lodged in the castell, sending foorth the next day with all spéed,
letters to the shiriffe of Derbishire and Notinghamshire, aduertising
him both of the successe he had against his enimies, and withall,
pronouncing them and all their adherents, rebels and traitors to
him and his realme, and that for such they should be reputed, taken
and vsed. Wherefore he commanded in the same letters or writs, vpon
forfeiture of all that the said shiriffe might forfeit, he should
pursue the said rebels, that is, the earles of Lancaster and Hereford,
the lords Roger Damorie, Hugh Audelie the yoonger, Iohn de Mowbraie,
Bartholomew de Badelismere, Roger de Clifford, Iohn Gifford de
Brimesfield, Henrie Tieis, and all and euerie other person or persons
that were of their confederacie, or in their companies; causing hue
and crie to be raised vpon them, in what part soeuer they might be
heard of, and in all places where the said shiriffe should thinke it
expedient, and to inioine and streightlie command all and singular
persons, the said rebels and enimies to pursue, take and arrest, and
them to deliuer vnto the said shiriffe, and that such as were not
able to pursue them, yet with hand or horne they should leuie hue and
crie against them, in paine that being found negligent herein, to be
accompted for fauourers and adherents to the said rebels and traitors,
and that the said shiriffe should therevpon apprehend them, and put
them in prison. The writ was dated at Tutburie the eleuenth of March,
and the like writs were directed and sent foorth to all other shiriffes
through the realme, and likewise to the bishop of Durham, and to the
iustice of Chester.
[Sidenote: Proclamations made for the peace to be kept.]
Beside this, he directed also other writs to the said shiriffes and
others, that although he had béene constreined to passe in forceable
wise through diuerse parts of his realme, and the marches of Wales, to
suppresse the malicious rebellion of diuerse his subiects, and that
as yet he was constreined to continue his iournie in such forceable
wise, neuertheles his pleasure was, that the peace should be mainteined
and kept throughout his realme, with the statutes, lawes and customes
inuiolated, and therfore he commanded the said shiriffes, that they
should cause the same to be proclaimed in places where was thought
most expedient, as well within liberties as without, inhibiting that
any maner of person, of what state or condition soeuer he was, vpon
paine that might fall thereon, to attempt any thing to the breach of
peace; but that euerie man should séeke to mainteine and preserue the
peace and tranquillitie of the people, with the statutes, lawes and
good customes of the land, to the vttermost of his power: this alwaies
obserued, that the rebels, wheresoeuer they might be found, should be
arrested, and committed to safe custodie. The daie of this writ was at
Tutburie aforesaid on the twelfth of March.
[Sidenote: The lord Damorie departed this life.]
[Sidenote: Sir Gilbert de Ellesfield & sir Robert Holland submit
themselues to the king.]
[Sidenote: The earles of Lancaster & Hereford came to Pomfret.]
[Sidenote: _Rich. South._]
[Sidenote: Sir Andrew Herkley.]
The lord Roger Damorie laie sicke in his bed at the same time in the
priorie of Tutburie, who after he had heard what iudgement the king
had pronounced against him, departed this life within two daies after.
But the earles of Lancaster and Hereford, with other in their companie
that fled from the discomfiture at Burton, lost manie men and horsses
in their flieng away, by reason of such pursuit as was made after them.
Diuerse of them that had taken part with the lords against the king,
came now and submitted themselues vnto him, amongst the which were sir
Gilbert de Ellesfield, and sir Robert Holland knights. The king yet had
the said Holland in some suspicion, bicause he had promised to haue
come to him before. The earle of Lancaster had sent him at this time
to raise his tenants in Lancashire, and to bring them vnto him, but
he deceiued him, and came not to him at all, wherevpon the earles of
Lancaster and Hereford, with the other barons, being come vnto Pomfret
fell to councell in the Friers there, and finallie, after much debating
of the matter, and considering how by the vntrue dealing of the said
Robert Holland, their side was much weakened, it was concluded, that
they should go to the castell of Dunstanborough, and there remaine
till they might purchase the kings pardon, sith their enterprise thus
quailed vnder their hands: and herewith setting forward that waie
foorth, they came to Borough bridge, where sir Andrew de Herkley with
the power of the countesse of Cumberland and Westmerland had forlaid
the passage, and there on a tuesdaie being the 16 of March, he setting
vpon the barons, in the end discomfited them, and chased their people.
[Sidenote: The earle of Hereford slaine.]
[Sidenote: The earle of Lancaster taken. Bar[=o]s taken.]
[Sidenote: The battell of Borough bridge.]
In this fight was slaine the earle of Hereford, the lord William de
Sullie, with sir Roger de Bourghfield, and diuerse others. And there
were taken Thomas earle of Lancaster, the lord Roger Clifford son
to that lord Roger which died in the battell of Bannockesborne in
Scotland, the lord Gilbert Talbot, the lord Iohn Mowbraie, the lord
Hugh de Willington, the lord Thomas Manduit, the lord Warren de Lisle,
the lord Philip Darcie, the lord Thomas Wither, the lord Henrie de
Willington, the lord Hugh de Knouill, the lord Philip de Beche, the
lord Henrie de Leiborne, the lord Henrie de Bradborne, the lord Iohn
de Beckes, the lord Thomas Louell, the lord William fitz William,
Robert de Wateuille, Iohn de Strikeland, Odnell Heron, Walter Pauelie
of Stretton, and a great number of other esquires and gentlemen. This
battell was fought on the fiftéenth day of March, in the yeare 1322
after the accompt of them that begin the yeare at the Circumcision,
which was in the said fiftéenth yéere of this kings reigne.
[Sidenote: The castell of Pomfret is rendred to the king.]
The bodie of the earle of Hereford was sent to Yorke, two friers of
the order of preachers being appointed to looke to it, till the king
tooke order for the burieng of it. The lord Clifford also, bicause he
was wounded with an arrow, was sent vnto Yorke. At the same time, the
lord Henrie Percie tooke the lord Henrie Tieis, and Iohn de Goldington
knight, with two esquires, and within a few daies after, Donald de Mar
tooke the lord Bartholomew de Badelismere, the lord Hugh Audelie the
yoonger, the lord Iohn Gifford, the lord William Tuchet, and in maner
all those which escaped by flight from this battell were taken in one
place or other, by such of the kings seruants and fréends as pursued
them. Vpon the one and twentith of March, came sir Andrew de Harkley
vnto Pomfret, bringing with him the earle of Lancaster and other
prisoners. The king was come thither a few daies before, and had the
castell yéelded to him by the constable, that not manie daies past was
appointed to the kéeping thereof by the earle, which earle now being
brought thither captiue, was mocked, scorned, and in derision called
king Arthur.
[Sidenote: The earle of Lancaster arreigned.]
[Sidenote: He is found giltie.]
[Sidenote: _Ri. Southwell._]
[Sidenote: He is beheaded.]
On the morrow after being mondaie, the two and twentith of March, he
was brought before these noble men, Edmund earle of Kent, Iohn earle of
Richmond, Aimer earle of Penbroke, Iohn erle of Surrie, Edmund earle
of Arundell, Dauid earle of Atholl, Robert earle of Anegos, the lord
Hugh Spenser the father, the lord Robert de Malmesthorp iustice, and
others with them associate, before whome he was arreiegned of high
treason, for that he had raised warre against the king, and defended
the passage of Burton bridge, for the space of thrée daies togither
against him, and after when it was perceiued that the king had passed
the riuer, he with Humfrie de Bohun earle of Hereford, and other their
complices like traitors, set fire on the said towne, and cruellie burnt
part of the houses and men of the same towne, and after, the said earle
of Lancaster with his complices, arranged himselfe in field with his
armie and banners displaid readie to fight against the king, till that
perceiuing the kings power to be ouerstrong for him & his partakers
to resist, he togither with them fled, committing by the waie diuerse
felonies and roberies, till they came to Burrough bridge, where finding
certeine of the kings faithfull subiects readie to resist them, they
assailed the said faithfull subiects with force of armes and banners
displaied, slaieng diuerse of them, till finallie the said earle of
Lancaster was caught, and other of his complices, some taken, some
slaine, and the residue put to flight, so that there wanted no good
will in the said earle of Lancaster and others, whie the king should
not haue béene vanquished. Which treasons, murthers, burning of houses,
destroieng of the kings people, being plainlie & manifestlie knowne to
the earls, barons, lords, and other people of the land, the said earle
of Lancaster was therevpon adiudged to die, according to the law in
such cases prouided, that is, to be drawne, hanged, and headed. But
bicause he was the quéenes vncle, and sonne to the kings vncle, he was
pardoned of all saue heading, and so accordinglie therevnto suffered at
Pomfret the two and twentith of March.
Thus the king séemed to be reuenged of the displeasure doone to him
by the earle of Lancaster, for the beheading of Péers de Gaueston
earle of Cornewall, whom he so déerelie loued, and bicause the earle
of Lancaster was the chéefe occasioner of his death, the king neuer
loued him entirelie after. ¶ So that here is verified the censure of
the scripture expressed by the wisedome of Salomon, that the anger and
displeasure of the king is as the roring of a lion, and his reuenge
ineuitable. Wherefore it is an hie point of discretion in such as
are mightie, to take héed how they giue edge vnto the wrath of their
souereigne, which if it be not by submission made blunt, the burthen of
the smart insuing will lie heauie vpon the offender, euen to his vtter
vndooing, and losse (perhaps) of life. In this sort came the mightie
earle of Lancaster to his end, being the greatest péere in the realme,
and one of the mightiest earles in christendome: for when he began to
leauie warre against the king, he was possessed of fiue earledomes,
Lancaster, Lincolne, Salisburie, Leicester, and Derbie, beside other
seigniories, lands, and possessions, great to his aduancement in honor
and puissance. But all this was limited within prescription of time,
which being expired, both honour and puissance were cut off with
dishonour and death, for (O mutable state!)
Inuida fatorum series, summisq; negatum
Stare diu.
[Sidenote: Lords executed.]
On the same day, the lord William Tuchet, the lord William fitz
William, the lord Warren de Lisle, the lord Henrie Bradborne, and the
lord William Chenie barons, with Iohn Page an esquire, were drawne
and hanged at Pomfret aforesaid, and then shortlie after, Roger lord
Clifford, Iohn lord Mowbraie, and sir Gosein d'Eeuill barons, were
drawne and hanged at Yorke. At Bristow in like manner were executed
sir Henrie de Willington, and sir Henrie Montfort baronets; and at
Glocester the lord Iohn Gifford, and sir William Elmebridge knight;
and at London the lord Henrie Teies baron, at Winchelsie, Sir Thomas
Culpepper knight; at Windsor, the lord Francis de Aldham baron; and
at Canturburie, the lord Bartholomew de Badelismere, and the lord
Bartholomew de Ashbornham, barons. Also at Cardiffe in Wales, sir
William Flemming knight was executed: diuerse were executed in their
countries, as sir Thomas Mandit and others.
[Sidenote: _Auesburie._]
[Sidenote: _Nic. Triuet._]
[Sidenote: _Caxton._]
But now touching the foresaid earle of Lancaster, great strife rose
afterwards amongst the people, whether he ought to be reputed for a
saint or no. Some held, that he ought to be no lesse estéemed, for that
he did manie almesdéeds in his life time, honored men of religion,
and mainteined a true quarell till his liues end. Also, his enimies
continued not long after, but came to euill end. Others conceiued
an other opinion of him, alledging, that he fauoured not his wife,
but liued in spouse-breach, defiling a great number of damosels and
gentlewomen. If anie offended him, he slue him shortlie after in his
wrathfull mood. Apostataes and other euill dooers he mainteined, and
would not suffer them to be punished by due order of law. All his
dooings he vsed to commit vnto one of his secretaries, and tooke no
héed himselfe thereof: and as for the manner of his death, he fled
shamefullie in the fight, and was taken and put to death against his
will, bicause he could not auoid it: yet by reason of certeine miracles
which were said to be doone néere the place both where he suffered, and
where he was buried, caused manie to thinke he was a saint; howbeit, at
length, by the kings c[=o]mandement, the church doores of the priorie
where he was buried, were shut and closed, so that no man might be
suffered to come to the toome to bring any offerings, or to do any
other kind of deuotion to the same. Also, the hill where he suffered
was kept by certeine Gascoignes, appointed by the lord Hugh Spenser the
sonne then lieng at Pomfret, to the end that no people should come and
make their praiers there in worship of the said earle, whome they tooke
verelie for a martyr.
[Sidenote: A parlement at Yorke.]
[Sidenote: The record touching the banishing of the Spensers reuersed.]
[Sidenote: Creation of earls.]
[Sidenote: The lord Audelie pardoned.]
When the king had subdued the barons, shortlie after, about the feast
of the Ascension of our Lord, he held a parlement at Yorke, in which
parlement, the record and whole processe of the decrée or iudgement
concerning the disheriting of the Spensers, ordeined by the lords in
parlement assembled at London the last summer, was now throughlie
examined, and for their errours therein found, the same record and
processe was cléerelie adnihilated and reuersed, and the said Spensers
were restored to all their lands and offices, as before. And in the
same parlement the lord Hugh Spenser the father was made earle of
Winchester, and the lord Andrew de Herklie earle of Carleill. Moreouer,
in the same parlement, all such were disherited as had taken part with
the earls of Lancaster & Hereford, except the lord Hugh Audelie the
yoonger, and a few other, the which lord Hugh was pardoned, bicause
he had married the kings néece, that was sister to Gilbert de Clare
earle of Glocester which was slaine in Scotland, at the battell of
Bannockesborne, as before is mentioned.
[Sidenote: Robert Baldocke is made lord chancellour.]
[Sidenote: _Polydor._]
[Sidenote: The quéene giueth good counsell. The kings eldest sonne
created prince of Wales.]
At this time also master Robert Baldocke, a man euill beloued in the
realme, was made lord chancellour of England. This Robert Baldocke, and
one Simon Reding were great fauourers of the Spensers, and so likewise
was the earle of Arundell, whereby it may be thought, that the Spensers
did helpe to aduance them into the kings fauour, so that they bare
no small rule in the realme, during the time that the same Spensers
continued in prosperitie, which for the terme of fiue yeares after that
the foresaid barons (as before is expressed) were brought to confusion,
did woonderfullie increase, and the quéene for that she gaue good and
faithfull counsell, was nothing regarded, but by the Spensers meanes
cléerelie worne out of the kings fauour. Moreouer, we find, that in
this parlement holden at Yorke, the kings sonne Edward was made prince
of Wales, and duke of Aquitaine.
[Sidenote: Statutes.]
[Sidenote: A subsidie.]
[Sidenote: Addition to _Triuet._]
[Sidenote: The earle of Penbroke arrested.]
Also the king caused the ordinances made by the earles and barons to be
examined by men of great knowledge and skill, and such as were thought
necessarie to be established, he commanded that the same should be
called statutes, and not ordinances. Beside a great subsidie granted
to the king by the temporaltie, the cleargie of all the prouince
of Canturburie granted fiue pence of euerie marke, and they of the
prouince of Yorke foure pence. Aimer earle of Penbroke, being returned
home from this parlement holden at Yorke, was arrested by certeine
knights, sent with authoritie therevnto from the king, who brought him
backe to Yorke, where at length thorough suit of certeine noble men, he
was vpon his oth taken to be a faithfull subiect, and in consideration
of a fine which he paied to the king, set at libertie. The occasion of
his imprisonment came, for that he was accused and detected to be a
secret fauourer of the barons cause against the Spensers in time of the
late troubles.
[Sidenote: _Fabian._]
Moreouer, shortlie after the king gathered the sixt penie of the
temporall mens goods thorough England, Ireland and Wales, which had
béene granted to him at the foresaid parlement holden at Yorke,
towards the defending of the realme against the Scots. This tax was
not gathered without great murmur and grudge, the realme being in such
euill and miserable state as it then was. ¶ This yeare also the sunne
appeared to mans sight in colour like to bloud, and so continued six
houres, to wit, from seuen of the clocke in the morning of the last
daie of October, vntill one of the clocke in the afternoone of the same
daie.
[Sidenote: _Polydor._]
[Sidenote: The Scots inuade the bishoprike of Durham.]
Here is to be noted, that during the time whilest the ciuill warre was
in hand betwixt king Edward and his barons, the Scots and Frenchmen
were not idle, for the Scots wasted & destroied the countrie of the
bishoprike of Durham (as before ye haue partlie heard) & the Frenchmen
made roades & incursions into the borders of Guien, alledging that they
did it vpon good and sufficient occasion, for that king Edward had not
doone his homage vnto the king of France, as he ought to haue doone,
for the duchie of Aquitaine, and the countie of Pontieu. But the true
occasion that mooued them to attempt the warres at that present, was
for that they were in hope to recouer all the lands which the king of
England held within France, cléerelie out of his hands, for so much
as they vnderstood the discord betwixt him and his barons, and how
infortunatlie he had sped against the Scots, by reason whereof they
iudged the time to serue most fitlie now for their purpose.
[Sidenote: _Rich. South._]
[Sidenote: Rob. Bruce inuadeth England.]
[Sidenote: Sée more hereof in Scotland.]
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 16.]
[Sidenote: The king goeth into Scotland with an army.]
[Sidenote: _Ri. Southw._]
[Sidenote: _Merimouth._]
In the octaues of the natiuitie of saint Iohn Baptist, Robert Bruce
entring into England by Carleill, kept on his waie through Cumberland,
Coupeland, Kendall, and so into Lancashire, till he came to Preston
in Andernesse, which towne he burnt, as he had doone others in the
countries through which he had passed. There were some of the Scots
that forraied the countrie fiue miles on this side Preston southwards,
and thus being fourescore long miles within England, they returned
homewards, and entred againe into Scotland without incounter, after
they had béene at this time within England the space of thrée wéeks
and thrée daies. King Edward being thus beset with two mischiefes both
at one time, thought good first to prouide remedie against the néerer
danger, which by the Scots was still at hand, and therefore he meant to
go against them himselfe, and to send his brother Edmund earle of Kent
into Guien, to defend that countrie from the Frenchmen. Herevpon now in
the sixtéenth yeare of his reigne, after that the Scots were returned
home with a great bootie and rich spoile, he got togither a wonderfull
great armie of men, and entring into Scotland, passed far within the
countrie, not finding any resistance at all (as the most part of our
writers doo agrée) but at length, through famine and diseases of the
flix and other maladies that fell amongst the Englishmen in the armie,
he was constreined to come backe, and in his waie besieged the castell
of Norham, which fortresse he wan within ten daies after he had begun
to assault it.
Robert Bruce immediatlie after the English armie was retired home,
raised a power, and entring into England by Sulwaie sands laie at a
place called Beaumond, not past thrée miles fr[=o] Carleill, by the
space of fiue daies, sending in the meane time the most part of his
armie abroad to spoile and harrie the countrie on euerie side, and
afterwards remouing from thence, he passed towards Blackamore, hauing
knowledge by diligent espials, that king Edward was in those parts,
giuing himselfe more to pastime in hunting there within the woods
about Blackamore, than to the good ordering of his people which he had
then about him. Wherevpon the Scotish king Bruce, entring into that
wild and moorish countrie, where he had not béene afore, conueied his
enterprise so warilie, and with such diligent industrie, that on saint
Lukes daie, comming vpon the English armie at vnwares, he put the same
to flight, so that the king himselfe was in great danger to haue béene
taken prisoner. For (as some authors write) the Scots had almost taken
him at dinner in the abbeie of Beighland. Sir Iohn Britaine earle of
Richmond was taken at this battell, and the kings treasure was spoiled
and carried awaie, with the prouision and ordinance that belonged to
the host.
[Sidenote: _Rich. South._]
[Sidenote: Yorkeswoll spoiled by the Scots. Beuerlie ransomed. The
earle of Carleill raiseth an armie.]
[Sidenote: _Fabian._]
The king escaping awaie, got to Yorke, and the Scots hauing thus the
vpper hand, after they had spoiled the monasterie of Riuale, and taken
their pleasure there, they passed foorth into Yorkeswold, destroieng
that countrie euen almost vnto Beuerlie, which towne they ransomed,
receiuing a summe of monie for sparing it, least they should haue burnt
it, as they did other. The earle of Carleill being commanded by the
king to raise the powers of Cumberland, Westmerland, and Lancashire,
did so, and according to that he had in commandement, bringing them
belowe the countries vnto Yorke, found the K. there in no plight to
giue battell to his enimies, all things being brought about him into
great confusion: wherevpon he licenced his people to depart to their
homes againe, and the Scots so returned without battell home into their
countries, entring into Scotland the morrow after All hallowes daie,
after they had remained in England at this time, one whole moneth
and foure daies. Some write, that in their returne, they spoiled
Northalerton, and diuerse other townes and places as they passed.
[Sidenote: A conspiracie to set prisoners at libertie.]
[Sidenote: Sir Iohn Goldington.]
In the same yeare, there was a great conspiracie practised by certein
persons that had taken part with the barons in the late warres,
purposing to set at libertie in one selfe night, all those noble men
and others, that were by the king kept in prison for that quarrell.
Certeine therefore of those conspirators came to the castell of
Walingford, within the which the lord Maurice Berkelie, and the lord
Hugh Audlie remained as prisoners. The conspirators found shift to
enter the castell by a posterne gate towards the Thames side, howbeit
not so secretlie but that the townesmen hauing knowledge thereof,
assembled togither, and besieged them that were so entred the castell,
till the earles of Kent and Winchester came with a great power to
réenforce the siege, so that in the end, they that had made this
attempt fled into the chappell of the castell, in hope to be saued
through sanctuarie of the place, but they were (against the willes
of the deane and préests of the colledge there that sought to defend
them) taken foorth by force, so that sir Iohn de Goldington knight, sir
Edmund of the Bech chapleine, and an esquire called Roger Walton, were
sent to Pomfret, and there put in prison; the esquire was after sent to
Yorke, and there drawne and hanged. This enterprise caused all other
prisoners to be more streightlie looked vnto.
[Sidenote: _Polydor._]
[Sidenote: _Rich. Southw._]
[Sidenote: _Polydor._]