saturdaie night before Midlent sundaie, the towne of Berwike was
betraied to the Scots, through the treason of Peter Spalding. The
castell held good tacke a while, till for want of vittels they within
were constreined to deliuer it into the Scotishmens hands, who wan
also the same time the castell of Harbotell, Werke, and Medford, so
that they possessed the more part of all Northumberland, euen vnto
Newcastell vpon Tine, sauing that certeine other castels were defended
against them. In Maie they entred with an armie further into the land,
burning all the countrie before them, till they came to Ripon, which
towne they spoiled, and tarieng there thrée daies, they receiued a
thousand marks of those that were got into the church, and defended it
against them, for that they should spare the towne, and not put it to
the fire, as they had alreadie doone the townes of Northalerton and
Bourghbridge as they came forwards. In their going backe they burnt
Knaresbourgh, and Skipton in Crauen, which they had first sacked, and
so passing through the middest of the countrie, burning and spoiling
all before them, they returned into Scotland with a maruellous great
multitude of cattell, beside prisoners, men and women, and no small
number of poore people, which they tooke with them to helpe to driue
the cattell.
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 12.]
[Sidenote: Additions to _Triuet._]
[Sidenote: The king & the earle of Lancaster made friends.]
[Sidenote: Rob. Bruce pronounced accursed.]
In the 12 yeare of Edward the seconds reigne, in August, the king
and the earle of Lancaster came to talke togither in a plaine beside
Leicester, where they were made fréends to the outward shew, so that
in the yeare next following, the said earle went with the king to
the siege of Berwike. About the feast of the Natiuitie of our ladie,
the two cardinals, which were yet remaining in England, sent foorth
commandements vnto all the prelats and priests within the realme,
that thrée times in euerie solemne masse, they should denounce Robert
Bruce that called himselfe king of Scotland accursed, with all his
councellors and fautors, and on the behalfe of the pope, they depriued
him by denunciation of all honour, and put all his lands vnder
interdiction, disabling all their children [to the second degrée]
that held with him, as vnworthie & vnfit to receiue or take vpon them
any ecclesiasticall function. They denounced also all the prelats of
Scotland and men of religion, exempt, and not exempt, excommunicate and
accursed.
[Sidenote: _Hen. Marl._]
[Sidenote: _Th. Walsing._]
[Sidenote: Continuation of _Triuet._]
The lord Roger Mortimer returned againe into England, and Alexander
Bicnor was made chéefe iustice of Ireland. ¶ Also Edward Bruce, with
sir Walter and sir Hugh Lacie, bringing with them a great armie,
returned out of Scotland, and arriued at Dundalke, on the day of saint
Calixt the pope. But néere to the same place sir Iohn Brimingham,
Richard Tute, and Miles of Verdon, with a power of 1324 men incountred
them, and slue the said Edward le Bruce, and aboue the number of 8200
men, or (as other haue) but 5800. The said sir Iohn Birmingham brought
the head of Edward le Bruce ouer into England, and presented it to the
king. Wherevpon the king in recompense of his seruice, gaue vnto him
the earledome of Louth, to hold to him and his heires males, and the
baronie of Athird to him and his heires generall.
About this season, or somewhat before, about Midsummer (as Southwell
saith) a naughtie fellow called Iohn Poidras, or (as some books haue)
Ponderham, a tanners son of Excester comming to Oxford, and there
thrusting himselfe into the kings hall that stood without the wals,
gaue foorth that he was sonne and right heire of king Edward the first,
and that by means of a false nursse he was stolne out of his cradle,
and this Edward the second being a carters son was brought in and laid
in his place, so that he by reason thereof was afterwards hardlie
fostered and brought vp in the north part of Wales. At length being
laid for, he fled to the church of the white friers in Oxford, trusting
there to be safe through the immunitie of the place, bicause king
Edward the first was their founder. But when he could not kéepe his
toong, but still fondlie vttered his follie, and stood in his opinion,
so that great rumor thereof was raised, he was at length taken out of
that church, & caried to Northampton, where he was there arreigned,
condemned, and had foorth to a place in the countrie called the copped
oke, where he was drawne, hanged, and as a traitour bowelled. At the
houre of his death he confessed, that in his house he had a spirit in
likenesse of a cat, which amongst other things assured him that he
should be king of England.
[Sidenote: 1319.]
[Sidenote: Murren of cattell.]
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 13.]
[Sidenote: The king goeth to Berwike. The Scots come into the parts of
Yorke.]
In this season, to wit, in the yeare 1319, a great murreine and death
of cattell chanced through the whole realme, spreading from place to
place, but speciallie this yeare it reigned in the north, where as in
the yeares before it began in the south parts. The king desirous to be
reuenged of the Scots, made preparation to leuie a mightie armie; and
for want of sufficient numbers of men in other places towards the north
parts, the king caused much people to come vnto him out of the south
and east parts of the realme, amongst the which the citie of London was
constreined to find at their costs and charges two hundred men, sending
them to Yorke, where the generall assemblie of the armie was made. From
thence, after he had receiued his men from sundrie countries and good
townes of his realme, he went to Berwike, & laid siege to the towne. In
which meane time the Scots being assembled, came to the borders, passed
by the English host, and entring into England, came in secréet wise
downe into the marches of Yorkeshire, and there slue the people, and
robbed them in most cruell wise.
[Sidenote: _Auesburie._]
[Sidenote: The discomfiture of Mitton vpon Suale.]
[Sidenote: _Caxton._]
[Sidenote: _Polydor._]
Wherefore the archbishop of Yorke, meaning in time of such necessitie
to doo his indeuour in defense of his countrie, assembled such power
as he could get togither, of clearkes, moonks, canons, and other
spirituall men of the church, with husbandmen and such other vnapt
people for the warres: and thus with a great number of men and few
warlike or discréet chéefeteins, he togither with the bishop of Elie,
as then lord chancellour, came foorth against the Scots, and incountred
with them at a place called Mitton vpon Suale, the twelfth day of
October. Here as the Englishmen passed ouer the water of Suale, the
Scots set fire vpon certeine stacks of haie, the smoke whereof was so
huge, that the Englishmen might not sée where the Scots laie. And when
the Englishmen were once got ouer the water, the Scots came vpon them
with a wing in good order of battell, in fashion like to a shéeld,
egerlie assailing their enimies, who for lacke of good gouernement
were easilie beaten downe and discomfited, without shewing any great
resistance: so that there were slaine to the number of two thousand and
the residue shamefullie put to flight.
[Sidenote: _Auesburie._]
[Sidenote: _Caxton._]
The archbishop, the lord chancellor, and the abbat of Selbie, with
helpe of their swift horsses escaped, and diuerse other. The maior of
Yorke named Nicholas Fleming was slaine, & sir William Diremin préest
taken prisoner. Manie were drowned, by reason that the Scots had
gotten betwixt the Englishmen and the bridge, so that the Englishmen
fled betwixt that wing of the Scots and their maine battell, which had
compassed the Englishmen about on the one side, as the wing did vpon
the other. And bicause so manie spirituall men died in this battell, it
was after named of manie writers the white battell. The king of England
informed of this ouerthrow giuen by the Scots to the Northerne men, he
brake vp his siege incontinentlie, and returned to Yorke.
[Sidenote: _Polydor._]
[Sidenote: The enuie of the lords towards the Spensers.]
Thus all the kings exploits by one means or other quailed, and came
but to euill successe, so that the English nation began to grow in
contempt by the infortunate gouernment of the prince, the which as one
out of the right waie, rashlie and with no good aduisement ordered his
dooings, which thing so gréeued the noblemen of the realme, that they
studied day and night by what means they might procure him to looke
better to his office and dutie; which they iudged might well be brought
to passe, his nature being not altogither euill, if they might find
shift to remooue from him the two Spensers, Hugh the father, and Hugh
the sonne, who were gotten into such fauour with him, that they onelie
did all things, and without them nothing was doone, so that they were
now had in as great hatred and indignation (sith
---- liuor non déerit iniquus
Dulcibus & lætis, qui fel confundat amarum)
both of the lords and commons, as euer in times past was Péers de
Gaueston the late earle of Cornwall. But the lords minded not so much
the destruction of these Spensers, but that the king ment as much their
aduancement, so that Hugh the sonne was made high chamberleine of
England, contrarie to the mind of all the noblemen, by reason whereof
he bare himselfe so hautie and proud, that no lord within the land
might gainsaie that which in his conceit séemed good.
[Sidenote: 1320.]
[Sidenote: Additions to _N. Triuet._]
[Sidenote: tenth of the ecclesiasticall liuings granted to the K.]
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 14.]
[Sidenote: _Caxton._]
[Sidenote: Scots eftsoons accursed.]
In this thirtéenth yeare of his reigne, in Iune king Edward went
ouer into France, where at Amiens he found the French king, of whome
he receiued the countie of Pontieu, which the said French king vpon
his comming to the crowne had seized into his hands, bicause the
king of England had not doone to him his homage due for the same.
Also this yeare the pope granted to the king of England the tenth of
ecclesiasticall reuenues for one yeare, as before that time he had
likewise doone. ¶ About this season, pope Iohn, being informed of the
great destruction and vnmercifull warre which the Scots made vpon
the Englishmen, and namelie for that they spared neither church nor
chapell, abbeie nor priorie, he sent a generall sentence vnder his
bulles of lead vnto the archbishop of Canturburie and Yorke, appointing
them that if Robert le Bruce the Scotish king would not recompense
king Edward for all such harmes as the realme of England had by him
susteined, and also make restitution of the goods that had béene
taken out of churches and monasteries, they should pronounce the same
sentence against him and his complices.
Wherevpon when the Scots tooke no regard to the popes admonition, the
archbishop procéeded to the pronouncing of the foresaid sentence, so
that Robert Bruce, Iames Dowglas, and Thomas Randulfe earle of Murrey,
and all other that kept him companie, or them in any wise mainteined,
were accurssed throughout England euerie day at masse thrée times.
Howbeit, this nothing holpe the matter, but put the king and the realme
to great cost and charge, and in the meane season the commons of the
realme were sore oppressed by sundrie waies and means, diuerse of them
lost their goods and possessions, being taken from them vpon surmised
and feined quarels, so that manie were vtterlie vndoone, and a few
singular and misordered persons were aduanced.
[Sidenote: 1321.]
[Sidenote: _Rich. South._]
[Sidenote: The Scots inuade England.]
After the Epiphanie, when the truce failed betwixt the two realmes of
England and Scotland, an armie of Scots entred England, and came into
the bishoprike of Durham. The earle of Murrey staied at Darington,
but Iames Dowglas and the steward of Scotland went foorth to waste
the countrie, the one towards Hartlepoole and Cleueland, and other
towards Richmond: but they of the countie of Richmond (as before they
had doone) gaue a great summe of monie to saue their countrie from
inuasion. The Scots at that time remained within England by the space
of fiftéene daies or more. The knights and gentlemen of the north
parts did come vnto the earle of Lancaster that laie the same time at
Pomfret, offering to go foorth with him to giue the enimies battell, if
he would assist them: but the earle séemed that he had no lust to fight
in defense of his prince, that sought to oppresse him wrongfullie (as
he tooke it) and therefore he dissembled the matter, and so the Scots
returned at their pleasure without encounter.
[Sidenote: _Thom. Wals._]
[Sidenote: The chéefe cause of the variance betwixt ye lords and the
Sp[=e]sers.]
About this season, the lord William de Bruce that in the marches of
Wales enioied diuerse faire possessions to him descended from his
ancestors, but through want of good gouernement was run behind hand,
offered to sell a certeine portion of his lands called Gowers land
lieng in the marches there, vnto diuerse noble men that had their lands
adioining to the same, as to the earle of Hereford, and to the two
lords Mortimers, the vncle & nephue, albeit the lord Mowbraie that had
maried the onelie daughter and heire of the lord Bruce, thought verelie
in the end to haue had it, as due to his wife by right of inheritance.
But at length (as vnhap would) Hugh Spenser the yoonger lord
chamberleine, coueting that land (because it laie néere on each side to
other lands that he had in those parts) found such means through the
kings furtherance and helpe, that he went awaie with the purchase, to
the great displeasure of the other lords that had béene in hand to buie
it.
Hereby such hartburning rose against the Spensers, that vpon complaint
made by the erle of Hereford vnto the earle of Lancaster, of their
presumptuous dealing, by ruling all things about the king as séemed
best to their likings, it was thought expedient by the said earles
that some remedie in time (if it were possible) should be prouided.
Wherevpon the said earls of Lancaster and Hereford, with the lords
Roger Tuchet, Roger Clifford, Iocelin Deieuille, Roger Bernsfield, the
two Mortimers, Roger the vncle and Roger the nephue, William de Sullie,
William de Elmbrige, Iohn Gifford of Brimesfield, and Henrie Tieis,
all barons; the which with diuerse other lords and knights, and men of
name, assembling togither at Shierborne in Elmedone, sware each of them
to stand by other, till they had amended the state of the realme. But
yet notwithstanding this their oth, the most part of them afterwards
forsaking the enterprise, submitted themselues to the king.
[Sidenote: The lords take armes vpon them against the Spensers.]
Neuerthelesse, whether for that the king by a proclamation set foorth
the sixtéenth of March, had commanded (as some write) that the lords
Mowbraie, Clifford, and Deieuille for disobeieng to make their
personall appearance before him, should auoid the land within ten
daies next insuing, or for that they meant with all spéed to put their
enterprise in execution, we find that the earle of Hereford, the lords
Mortimer, the vncle and nephue, the lord Roger Damorie, the lord Iohn
Mowbraie, the lord Hugh Audelie, and his sonne named also Hugh, the
lord Clifford, the lord Iohn Gifford of Brimesfield, the lord Morice
Berkeley, the lord Henrie Tieis, the lord Iohn Matrauers, with manie
other that were alied togither, hauing the consent also of the earle
of Lancaster, on the wednesdaie next after the feast of the Inuention
of the crosse, hauing with them to the number of eight hundred men of
armes, fiue hundred hoblers, and ten thousand men on foot, came with
the kings banner spread vnto Newport in Wenloks lands, where they tooke
the castell that belonged vnto the lord chamberleine Hugh Spenser the
yoonger.
[Sidenote: They inuade the Spensers lands.]
They also tooke Kaerdie, Kersillie, Lantrissane, Taluan, Lamblethian,
Kenefegis, Neoth, Drusselan, and Diuenor; part of his men which in
the foresaid places they found, they slue, as sir Iohn Iwain, and sir
Matthew de Gorges knights, with 15 other of his men that were Welshmen:
part they tooke and put them in prison, as sir Rafe or Randulfe de
Gorges being sore wounded, sir Philip Ioice, sir Iohn de Frissingfield,
sir Iohn de Dunstable, William de Dunstable, and manie other, of the
which the most part were put to their ransome. They tooke, spoiled
and destroied so much in value of his goods as amounted vnto two
thousand pounds. They tooke vp in such debts as were owing to him in
those parts, to the summe of thrée thousand pounds, and of his rents
to the value néere hand of a thousand pounds. They burnt 23 of his
manors which he had in those parts of Wales, with his barnes, and did
what hurt they could deuise, burning or taking awaie all his writings
and euidences. After they had remained 15 daies there, they came into
England, with the like force and disorder inuading his castels, manors
and possessions, so that the damage which they did here vnto the said
lord chamberleine, amounted to the value of ten thousand pounds.
[Sidenote: The king sendeth to the lords.]
[Sidenote: The lord Badelismere reuolteth to the side of the barons.]
The king aduertised of their dooings, sent vnto them the archbishop
of Canturburie, and the lord Bartholomew de Badelismere lord steward
of his house, to request them to desist and leaue off from such their
outragious dooings, and comming to the parlement which he had alreadie
summoned, they might put in their complaints and grieuances, & he would
sée that they should haue iustice, according as equitie should require.
The lord Badelismere forsaking the king, became one of the confederacie
with the barons, and so the archbish. was glad to returne alone,
leauing the L. Badelismere behind him, who sent the king word by the
archbishop, that till they had expelled the Spensers out of the realme,
they would not giue ouer their enterprise. On saint Barnabies day they
came to a manour of Hugh Spenser the father called Fasterne, in the
countie of Wiltshire, and spoiled the same with diuerse and manie other
manors, as well in Wiltshire, as else where, to wit, in Glocestershire,
Dorsetshire, Hamshire, Barkeshire, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire,
Surrie, Cambridgeshire, Huntingtonshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire,
Chesshire, and Warwikeshire, making such hauocke of all such goods
or cattell as belonged to the said Hugh Spenser the father, that he
was thought to be indamaged to the value of thirtie thousand pounds,
burning his houses, beating, maiming and ransoming his men.
Furthermore not contented to spoile those places which belonged to
him, but hearing that in the abbeie of Stanlie he had laid vp monie
and euidences, they brake into that abbeie, and tooke out thereof a
thousand pounds in readie coine, beside euidences and writings, to the
indamaging of him to the value of six thousand pounds, and likewise
entring into the castell of Marleburgh, where the said Hugh Spenser
the father had laid vp in wooll to the number of 36 sacks, they tooke
the same and other of his goods, as well in plate as apparell, to the
value in all of six thousand pounds. And they did not onelie spoile the
possessions, houses, goods, and cattels of the two Spensers, whersoeuer
they could heare that the same were to be found, but also they vsed
the like disorder against all such as were knowne to be fréends or
well-willers, to either the father or sonne, sending commissions vnto
such as should sée the same executed to the most extremitie, so that in
this rage of enuie and hot reuenge there was no parcialitie, but that
one with another, the innocent with the nocent, the guiltlesse with
the guiltie went to wracke, and (as the old prouerbe saith concurring
with common practise
Quòd sus peccauit succula sæpe luit)
[Sidenote: The barons raise the people and came in armes towards the
parlement.]
[Sidenote: They send to the king.]
[Sidenote: Their requests.]
finallie, after they had satisfied their desires in such riotous sort,
they raised the people, and constrained them to sweare to be of their
accord, and so came forward with the like force towards the parlement
that was summoned to be holden at London thrée wéeks after Midsummer.
At their comming to S. Albons, they sent the bishops of London,
Salisburie, Elie, Hereford, and Chichester, to the king with their
humble suit in outward apperance, though in effect and verie déed more
presumptuous than was requisite. Their chéefe request was that it might
please his highnesse to put from him the Spensers, whose counsell they
knew to be greatlie against his honour, and hereof not to faile if he
tendered the quiet of his realme. They also required letters patents of
him, containing a generall pardon for the indemnitie of themselues, and
all those that had béene in armes with them, so as they should not be
impeached by the king for any transgressions past or present, in time
hereafter to come.
[Sidenote: The kings answer.]
The king herevnto answered, that as concerning Hugh Spenser the father,
he was abroad on his busines beyond the seas, and that Hugh the sonne
was on the sea for the safe kéeping of the cinque ports, as by his
office he was bound, and that they ought not by any right or custome
to be banished, before they haue made answere to the crimes obiected
against them. He added further, that their request wanted foundation
of law and reason. And if it might be proued that the Spensers had in
any wise offended against the statutes and ordinances of the land, they
were alwaies readie to make their answere as the lawes of the realme
should require. Lastlie he added this with an oth, that he would not
be forsworne contrarie to that which at his coronation he had taken
vpon him by oth, through granting letters of peace and pardon to such
notorious offenders in contempt of his person, and to the trouble and
disquieting of the whole realme.
[Sidenote: _Fabian._]
[Sidenote: _Caxton._]
[Sidenote: The order which the lord maior of London tooke.]
The barons vpon knowledge had what answer the king made to their
requests, foorthwith got them to armour, and with a great power of men
of armes and other, came to the parlement, which the king had summoned
to begin at Westminster thrée wéekes after Midsummer. Their retinue
were apparelled in a sute of iakets or coats of colours demie, partie
yellow and gréene with a band of white cast ouerthwart. By reason
whereof that parlement long after was called The parlement of white
bands. Then to sée the kings peace kept within the citie, the maior
caused a thousand men well armed to watch dailie in diuerse wards, & at
diuerse gates of the citie, which watch began at foure of the clocke
in the morning, and so continued till six at night, and then as manie
were appointed to the night watch, continuing the same till the houre
of fiue in the morning. And for the more suertie that this night watch
should be well and sufficientlie kept, two aldermen were assigned
nightlie to ride about the citie with certeine officers of the towne,
to sée the watchmen well and discréetlie guided. The gates were shut
at nine of the clocke & opened againe at seauen in the morning. Also
euerie citizen was warned to haue his armour by him, that he might be
readie vpon anie occasion when he should be called.
[Sidenote: _Matt. West._]
[Sidenote: The Spensers banished by the decrée of the barons.]
Neuerthelesse the barons being come in forceable wise (as yée haue
heard) vnto this parlement, they constreined the earle of Richmond,
Arundell, Warren, and Penbroke, to agrée vnto their purpose; and
likewise some of the bishops they compelled through feare to take an
oth to ioine with them in their purpose, for the expelling of the
Spensers out of the realme, and so comming all togither before the
king, they published certeine articles against the said Spensers, both
the father and sonne, wherevpon they made an award, that they should
be disherited and banished the land during their liues, if by the king
and consent of all the lords in parlement assembled, they should not
be restored. They had day and place appointed where to passe foorth of
the land, to wit, at Douer, and not elsewhere, betwixt the daie of his
award made, and the feast of the decollation of saint Iohn Baptist,
that day to be counted for one. Diuers articles (as before is said)
were laid to the charge of those Spensers.
[Sidenote: Articles wherwith the barons charged the Sp[=e]sers.]
1 Amongst other things it was alledged; First that Hugh Spenser the
sonne, being on a time angrie and displeased with the king, sought to
allie and confederate himselfe with the lord Gifford of Brimesfield,
and the lord Richard Gray to haue constreined and forced the king by
strong hand to haue followed his will and pleasure.
2 Secondlie it was alledged, that the said Spensers as well the father
as the sonne, had caused the king to ride into Glocestershire, to
oppresse and destroie the good people of his land, contrarie to the
forme of the great charter.