there--the Earl of Warenne with all his power,--the Earl
of Warwick and Hugh le Despenser,--barons and vavasours,
knights, squires;--Southerns and Northerns went there right
courageously;--they take there footmen enough for their
need,--and come to Dunbar to besiege the castle.--They prepared
for the attack, and would not delay.--The foolish felons within
hoped to have aid;--they plotted together how to trick the
English.--Sir Richard Syward, who used to dwell--with our King
Edward, at robe and pay,--they send deceitfully to treat with our
English;--so he comes to them, and says, that very willingly--he
will cause the castle to be delivered to them, if they will
grant--three days’ respite, that they may consult--the King
Baliol, and tell him their condition.--And if he at that time
do not come to raise the siege,--they will deliver the castle
without further delay.--Forthwith he gives hostages, and causes
to be announced--to the host of Scotland in the same manner,--as
you will hear after, he caused it to be recorded.
The messenger goes, and soon came to--King John and to the host
which was with him,--he said to them as Siward had instructed
him:--“Sir King, your barons remain in hard strait--in the castle
of Dunbar, in danger of being driven out.--For when King Edward
knew of their being there,--he caused part of his host to be
sent thither.--The Englishman, when he came there, besieged the
castle.--Sir Richard Siward, who knew them all,--issued from the
castle, and talked them over so well,--that the English gave him
a truce for three days.--Wherefore the company, who were there on
your part,--commanded me to go to you as to their lord,--and to
say truly, that the man neither sits nor goes,--who can hinder
your coming, unless by some deceit,--within the term of truce
which the English has granted us.--To-morrow at the hour when
people eat and drink,--go hence hastily straight there;--ours
in the castle will watch for you;--they will issue upon the
English who do not expect their coming,--entrap them between you
and hold them so tight,--that they shall no more come in the
field to do annoyance to yours.--You have no other way that will
avail you.--Now arm, and let us go, and may no soul survive--who
shall have any mercy on our enemies when they are taken!--Strike
with the sword--Northumberland--will be yours by right;--All
England--by this war--you will that it be lost:--Never did
Albania--by stroke of the sword--do so great an exploit.”--On the
green--that keen generation--gathered like goats;--I reckon--on
some it is seen,--where the bit bit.
At the saying of the messenger the rout of vagabonds--begin to
arrange themselves in order of battle.--Sir Richard Siward, who
gave this counsel,--comes to the English, and says, “God help
me!--I see people coming in very great apparel,--as though they
would give battle, without number of footmen.--I go, if you think
well, to hinder them,--that they may not come nearer.”--Our
people say, “Do not trouble yourself!”--And they take Siward,
that he may proceed no further;--they place guards at the gate
and at the wall;--Humphrey de Bohun the younger is keeper of
the guard,--to hinder aid from the castle from attacking their
rear;--and they mount their steeds, and spur to the hill;--he who
can run fastest springs before the others.--The Scot sees them
come, and turns his tail like a quail,--he flies away as straw
does before the wind.--The English pursue them like a sheep--when
it flies at the sight of the wolf issuing from the wood.--The
proud Scot imagines that he is as good as--the Duke Sir Corineus,
who conquered Cornwall.--Of so many men at arms I marvel very
much--that there is not one of them all worth a farthing in
action,--except Patrick de Graham, who remains and strikes--with
the burnished sword, but he is slain without fail.--Ten thousand
and fifty-four are slain in the engagement;--they are all Scots,
I have the number by reckoning.--These were the caitiffs who
butchered the cattle--in Northumberland, and left the entrails to
the dogs.--They were excommunicated by book and candle,--because
neither holy church nor priest or clergy--they spared no more
than bake-house or barn.--Sin has driven them to such a hap--that
they have lost in the field the head with the ears.--The
foot-people--put the Scots in the poke,--and made bare their
backsides:--By way--heard I never tell--of readier pages,--to
pick--the robes off the men,--who in the field fell.--They took
of each man;--the rough ragged devil--tear them in hell!
In battle or encounter it was never recorded--that so many
people were destroyed so soon,--or thus turned their backs
without making any defence.--May the crows have the bodies,
and the devils the souls--of all that thus have conducted the
wars!--For of this part there was never once,--within town or
without, a good action proved,--but only prowling and robbing
the towns,--burning holy church, killing the clergy,--may God
be praised who has revenged it at Dunbar!--The earls who had
done the wicked deeds,--as soon as they knew and were aware--of
the defeat of their kindred,--have delivered the castle to
the English on their return,--and without conditions obliged
themselves--to the King Sir Edward, to do his will.--The king
next day came there to his baronage,--the prisoners who are taken
they have presented to him,--three earls, three barons, three
bannerets,--and besides them twenty-eight dubbed knights,--with
five score gentlemen who were found there;--two clerks and
two Picards are counted among them.--The Earls are sent to
the Tower of London.--Some of the barons are associated with
them;--the others are sent to different castles,--two by two
mounted together on a hackney;--some with their feet fettered
in carts;--in such kind of dance their game ended!--Throughout
England in every country--people will always talk of their
pride--as long as the world lasts, people have scoffed at
their action.--For the Scots--I reckon for sots,--and wretches
unwary;--ill luck--to give blows--drew them to Dunbar.
Now it is time to tell the plot--of the twelve peers of Scotland,
who thought surely--to destroy England, I will just tell you
how.--When the King of France, after the breaking off--of that
marriage which was often talked of,--would retain Gascony by
abatement,--and King Edward sent thither his people,--and re-took
a part by war from the French;--King John of Scotland, by the
enticement--of earls and barons, and of clerks also,--sent
to France by common agreement--the bishop of St. Andrew’s,
by whose procurement--the brother of the King of France,
namely, Charles,--made an alliance for the son of the King of
Scotland,--who was to marry his daughter, and afterwards by
oath--the French and Scots should go conjointly--into England
to destroy from the Tweed to Kent;--and that the King of France
should land,--when he would, suddenly in the Tweed,--forthwith
he should suddenly take all Northumberland,--and then all the
land without hindrance;--that he should not leave a man alive,
neither father nor kindred.--The traitorous negotiation being
entered upon without completion,--the seneschal of Scotland
is come in without more ado--to the King Sir Edward, with all
that belongs to him,--earls and barons and bishops fully,--are
come to his peace all at his desire.--King John and his son,
without land or tenement,--are led to London to support
judgment.--Now King Edward possesses Scotland entirely,--like
Albanac had it at the beginning.--The Welsh and Irish--to
our English--aid doughtily.--Whereby the Scots--have through
ours--imprisonment;--and that land--by this war--is lost for
ever.--The Welsh are gone home,--and the Irish returned--with
sail and with wind.--You English remain there;--you ought to pray
devoutly--that the Lord God forbid,--to take Aman into favour
again,--and exile Mardocheus,--in royal parliament.--Edward,
amid all your accusations,--please to remember the burnings,--of
the temple of God Almighty,--at Hexham, where that host--of
the cross made roast,--the figure of human salvation.--Herod
strikes there, the child dies,--in this anguish Rachael
weeps;--Edward, wreak vengeance for it.--Thou wilt be judge,
judge according to right;--let him hang who ought to hang,--the
law wills it certainly.--The punishment is hard and cruel,--for
it is everlasting,--for all who give judgment otherwise.--Now
chastise your enemies,--that they may not stir again--in a new
mischief.--We ought to have mercy;--but that ought not to avail a
traitor,--there the law suspends it.--For love nor for pence,--a
king ought not to spare,--so as not to judge equally.--If the
king will serve God,--it is right he should maintain the law;--if
he does not, he sins and errs very much.--In truth when John
Baliol--left his book at school,--he was too ill deceived.--¶
For bale bred in his book,--when he lost what he took--with the
kingdom;--for he has over-hopped,--his tippet is tipped,--his
tabard is empty.--He laughed while it pleased him,--his pack (?)
is pierced through,--he thought he was loyal;--....
Pride in a country, is like a nettle in the garden,--which
overgrows the rose and pushes it back;--so it is with Baliol,
that, by him the twelve peers--are fallen down for their wicked
proceeding,--he has lost his realm, and is gone to lodge--in the
Tower of London, at another’s expense.--The King Sir Edward makes
guard enough;--the Earl John de Warenne is chief justice,--and
Henry de Percy has Galway to rule;--at Berwick-upon-Tweed is
established the exchequer,--and Hugh de Cressingham is treasurer
there;--and Walter de Amundisham is chancellor.--The King to
nourish the peace causes his bench to be proclaimed there,--and
five judges to govern the law.--Sheriffs and bailiffs are
established for the need--of the English who could and would
judge according to right.--The guard is established so good and
so perfect,--neither Fleming nor Frenchman henceforth shall
have the power,--to enter into Scotland, unless it be for
commerce.--Of all those of most account who were to remain--the
homages are taken, the King makes them swear--that they will
be loyal by land and by sea.--They who began the war and the
advisers of it--are sent beyond the Trent to repose in the
south,--so long as the war lasts in Gascony.--Thus ought the lord
to chastise his men.--The bishop of Durham, who did much worthy
of praise,--in conquering the land was always the first,--were
it not for his activity and boldness of heart,--things now
finished would be to begin.--The twelve peers--go away to
the friars--to confess them,--the judgment--which awaits
them--they may fear.--Kambynoy--holds himself all coy,--he
will not help.--The sorcery--of Albania--cannot avail.--Andrew
sleeps,--or he is dead--at the monastery.--What will the Scot
do,--when he will hear--the King talk,--at St. Edmund’s,--and
of treason--accuse--earl and baron,--who by burning--destroys
the altar?--He can go no further,--there he must--stand like a
thief;--and by judgment--King Edward--determine.--And so may
man teach--the Scots to run,--and begin war.--To some is left
nothing--but his torn riveling--to hop therein.--Their King’s
seat of Scone--is driven over down,--and led to London.--In town
I heard tell,--the ... and the bell--are stolen and fled.
O God! how often Merlin said truth--in his prophecies! As you
read,--now are the two waters come into one,--which have been
separated by great mountains; and one realm is made out of two
different kingdoms,--which used to be governed by two kings.--Now
are the islanders all brought together,--and Albania is
rejoined to its regalities,--of which King Edward is proclaimed
lord;--Cornwall and Wales are in his power,--and Ireland the
great is at his will.--There is no longer any king of all the
countries--except King Edward who has thus visited them.--Arthur
had never so fully the feudalities.--Henceforth he has nothing
to do but to look after his goings,--to conquer his inheritance
from the King of France,--and then to carry the cross where Jesus
Christ was born.--His enemies,--thank God!--are chastised;--they
are all vanquished,--and taken like rats,--and bound.--He has
run about--and fought--quite enough,--with two kings--at one
time,--and overthrown them;--the one on this side--now goes
to that side--with his baronage.--John and Thomas--will not
leave him--unassisted;--Cuthbert comes to him,--who holds
with him--in the combats.--In God, I tell you,--Merlin of
him--prophesied;--three regions--in his possession--shall be
gained.--Let not be blamed--the prophecy--sinfully;--Lord
God Almighty,--at St. Edmund’s at the parliament--give him
counsel.--And on false Philip of France--by thy virtue to have
vengeance,--that he may never be advanced--for his mere falseness.
To the borough of St. Edmund, on the day which was fixed,--are
come the bishops, with the company--of laymen and clerks,
of whom the king prays--aid and courtesy of the goods of
holy church,--as they had promised before in the abbey--of
Westminster, whereby the king trusts to it--for the help of
his war which is not finished.--Earls and barons, with the
knights,--for themselves and for the people grant in aid--the
tenth penny, and for the merchants--the seventh part for the aid
of his treasury.--And the archbishop, who holds the primacy--of
the see of Canterbury, studies for an answer,--and explains to
the king by two bishops--the condition of holy church, which is
much impoverished.--The bishop afterwards goes to the king and
says,--“Sire, for God’s sake, do not grieve yourself at all about
that,--for all holy church, I certify thee,--under God there is
no soul alive in the world--who has over holy church power or
mastery,--except the pope of Rome, who holds the vicary--which
St. Peter the apostle had in keeping.--The pope is our head, he
keeps and rules us,--and he has made a statute which binds us
closely,--on privation of rent and of prelacy,--that neither
tenth, nor twentieth, nor half, nor part--none of us give to thee
or to any other,--without his commandment and allowance,--upon
it he solemnly excommunicates and curses--every son of a mother
that by lordship--injures holy church, which may God help in
its freedom!”--“Sir clerk,” said the King, “thou hast talked
folly;--promise is debt due, if faith be not forgotten;--but if
I saw thee here in possession of the bull--as well as all the
others, by the son of Mary!--you should not be relieved of this
aid.”
“Sire,” said the Archbishop, “very willingly--thee as our lord
we will all aid--with the leave of the pope, if thou wilt send
to him--by one of thy clerks with our messenger,--who could
relate to him thy condition and ours;--and according to the
message which the pope shall send us back,--we will as far as
our abilities go courteously aid thee.”--“Sir clerk,” says the
King again, “I have no need--for thee to advise me to consult
the pope;--but if thou wilt have respite in this case,--cause
thy clerks to assemble when thou wilt,--talk to them of
the promise, and treat heartily of it;--after St. Hilary’s
day come to Westminster,--and make the answer without more
talk!”--“Sire,” said the Archbishop, “for the sake of God and
St. Richard!--please to command here and there thy people,--who
are thy agents for the twelfth penny,--that they cause to be
molested neither us nor our tenants,--nor tax our temporalities
along with the layman.”--“Sir,” answers the King, “you need not
fear it,--for they shall do neither well nor ill to none of
thy power.--Nevertheless, fair Sir, I pray and require,--that
throughout thy diocese thou commandest to pray--for me and mine,
and to thank God,--who has done largely for us in our recent
affairs.”--The Archbishop grants it, and does his duty.--A little
before this time returned the treasurer--Walter de Langton,
who had passed the sea--with the cardinal, to treat of the
peace.--The answer which they bring no man can know,--except
those of the council who dare not reveal it.--Messengers
afterwards came to announce--to the King Sir Edward a form of
arranging--the strife of Gascony, and to cause him to agree--with
King Philip, without further war,--as the cardinals had caused
it to be ordained.--King Edward forthwith sent back--Walter de
Langton and Hugh le Despenser,--and John de Berwick, a clerk and
a valiant knight.--May God conduct them there, and bring them
well back again!
Of the barons of Scotland, at this parliament--reason was not
rendered, nor judgment given.--The King is so courteous, so
full of pity,--and of so great mercy, I believe certainly--that
his mercy will be the saving--of those who have fully
deserved death,--by their deeds attainted of felony.--The
great pity of heart which he has often had--upon the felons
of Wales, every body talks of it;--when he was most occupied
for his advancement,--they made war upon him, and cause a
diversion,--whereby he was obliged to leave his goings elsewhere.
After the day of St. Hilary, when the King thought (to
hold)--parliament at London, as he had ordained,--news came to
him by him who was then--come from Cambrai, and announced to
him--that the talk of peace was made with no intention of coming
to an end.--Wherefore King Edward remained and prepared--by
sea and by land that he might not be betrayed;--at Westminster
he collected his people--to treat about what aid the clergy
should give him.--The Lord of Canterbury held himself very
rigid on this matter,--he vowed to St. Thomas for him and his
parish,--that no one of his church should be any more taxed,--nor
placed in servage as long as he lived,--without command of the
pope, who ought to govern them.--The Lord of Lincoln agreed to
this,--Bishop Oliver, who was not used to bend.--The King was
so enraged against the clergy,--that he commanded them to be
judged out of his peace.--But now afterwards he repealed that
decree.--This did those bishops who willingly consented--to aid
their lord whereby to recover his right,--to defend holy church
from shame and loss.--The elect of York, who desired peace,--said
that willingly as far as concerned him--he would give the fifth
penny wherewith to defend holy church.--Not a soul spoke there
of the caitiff Scots:--they remained in keeping in the same
care,--as they were before, Dunbar caused them vexation.--For
there were they burnt ...--he ... them thither,--and drove to
dote.--For Scots at Dunbar--had at their ...--shame of their
note.--Never were dogs there--hurled out of....
* * * * *
THE TRAILEBASTONS, AND EXECUTION OF WALLACE.
[From MS. Cotton. Julius A. V. fol. 162, v^o. collated with MS.
Reg. 20, A. II. fol. 144, r^o. (R. 1.); and with MS. Reg. 20, A.
XI. fol. 125, r^o. (R. 2.)]
En Septembre après Estrivelyn est rendu;
Ly reys Sire Edwarde ses travayls ad sentu,
Vers Brustewik sur Humbre son chemyn ad tenu,
VARIOUS READINGS.--2. _au rei_, R. 2.--3. _est meu_, R. 1. _en
son ch. est meu_, R. 2.
Sugiour une pece i prist pur sa salu.
Sire Jon de Warenne, count been conu,
Mortz fu lors et prest à mette en sarcu.
Ly reys, ke Deu garde! en alaunt vers le su,
Par my Lendesey enquist de lu en lu,
Taunt com en Escoz en sa guere fu,
Ky out sa pees enfraynt, ki out sa pees tenu; 10
Pur taunt com il volait, remede fu purveu
Sur cil ke fust ataynt de sa pees rumpu.
Respouns ount fet au reys gentz de been voyllance,
Coment parmy la tere fet est grant grevaunce
Par comune contekours, ke sunt par fiaunce
Obligez ensemble à une purviaunce;
Traylbastouns sunt nomez de cel retenaunce,
En fayres et marchez se proferent fere covenaunce,
VARIOUS READINGS.--5. _Johan ... counte_, R. 1 and 2.--6.
_mort_, R. 2.--7. _le rei, le sieu_, R. 2.--8. _Lyndesey_,
R. 1.--10. _qi l’ount tenu_, R. 2.--11. _volait_, R. 1. _cum
avolait_, R. 2.--13. _au rei_, R. 2.--15. _comuns_, R. 2.