The earle of Flanders was iudged most in blame, for that no peace
could be accorded, bicause he would not that the Gauntiners should be
comprised therin, but the Englishmen would not agree either to truce or
peace, except regard might be had of the Gauntiners, as their fréends
and alies. The kings of Spaine and Scotland were comprised in this
truce as confederats to the Frenchmen, which should haue signified the
same into Scotland, but did not, till great harme followed through
negligence vsed in that matter, as after yée shall perceiue. ¶ The same
yeare in the night of the feast of the Purification of our ladie, great
lightenings and thunders chanced, which put manie in no small feare, so
huge and hideous was that tempest. Shortlie after, there rose no small
adoo in the citie of London about the election of their maior: for such
as fauoured the late maior Iohn de Northampton, otherwise called Iohn
de Comberton, stood against sir Nicholas Brambre knight that was chosen
to succéed the said Iohn de Northampton, insomuch that a shoomaker who
was one of the same Iohn de Northamptons partakers, presumed through a
number of voices that were readie to fauour him, to take vpon him as
maior: |763| but through the counsell of sir Robert Knolles knight,
he was suddenlie apprehended, drawne, and beheaded, as a rebell and
troubler of the kings peace.
[Sidenote: The duke of Lancaster inuadeth Scotland with an armie.
Edenburgh left desolate.
Great death of horsses and men in the English host, by reason of
extreme cold.]
In the lent season, the duke of Lancaster with his brother the earle of
Buckingham went towards the borders, hauing with him a mightie power of
knights, esquiers, and archers, and after he had remained a certeine
time vpon the borders, about Easter he entered Scotland, and comming
within thrée miles of Edenburgh, he staied there three daies, in which
meane time the Scots conueied all their goods out of the towne ouer the
water of Firth: so that when the armie came thither, they found nothing
but bare walles, which gréeued the soldiers not a little. The Scots
would not come foorth to giue anie battell to the Englishmen, but got
them into woods and mounteines, or else passed ouer the riuer of Firth,
suffering the Englishmen to fight with the vehement cold wether that
then sore annoied those parts, in so much that on Easter daie at night,
through snow that fell, and such extreame cold and boisterous stormes,
as sore afflicted the armie, being incamped within the compasse of a
marish ground for their more suertie: there died aboue fiue hundred
horsses, to let passe the losse of men that perished at the same time,
of whom we make no mention. To conclude, after the duke and his brother
the earle had remained a time thus in Scotland, and burned certeine
townes, they returned into England.
[Sidenote: A parlement at Salisburie.