Part 5
[Sidenote: The earles of Lancaster & Hereford flée and set fire on the towne.]
The earles of Richmond and Penbroke were appointed to passe by a foord, which they had got knowledge of, with thrée hundred horssemen in complet armour, and the king with his brother the earle of Kent should follow them, with the residue of the armie, sauing that Robert Aquarie or Waters, with certeine bands of footmen was commanded to assaile the bridge, which he did verie manfullie, causing the archers & crossebowes to annoie them that kept it, so as he might draw the whole power of the enimies that waie, till the king and the earles were passed by the foord. But after that the earles of Lancaster and Hereford with their complices, heard that the king was passed with his armie, they came foorth with their people into the fields, and put them in order of battell: but perceiuing the great puissance which the king had there readie to encounter them, without more adoo they fled setting fire on the towne, and leauing all their vittels and other things behind them. The kings people comming spéedilie forward, and entring the towne, quenched the fire, and fell to the spoile of such things as the enimies for hast had left behind them. The king kept nothing to himselfe, but onelie a faire cup that belonged to the earle of Lancaster, a péece estéemed to be of some great value.
[Sidenote: The K. commeth to Tutburie.]
[Sidenote: Hue and crie.]
On the same night, being wednesdaie, the king came to Tutburie, and 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._]