not bring his traitorous purpose to passe, began to assaie another
waie, which was to procure Iohn Balioll king of Scotland to ioine in
league with the French king, but yer any of his practises could be
brought about, his treason was reuealed, who being thereof euidentlie
conuicted, was put to execution. Nich. Triuet saith, that he had
promised the French king to cause Wales to reuolt from king Edward,
and that by procurement of the prouost of Paris, he consented to worke
such treason. And (as some write) he did not onelie homage vnto the
French king, but also left two of his sonnes in pledge for assurance to
worke that which he had promised. His secretarie that wrote the letters
vnto the French king, conteining his imagined treasons, with other
aduertisements touching king Edwards purposes, fearing least the matter
by some other means might come to light (as the old prouerb saith,
Quicquid nix celat solis calor omne reuelat)
as well to his destruction as his maisters for concealing it, disclosed
all to the king. Now he hauing knowledge that he was bewraied by his
seruant, fled out of the court, but such diligence was vsed in the
pursuit of him, that he was taken within two daies after, and brought
backe againe to London, where he was conuicted of the treason so by
him imagined, and therefore finallie put to death. ¶ This yeare the
cleargie gaue to the king the tenth part of their goods, the citizens
a sixt part, and the commons a twelfth part, or rather (as Euersden
saith) the burgesses of good townes gaue the seuenth, and the commons
abroad the eleuenth penie.
[Sidenote: The death of noble men.]
[Sidenote: Sir Rafe Monthermer wedded the countesse of Glocester.]
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 24.]
[Sidenote: _N. Triuet._]
[Sidenote: 1296.]
The same yeare died Gilbert de Clare earle of Glocester, which left
issue behind him, begot of his wife the countesse Ione the kings
daughter (beside thrée daughters) one yoong sonne named also Gilbert to
succéed him as his heire. The countesse his wife, after hir husbands
deceasse, married a knight of meane estate, borne in the bishopricke
of Duresme, named sir Rafe Monthermer, that had serued the earle hir
first husband in his life time. The king at the first tooke displeasure
herewith, but at length through the hie valiancie of the knight, oft
times shewed and apparantlie approued, the matter was so well taken,
that he was intituled earle of Glocester, and aduanced to great honor.
¶ Iohn Romane archbishop of Yorke also this yeare died, after whome one
Henrie de Newmarke deane of the colledge there succéeded. ¶ Moreouer
the same yeare William de Valence earle of Penbroke departed this life,
and lieth buried at Westminster, and then Aimer his sonne succéeded him.
[Sidenote: The king of Scots concludeth a league with the French king.]
[Sidenote: _Polydor._]
[Sidenote: _Matth. West._]
Iohn king of Scotland affianced his sonne Edward Balioll with the
daughter of Charles du Valois brother to the French king, and concluded
with the said French king a league against the king of England. Nothing
mooued the Scotish king so much hereto, as the affection which he bare
towards his natiue countrie, for he was a French man borne, and lord of
Harecourt in Normandie, which segniorie was after made an earledome by
Philip du Valois king of France. The Scotishmen had chosen 12 péeres,
that is to saie, foure bishops, foure earles, and foure barons, by
whose aduise and counsell the king should gouerne the realme, by whome
he was induced also to consent vnto such accord with the French men,
contrarie to his promised faith giuen to king Edward when he did homage
to him.
[Sidenote: K. Edwards request made to the Scots is denied.]
[Sidenote: _Abington._]
[Sidenote: The disloiall dealing of the Scots.]
King Edward not fullie vnderstanding the conclusion of this league,
required aid of the Scotish king for the maintenance of his warres
against France, and receiuing a doubtfull answer, began to suspect
the matter: whervpon he required to haue thrée castels, as Barwike,
Edenburgh, and Rokesburgh, deliuered vnto him as gages till the end
of the warre, and if the Scotishmen continued faithfull vnto him, he
would then restore the same castels to them againe when the warres were
ended. This to do the Scotishmen vtterlie denied, alledging that their
countrie was frée of it selfe, and acquit of all seruitude or bondage,
and that they were in no condition bound vnto the king of Scotland, and
therefore they would receiue the merchants of France, of Flanders, or
any other countrie without exception, as they thought good.
[Sidenote: _Nic. Triuet._]
[Sidenote: The earle of Lancaster sent into Gascoine.]
[Sidenote: _Abington._]
There were in the hauen of Berwike at the same time, certeine English
merchants, vpon whome the Scots made assault, and wounded some of them,
and some of them they slue, and chased the residue, the which returning
into England, made complaint, and shewed in what euill maner they had
béene dealt with. King Edward héerevpon perceiuing the purposes of the
Scots, determined to make warre vpon them with all spéed, & to conquer
the whole countrie, if they could not cleare themselues of such euill
dealing as of them was reported and thought to be put in practise.
About the conuersion of saint Paule in Ianuarie, king Edward sent ouer
into Gascoine his brother the lord Edmund earle of Lancaster, with the
earle of Lincolne and other, to the number of 26 banerets, and 700 men
of armes, besides a great multitude of other people. They arriued at
Blay, about the midst of Lent, and staied there till towards Easter. In
which meane season, a great sort of Gascoins and other people resorted
vnto them, so that they were two thousand men of armes.
[Sidenote: The castell of Lespar deliuered vnto him.]
[Sidenote: _Nic. Triuet._]
[Sidenote: The Frenchmen forced to retire.]
[Sidenote: _Polydor._]
Vpon Cene thursdaie, the castell de Lesparre was deliuered vnto the
earle of Lancaster, and after that diuers other castels. At his
approching néere vnto Burdeaux, vpon the thursdaie in Easter wéeke, as
he rested to refresh himselfe and his armie in a little village called
Kekell, an armie of French men issuing out of Burdeaux, ment to come on
the Englishmen at vnwares: but hauing warning, they prepared themselues
to battell, so well as the shortnes of time would permit, and so
therevpon incountring with their enimies, and fighting a sore battell,
at length constreined the French men to returne vnto the citie, and
pursuing them as they fled, two English knights being brethren to sir
Peter de Mallow and an other that was a Gascoine, entred the citie
with two standard bearers belonging to the earle of Richmond, & to the
lord Alane de la Zouch, whom the Frenchmen tooke, closing them within
the gates. The other Englishmen being shut out, first fell to the
spoile of the suburbs, and then set fire vpon the same. After this were
certeine of the citizens that secretlie were at a point with the earle
of Lancaster, to haue deliuered the citie into his hands, but their
practise being espied, they were taken and executed yer they could
performe that which they had promised.
[Sidenote: The earle of Lancaster departeth this life.]
[Sidenote: Aques besieged.]
[Sidenote: The earle of Arthois sent with an armie to Gascoine.]
[Sidenote: _N. Triuet._]
Then the earle perceiuing he should but lose his labor to staie any
longer there, vpon certeine weightie occasions returned vnto Baionne,
where he shortlie after fell sicke and died. He left behind him thrée
sonnes, Thomas that succéeded him in the earldome of Lancaster, Henrie
lord of Monmouth, and Iohn whome he had begot of his wife Blanch, the
which before had béene married vnto Henrie earle of Champaigne, and
king of Nauar, by whome shée had but one onelie daughter, that was
married vnto the French king Philip de Beau. After this the English
armie besieged the citie of Aques, but thorough want of vittels he
was constreined to raise thence and breake vp the siege. The earle of
Arthois being sent of the French king with an armie into Gascoine,
incountred with the Englishmen, and chased them with the slaughter of a
great number, and after recouered diuers townes and fortresses in the
countrie.
[Sidenote: Burg besieged.]
[Sidenote: The lord Simon de Montagew his enterprise to rescue the
garrison of Burg.]
[Sidenote: The siege is raised.]
Those Englishmen that kept the towne of Burg, being compassed about
with a siege by Mounseur de Sully, obteined truce for a certeine
space, during the which they sent vnto Blaines for some reléefe of
vittels, and where other refused to bring vp a ship loden with vittels,
which was there prepared, the lord Simon de Montagew, a right valiant
chéefetaine, and a wise, tooke vpon him the enterprise, and through the
middle of the French gallies, which were placed in the riuer to stop
that no ship should passe towards that towne, by helpe of a prosperous
wind, he got into the hauen of Burgh, and so relieued them within of
their want of vittels, by meanes whereof, Mounseur de Sully brake vp
his siege, and returned into France.
[Sidenote: The king of England concludeth a league with the earle of
Flanders.]
[Sidenote: He concludeth a league also with the earle of Bar.]
[Sidenote: The earle of Bar inuadeth Champaigne.]
In the meane time, king Edward not sléeping his businesse, procured
Guie earle of Flanders to ioine with him in league against the
Frenchmen. This Guie was the son of Margaret countesse of Flanders,
whom she had by hir second husband William lord of Dampire in
Burstoine. Also king Edward procured Henrie earle of Bar, to whome (as
before ye haue heard) he had giuen his daughter Eleanor in marriage,
to make warre vpon the Frenchmen, so that at one time the erle of Bar
inuaded the countrie of Champaigne, and the earle of Flanders made
incursions vpon those countries of France which ioine vnto Flanders.
King Philip hereof aduertised, sent forth one Walter de Cressie with a
great armie against the earle of Bar, so that besieging the chéefest
towne of Bar, he constreined the said earle to leaue off his enterprise
in Champaigne, and to returne home, for doubt to lose more there than
hée should win abroad.
[Sidenote: A mariage concluded.]
[Sidenote: The earle of Flanders arrested.]
But now to touch more at large the circumstances of the occasion that
mooued the earle of Flanders to make war against the French king.
I find (in Iacob Meir) that there was a marriage concluded betwixt
the lord Edward the eldest son of king Edward, and the ladie Philip
daughter to the foresaid Guie earle of Flanders, which marriage was
concluded by Henrie bishop of Lincolne, and the earle Warren, being
sent ouer as ambassadours by king Edward, vnto the said earle Guie for
the same purpose. In the yeare following, the said earle of Flanders,
togither with his wife, comming to visit the French king at Corbeill,
were arrested, and sent to Paris, there to remaine as prisoners,
bicause that the earle had affianced his daughter to the French kings
aduersarie, without his licence neither might they be deliuered, till
by mediation of the pope (who must néeds meddle in the matter by
virtue of his peremptorie power, & all christendome must veile the
bonnet to his holinesse, or rather abhominablenesse,
Ille etenim toto sese iubet orbe colendum,
Cui nisi parueris, crede perire licet)
[Sidenote: The pope intermedleth in the matter.]
[Sidenote: The earle of Flanders forced to agrée with the French king.]
and suertie had vpon the promise of Amedie earle of Sauoy, they were
set at libertie, with these conditions, that they should deliuer into
the French kings hands their daughter, which was so affianced vnto K.
Edwards sonne, and further couenanted, not to conclude any league with
the king of England, but in all points t'obserue a certeine peace which
was concluded with Ferdinando earle of Flanders, in the yeare 1225. And
if earle Guie brake the same peace, then should he be excommunicated,
and all his countrie of Flanders interdicted by the archbishop of
Reims, and the bishop of Senlis, iudges appointed herein by authoritie
of the pope.
[Sidenote: The earle of Flanders released returneth home.]
[Sidenote: The French kings answer to the pope.]
[Sidenote: A new league betwixt the K. of England, the emperour and
others against the French king.]
The earles daughter being sent for, and brought vnto Paris, the earle
and his wife were released, and suffered to returne into Flanders,
and shortlie after, the earle made earnest suit to haue his daughter
restored vnto him againe, insomuch that he procured pope Boniface to
be a meane for him to the French king; but all would not serue, no,
though as some say the pope accurssed the French king for reteining
hir, answer being made, that matters perteining to worldlie gouernment,
belonged not to the pope to discusse. Finallie, earle Guie, perceiuing
he could not preuaile in that suit, to haue his daughter againe, vpon
high displeasure concluded to ioine in league with king Edward & his
confederats. Herevpon, at an assemblie or councell kept at Gerardmount,
there was a solemne league made and agréed betwixt Adolph the emperour
of Almaine, Edward king of England, Guie earle of Flanders, Iohn duke
of Brabant, Henrie earle of Bar, both sonnes in law to king Edward, and
Albert duke of Austrich, against Philip king of France, and Iohn earle
of Henault his partaker.
[Sidenote: _Matth. West._]
The merchants of Flanders procured the earle to conclude this league
with king Edward, as some write, the rather in respect of the great
commodities which rose to their countrie, by reason of the intercourse
of merchandize vsed betwixt England and Flanders, and for that through
aid of the Englishmen, they might the better withstand the malice,
both of the French and of all other their enimies. This league being
proclaimed in England, there were sent ouer into Flanders, the
treasurer of the excheker, and diuerse other noble men, to fetch
hostages from thence, and to giue to the earle fiftéene thousand pounds
of siluer, towards the fortifieng of his castels and holds. King Philip
being hereof aduertised, by counsell of the péeres of his realme,
sent two honorable personages, as the capteine of Mounstrell, and the
capteine of Belquerke, which should attach the earle of Flanders by his
bodie, and summon him to yéeld himselfe prisoner at Paris, within the
space of fiftéene daies next insuing.
[Sidenote: The earle of Flanders defieth the French king.]
[Sidenote: The earle of Flanders accurssed.]
[Sidenote: His sonne appealeth from the interdiction.]
This attachment made, and summons giuen, the earle of Flanders sent
his full defiance vnto the French king by the abbats of Gemblois,
and Senefles, vnto whome he gaue sufficient letters procuratorie, to
authorise them thereto, dated at Male in the yeare of Grace 1296, after
the accounts of the chronicles of Flanders, which begin their yere at
Easter: and so this chanced in the fiue and twentith yeare of king
Edwards reigne, the Wednesdaie next after the feast of the Epiphanie.
Herevpon was the earle accurssed, & Flanders interdicted by the
archbishop of Reims, and the bishop of Senlis comming vnto Terwane for
that purpose, about the fiftéenth day of Iune, in the yeare 1297. But
the lord Robert the earles sonne appealed from that interdiction to the
pope, and so the Flemmings tooke themselues frée & out of danger of the
same. Earle Guie also obteined of king Edward, that it might be lawfull
for them of Bruges to buy wools, through England, Scotland and Ireland,
as fréelie as the Italians might by their priuilege and grant.
[Sidenote: Ambassadors sent to the K. of Scots.]
But to returne now to the dooings of king Edward, who in this meane
time, hauing a perfect knowledge of the league concluded betwixt the
king of France and the king of Scotland, prepared an armie, and first
sent ambassadors into Scotland, to giue summons to king Iohn to appeare
at Newcastell within certeine daies, that he might there shew the cause
whie he had broken the league: and further, to declare vnto him that he
was deceiued, if he thought he might serue two maisters, contrarie to
the words of the gospell, and according to the old saieng which seldome
neuer faileth in consequence,
Deficit ambobus qui vult seruire duobus.
For how much fauour as he purchased at the hands of the French king,
so much displeasure might he assure himselfe to procure at the
hands of the king of England, whome to obeie, it should be most for
his aduantage. The ambassadors that were sent, did their message
throughlie, but king Iohn was so farre off from answering anie thing
that might sound to the maintenance of peace, that shortlie after
he sent letters of complaint vnto king Edward, for wrongs which he
alledged he had susteined by his means and at his hands. Herevpon king
Edward, by aduise of his councell, determined to set forward with his
armie into Scotland.
[Sidenote: _Nic. Triuet._]
[Sidenote: The lord Ros reuolteth to ye K. of Scots.]
[Sidenote: William de Ros continueth faithfull to the king of England.]
[Sidenote: Englishmen distressed.]
[Sidenote: _Rich. South._]
In the meane time, Robert Ros, capteine of Warke castell, reuolted
to the Scotish king, mooued therevnto through the loue of a Scotish
gentlewoman, whome he meant to marrie, notwithstanding he had sworne
fealtie vnto king Edward. Wherevpon, his brother William de Ros giuing
knowledge to king Edward, required to haue some aid, whereby he might
defend the castell against the Scotishmen. King Edward sent vnto him a
thousand souldiers, (Polydor saith an hundred) the which as they lodged
one night in a towne called Prestfen, were slaine by the Scotishmen
of the garison of Rockesborough, that were led and guided by the said
Robert Ros: some of them although but few escaped awaie by flight. King
Edward aduertised hereof, hasted foorth, and came to the said castell,
glad of this (as is reported) that the Scotishmen had first begun the
warre, meaning, as it should séeme by their procéedings, to follow the
same, for vpon Good friday, diuerse Scotishmen entring the borders,
burnt sundrie villages, and spoiled the abbeie of Carham.
[Sidenote: _N. Triuet._]
[Sidenote: _Abington._]
[Sidenote: The Scots inuade England.]
[Sidenote: _Nic. Triuet._]
[Sidenote: The Scots raise their siege from Carleil.]
Furthermore, whilest king Edward kept his castell at Warke, seauen
earles of Scotland, as Bouchan, Menteth, Stratherne, Lennox, Ros,
Atholl, and Mar, with Iohn Comin the maister of Badenaw, hauing
assembled an armie togither of fiue hundred men of armes on
horssebacke, and ten thousand footmen in Annandale, vpon monday in
Easter wéeke entred England, and putting all to fire and sword,
approched to Carleill, and laid siege therevnto on each side, passing
the water of Eden by a foord vnder Richardston, and did so much
preuaile, that they burned the suburbes, and assaulted the gates, at
which enterprise, a gentleman of Galloway as he ventured somewhat néere
to the gate, was drawne vp by an iron hooke, of those that stood aloft
vpon the gates to defend the same, and there slaine, and thrust through
with speares. In the meane time, a spie, the which had béene taken and
committed to prison, set fire on the house wherein he was inclosed,
and so the flames catching hold vpon the other buildings, a great part
of the citie was thereby burned. Yet the men and the women getting
themselues to the wals, droue their enimies backe, and so defended the
citie from taking. Whervpon, the Scotish lords perceiuing they could
not preuaile, left their siege on the thursdaie in Easter wéeke, and
returned againe into Scotland.
[Sidenote: Berwike summoned.]
[Sidenote: _Abington._]
[Sidenote: The English fléet.]
[Sidenote: Foure English ships lost.]
[Sidenote: _Abington._]
On the same thursdaie, king Edward with his armie passed the riuer of
Twéed, and so entring into Scotland, sent to the burgesses of Berwike,
offering them peace vpon certeine conditions, and staied a whole day
for an answer: but when he could haue none that liked him, nor that
sounded in anie thing to peace, he approched the towne, and lodged in
the monasterie of Caldestreime. His armie consisted as some write of
foure thousand men of armes on horsbacke, and thirtie thousand footmen,
besides fiue hundred men of armes on horssebacke, and a thousand
footmen of the bishoprike of Durham. At the same time, there came
foure and twentie English ships, the mariners whereof, beholding where
the English armie was placed in battell raie, vpon a plaine, the king
making there certeine knights, they thought his meaning was to haue
giuen forthwith an assalt, and so entring the hauen, and approching
to the land, began to fight with the townesmen, where they lost foure
of their ships, and were constreined to withdraw with the residue,
with helpe of the falling water. Some haue written that they lost but
thrée ships which were consumed with fire, and that the mariners and
souldiers of one of those ships, after they had defended themselues
by great manhood from the first houre of the daie, till eleuen of the
clocke, escaped awaie, some by the bote of that ship, and some leaping
into the water, were saued by the botes of other ships that made in to
succour them.
[Sidenote: Berwike woone.]
[Sidenote: This sir Richard Cornewall was brother to the erle of
Cornewall.]
[Sidenote: _Abington._]
[Sidenote: _Caxton._]
The rumor of the mariners attempt being bruted through the armie, the
king passing forward towards the towne, got ouer a ditch, which the
Scots had cast to impeach his passage, and so comming to the towne,
wan it not losing any man of renowme, sauing sir Richard Cornewall,
the which was slaine by a quarell which a Flemming shot out of a
crossebowe, being in the red hall, which the merchants of Flanders held
in that towne, and had fortified it in manner of a tower: but when
they would not yéeld, and could not easilie otherwise be woone, the
house towards euening was set on fire, and so they being thirtie in
number were burned to death within it. Vpon the same night, the king
lodged in the castell, which was yéelded vnto him by them that kept it,
their liues and limmes saued, and receiuing an oth, that they should
not from thencefoorth beare armour against the king of England, they
were permitted to depart whither they thought good, their capteine sir
William Dowglas excepted, whom the king still kept with him, till the
end of the warres. Some write that there should be slaine of Scotishmen
at this winning of Berwike, aboue the number of twentie thousand men,
Abington saith 8000, but Richard Southwell saith 15000 at the least
one with an other, with small losse of Englishmen, not past eight and
twentie of all sorts. Yée may read more hereof in the Scotish historie.
[Sidenote: _Abraham Fleming._]
[Sidenote: _R. Grafton_, pag. 176.]
[Sidenote: _G. Buchanan rer. Scotic. lib. 8. pag. 243, prope finem._]
¶ But before I passe ouer this slaughter, so lamentable and
woonderfull, I haue bethought my selfe of a promised apologie for and
in the behalfe of Richard Grafton, mentioned before in the reigne of
Henrie the second, page 194 where I shewed how vnaduisedlie and with
vnséemelie modestie for a man of learning, George Buchanan the Scot
dooth shoot his bolts at the said Grafton, as now by occasion of the
matter conuenientlie occurrent shall be shewed. The said Grafton in his
large volume of English chronicles, falling vpon the affaires betwéene
king Edward the first, and Iohn Balioll king of Scotland, among other
things there remembred, maketh report that in the said battell of
Berwike, the slaughter was so great, that a mill might well haue béene
driuen by the space of two daies, with the streames of bloud which at
that time ouerranne the ground. At which words George Buchanan giueth a
snatch, emboldened so to doo, bicause the said Grafton referreth this
record to Hector Boetius in his fourtéenth booke and second chapter.