into England, and came to London the morrow after S. Valentines day.
And about seuen or eight daies after, the lord Edward his eldest sonne
returned also, and hearing that the barons were gone to the marshes of
Wales (where ioining with the Welshmen, they had begun to make warre
against the kings fréends, and namelie against his lieutenant Roger
lord Mortimer, whome they had besieged in the castell of Wigmore)
the lord Edward therevpon, with such power as he could get togither,
marched thitherwards to raise their siege: but the lord Mortimer
perceiuing himselfe in danger, fled priuilie out of the castell, and
got to Hereford, whither the prince was come. The barons inforced their
strength in such wise that they wan the castell. Prince Edward on the
other side tooke the castels of Haie and Huntington that belonged vnto
the earle of Hereford yoong Henrie de Boun.
[Sidenote: Winchester taken.]
[Sidenote: _Matth. Westm._]
[Sidenote: The citie of Glocester recouered and put to fine.]
The castel of Brecknoc was also deliuered into his hands, which he
béetooke to the kéeping of the lord Roger de Mortimer, with all the
territorie thereto belonging. Robert earle of Darbie that tooke part
with the barons, besieged the citie of Worcester, and tooke it by the
old castell, sacked the citizens goods, and constreined the Iewes to
be baptised. The citie of Glocester also was taken by the barons: but
prince Edward following them and reparing the bridge ouer Seuerne,
which the barons had broken downe after they were come ouer, he entred
the castell of Glocester with his people. The next day by procurement
of Walter bishop of Worcester, a truce was taken betwixt prince Edward
and the barons that had taken the towne, during the which truce the
barons left the towne, and the burgesses submitted themselues vnto
prince Edward: and so he hauing the castell and towne in his hands,
imprisoned manie of the burgesses & fined the towne at the summe of a
thousand pounds. Then he drew towards his father lieng at Oxford or at
Woodstoke, gathering people togither on ech hand.
[Sidenote: The c[=o]moners of the citie of London agrée with the
Barons.]
[Sidenote: _R. Fabian._]
[Sidenote: The manor of Thistleworth spoiled.]
[Sidenote: The chéefe cause that set the K. of Almaine so sore against
the barons.]
In the meane time the lords drew towards London, and the new assurance
by writing indented was made betwéene the communaltie of the citie and
the barons, without consent of any of the rulers of the citie. The
commoners herewith appointed of themselues two capteins, which they
named constables of the citie, that is to saie, Thomas Piwelsdon &
Stephan Bukerell, by whose commandement and tolling of the great bell
of Paules all the citie was warned to be readie in harnesse, to attend
vpon the said two capteins. About the beginning of Lent the constable
of the towre sir Hugh Spenser, with the said two capteins, and a great
multitude of the citizens and others went to Thistleworth, and there
spoiled the manour place of the king of Almaine, and then set it on
fire, and destroied the water milles, and other commodities which he
there had. This déed was the cause (as some haue iudged) of the warre
that after insued. For where before this time the said king of Almaine
had béene, by reason of the alliance betwixt him and the earle of
Glocester, continuallie an intreater for peace, he was now euer after
this time an vtter enimie vnto the barons, and vnto their side, so
farre as laie in his power.
[Sidenote: The lords that followed the king.]
The king hearing of this riotous act, and being informed that Peter
de Mountfort was at Northampton, assembling people to strengthen the
barons part, he got togither such men of warre as he could from all
places, and so he had with him his brother Richard king of Almaine,
his eldest sonne the lord Edward, William de Valence his halfe brother
on the mothers side, & Iohn Comin of Ward in Scotland with a great
number of Scots, Iohn Ballioll lord of Gallowaie, Robert Bruis lord of
Annandale, Roger Clifford, Philip Marmion, Iohn Vaux, Iohn Leiborne,
Henrie Percie, Philip Basset, and Roger Mortimer.
[Sidenote: Northampton taken by force.]
Thus the king hauing these Noble men about him, with his armie sped him
towards Northampton, and comming thither tooke the towne by force, slue
diuerse, and tooke prisoners Peter Mountfort, and Simon Mountfort the
earle of Leicesters son, William Ferries, Baldwin Wake, with Nicholas
his brother, Berengarius de Wateruile, Hugh Gubiun, Robert Buteuilein,
Adam of Newmarch, Robert Newton, Philip Dribie, Grimbald Pauncefoet,
Roger Beltram, Thomas Mansell, and diuerse other, to the number of 80
knights (or as Matthew Westminster hath 15 barons, and 60 knights)
besides a great number of esquires and burgesses, the which were
bestowed abroad in sundrie prisons. The towne (as some write) was taken
by this meanes. Whilest diuerse of the capteins within were talking
with the king on the one side of the towne towards the meadowes, the
lord Philip Bassett approched the walles néere vnto the monasterie of
S. Andrew, and there with his people hauing spades, mattocks, and other
instruments prouided for the purpose, vndermined a great paine of the
wall, and reuersed the same into ditches, making such a breach, that
fortie horssemen might enter afront. Some put the blame in such moonks
of the abbeie as were strangers, as though they should prepare this
entrie for the enimie: but howsoeuer it was, the king got the towne out
of his enimies hands.
[Sidenote: Scholers fight against the king.]
[Sidenote: Some write that Iohn de Balioll and Robert de Bruis, and
Peter de Bruis, came to him here and not before.]
This also is to be remembred, that where by reason of variance, which
had chanced that yere betwixt the scholers of Oxford and the townesmen,
a great number of the same scholers were withdrawen to Northampton and
there studied. They had raised a banner to fight in defense of the
towne against the king, and did more hurt to the assailants than anie
other band; wherevpon the king threatened to hang them all, and so
had he doone indéed, if by the persuasion of his councell he had not
altered his purpose, doubting to procure the hatred of their fréends,
if the execution should haue béene so rigorouslie prosecuted against
them: for there were amongst them manie yoong gentlemen of good houses
and noble parentage. Thus was the towne of Northampton taken on a
saturdaie being Passion sundaie euen, and the morrow after the daie
of S. Ambrose which is the fift of Aprill. On the monday following,
the king led his armie towards Leicester, where the burgesses receiued
him into the towne at his comming thither. From thence he marched to
Notingham, burning and wasting the houses and manors of the barons and
other of his enimies, and speciallie those that belonged to the earle
of Leicester. Here he also gathered more people, and so increased his
power: in somuch that diuerse Noblemen, as Roger Clifford, Henrie
Percie, Richard Gray, Philip Basset, Richard Sward, and Hubert earle
of Kent, doubting the lacke of power in their companions, reuolted
incontinentlie to the kings side.
[Sidenote: _Matt. West_.]
[Sidenote: The castell of Tutburie defaced.]
[Sidenote: The castell of Warwike taken.]
[Sidenote: The castell of Warwike raced.]
[Sidenote: The Iewes are killed.]
He sent his sonne prince Edward into Darbishire and Staffordshire with
a strong power, where he wasted the manours and possessions of Robert
de Ferrers earle of Darbie, and namelie he ouerthrew and defaced the
castell of Tutburie. Wheresoeuer the kings armie, or that which his
sonne prince Edward led, chanced to come, there followed spoiling,
burning, and killing. The barons on the other side sate not still, for
the lord Iohn Gifford, with others that were appointed by the earle
of Leicester to kéepe Killingworth castell (which was furnished with
all things necessarie, maruellouslie, and with such strange kind of
engines as had not béene lightlie heard of nor séene in these parts)
tooke by a policie the castell of Warwike, and William Manduit earle
of Warwike, with his wife and familie within it; and leading them to
Killingworth, there c[=o]mitted them to prison. The cause was, for that
they suspected him that he would take part with the king against them.
The castell of Warwike they raced downe, least the kings people should
take it for their refuge. In the Passion wéeke the Iewes that inhabited
in London being detected of treason, which they had deuised against the
barons and citizens, were slaine almost all the whole number of them,
and great riches found in their houses, which were taken and caried
awaie by those that ransacked the same houses.
[Sidenote: Rochester besieged.]
[Sidenote: _N. Triuet._]
[Sidenote: _Matth. West._]
[Sidenote: The kings halfe brethren come out of France to his aid.]
[Sidenote: The king incampeth at Lewes.]
After Easter the earle of Leicester, hauing London at his commandement,
went to Rochester and besieged that citie, but the capteine thereof
Iohn earle of Warren did manfullie resist the enimies; till the king
aduertised thereof, with the power of the marshes of the north parts
and other came and remooued the siege. This doone, he left a conuenient
garrison within the citie to defend it, and comming to Tunbridge, wan
the castell, and taking the countesse of Glocester that was within
it, permitted hir to depart. This doone, he repaired to the sea side
towards France, to staie there till his brethren, Geffrey and Guie, the
sonnes of the earle of Marsh should arriue with some band of souldiers,
for whom he had now sent and reuoked into the realme, being latelie
before banished by the Nobles, as before yée haue heard. They shortlie
after landed, wherevpon the king hauing his power increased, came to
Lewes, and pight downe his field not farre from that towne.
[Sidenote: The barons send a letter to the king.]
[Sidenote: The answer to ye barons.]
[Sidenote: He defieth them.]
In the end of Aprill the barons hearing where the king was, departed
from London with a great multitude of the citizens, whom they placed in
the vantward, and marched foorth towards the king, and comming néere
to the place where he was lodged, set downe their tents, and incamped
themselues a little beside him. Either here or by the waie as they
came forward, the barons deuised a letter, and sent it vnto the king,
conteining an excuse of their dooings, and a declaration of their well
meanings, both towards him, and the wealth of the realme; and herewith
accused those that were about him; and with euill counsell misinformed
him, both against them, against the publike wealth of the land, and his
owne honor. This letter was dated the tenth of Maie, and subscribed
with the names of a great number of noble men, of the which the more
part doo here insue, but yet not all; Sir Simon de Montfort earle of
Leicester and high steward of England, sir Gilbert de Clare earle of
Glocester, Robert Ferrers earle of Darbie, Hugh Spenser lord chéefe
iustice, & Henrie Montfort sonne and heire to the earle of Leicester,
Richard Grey, Henrie Hastings, Iohn Fitz Iohn, Robert de Véepont, Iohn
Ginuile, Robert Roos, William Marmion, Baldwine Wake, Gilbert Gifford,
Nicholas de Segraue, Godfrey de Lucie, Iohn de Veisie, William de
Mountchensie, with other. The king answered this letter, in charging
them with rebellion, and moouing of open war against him, to the great
disquieting of the realme. Also he laid vnto their charge, the burning
of the manours, houses and places of his nobles and councellors; and
herewith defied them by the same answer, which was dated at Lewes
aforesaid on the twelfth of Maie.
[Sidenote: _Math. West._]
[Sidenote: _N. Triuet._]
[Sidenote: The ordering of the battels.]
Also the king of Romanes, and prince Edward sent their defiance to the
barons at the same time in writing vnder their seales, for that the
barons in their letter to the king, had burthened them and other with
misleading the king with vntrue informations and sinister counsell.
Thus as they writ to and fro such nipping letters, all the treatie of
peace was forgotten and laid aside, so that they prepared to battell.
The king had indéed the greater number of armed men, but manie of them
were vnfaithfull, and cared not greatlie though the losse fell to his
side, and so whilest they went to it without order, & vnaduisedlie,
they fought at aduenture, & continued but faintly. His capteines made
thrée battels of their armie, the lord Edward led the foreward, and
with him William de Valence earle of Penbroke, and Iohn de Warren erle
of Surrey and Sussex. In the second, the K. of Almaine, with his sonne
Henrie were chéeftaines. The third the king gouerned himselfe.
[Sidenote: The battels ioine.]
[Sidenote: _Chron. Dunst._]
[Sidenote: Prince Edward pursueth the Londoners.]
The barons diuided their host into foure battels, the first was vnder
the gouernment of the lord Henrie de Montfort and others. The second
was led by the lord Gilbert de Clare, the lord Iohn Fitz Iohn, and the
lord William de Mountchensie. The third, in which the Londoners were
placed, the lord Nicholas de Segraue ruled. The fourth was led by Simon
Montfort earle of Leicester himselfe, and one Thomas de Peuelston. Thus
being ordered, on the fourtéenth of Maie being Wednesdaie, they ioined
in fight, and at the first incounter, the L. Henrie de Hastings, the
lord Geffrey de Lucie, & Humfrey de Bohun the yoonger were wounded,
and the Londoners forthwith were beaten backe: for prince Edward so
fiercelie assailed them, that they were not able to abide the brunt. He
hated them indéed aboue all other, namelie for that of late they had
misvsed his mother, reuiling hir, and throwing durt and stones at hir,
when she passed the bridge (as before ye haue heard) which wrong and
abuse by them committed was peraduenture on their parts forgotten, but
of prince Edward (as it séemeth) remembred, for
Puluere qui lædit, sed læsus marmore scribit.
[Sidenote: The kings part put to the worse.]
[Sidenote: _Matt. West._]
[Sidenote: _Nic. Triuet._]
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]
[Sidenote: Seuen hundred hath _Abington._]
[Sidenote: Prince Edward commeth backe to his father.]
Herevpon prince Edward now to be reuenged of them, after they began
to flie, most egerlie following them, chased & slue them by heaps.
But whilest he separated himselfe by such earnest following of the
Londoners too farre from the residue of the kings armie, he was the
onelie cause of the losse of that field: for the earle of Leicester,
perceiuing that the prince with the chiefest force of the kings armie
was thus gone after the Londoners (of whom he made no great account)
he exhorted his people to shew their valiancie at that instant, and so
comming vpon his aduersaries with great courage, in a moment put them
to flight. There were taken the king of Almaine, the lords Iohn de
Burgh and Philip Basset with all other the chiefest that were about the
king, but the king himselfe retired with those few about him that were
left, into the priorie of Lewes, and other there were that withdrew
into the castell. The barons pursuing them, entered the towne, and
tooke or slue so manie as they found within the castell and priorie. At
length, prince Edward returned from the chase of the Londoners, whom he
had pursued for the space of foure miles, and finding the field lost,
began a new battell: but the earle of Surrie, William de Valence, and
Guy de Lucignan, with Hugh Bigod and others, hauing with them thrée
hundred armed men, streightwaies fled vnto the castell of Pemsie.
Prince Edward then perceiuing slaughter to be made on each hand, cast
about the towne, and with his companie got into the priorie to his
father.
[Sidenote: Friers suborned to treat a peace.]
In the meane time the barons gaue assault to the castell, but they
within valiantlie defended themselues, with whose hardie dooings
prince Edward incouraged, gathered his people togither againe, and
meant eftsoones to giue battell; but the subtill head of the earle of
Leicester beguiled them all, for he caused certeine friers to take in
hand to be intreators betwixt them, which comming to the king and to
the prince his sonne, declared that the barons, to auoid that more
christian bloud should not be spilt, would be contented to haue the
matter put in compromise of indifferent persons; but if it were so,
that the king and his sonne would néeds stand to the vttermost triall
of battell, they would not faile but strike off the heads of the king
of Almaine and other prisoners, which they would set vpon the ends of
their speares in stéed of standards.
[Sidenote: An agréement taken.]
[Sidenote: _Matth. West._]
The king and his people hauing the respect of pitie before their eies,
changed their purposed intent to fight, and falling to a parle (which
continued for the most part of all the night next following) at length
it was agréed vpon, that the French king with thrée prelats and thrée
other noble men of the temporaltie, should choose foorth and name two
noble men of France, which comming into England should take a third
person to them whom they thought good, and they thrée should haue the
hearing of all controuersies betwixt the king and the barons, and
what order so euer they tooke therein, the same should stand, and be
receiued for a perfect conclusion and stable decrée. This agréement was
confirmed, and prince Edward and Henrie sonne to the king of Almaine
were appointed to remaine as hostages with the barons.
[Sidenote: _Polydor._]
[Sidenote: _Matth. Westm._]
[Sidenote: Lords taken on the kings side.]
¶Other write otherwise of this battell at Lewes, affirming, that not
onelie the king of Romans, but also king Henrie himselfe, hauing his
owne horsse thrust through on both sides, was taken, and likewise his
sonne prince Edward with other on their side, to the number of fiue
and twentie barons and bannerets: and that moreouer, there died on the
kings side that day in the battell and chase, six thousand and fiue
hundred men, as Polydor noteth: howbeit, Richard Southwell saith, there
died on both parts onlie 3400. But Matth. Westminster waiteth, that as
the report went, there died fiue thousand on both sides, and amongst
other, these he nameth as chéefe, William de Wilton one of the kings
iustices, & the lord Fouke Fitz Waren a baron that tooke the kings
part. On the barons side, the lord Rafe Heringander a baron also, and
William Blunt the earles standard bearer. Of them that were taken on
the kings side, beside such as before are recited, we find these named,
Humfrie de Bohun earle of Hereford, William lord Bardolfe, Robert lord
of Tatshale, Roger lord Somerie, Henrie lord Percie, Iohn de Balioll,
Robert de Bruis, and Iohn Comin, with other barons of Scotland, hauing
lost all their footmen whom they had brought with them to the kings aid.
[Sidenote: _Fabian._]
[Sidenote: _N. Triuet._]
[Sidenote: _Matth. Westm._]
Moreouer, it should appeare by some writers, that the king being thus
in captiuitie, was constreined to make a new grant, that the statutes
of Oxford shuld stand in force, and if any were thought vnreasonable,
the same should be reformed by foure Noble men of the realme of France,
two of the spiritualtie and two of the temporaltie. And if those foure
could not agrée, then the earle of Aniou and the duke of Burgoigne
shuld be iudges in the matter. ¶ But if either those or the other
were appointed to be arbitrators, like it is, that the former report
touching the successe of the battell is true; for if both the king and
his sonne had béene taken prisoners in the field, the barons would
suerlie haue constreined him to haue consented to the obseruance of the
statutes, without putting the same in compromise, to be altered at the
discretion of any arbitrators, and namelie strangers.
[Sidenote: Peace proclaimed.]
[Sidenote: A new deuise of the barons.]
But howsoeuer it was, on the tuesday before the Ascension day, peace
was proclaimed in London, betwéene the king and the barons; and whereas
the king either by constreint for safegard of himselfe or his fréends,
either vpon assurance of the barons promise, committed himselfe vnto
the companie of the same barons, at their comming with him to London
they went from this last agréement, and foorthwith deuised other
ordinances as thus. They ordeined, that two earles and a bishop, which
being elected out by the communaltie, should choose to them nine other
persons, and of these, thrée of them should still remaine about the
king, and by their order and the other nine, all things should be
gouerned both in the court and in the realme. They constreined the
king and his sonne prince Edward (menacing to depose the one, and to
kéepe the other in perpetuall prison) to consent and agrée to this last
ordinance: and so the earles of Leicester and Glocester, and the bishop
of Chichester were ordeined there the chéefe rulers, and letters sent
with all spéed vnto the cardinall Sabinensis the popes legat, and to
the king of France, to signifie to them, that the compromise agréed
vpon at Lewes was vtterlie reuoked, and that a new peace in fréendlie
wise was concluded.
But although the bishops of London, Winchester, and Worcester
instantlie required the said legat, that he would helpe to further the
same peace, yet he sore rebuked them, in that they would giue their
consent, so much to abase and bring vnder the kings roiall power. And
bicause he might not be suffered to enter the realme, he first cited
them to appeare before him at Bullongne. And whereas they séemed to
contemne his authoritie, and appeared not, he both suspended the said
thrée bishops, and excommunicated the said earles of Leicester and
Glocester, and their complices, with the citie of London, and the
cinque ports: but the foresaid bishops, earles and barons, feigning to
make their appeales to the popes consistorie, or if néed were, vnto a
generall councell and so foorth, though indéed trusting more to the
temporall sword, than fearing the spirituall, they did not forbeare to
saie and heare diuine seruice in churches and else-where, as before
they had doone, till the comming of the cardinall Othobone.
[Sidenote: _Matth. West._]
[Sidenote: _N. Triuet._]
[Sidenote: The Londoners spoiled at Croidon.]
The capteines and men of warre, whom the king had left at Tunbridge,
immediatlie vpon the agréement concluded betwixt the king and the
barons, were commanded by the K. to depart, & repaire euerie man to his
home; but they fearing the malice of their enimies, would not breake
in sunder, but kéeping togither, went straight to Bristowe, and there
remained, till the lord Edward the kings sonne was escaped out of
captiuitie. But this is to be remembred, that before their departure
from Tunbridge, when by report of William de Saie, who escaping from
the battell at Lewes, was come thither, they vnderstood how the matter
had passed on both sides, and that the Londoners being chased out of
the field, were lodged at Croidon, about the euening tide they came
thither, and assailing them in their lodgings, slue manie, and wan a
great spoile. The earle of Leicester and the barons hauing the rule
of the king and realme in their hands, sought to oppresse all such as
they knew to be against them, and not to like of their procéedings;
namelie, the northerne lords, and those of the marshes of Wales, as the
lord Mortimer and others: but waxing herewith wilfull, they vsed things
with small discretion, which at length brought them to confusion. For
the foure sonnes of the earle of Leicester, Henrie, Guie, Simon, and an
other Henrie, which had serued right worthilie indéed on the daie of
the battell, began to waxe so proud, that in comparison of themselues,
they despised all others.
[Sidenote: _Matt. West._]
[Sidenote: The earle of Darbie commeth to Chester with 20 thousand men.]