Part 2

In this yeare the king tooke order for the amending of his monie and coine, which in that season was fowlie clipped, washed and counterfeited by those naughtie men the Iewes, and other, as before you haue partlie heard. The king therefore in the octaues of the Trinitie sent foorth commandement to all the shiriffes within the land, that such monie as was counterfeited, clipped or washed, should not be currant from thencefoorth: and furthermore he sent of his owne treasure, good monie and not clipped, vnto certeine cities and townes in the realme, that exchange might be made with the same till new monie were stamped. About the third daie of August, the first exchange was made of the new monie of pence and farthings; but yet the old monie went all this yeare togither with the new, and then was the old coine generallie forbidden, and commandement giuen by publike proclamation, that from thencefoorth it should no more be allowed for currant. Herewith also halfpence, which had béene stamped in the meane time, began to come abroad the same day in which the old monie was thus prohibited.

[Sidenote: An. Reg. 8.]

[Sidenote: 1280.]

[Sidenote: _N. Triuet._]

[Sidenote: _Polydor._]

[Sidenote: _Abington._]

[Sidenote: A shift to get monie.]

The lord Roger Mortimer kept a great feast at Killingworth, with iusts and triumphs of an hundred knights and as manie ladies, to the which resorted lords, knights, & gentlemen from diuerse countries and lands, to shew proofe of their valiancie in the practise of warlike feats and exercises. In the meane season king Edward standing in néed of monie, deuised a new shift to serue his turne, as this: namely that whereas he was chéefe lord of many lordships, manours, possessions and tenements, he well vnderstood, that partlie by length and proces of time, and partlie by casualties during the troubles of the ciuill warres, manie mens euidences, as their charters, déeds, copies and other writings were lost, wasted, and made awaie, he therfore vnder colour to put the statute of (Quo Warranto) in execution which was ordeined this yeare in the parlement holden at Glocester in August last past (as some write) did now command by publike proclamation, that all such as held any lands or tenements of him, should come and shew by what right and title they held the same, that by such meanes their possessions might returne vnto him, by escheat as chéefe lord of the same, and so to be sold or redéemed againe at his hands.

[Sidenote: Ordinances for monie.]

[Sidenote: The saieng of the earle of Surrie.]

This was thought to be so sore a proclamation, as that a more gréeuous had not lightlie béen heard of. Men in euerie place made complaint and shewed themselues gréeuouslie offended, so that the king by meanes thereof came in great hatred of his people: but the meane sort of men, though they stood in defense of their right, yet it auailed them but little, bicause they had no euidence to shew, so that they were constreined to be quiet with losse, rather than to striue against the streame. Manie were thus called to answer, till at length the lord Iohn Warren earle of Surrie, a man greatlie beloued of the people, perceiuing the king to haue cast his net for a preie, and that there was not one which spake against him, determined to stand against those so bitter and cruell procéedings. And therefore being called afore the iustices about this matter, he appeared, and being asked "by what right he held his lands?" suddenlie drawing foorth an old rustie sword; "By this instrument (said he) doo I hold my lands, and by the same I intend to defend them. Our ancestors comming into this realme with William the Conquerour, conquered their lands with the sword, and with the same will I defend me from all those that should be about to take them from me; he did not make a conquest of this realme alone, our progenitors were with him as participants and helpers."

The king vnderstanding into what hatred of his people by this meanes he was fallen, and therfore desirous to auoid ciuill dissention and war that might thereby insue, he left off his begun practise: so that the thing which generallie should haue touched and béene hurtfull to all men, was now suddenlie staied by the manhood and couragious stoutnesse onelie of one man, the foresaid earle, who in his rare act of defending c[=o]mon equitie against the mightie in authoritie (who spared not to offer extreme iniurie) shewed himselfe a verie true and naturall branch of nobilitie,

---- cupit quæ grandia semper, Vilia contemnit, quæ sursum tendere vt ignis Nititur, & summas penetrat velut ardea nubes.

[Sidenote: A synod at Lambeth.]

[Sidenote: A parlement.]

[Sidenote: The archbishop of Yorke.]

[Sidenote: The archbishop of Canturburie.]

The archbishop of Canturburie held an other synod at Lambeth, in the which he receiued and confirmed the orders and constitutions decréed and established by the legats Otho and Othobone, in councels by them kept here within this realme, adding diuerse other of his owne: & in the same councell he went about to adnihilate certeine liberties belonging to the crowne, as the taking knowledge of the right of patronages and the kings prohibitions In placitis de catallis, and such like, which séemed méerlie to touch the spiritualtie. But the king by some in that councell withstood the archbishop openlie, and with menaces staied him from concluding any thing that might preiudice his roiall liberties and prerogatiues. King Edward held a parlement at London, in the which he demanded a fiftéenth of the cleargie, which latelie before he had got of the temporaltie. The archbishop of Yorke was content at the first to grant this fiftéenth to be paid of the cleargie within his diocesse in two yeares; but the archbishop of Canturburie held off, and required respit till the next parlement to be holden after Easter, and then he granted vnto the king the dismes of all his cleargie for thrée yeares, that in some point he might be different from the archbishop of Yorke.

[Sidenote: An. Reg. 9.]

[Sidenote: 1281.]

[Sidenote: The feast of the round table holden at Warwike.]

[Sidenote: Dauid the brother of Leolin reuolteth, and becommeth a rebell.]

[Sidenote: The lord Clifford taken.]

In the ninth yeare of king Edwards reigne, the feast of the round table was kept at Warwike with great and sumptuous triumph. Whilest these things were in dooing, Dauid brother to Leolin prince of Wales, forgetting the great benefits which he had receiued at the hands of king Edward, became his aduersarie, and caused his said brother the prince of Wales with a great number of other noble men of that countrie to rebell: and to incourage them the sooner to attempt the warre, he began the first exploit himselfe, taking the said lord Roger Clifford (a right worthie and famous knight) in his castell of Hawardine, vpon Palmesundaie, the said lord being in no doubt of any such matter. Diuerse knights and other that were in the same castell at that time, and made resistance, were slaine.

[Sidenote: The castell of Rutland besieged.]

[Sidenote: The castell of Lamperdeuaux taken.]

[Sidenote: Emericke de Montfort set at libertie.]

[Sidenote: Leolin and other the Welsh rebels accurssed.]

After this the foresaid Dauid returned to his brother the prince, and therewith assembling an armie, they went both togither and besieged the castell of Rutland. King Edward at the same time being in the parts about Salisburie, where he kept his Easter at the Vies, sent out commissioners to leauie an armie, and commanded such men of warre as he had then in a readinesse, to hast foorth to the rescue of the castell of Rutland. And in the meane time, the castell of Lamperdeuaux was taken by Rice ap Malgone and Griffith ap Meridoc. Also diuerse other castels were taken by other of the Welsh nobilitie. Moreouer, about this time by the labour and suit of Iohn the archbishop of Canturburie, Emericke de Montfort, which had béene reteined in prison (sith that he was first taken togither with his sister at the Ile of Sillie by the Bristowmen) was now set at libertie and permitted to returne into France. The said archbishop of Canturburie was sent into Wales to persuade Leolin and his brother with the other rebels vnto peace and quietnesse, but returning into England, without bringing anie thing to passe, he denounced them accurssed.

[Sidenote: An. Reg. 10.]

[Sidenote: 1282.]

[Sidenote: The king entreth into Wales.]

[Sidenote: The mariners of the cinque ports.]

The king hasted foorth to come to the rescue of his people, wherevpon Leolin and his brother Dauid retired with their people to Snowdon hilles, and fortified the castell there with a strong garrison of men. The king entring into Wales, when he heard that his enimies were withdrawne into the mounteins, passed foorth till he came néere vnto them, where he pitched downe his field, and the next day causing his horssemen to issue foorth of the campe, filled all the plaines which compasse the foot of those hilles (aswell on the east side as toward the south) with the same horssemen, and herewith placed his footmen more aloft on the side of the hilles in couert: this doone he prouoked his enimie to come foorth to fight, but when he saw this would not be, then that he might stop them from all places of refuge, he caused his ships to take the Isle of Anglesey, bicause the Welshmen vsed to flie thither oftentimes for their safegard, in the which enterprise the mariners of the cinque ports bare themselues right manfullie.

[Sidenote: Meneth.]

After this, ioining certeine vessels togither, he caused a bridge to be made in the riuer of Meneth, into the which an other small riuer falleth that riseth at the roots of those hilles of Snowdone, to kéepe the enimies from lodging on the further side of that riuer. This bridge conteining roome for thréescore armed men to passe afront, was made ouer the riuer of Sient, by the which men saile into the Isle, which by the course of the sea ebbeth and floweth euerie twelue houres. But so it came to passe, that before the bridge was well boorded ouer, whilest the king yet remained at Aberconwaie, diuerse of the English nobilitie, to the number of seauen banerets with thrée hundreth armed men rashlie passed ouer, and as they surueied the foot of the mounteine, the tide began to come in so swiftlie, that where the Englishmen were aduanced a good prettie waie from the water side, they could not now get backe againe to the bridge which as yet was not fullie made vp.

[Sidenote: The Englishmen distressed by Welshmen.]

[Sidenote: The lord Clifford.]

[Sidenote: _Chron. Dunst._]

The Welshmen perceiuing this, came downe beside the mounteine, and assailed the Englishmen verie fiercelie, and with their great multitude so oppressed them, that for feare the Englishmen were driuen to take the water, and so by reason they were loaden with armour, manie of them were drowned: and amongst other, that famous knight sir Lucas de Thanie, Robert Clifford, sir William Lindsey, and two gentlemen of good accompt that were brethren to Robert Burnell as then bishop of Bath. There perished in all (as some saie) thirtéene knights, seuentéene yoong gentlemen, and to the number of two hundred footmen. Yet sir William Latimer, as good hap would, escaped, and diuerse other. This mischance happened on S. Leonards day.

[Sidenote: The earle of Glocester maketh warre on the Welshmen.]

[Sidenote: An. Reg. 11.]

[Sidenote: Leolin inuadeth the kings fréends.]

[Sidenote: The lord Gifford and Mortimer.]

In this meane time in an other part of the countrie the earle of Glocester with an armie, made sore warre to the Welshmen, and néere vnto the towne called Lantilaware, fought a sore battell with them, in the which manie of the Welshmen being slaine, the earle lost also fiue knights vpon his partie, as William Valence the yoonger, being one of that number, who was the kings cousine. The earle of Glocester then departing from thence, Leolin the prince of Wales entered into the countrie of Cardigan and Stradwie, destroieng the lands of Rice ap Meridoc, which now held with the king against the said prince. At length, prince Leolin going towards the land of Buelth with a small companie, left his maine armie behind him aloft vpon the top of the mounteine, néere to the water called Waie, and he had set a number of his people to kéepe the bridge of Orewin: and so the Welshmen kept on the one side, and the Englishmen on the other, of whome were capteins the lord Iohn Gifford and the lord Edmund Mortimer, the which perceiuing the Welshmen that were readie to defend the bridge, and a great host of them vpon the top of the mounteine, they consulted togither what they were best to doo.

[Sidenote: Helias Walewaine.]

[Sidenote: Prince Leolin slaine by Stephan de Franketon.]

At length by the couragious exhortation of one Helias Walewaine they drew on the one hand alongst the riuer, where was a foord passable in déed, though not without danger: but yet the Englishmen by the conduct of the same Helias, got ouer by the same foord, so that it bare the name long after of Helias way. And so the Welshmen that kept the bridge (perceiuing the Englishmen to be got ouer vnto that side) fled, wherevpon the residue of the English armie passed ouer at the bridge, whereof rose a great noise which Leolin lurking not farre off might well heare, but yet at the first he could not be brought to thinke that by any possible means the Englishmen were got ouer to that side of the water. But yet perceiuing it to be true, he drue backe toward the heigth of the mounteine againe, neuerthelesse being discouered by one Stephan de Franketon, named by some writers Sward, he was so narrowlie pursued of the same Stephan, that he was ouertaken and slaine.

[Sidenote: Leolins head presented to the king.]

Stephan not knowing whome he had slaine, returned to the host, the which was now mounting vp the hill to ioine with the Welsh armie that stood still looking for the returne of their prince Leolin (though in vaine) yet they manfullie abode by their tackle, discharging plentie of arowes and darts at the Englishmen as they came vp towards them. The English archers which were mingled amongst the horssemen, paid them home againe with their shot, so that finallie the English horssemen, winning the top of the hill, slue manie of them standing stoutlie at defense, and put the residue to flight. Stephan Sward that had slaine Leolin, after the victorie was atchieued, rode to the dead bodie which he had slaine in the beginning of the battell, and vpon vew taken of him perceiued who he was, of which good hap the Englishmen were verie ioifull. His head was herewith cut off, which the lord Edmund Mortimer tooke with him vnto Rutland (where the king as then was lodged) vnto whome he presented it: and the king sent it vnto London, appointing that there should be an yuie crowne set vpon it, in token that he was a prince, and so being adorned, a horsseman carried it vpon the end of his staffe through Cheapside, holding it as he rode on heigth, that all men might sée it, till he came to the tower, & there it was pight vp aloft vpon one of the highest turrets, remaining there a long time after.

[Sidenote: A prophesie fulfilled.]

[Sidenote: The Gascoigns pursue the Welshmen egerlie.]

Thus was the prophesie fulfilled, which was told to him by an old woman taken for a southsaier, of whome he required to know how he should spéed in this warre, wherevnto she answered, that he should boldlie go forward in them, for he should ride with a crowne on his head through Cheapside: and so by the deceiuable prophesie he was deluded & brought to destruction. The incounter wherein the Welshmen were vanquished (as before ye haue heard) chanced on the fridaie before S. Lucies day. King Edward being certified thus of the victorie, streightwaies marched foorth with his people, and appointed at euerie passage certeine bands of souldiers to lie in wait for the enimies. Also at the foot of the hilles he left his horssemen, and mounted vp the hilles himselfe, with the residue of his armie. There were certeine Gascoignes, whome the lord Iohn Vescie had brought with him out of their countrie, to serue the king, which burned manie townes, and slue great numbers of the Welshmen, all that came in their waie, and finallie, giuing an assault to Snowdon castell, they wan it in fine by force.

In this meane time, the Welshmen, when they saw themselues inclosed, and stopped from all waies to escape, after the maner of wild beasts, fled into the thicke woods & caues, some of them making shift to get downe through the stéepe and broken rocks, and some of them séeking to escape by flight, fell into their enimies hands, & were either slaine or taken, and amongst these, about Midsummer was Dauid taken, togither with his wife, his two sonnes, and seauen daughters, and brought to the king, who sent them first to Rutland castell, there to be safelie kept.

[Sidenote: Wales diuided into shires.]

[Sidenote: The Vale roiall built by K. Edward the first.]

[Sidenote: Rées ap Bouan yéeldeth himselfe vnto K. Edward.]

King Edward hauing subdued the Welshmen that inhabited in the mountains, went about all the countrie to conquer the residue, assembling all his armie togither, and then pursuing his aduersaries, made great slaughter of them on each side, so that there were slaine aboue thrée thousand men: then hauing the countrie at his will, he gaue vnto the English lords townes in the middest of Wales, and diuided the countrie into shires, ordeined shiriffes, and other officers as then were vsed in England. At Aberconow he builded a strong castell, where before was an house of white moonks, the which he remooued to the Vale roiall in Chesshire, where he builded a faire abbeie of the Cisteaux order, and endowed it with great lands and reuenues. He also made and fortified the castell of Carnaruan fast by Snowdon, and repared againe the towne of Lambaterwhir, otherwise called Abreswich, which Leolin had before beaten downe. Also he placed English garrisons in the castels and holds by the sea sides, and made Englishmen lords of the grounds and possessions belonging to the same. Rées ap Bouan one of the chéefest and mightiest capteins of all Wales, which during the warres, had doone more displeasure to the Englishmen than any other, in spoiling their confines, and making great slaughters vpon them, vnderstanding now both of the death of prince Leolin, and the taking of his brother Dauid, and also perceiuing himselfe pursued on each side, at length yéelded himselfe and his complices to Humfrie de Bohun earle of Hereford, who straightwaies sent him to the king, and the king sent him to London, there to be kept prisoner in the tower.

[Sidenote: A parlement at Shrewesburie.]

[Sidenote: Dauid condemned of treason.]

[Sidenote: He is executed.]

Thus king Edward, hauing brought the rebellious Welshmen vnder his correction, appointed his generall lieutenant there, the lord Robert Tiptost, and when he had set all things in good order, about Michaelmas he came to Shrewesburie, where at a parlement by him there holden, the foresaid Dauid (that was brought thither) as chéefe procurer of all this warre, was condemned of treason, and was afterward executed, according to iudgement pronounced against him, that is to saie, he was hanged drawne and quartered. His head was sent to London, and set vp by the head of his brother Leolin. His quarters were diuided, and sent to be set vp on the gates of foure of the chéefest cities of England. This reward reaped he for his proditorious attempts, before God, angels, and men: an horrible punishment for an heinous offense; and no maruell, sith

Ante Dei vultum nihil vnquam restat inultum.

[Sidenote: _N. Triuet._]

During these warres, the king had of the temporaltie, the thirtith part of all their goods, and of the spiritualtie, the twentith part, towards the maintenance of the same warres.

[Sidenote: An. Reg. 12.]

[Sidenote: 1284.]

[Sidenote: Edward the second borne.]

[Sidenote: _Abington._]

The same yeare also after Michaelmas, the king held a parlement at Acton Burnell, wherein those statutes were ordeined, which vnto this daie beare the name of the place where they were made. In the twelfth yeare of this kings reigne, his eldest sonne Alfonse departed this life at Windsore, and on S. Markes daie his sonne Edward, that after succéeded him in the kingdome, was borne at Carnaruan, where the king had builded a strong castell, and was come thither with the quéene at that time, to sée the same. ¶ Also this yeare, in the quindene of saint Michaell, the iustices itinerants began to go their generall circuits.

[Sidenote: A great tempest on Easter daie in the morning.]

On Easter daie, which fell this yeare on the ninth of Aprill, being also leape yeare, in morning about the rising of the sunne, the element was shadowed with such darkenesse and thicknesse of aire, that it séemed to waxe night againe, and suddenlie rose an horrible tempest, first of haile and raine, and after of snow, that couered all the earth; and then followed such thunder and lightning, that men were maruellouslie amazed therewith, considering it séemed to be against the nature of the season, for scarse in Aprill shall yée heare anie such thunder. Yet at length it brake vp, and the element recouered hir accustomed cléerenesse.

[Sidenote: An. Reg. 13.]

[Sidenote: 1285.]

[Sidenote: Bristow.]

[Sidenote: Ambassadors from the French king.]

[Sidenote: William the archbishop of Yorke deceassed.]

[Sidenote: Iohn Roman archbishop of Yorke.]

[Sidenote: Marton colledge in Oxford built.]

In the thirtéenth yeare of his reigne, king Edward kept his Christmasse at Bristowe, and held there a priuate councell, but no generall parlement; and this was the first time that anie English king can be remembred, to haue kept any solemne feast at Bristow. The king then leauing his court of chancerie at Bristow, with his children, came to London, where he had not béene almost of thrée yeares before. Héere came messengers to him from the French king, requiring him to come in person, with a certeine number of men of warre, to aid him in the warres against the king of Aragon, as of right he ought to doo, by reason of the dutchie of Guien which he held of him. The same yeare died William the archbishop of Yorke, after he had gouerned that sée six yeares, and then succéeded one Iohn surnamed Romane. About this season, was Marton colledge in Oxenford founded by Walter Marton that was lord Chancellour of England, and after bishop of Rochester. ¶ King Edward seized the franchises and liberties of London into his hands, and discharged Gregorie Rokkeslie the maior then being, and appointed for custos and gardian of the citie, one Stephan Sandwich, the which from the day of the conuersion of saint Paule, till the monday following the Purification of our ladie, continued in that office, and was then discharged, and sir Iohn Breton knight charged therewith for the residue of the yeare. There is no certeine knowledge left in records, whie the king tooke such displeasure with the citie, saue that the said Gregorie Rokkeslie then maior, as the fame went, tooke bribes of the bakers, and suffered them to sell bread, lacking six or seauen ounces of weight in a penie lofe. ¶ The new worke of the church of Westminster, to the end of the quier, begun (as before is shewed) in the third yeare of king Henrie, was in this yeare fullie finished.

[Sidenote: The death of the Scotish king.]

[Sidenote: _Rich. South._]