Part 25
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.]
The lords of the marshes of Wales, as Roger de Mortimer, Iames de Audelie, Roger de Clifford, Roger de Leiborne, Haimon le Strange, Hugh Turberuile, and other that had escaped from the battell at Lewes, began to make against them that had thus vsurped the rule of the land, vnder colour of hauing the king in their hands. The earle of Leicester aduertised hereof, ioined in league with Leolin prince of Wales, and comming with the king into those parts, entered into the castell of Hereford, into the which he remooued the lord Edward from Douer, where he was first kept in ward, after he had yéelded himselfe at Lewes. After this, the earle of Leicester recouered the castell of Haie, and wasting the lands and manours of the lord Mortimer, constreined Hugh Mortimer to yéeld himselfe, so that his castell called Richar, and other his possessions, were committed to the kéeping of the lord Iohn Fitz Iohn. Robert de Ferrers earle of Darbie, with a great puissance of horssemen and footmen came to Chester, in fauour of the earle of Leicester, against whome although William de Cousche, and Dauid brother to the prince of Wales, taking the contrarie part with the lord Iames Audelie and other, came to incounter, yet they durst not abide him, but fled, and lost an hundred of their men.
[Sidenote: The lords Mortimer and Audelie banished.]
[Sidenote: An armie lodged on Barham-downe.]
[Sidenote: _Matth. West._]
[Sidenote: 1265.]
[Sidenote: _Chr. Dunstab._]
In the meane time, the earle of Leicester procéeding in his businesse, wan the castell of Ludlow, and after marching towards Montgomerie, whither the lords Roger de Mortimer, and Iames Audelie were withdrawne, he constreined them at length to a feigned agréement, so that they gaue hostages, promising to come to the next parlement that was appointed to be holden, where they were banished the land for a twelue moneths, and all the castels on the marshes, in manner from Bristow to Chester, were deliuered to the earle. After this (as by Nicholas Triuet it appeareth) there was a great assemblie of men of warre made out of all parts of the realme, to resist such strangers as the quéene (remaining in the parts beyond the seas) had got togither, meaning to send them into England to aid the king against the barons, and for that purpose had caused a great number of ships to be brought into the hauen of Dam. But now that the king was in the barons hands, and that such a multitude of horssemen and footmen were assembled on Barham-downe (as a man would not haue thought had béene possible to haue found within the whole relme) to resist the landing of those strangers, the said strangers were sent home againe, without hauing doone anie pleasure to the quéene, other than spent hir monie. The king held his Christmas at Woodstoke; and the earle of Leicester, who séemed then to rule the whole realme, kept his Christmasse at Killingworth.
[Sidenote: _Abington._]
After this a parlement was holden at London in the octaues of saint Hilarie, and manie things were concluded, couenants accorded, and oths taken for performance by the K. and his sonne prince Edward, which shortlie after came to little effect. Yet prince Edward, and Henrie the sonne and heire of the king of Almaine, which had béene kept as pledges about the tearme of nine moneths and od daies, were in the Lent following set at libertie, vpon assurance made, that the said prince Edward should remaine in the kings court, and not depart from thence without licence of the king and certeine of the barons. He was also constreined to giue vnto the earle of Leicester the countie Palantine of Chester before he might obteine to haue so much libertie. Betwéene Easter and Whitsuntide, the earles of Leicester and Glocester fell at variance, through the presumptuous demeanour of the earle of Leicesters sonnes, and also bicause the earle of Leicester would not deliuer the king of Almaine and other prisoners vnto the earle of Glocester, requiring to haue the custodie of them, bicause he had taken them in the battell at Lewes.
[Sidenote: Prince Edward escapeth awaie.]
[Sidenote: _Matth. West._]
The earle of Glocester, perceiuing himselfe not well vsed, secretlie entred into confederacie with the lord Mortimer, and other of the marshes: wherevpon the earle of Leicester hauing thereof some inkeling, came to Hereford, in purpose to haue taken the earle of Glocester, and to haue put him in safe kéeping, as latelie before he had serued the earle of Darbie. But by the practise of the lord Mortimer, shortlie after the lord Edward or prince Edward (whether yée list to call him) assaieng abroad in the fields an horsse or two, such as he should vse at iusts and tornies, which were appointed to be holden, he mounted at length vpon a light courser, which the said lord Mortimer had sent to him; and bidding the lord Robert Roos and other (that were appointed to attend on him, as his kéepers) farewell, he galloped from them, and could not be ouertaken of them that pursued him, till at length he came to the lord Mortimer, who with a great troope of men was come foorth of his castell of Wigmore to receiue him. This was on the thursdaie in Whitsunwéeke.
[Sidenote: The earle of Leicesters sonne raiseth an armie. He wan Winchester.]