+Source.+--_Chronicon Thomæ Wykes_, pp. 192-193, 204, 207-210. (_Annales
Monastici_, vol. iv.--Rolls Series.)
A.D. 1266.--About Michaelmas, a great body of the disinherited, forming
a strong confederation, gathered together secretly, and took possession,
more by guile than by force, and with the connivance of the inhabitants,
of a marshy district, surrounded by lakes and rivers, and girded in by
impassable marshes, commonly called the Isle of Ely. This place, after
they had effected their entrance--and the islanders were unable to
resist such a host of invaders--they immediately stored with arms and
provisions, and built defences which so cunningly closed up the
entrances and exits that no one could approach without their consent;
while they themselves were accustomed to cross to the neighbouring
counties, and there, accompanied by the great band of robbers whom they
had collected, they seized and carried off to the aforesaid island, by
deeds of evil daring, and without respect of persons or places, for
their own sustenance and that of their dependants, whatever food or
furnishings they could find in Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridge, or in any of
the districts round about; and in that island they abode safely without
being disturbed all winter....
A.D. 1267.--Since the King with his nobles was engaged, as we have said,
in the siege of London, the nobles on the island, perceiving that the
administration of the law was lax, and being therefore controlled by no
fear of restraint or armed resistance, but rejoicing in the licence thus
permitted them, harassed the neighbouring district by frequent marauding
expeditions, conducted with the usual cruelty....
But now, the lord Edward, his heart full of the desolation of the Island
of Ely, decided that he must use guile as well as force to reduce by
warlike means its treacherous occupants. (For, against such dastardly
robbers as these, to employ cunning must not be considered a sin, but
rather a virtue, since in dealing with enemies of the State victory is a
consideration paramount to good faith.) Therefore, striving with noble
zeal to put a stop, in the interest of the whole realm, to the fierce
attacks of this great host, Edward cunningly entered into a secret
compact with the lord Nicholas de Segrave, the warden to whom had been
entrusted the guardianship of the defences or fortifications by which
assailants were easily kept back from the approach to the island, his
aim being to prevent any check from that direction to the plans which he
had conceived and was endeavouring to carry into effect; and when this
bargain had been firmly and faithfully sealed, he entered the monastery
of Ramsey, near to the marshes, with a large band of men, and brought
the people of the district over to his side by promises and bribes,
enjoining them not to fear the danger of death should they be compelled
by fate or ill-fortune (which might Heaven forbid!) to die with him;
then the country people, who had come, by frequent examination, to know
the most secret places of that wide extent of marsh land, sailing or
walking over it constantly as they did, fashioned hidden paths through
places formerly impassable, making bridges by means of bundles of reeds
wrought together; and the bounty of Nature supplied the defects of their
skill. By this means a body both of foot-soldiers and horsemen crossed
almost as on dry land. Two hot summers in succession added to the
success of this artifice, by causing places, formerly so swampy as to
offer no sure foothold, to be quite dried up by the heat, so that it
truly might be said, "Here is the finger of God." Thus the soldiers were
enabled, by traversing the paths pointed out to them by the country
people, whose fears vanished under the leadership of so famous a
general, and by the connivance of the lord aforesaid, who held to his
compact, to cross the fortifications and defences without resistance,
and, without the knowledge of the islanders, to halt on solid ground
within the bounds of the island, separated from their enemies only by a
small stream; this, too, they were able to cross without any difficulty
by filling it up with bundles of reeds, of which they had a plentiful
supply, to the terror and stupefaction of the other inhabitants, who now
observed them. Astounded by the sudden, unexpected arrival of so many
strangers, the islanders were slow to make defence or resistance; but
lest they should seem to be entirely inactive, they sent forward to the
river a number of crossbowmen and archers, who, by clearing a passage
with their arrows, or even by a slow retreat, might grant the nobles
time to gird on their armour, assume their weapons, and bear down on
these unexpected adversaries; but the plan failed, for the lord Edward,
fearing that his bold device might come to nought through weakness in
defence, ordered his crossbowmen and archers to engage the enemy's
archers from the other side of the stream; and when his army, having
almost completed its passageway, was courageously commencing to attack
the enemy, whom he saw near at hand ready to fight, the lord Edward
publicly proclaimed that if anyone attacked any of his men or by any act
of rebellion hindered him in carrying out his enterprise, such an one
would suffer death by hanging or execution, should success--and of that
there was no doubt--crown his efforts. On this, the fierce courage of
the islanders weakened and gave way, and all, struck by sudden fear,
laying aside their haughty fierceness, with bowed heads meekly surrendered,
and--though they had refused to hear of it previously--submitted
themselves to the ever-gracious clemency of the Prince.
Then Edward, granting them a simulated pardon, which, indeed, not to
pass over it in silence, they had deserved, allowed a truce of barely
two days in which, sacrilegiously gathering together their spoil, they
should vacate the surrendered city and island. They departed, all alike
in confusion and disgrace, to the no small joy of the provincials, who
were now restored to their possessions and rejoiced in their ancient
liberty. But the victorious army, in triumphal procession, with trumpets
sounding joyfully, entered the city, while all the citizens, together
with the few remaining monks, gave thanks to the King of Kings, who,
pitying the distress of the city and province, had destroyed that evil
horde of wicked men, and, striking from their necks the insupportable
yoke of slavery, had restored their liberty under the protection of
their future Prince.