daughter was married vnto king Iohn earle of Holland. Humfrey de Bohun
earle of Hereford and Essex was sent to conueie them into Holland,
there to take possession of the earledome, as then descended vnto the
said Iohn, by the death of his father latelie before slaine by his
owne subiects, bicause he would haue disherited this Iohn, and made a
bastard sonne which he had to be his heire. ¶ The day appointed for
the parlement to be holden at London being come, and the cleargie
continuing in their deniall to grant any subsidie, the king excluded
them out of his protection, for the redéeming whereof, manie by
themselues, and manie by mediators, did afterwards giue vnto the king a
fift part of all their goods. The archbishop of Canturburie being found
stiffe in the matter, the king seized all his lands, and commanded
all such debts as were found of his in the rolles of the excheker, to
be leuied with all spéed of his goods and cattell. Some write, that
when the archbishop of Canturburie in name of all the residue, had
declared to them whom the king had appointed commissioners to receiue
the answer, that whereas they of the cleargie had two souereigne
lords and gouernours, the one in spirituall matters and the other in
temporall, yet they ought rather to obeie their spirituall gouernour
than their temporall. Neuerthelesse, to satisfie the kings pleasure,
they would of their owne charges send to the pope, that by his licence
and permission, they might grant the king some aid, or else receiue
some answer from him, what to doo therein: "for (saith the archbishop)
we beléeue that the king feareth the sentence of excommunication, and
would be as glad to auoid it as we."
[Sidenote: The declaration of the lord chéefe iustice.]
When the commissioners heard this answer, they required that they would
appoint some of their owne companie to beare this message vnto the
king, for they durst not report it to him: which being doone as the
commissioners had required, the king in his furie procéeded against
them, in such rigorous manner as ye haue heard, in somuch that the lord
chéefe iustice sitting vpon the bench, spake openlie these words; "You
sirs that be attornies of my lords the archbishops, bishops, abbats,
priors, and all other the cleargie, declare vnto your masters, and tell
them, that from hencefoorth there shall no iustice be doone vnto them
in the kings court for any manner of thing, although neuer so heinous
wrong be doone vnto them: but iustice shall be had against them, to
euerie one that will complaine and require to haue it."
[Sidenote: The clearkelie handling of the matter by the archbi. of
Yorke his suffragans.]
[Sidenote: The miserie of churchmen.]
Henrie de Newarke the elect bishop of Yorke, with the bishops of
Durnam, Elie and Salisburie, with certeine other, fearing the kings
indignation thus kindled against them, ordeined to laie downe in the
churches, a fift part as ye haue heard, of all their goods, towards
the defense of the realme, and maintenance of the kings warres in such
time of great necessitie, and so the king receiuing it, they were
restored to the kings protection againe. The fréends of the bishop of
Lincolne found means, that the shiriffe of the shire leuied and tooke
the fift part of all his goods, and restored to him againe his lands
and possessions. Also, all the monasteries within his diocesse, and
within the whole prouince of Canturburie, were seized into the kings
hands, and wardens appointed, which onelie ministred necessarie finding
vnto the moonks and other religious persons, and conuerted the ouerplus
vnto the kings vse. Wherevpon the abbats and priors were glad to follow
the court, and sued to redéeme, not their sins, but their goods, with
giuing a fourth part thereof. The cleargie suffered manie iniuries in
that season, for religious men were spoiled and robbed in the kings
high waie, and could not haue any restitution nor remedie against
them that thus euill intreated them, till they had redéemed the kings
protection. Persons and vicars, and other of the cleargie, when they
rode foorth any whither, were glad to apparell themselues in laie mens
garments, so to passe through the countrie in safetie.
[Sidenote: The archbish. of Canturburie his goods confiscate.]
[Sidenote: The obstinate maner of the archbishop of Canturburie.]
The archbishop of Canturburie lost all the goods that he had, for he
would neither agrée to giue any thing, nor to laie any thing downe in
the church, that the king might receiue it. Wherevpon he was brought
to such extreme miserie, that all his seruants went from him, &
commandement was giuen foorth, that no man should receiue him, neither
within monasterie nor without, and so not hauing any one place of all
his bishoprike where to laie his head, he remained in the house of a
poore person, onelie with one priest and one clearke: yet he stiffelie
stood in the matter, affirming certeinlie, that all those which granted
any thing, either to the king, or to any other temporall person without
the popes leaue, ran without doubt into the danger of the sentence
pronounced in the canon.
[Sidenote: A parlement at Salisburie.]
About the feast of S. Matthew in Februarie, the king called a
parlement of his nobles (not admitting thereto any of the cleargie)
at Salisburie, and there required certeine of his Nobles to passe
ouer into Gascoine, but euerie of them séemed to excuse himselfe,
whereat the king being mooued, threatened that they should either go,
or he would giue their lands to other that would go, with which words
manie of them were gréeuouslie offended, in so much that the earles
of Hereford and Marshall, Humfrie Bohun, and Roger Bigod, declared
that they would be readie to go with the king if he went himselfe, or
else not. And when the earle Marshall was eftsoones required to go, he
answered, "I will willinglie go with the king, and march before him in
the fore ward, as by right of inheritance I am bound." "Yea (saith the
king) and you shall go with other though I go not." "I am not so bound
(saith the earle) neither doo I purpose to take the iournie in hand
with you."
[Sidenote: The disloiall demeanor of the two erles.]
The king then in a great chafe burst out & sware, "By God sir earle,
either thou shall go or hang." "And I sweare (saith the earle) the
same oth, that I will neither go nor hang:" and so he departed from
the king without leaue taking. Immediatlie herevpon those two earles
assembled manie noble men, and other of their fréends togither to the
number of thirtie banerets and aboue, so that in all they were found to
be fiftéene hundred men of armes appointed and readie for battell, and
herewith they withdrew into their countries, and kept such stir there,
that they would not permit the kings officers to take neither wools,
leather, nor any thing against the owners will, but forbad them on
paine of loosing their heads to come within their roomes, and withall
prepared themselues to resist if néed were.
[Sidenote: They had with them 600 men of armes, and 10000 footmen as
_Abington_ saith.]
[Sidenote: Battell betwixt the earle of Lincolne and the earle of
Arthois, who had with him 1500 men of armes, as _Abingt[=o]_ saith.]
In this meane time the warre was prosecuted in Gascoine. ¶ The
thursdaie before the Purification of our ladie, Henrie earle of
Lincolne, and the lord Iohn saint Iohn departing from Baion towards
Bellegard, a place besieged as then by the earle of Arthois, to succour
them within the same with vittels, (whereof they stood in néed) as
they approched to a wood distant from the fortresse thrée miles, they
diuided themselues into two seuerall battels, the lord Iohn saint Iohn
leading the first, and the earle of Lincolne the second. The lord saint
Iohn therefore hauing passed the wood with his battell, and entring
into the plaine fields, was incountred by the earle of Arthois, who
tarried there for him with a great power, where immediatlie at the
first ioining of the battels, the earle of Lincolne retired backe: so
that the lord Iohn saint Iohn and his companie ouerset with preasse of
enimies were vanquished: and the said lord saint Iohn with sir William
de Mortimer, sir William Burmengham and other to the number of eight
knights, and diuerse esquires were taken, the which were sent to Paris
as prisoners.
Other write somewhat otherwise of this battell, as that vpon the first
incounter the Englishmen droue backe one regiment of the earle of
Arthois his men of armes, whom he diuided into foure parts; but when
they once ioined with the second regiment, to the which they were
beaten backe, forward they came againe, and so charging the Englishmen,
with helpe of their third squadron, which was now come to them also,
they easilie put the Englishmen oppressed with multitude vnto flight,
& followed them in chase. After this came the Englishmen which were in
the rereward, and incountring with the fourth squadron or regiment of
the Frenchmen, streightwaies brake the same. Herewith was the night
come vpon them, so that one could not know an other, a fréend from an
enimie, and so both the Englishmen and Frenchmen were dispersed till
the moone rose, and the Frenchmen withdrew to their fortresses, and
amongst them certeine Englishmen were mingled, which being discouered
were taken prisoners, as the lord Iohn saint Iohn, and others.
[Sidenote: _Matth. West._]
[Sidenote: _Abington._]
The slaughter was not great, for there were no footmen on either
part, to spoile or kill the men of armes that were throwne beside
their horsses: for the English footmen remained in the wood, or were
withdrawne backe, as before ye haue heard, without attempting any
exploit worthie of praise. Indéed some laie the blame in the Gascoine
footmen for the losse of this battell, bicause that they withdrew
backe, and left the English horssemen in danger of the enimies which
had compassed them about on euerie side. Thrée hundred of the men of
armes came through to the towne of Bellegard, but bicause it was night,
so that they could not be discerned whether they were frends or foes,
they within the towne would not suffer them to enter: wherevpon they
departed, and went to S. Seuere foure leagues off. Yet further in the
night, other of the Englishmen were receiued into Bellegard, which came
thither after the other, and so in the morning they of the garison with
their assistance issued foorth, and comming to the place where the
battell had béene, gathered the spoile of the field, and conueied into
their towne such prouision of vittels as they found there.
[Sidenote: The earle of Lincolne escaped.]
[Sidenote: He commeth home.]
[Sidenote: He inuadeth the countrie about Tholouse.]
The earle of Lincolne with a great manie of other wandred a great part
of the night and knew not whither to go. At length about thrée of
the clocke in the morning he came to Perforate, where he had lodged
with his armie the night before, & there found a great number of his
people right glad of his comming and happie escape out of danger. From
thence he returned vnto Baion with the earle of Richmond sir Iohn de
Britaine and all his companie that were left. And such was the hap of
this iournie. In Lent following, those that were dispersed here and
there abroad, resorted to the earle of Lincolne, soiourning at Baion,
and in the summer season made a iournie towards Tholouse, spoiling and
wasting the countries of Tholouse and other there abouts, and remoued
also the siege which those of Tholouse had laid vnto a fortresse
called S. Kiternes, in chasing them from the same siege: and towards
Michaelmasse they returned to Baion, and there laie all the winter till
after Christmasse, and then by reason of the truce concluded, as after
appeareth, betwixt the two kings of England & France, they returned
home into England.
[Sidenote: The custome of wool raised.]
[Sidenote: _Abington._]
[Sidenote: _Euersden._]
[Sidenote: Prouision for the kings iournie into France.]
[Sidenote: _Ia. Meir._]
[Sidenote: The French king inuadeth Flanders.]
In the same yeare the king raised the custome of wooll to an higher
rate than had béene paid at any time before: for he tooke now fortie
shillings of a sacke or sarpler, where before there was paid but half a
marke. Moreouer he commanded, that against his iournie which he meant
to make ouer into France, there should be two thousand quarters of
wheat, and as much of oates taken by the shiriffe in euerie countie
within the realme to be conueied to the sea side, except where they
had no store of corne, and there should béeues and bakons be taken to
a certeine number. In the meane time the earle of Flanders was sore
vexed by war which the French king made against him, being entred into
Flanders with an armie of thrée score thousand men, as some authors
haue recorded.
[Sidenote: Lisle besieged.]
[Sidenote: The earle of Arthois vanquisheth the Flemings in battell.]
[Sidenote: _N. Triuet._]
About the feast of the natiuitie of S. Iohn Baptist, he laid siege to
Lisle, and shortlie after came the earle of Arthois, being returned
out of Gascoine with his power vnto that siege, and was sent foorth to
kéepe the Flemings and others occupied, which laie at Furneis, and in
other places thereabouts in low Flanders, with whome he fought and got
the victorie. King Edward therefore, to succour his fréends prepared to
go ouer into Flanders, and therevpon summoned all those that owght him
any seruice, & such also as held lands to the value of twentie pounds
and aboue, to be readie with horsse and harnesse at London about Lammas
to passe ouer with him in that iournie.
[Sidenote: A rebellion in Scotland by the means of one William Waleis.]
[Sidenote: Englishmen slaine in Scotland.]
In the meane time about the moneth of Maie, there began a rebellion in
Scotland by the setting on of William Waleis: for the king of Englands
iustice William Ormsbie, accordinglie as he had in commission, confined
and put to outlawrie a great sort of such Scotishmen, as refused to doo
fealtie and homage vnto the king of England, the which Scotishmen being
thus condemned as outlawes, elected the foresaid William Waleis for
their capteine, with whome William Douglas being once associated, the
number of them increased hugelie. The earle of Surrey and the treasurer
being in England, those outlawes purposed to haue taken the iustice at
Scone: but he being warned though almost too late, escaped himselfe
with much adoo, leauing the most part of his people as a spoile to the
enimies. For William Waleis and his companie killed as manie Englishmen
as fell into his hands, and taking certeine religious men, he bound
their hands behind them, and constreined them to leape into the riuer,
taking pleasure to behold how they plunged.
[Sidenote: The vnfaithfull dealing of the Scots.]
The king sent the bishop of Durham into Scotland, to vnderstand the
certeintie of this rebellion, who returning from thence, informed him
of the truth. The king not minding to breake his iournie which he had
purposed to make into Flanders, appointed that the earle of Surrey
should haue the leading of all such men of warre as might be leuied
beyond Trent, to represse the Scotish rebels, and also wrote vnto Iohn
Comin earle of Boughan, that remembring their faith and promise, they
should returne into Scotland, and doo their best to quiet the countrie:
they according to his commandement, went into Scotland, but shewed
themselues slow inough to procure those things that perteined to peace
and quietnesse.
[Sidenote: _Abington._]
[Sidenote: Robert Bruce.]
[Sidenote: Thomas Beckets sword.]
In the meane time, whilest these things were a doing, the bishop of
Carleill, and other which laie there vpon the gard of that citie and
castell, hauing some mistrust of the loialtie in Robert Bruce the
yoonger, that was earle of Carrike by his mother, they sent him word to
come vnto them at a certeine daie, bicause they had to talke with him
of matters touching the kings affairs. He durst not disobeie but came
to Carleill togither with the bishop of Gallowaie, & there receiued a
corporall oth vpon the holie and sacred mysteries, and vpon the sword
of Thomas Becket, to be true to the king of England, and to aid him
and his against their enimies in all that he might: and further to
withstand that the said king receiued no hurt nor damage so far as in
him might lie.
[Sidenote: Robert Bruce reuolteth to the rebels.]
[Sidenote: _N. Triuet._]
[Sidenote: Thrée hundreth men of armes, and fiftie thousand footmen
saith _Abington._]
[Sidenote: Henrie Percie sent before.]
[Sidenote: Irwin.]
This doone, he returned againe into Scotland, and for a colour entred
into the lands of William Douglas, and burnt part of them, bringing the
wife and children of the same William backe with him into Annandale:
but shortlie after, he conspired with the Scotish rebels, and ioined
himselfe with them, not making his father priuie to the matter, who in
the meane while remaind in the south parts of England. He would haue
persuaded such knights, gentlemen and other as held their lands of his
father in Annandale, to haue gone with him, but they would not breake
their faith giuen to the king of England, and so left him. The earle
of Surrey assembling togither his power in Yorkeshire, sent his nephue
the lord Henrie Percie with the souldiers of the countrie of Carleill
before into Scotland, who passing foorth to the towne of Aire, went
about to induce them of Gallowaie into peace, and hearing that an armie
of Scotishmen was gathered togither at a place about foure miles from
thence called Irwin, he made thitherward, and comming néere to the
Scotish host, might behold where the same was lodged beyond a certeine
lake. In that armie were capteins, the bishop of Glasco, Andrew de
Murreie steward of Scotland, and William Waleis which (as it should
séeme) were not all of one mind.
[Sidenote: Discord in the Scotish armie. Sir Richard Lundie.]
[Sidenote: The Scots sue for peace.]
There was in the same armie a knight named sir Richard Lundie, which
neuer yet had doon homage to the king of England, but now flieng from
his companie, he came to the English armie, and submitted himselfe with
his retinue vnto the king of England, saieng that he ment not to serue
amongst them any longer that could not agrée togither. The residue of
the Scotishmen sued for peace, vpon condition to haue liues, members,
goods, cattels and lands saued, with a pardon of all offenses past. The
lord Percie vpon pledges & writings héerof deliuered, was contented to
grant their requests, so that the king his maister would be therewith
pleased, who being hereof certified, bicause he would not gladlie be
staied of his iournie into Flanders, granted vnto all things that were
thus required.
[Sidenote: The bishop of Glasco and William Douglas.]
[Sidenote: _Abington._]
Then after that the earle of Surrie was come to the English campe,
bicause William Waleis ceassed not in the meane time to assemble
more people, the Englishmen doubting some treason, resolued to giue
battell, but whilest they were in mind thus to do, the bishop of Glasco
and William Douglas to auoid the note of disloialtie and treason,
came and submitted themselues: and so the bishop was committed to
ward within the castell of Rokesborough, and William Douglas in the
castell of Berwike. It is to be noted, that euen in the verie time
that the treatie was in hand betwixt the lord Percie and the Scotish
capteins, the Scots of Gallowaie and other set vpon that part of the
English campe, where the trusse and baggage laie, which they spoiled
and ransacked, slaieng aboue fiue hundreth persons, what of men, women
and children, but the alarum being raised, the Englishmen came to the
rescue, and chasing the Scots, slue aboue a thousand of them, and
recouered the most part of their owne goods, with more which they tooke
from their enimies.
[Sidenote: The archbish. of Canturburie receiued into fauour.]
[Sidenote: _Nic. Triuet._]
[Sidenote: Gardians appointed to the kings sonne in his fathers
absence.]
[Sidenote: Earles Marshall and Hereford refuse to go ouer with the king
into Flanders.]
In this meane time king Edward at the feast of Lammas held a councell
at London, where he receiued the archbishop of Canturburie againe into
his fauor, restoring vnto him all his goods and lands. He appointed him
and the lord Reinold Grey to haue his eldest sonne prince Edward in
kéeping, till his returne out of Flanders. But Nicholas Triuet writeth,
that the said prince Edward being appointed to remaine at home, as
lieutenant to his father, there were appointed vnto him as councellors,
Richard bishop of London, William earle of Warwike, and the forenamed
lord Reinold Grey, with the lord Iohn Gifford, and the lord Alane
Plokenet, men of high wisedome, grauitie and discretion, without making
mention of the archbishop of Canturburie in that place. The two earles
Marshall and Hereford being commanded to attend the king into Flanders,
refused, excusing themselues by messenger.
[Sidenote: Sir Rafe Monthermer released.]
[Sidenote: Scotishmen released.]
[Sidenote: The lord Berkley.]
[Sidenote: A libell deliuered to the king from the earles of Hereford
and Marshall.]
After this, the king caused sir Rafe Monthermer (whom his daughter the
countesse of Glocester, in hir widowhood had taken to husband without
knowledge of hir father) to be deliuered out of the castell of Bristow,
wherein he had béene kept prisoner a certeine time vpon displeasure
for the marriage: but now he was not onelie set at libertie, but also
restored to his wife, and to all the lands perteining to the earledome
of Glocester, appointing him to find 50 men at armes to serue in that
iournie into Flanders. He also deliuered the earles of Cassels and
Menteth, Iohn Cumin, and diuers other Scotishmen, appointing them
also to go with him into Flanders. Finallie hauing assembled his
armie, ouer the which he made the lord Thomas Berklie constable, and
Geffrey Ienuille marshall, he went to Whinchelsey, and whilst he laie
there before he tooke the sea, there was presented vnto him from the
earles a writing, which conteined the causes of the gréefe of all the
archbishops, bishops, abbats, earles, lords, barons, and of all the
communaltie, as well for summoning them to serue by an vndue meane, as
also for the vnreasonable taxes, subsidies, impositions & paiements
which they dailie susteined, and namelie the impost augmented vpon the
custome of wooll séemed to them verie gréeuous. For whereas for euerie
sacke of whole wooll there was fortie shillings paid, and for euerie
sacke of broken wooll one marke: it was well knowne, that the wooll of
England was almost in value estéemed to be woorth halfe the riches of
the realme, and so the custome thereof paid, would ascend to a fift
part of all the substance of the land.
[Sidenote: The kings answer.]
[Sidenote: The king passeth ouer into Flanders.]
[Sidenote: _Abington._]
[Sidenote: Debate and fighting betwixt the mariners of the cinque ports
and others.]
The kings answer therevnto was, that he could not alter any thing,
without the aduise of his councell, of the which part were alreadie
passed ouer into Flanders, and part were at London; and therfore he
required the said earles, that if they would not attend him in that
iournie into Flanders, they would yet in his absence doo nothing that
might be preiudiciall to the realme: for he trusted by Gods fauour to
returne againe in safetie, and set all things in good order. At length,
about the 21 daie of August, the king tooke the sea, and landed in
Flanders néere to Sluice, about the 27 day of the same moneth. He was
no sooner on land, but that through old enuie and malice depending
betwéene the mariners of the cinque ports, and them of Yermouth and
other quarters, a quarell was picked, so that they fell togither, and
fought on the water in such earnest sort, notwithstanding the kings
commandement sent to the contrarie, that there were 25 ships burnt and
destroied of theirs of Yermouth, and other their partakers: also thrée
of their greatest ships, part of the kings treasure being in one of
them, were tolled foorth into the high sea, and quite conueied awaie.
[Sidenote: _Ia. Meir._]
[Sidenote: Lisle yéelded to the French king.]
[Sidenote: Charles de Valois sent to Bruges.]