Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland (2 of 6): England (09 of 12) / Edward the First, Surnamed Longshanks, the Eldest Sonne of Henrie the Third

¶ But before I passe ouer this slaughter, so lamentable and woonderfull, I haue bethought my selfe of a promised apologie for and in the behalfe of Richard Grafton, mentioned before in the reigne of Henrie the second, page 194 where I shewed how vnaduisedlie and with vnséemelie modestie for a man of learning, George Buchanan the Scot dooth shoot his bolts at the said Grafton, as now by occasion of the matter conuenientlie occurrent shall be shewed. The said Grafton in his large volume of English chronicles, falling vpon the affaires betwéene king Edward the first, and Iohn Balioll king of Scotland, among other things there remembred, maketh report that in the said battell of Berwike, the slaughter was so great, that a mill might well haue béene driuen by the space of two daies, with the streames of bloud which at that time ouerranne the ground. At which words George Buchanan giueth a snatch, emboldened so to doo, bicause the said Grafton referreth this record to Hector Boetius in his fourtéenth booke and second chapter.

Iesu, how the Scot taketh vp the Englishman for halting in his allegation, first for the chapter, conuincing him that Hector Boetius diuided not his booke into chapters, and therefore, where is the second chapter, sith the whole fourtéen booke is a continued discourse without distinction by chapters? Secondlie the said Grafton hath the checke, for setting a lie aflote, Buchanan flatlie affirming that Hector Boetius hath no such matter once mentioned in his annales. Touching the first fault, wherewith the Scot chargeth the Englishman, this is note-worthie, that it should séeme to anie man of meane iudgement, that Buchanan of a prepensed malice and purposed wilfulnesse hath sharpened his stile in this nipping sort against Grafton. For sith it was Graftons meaning to record the truth, so farre foorth as he was warranted by the auerment of writers; why should he be cast in the téeth with Effrænis maledicendi libido, or dishonestlie termed Indoctus & impudenter mendax? Which opprobrious epithets, if they were deserued by an vntrue report of the author; then should Buchanan haue sharpened his toong against Belenden his countriman, the translator of Hector Boetius into their mother toong, from whom Grafton hath deriued his words; sense for sense vnmangled (as he found the same written.)

Now who knoweth not that Bellenden distinguished Hectors annales into chapters, vpon whose authoritie Grafton relieng, and citing his authoritie according to the quotation of his diuision, whie should he rather than Bellenden be barked at, who is the principall in this controuersie? Againe, it could not be hidden from Buchanan, that Bellenden had distributed Boetius into chapters; considering that they were σύγχρονοι, both liuing in the reigne of Iames the fift of that name king of Scots: so that it might haue pleased him to haue tried Grafton by the Scotish Boetius, and so to haue béene resolued for the second chapter of the fouretéenth booke, according to the archdeacon of Murries translation.

Now for the matter itselfe, touching the effusion of bloud, wherewith a mill might well haue béene driuen for two daies space; Hector Boetius his owne words are these; Riui sanguinis toto oppido adeo fluxere, vt cum æstu decurrente minor aqua quàm ad molendina circumagenda fuerit, adiuuante aquam sanguine aliqua circumagi sponte cœperint. Which place, Bellenden hath interpreted after this manner; So lamentabl' slaughter wes throw all the parts of the toun, that ane mill might haif gane two daies ithandlie be stremis of blude. Now examine Graftons words by Bellenden, and Bellendens by Boetius (besides that, marke what Grafton annexeth to the report of this slaughter, who saith that he will not inforce the credit therof vpon any man, but counteth it a Scotish lie rather than a matter of truth) and then conclude according to equitie, that Grafton is altogither excusable and fautlesse, and Buchanans curious & furious challenge reproueable. But admit Grafton had fetcht his report from Boetius, as he had it from Bellenden; séemeth it a lie or an vnlikelihood, that the bloud gushing out of the bodies of 25000, or (as Hector Boetius saith) 7000, would not increase to a streame sufficient & able to driue a mill or two about, without any water intermingled therwithall. The Latine copie hath Riui sanguinis, riuers of bloud, noting by the word the abundance and also the streaming course of the same, which was able with the violent current thereof to beare awaie the verie bodies of the slaine. To conclude this matter, & to set our Englishman by the truth, and let the Scot go with his lieng toong, which I would he had had the modestie to haue tempered, & to haue proffered a practise of that which himselfe paraphrasticallie preacheth and teacheth others to obserue, saieng;

And now to the storie. K. Edward remaind at Berwike 15 daies, & caused a ditch to be cast about the towne of 80 foot in breadth, & of the like in depth. In the meane time, about the beginning of Aprill, the warden and reader of the frier minors of Rockesborough called Adam Blunt, came vnto him with letters of complaint from king Iohn, for the wrongs doone and offered vnto him and his realme, as well in claiming an vniust superioritie, and constreining him to doo homage by vndue and wrongfull meanes, as also by inuading his townes, slaieng and robbing his subiects: for the which causes he testified by the same letters, that he renounced all such homage and fealtie for him and his subiects, as he, or any of them owght for any lands holden within England. The king hearing the letters red receiued the resignation of the homage, and commanded his chancellor, that the letter might be registred in perpetuall memorie of the thing.

The earles of Scotland before remembred, being assembled togither with their powers at the castell of Iedworth, entred into England the eighth of Aprill, and with fire and sword did much hurt in the countries as they passed. In Riddesdale they besieged the castell of Harbotell by the space of two daies, but when they could not preuaile, they remoued, and passing foorth by the east part of the riuer of Tine, thorough Cokesdale, Riddesdale, and Northumberland, vnto Hexham, they did much mischéefe by burning and harrieng the countries. At Hexham they spoiled the abbeie church, and got a great number of the cleargie, as well moonks, priests, as scholers, and others, whom they thrust into the schoolehouse there, and closing vp the dores, set fire on the schoole, and burned all them to ashes that were within it. It is wonderfull to read, what beastlie crueltie the Scots vsed in that road which they made at that time in two seuerall parts. For the earle of Boghan, with them of Galloway, entred by Cumberland in like manner as the other did in Riddesdale, burning and murthering all that came in their waie. For whereas all those that were of able age and lustie to get awaie, fled, & escaped their hands; the aged & impotent creatures, women in childbed, and yoong children that could not shift for themselues, were vnmercifullie slaine, and thrust vpon speares, and shaken vp in the aire, where they yéelded vp their innocent ghosts in most pitifull wise.

Churches were burned, women were forced without respect of order, condition or qualitie, as well the maids, widowes and wiues, as nunnes that were reputed in those daies consecrated to God, and when they had béene so abused, manie of them were after also murthered, and cruellie dispatched out of life. At length, they came to the nunrie of Lamelaie, & burned all the buildings there, sauing the church, and then returned backe into Scotland with all their pillage and booties by Lauercost, an house of moonks, which they likewise spoiled. So that the cruell & bloudie desolation whereof Lucan speaketh in his second booke of ciuill warres, may aptlie be inferred here, as fitlie describing the mercilesse murther of all states and sexes without parcialitie vnder the hand of the enimie: for saith he,

Patrike earle of Dunbar came to the king of England, and submitted himselfe, with all that he had into his hands; but the castell of Dunbar vpon saint Markes day, being assieged of the Scots was rendered vnto them, by treason of some that were within it, of whome, the countesse (wife to the same erle) was the chéefest; for recouerie whereof king Edward sent Iohn earle of Warren, Surrey and Sussex, & William earle of Warwike with a great power, the which laieng siege to that castell, a great host of Scotishmen came vpon them to the rescue of them within, so that there was foughten a verie sore and terrible battell. At length, the victorie abode with the Englishmen, and the Scotishmen were put to flight, the Englishmen following them in chase eight mile of that countrie, almost to the forrest of Selkirke: the slaughter was great, so that (as was estéemed) there died of the Scotishmen that day, to the number of ten thousand.

The morrow after being saturdaie, which was the eight and twentith day of Aprill, at the kings comming thither the castell was surrendred vnto him. There were taken in the same castell thrée earles, Menteth, Cassels, and Ros; six barons, Iohn Comin the yoonger, William Sanclere, Richard Siward the elder, Iohn Fitz Geffrey, Alexander de Morteigne, Edmund Comin of Kilbird, with thirtie knights, two clearks, Iohn de Someruile, and William de Sanclere, and thrée and thirtie esquires, the which were sent vnto diuerse castels in England, to be kept as prisoners. After the winning of Dunbar the king went to the castell of Rockesborough, which incontinentlie was yéelded by the lord Steward of Scotland, the liues and members of all such as were within it at the time of the surrender.

Then went king Edward vnto Edinburgh, where he planted his siege about the castell, and raised engines, which cast stones against and ouer the walles, sore beating and brusing the buildings within. But as it chanced, the king writing letters, to aduertise his councell at home of his procéedings, and concerning other businesse, deliuered that packet vnto a Welshman named Lewin, commanding him to go with the same to London in all hast possible, for he knew him to be a verie spéedie messenger and a trustie also (as he tooke it.) But hauing the letter thus deliuered him, togither with monie to beare his charges, he got him to a tauerne, where riotouslie cōsuming the monie (which he had so receiued) in plaie, & making good chéere, in the morning he caused one of his companions to take a target, and beare it afore him in approching the castell, for that he meant (as he colourablie pretended) not to depart, vntill he had wrought some displeasure to them within with his crossebow, which he tooke with him for that purpose, so that comming vnto the castell gates, he called to the wardens on the walles to cast downe to him a cord, that they might plucke him vp to them therewith, for that he had somwhat to say to their capteine touching the secrets of the king of England.

They fulfilling his desire, when he came in, and was brought afore the captein sitting then at breakfast, he said vnto him: "Behold sir, here ye may peruse the king of Englands secrets," and withall raught to him a box, wherein the packet of the kings letters were inclosed, and "appoint me (saith he) to some corner of the wall, and trie whether I can handle a crossebow or not, to defend it against your aduersaries." Héere when others would haue opened the box, and haue read the letters, the capteine would in no wise consent thereto, but going into a turret, called to the Englishmen béelow, and willed them to signifie to the king, that one of his seruants being fled to him, sought to bewraie his secrets, wherevnto he would by no means agrée, and therefore meant to restore both the traitor and the letters. Herevpon, the lord Iohn Spenser, comming to heare what the matter might meane, the capteine caused Lewin to be let downe to him, togither with the letters safe, and not touched by him at all.

When the king vnderstood this, he much commended the honest respect of the capteine, and whereas he had caused engins to be raised to annoie them within (as yée haue heard) he commanded the same to ceasse, and withall, vpon their capteins suit, he granted them libertie to send vnto their king Iohn Balioll, to giue him to vnderstand in what sort they stood. As touching the Welshman, he was drawne and hanged on a pair of high galowes, prepared for him of purpose, as he had well deserued. A notable example of a traitorous villaine, so to offer the secrets of his souereigne to be known to his enimies: and no lesse excellent a president of an honest and faithfull harted foe, that would not himselfe nor let anie other haue a sight of the contents therein written; a rare point of good meaning and vpright dealing in a souldier, and speciallie in an enimie; but

Now while the messengers were on their waie to Forfair, where the Scotish king then laie, king Edward with a part of his armie went vnto Striueling, where he found the castell gates set open, and the keies hanging on a naile, so that he entred there without any resistance, for they that had this castle in gard, were fled out of it for feare before his comming. The messengers that were sent from them within Edenburgh castell, comming to their king, declared to him in what case they stood that were besieged. King Iohn, for that he was not able to succor them by any manner of means at that present, sent them word, to take the best waie they could for their owne safetie; with which answer the messengers returning, the castell was immediatlie deliuered vnto the lord Iohn Spenser, that was left in charge with the siege, at the kings departure towards Striueling, with the like conditions as the castell of Rockesborough had yéelded a little before.

Thus was that strong castell of Edenburgh surrendred by force of siege, to the king of Englands vse, on the 15 daie, after he had first laid his siege about it. A place of such strength by the heigth of the ground whereon it stood, that it was thought impregnable, and had not béene woone by force at any time, since the first building therof, before that present, so farre as anie remembrance either by writing or otherwise could be had thereof.

Here at Edenburgh, or rather at Rockesborough (as Abington saith) a great number of Welshmen came vnto the king, who sent home the like number of English footmen, of those that séemed most wearie. Moreouer, at Striueling, there came to the king the earle of Ulster, with a great number of Irishmen. Then passing ouer the riuer of Forth, the king came vnto saint Iohns towne about Midsummer, and there tarried certeine daies. Whilest these things were a dooing, Iohn king of Scotland, perceiuing that he was not of power to resist king Edward, sent ambassadors vnto him to sue for peace: king Edward was content to heare them, and therevpon appointed, that king Iohn should resort vnto the castell of Brechin, there to commen with such of his councell as he would send thither within fiftéene daies next ensuing, to treat of an agréement. King Edward sent thither Anthonie bishop of Durham, with full commission to conclude all things in his name. And within the appointed time came king Iohn, and diuers of his nobles vnto him, the which after many & sundrie treaties holden betwixt them and the said bishop, at length they submitted themselues and the realme of Scotland, simplie and purelie into the hands of the king of England, for the which submission to be firmelie kept and obserued, king Iohn deliuered his son in hostage, and made letters thereof, written in French as followeth.

The instrument of the said submission.

Iehan per la grace de Dieu, roy de Escoce, à tous ceulx quæ cestes præsentes letres verront ou orront, saluz, &c. Iohn by the grace of GOD king of Scotland, to all those that these present letters shall sée or heare, sendeth gréeting. Bicause that we through euill counsell and our owne simplicitie, haue gréeuouslie offended our souereigne lord, Edward by the grace of God king of England, lord of Ireland, and duke of Aquitane, in many things; that is to saie, in that, whereas we béeing and abiding vnder his faith and homage, haue bound our selues vnto the king of France which then was his enimie and yet is, procuring a mariage with the daughter of his brother Charles du Valois, and that we might gréeue our said lord, and aid the king of France with all our power by warre and other means, we haue at length by aduise of our peruerse counsell defied our said lord the K. of England, and haue put our selues out of his allegiance and homage, & sent our people into England, to burne houses, to take spoiles, to commit murther, with many other damages, and also in fortifieng the kingdome of Scotland, which is of his fée, putting and establishing armed men in townes, castels, and other places, to defend the land against him, to deforce him of his fée, for the which transgressions our said souereigne lord the king, entring into the realm of Scotland with his power, hath conquered and taken the same, notwithstanding al that we could do against him, as by right he may do, as a lord of his fée, bicause that we did render vnto him our homage, and made the foresaid rebellion. We therfore as yet being in our full power and frée will, doo render vnto him the land of Scotland, and all the people therof with the homages. In witnesse whereof, we haue caused these letters patents to be made. Yeuen at Brechin the tenth day of Iulie, in the fourth yeare of our reigne, sealed with the common seale of the kingdome of Scotland.

After this, king Edward went forward to sée the mounteine countries of Scotland, the bishop of Durham euer kéeping a daies iournie afore him. At length, when he had passed through Murrey land, and was come to Elghin, perceiuing all things to be in quiet, he returned towards Berwike, and comming to the abbeie of Scone, he tooke from thence the marble stone, wherevpon the kings of Scotland were accustomed to sit as in a chaire, at the time of their coronation, which king Edward caused now to be transferred to Westminster and there placed, to serue for a chaire for the priest to sit in at the altar. The king comming to Berwike, called thither vnto a parlement all the nobles of Scotland, and there receiued of them their homages, the which in perpetuall witnesse of the thing, made letters patents thereof, written in French, and sealed with their seales, as the tenor here followeth.

The instrument of the homages of the lords of Scotland to K. Edward.

A tous ceux que cestes lettres verront ou orront, &c. To all those that these present letters shall sée or heare, we Iohn Comin of Badenaw, &c. Bicause that we at the faith and will of the most noble prince, and our dearest lord, Edward by the grace of God king of England, lord of Ireland, and duke of Aquitaine, doo vow and promise for vs and our heires, vpon paine of bodie and goods, and of all that we may haue, that we shall serue him well and trulie against all men which may liue and die, at all times when we shall be required or warned by our said lord the king of England or his heires, and that we shall not know of any hurt to be doone to them, but the same we shall let and impeach with all our power, and giue them warning thereof: and those things to hold and kéepe, we bind vs, our heires, and all our goods, and further, receiue an oth thereof vpon the holie euangelists: and after all, we and euerie of vs haue done homage vnto our souereigne lord the king of England in words as followeth; I become your liegeman of life, members, and earthlie honour, against all men which may liue and die. And the same our souereigne lord the king receiued this homage vnder this forme of words; We receiue it for the land of the which you be now seized, the right of vs, or other saued, and except the lands which Iohn Balioll sometime king of Scotland granted vnto vs, after that we did deliuer vnto him the kingdome of Scotland, if happilie he hath giuen to you any such lands.

Moreouer, all we, and euerie of vs by himselfe haue done fealtie to our said souereigne lord the king in these words; I as a faithfull & liege man, shall kéepe faith and loialtie vnto Edward king of England, and to his heires, of life, member and earthlie honor, against all men which may liue and die, and shall neuer for any person beare armour, nor shall be of counsell nor in aid with any person against him, or his heires in any case that may chance, but shall faithfullie acknowledge, and doo the seruice that belongeth to the tenements the which I claime to hold of him, as God me helpe and all his saints. In witnesse wherof, these letters patents are made and signed with our seales. Yeuen at Warke the foure and twentith of March, in the 24 yeare of the reigne of our said lord the king of England.

Then was Iohn Warren earle of Surrey and Sussex made by king Edward warden of Scotland, Hugh Cressingham treasurer, and William Ormesbie high iustice, whome the king commanded, that he should call all those before him which held any lands of the crowne, and to receiue of them in his name their homages and fealties. Iohn Balioll the late king of Scotland was sent to London, and had a conuenient companie of seruants appointed to attend him, hauing licence to go any whither abroad, so that he kept himselfe within the circuit of twentie miles néere to London. Iohn Comin of Badenaw, and Iohn Comin of Lowan, and diuerse nobles of Scotland were brought into England on the south side of Trent, being warned vpon paine of death not to returne into Scotland, till the king had made an end of his wars with France. After this, at his returne into England, king Edward held a parlement at saint Edmundsburie, which began the morrow after the feast of All saints, in which the citizens & burgesses of good townes granted vnto him an eighth part of their goods, and of the residue of the people a twelfth part.

The cleargie by reason of a constitution ordeined and constituted the same yeare by pope Boniface, prohibiting vpon paine of excommunication, that no talages nor other exactions should be leuied or exacted of the cleargie in any manner of wise by secular princes or to be paid to them of things that perteined to the church, vtterlie refused to grant any manner of aid to the king, towards the maintenance of his wars. Wherevpon the king, to the intent they should haue time to studie for a better answer, deferred the matter to an other parlement to be holden on the morrow after the feast of saint Hilarie.

This yeare after the feast of the Epiphanie, Elizabeth the kings daughter was married vnto king Iohn earle of Holland. Humfrey de Bohun earle of Hereford and Essex was sent to conueie them into Holland, there to take possession of the earledome, as then descended vnto the said Iohn, by the death of his father latelie before slaine by his owne subiects, bicause he would haue disherited this Iohn, and made a bastard sonne which he had to be his heire. ¶ The day appointed for the parlement to be holden at London being come, and the cleargie continuing in their deniall to grant any subsidie, the king excluded them out of his protection, for the redéeming whereof, manie by themselues, and manie by mediators, did afterwards giue vnto the king a fift part of all their goods. The archbishop of Canturburie being found stiffe in the matter, the king seized all his lands, and commanded all such debts as were found of his in the rolles of the excheker, to be leuied with all spéed of his goods and cattell. Some write, that when the archbishop of Canturburie in name of all the residue, had declared to them whom the king had appointed commissioners to receiue the answer, that whereas they of the cleargie had two souereigne lords and gouernours, the one in spirituall matters and the other in temporall, yet they ought rather to obeie their spirituall gouernour than their temporall. Neuerthelesse, to satisfie the kings pleasure, they would of their owne charges send to the pope, that by his licence and permission, they might grant the king some aid, or else receiue some answer from him, what to doo therein: "for (saith the archbishop) we beléeue that the king feareth the sentence of excommunication, and would be as glad to auoid it as we."

When the commissioners heard this answer, they required that they would appoint some of their owne companie to beare this message vnto the king, for they durst not report it to him: which being doone as the commissioners had required, the king in his furie procéeded against them, in such rigorous manner as ye haue heard, in somuch that the lord chéefe iustice sitting vpon the bench, spake openlie these words; "You sirs that be attornies of my lords the archbishops, bishops, abbats, priors, and all other the cleargie, declare vnto your masters, and tell them, that from hencefoorth there shall no iustice be doone vnto them in the kings court for any manner of thing, although neuer so heinous wrong be doone vnto them: but iustice shall be had against them, to euerie one that will complaine and require to haue it."

Henrie de Newarke the elect bishop of Yorke, with the bishops of Durnam, Elie and Salisburie, with certeine other, fearing the kings indignation thus kindled against them, ordeined to laie downe in the churches, a fift part as ye haue heard, of all their goods, towards the defense of the realme, and maintenance of the kings warres in such time of great necessitie, and so the king receiuing it, they were restored to the kings protection againe. The fréends of the bishop of Lincolne found means, that the shiriffe of the shire leuied and tooke the fift part of all his goods, and restored to him againe his lands and possessions. Also, all the monasteries within his diocesse, and within the whole prouince of Canturburie, were seized into the kings hands, and wardens appointed, which onelie ministred necessarie finding vnto the moonks and other religious persons, and conuerted the ouerplus vnto the kings vse. Wherevpon the abbats and priors were glad to follow the court, and sued to redéeme, not their sins, but their goods, with giuing a fourth part thereof. The cleargie suffered manie iniuries in that season, for religious men were spoiled and robbed in the kings high waie, and could not haue any restitution nor remedie against them that thus euill intreated them, till they had redéemed the kings protection. Persons and vicars, and other of the cleargie, when they rode foorth any whither, were glad to apparell themselues in laie mens garments, so to passe through the countrie in safetie.

The archbishop of Canturburie lost all the goods that he had, for he would neither agrée to giue any thing, nor to laie any thing downe in the church, that the king might receiue it. Wherevpon he was brought to such extreme miserie, that all his seruants went from him, & commandement was giuen foorth, that no man should receiue him, neither within monasterie nor without, and so not hauing any one place of all his bishoprike where to laie his head, he remained in the house of a poore person, onelie with one priest and one clearke: yet he stiffelie stood in the matter, affirming certeinlie, that all those which granted any thing, either to the king, or to any other temporall person without the popes leaue, ran without doubt into the danger of the sentence pronounced in the canon.

About the feast of S. Matthew in Februarie, the king called a parlement of his nobles (not admitting thereto any of the cleargie) at Salisburie, and there required certeine of his Nobles to passe ouer into Gascoine, but euerie of them séemed to excuse himselfe, whereat the king being mooued, threatened that they should either go, or he would giue their lands to other that would go, with which words manie of them were gréeuouslie offended, in so much that the earles of Hereford and Marshall, Humfrie Bohun, and Roger Bigod, declared that they would be readie to go with the king if he went himselfe, or else not. And when the earle Marshall was eftsoones required to go, he answered, "I will willinglie go with the king, and march before him in the fore ward, as by right of inheritance I am bound." "Yea (saith the king) and you shall go with other though I go not." "I am not so bound (saith the earle) neither doo I purpose to take the iournie in hand with you."

The king then in a great chafe burst out & sware, "By God sir earle, either thou shall go or hang." "And I sweare (saith the earle) the same oth, that I will neither go nor hang:" and so he departed from the king without leaue taking. Immediatlie herevpon those two earles assembled manie noble men, and other of their fréends togither to the number of thirtie banerets and aboue, so that in all they were found to be fiftéene hundred men of armes appointed and readie for battell, and herewith they withdrew into their countries, and kept such stir there, that they would not permit the kings officers to take neither wools, leather, nor any thing against the owners will, but forbad them on paine of loosing their heads to come within their roomes, and withall prepared themselues to resist if néed were.

In this meane time the warre was prosecuted in Gascoine. ¶ The thursdaie before the Purification of our ladie, Henrie earle of Lincolne, and the lord Iohn saint Iohn departing from Baion towards Bellegard, a place besieged as then by the earle of Arthois, to succour them within the same with vittels, (whereof they stood in néed) as they approched to a wood distant from the fortresse thrée miles, they diuided themselues into two seuerall battels, the lord Iohn saint Iohn leading the first, and the earle of Lincolne the second. The lord saint Iohn therefore hauing passed the wood with his battell, and entring into the plaine fields, was incountred by the earle of Arthois, who tarried there for him with a great power, where immediatlie at the first ioining of the battels, the earle of Lincolne retired backe: so that the lord Iohn saint Iohn and his companie ouerset with preasse of enimies were vanquished: and the said lord saint Iohn with sir William de Mortimer, sir William Burmengham and other to the number of eight knights, and diuerse esquires were taken, the which were sent to Paris as prisoners.

Other write somewhat otherwise of this battell, as that vpon the first incounter the Englishmen droue backe one regiment of the earle of Arthois his men of armes, whom he diuided into foure parts; but when they once ioined with the second regiment, to the which they were beaten backe, forward they came againe, and so charging the Englishmen, with helpe of their third squadron, which was now come to them also, they easilie put the Englishmen oppressed with multitude vnto flight, & followed them in chase. After this came the Englishmen which were in the rereward, and incountring with the fourth squadron or regiment of the Frenchmen, streightwaies brake the same. Herewith was the night come vpon them, so that one could not know an other, a fréend from an enimie, and so both the Englishmen and Frenchmen were dispersed till the moone rose, and the Frenchmen withdrew to their fortresses, and amongst them certeine Englishmen were mingled, which being discouered were taken prisoners, as the lord Iohn saint Iohn, and others.

The slaughter was not great, for there were no footmen on either part, to spoile or kill the men of armes that were throwne beside their horsses: for the English footmen remained in the wood, or were withdrawne backe, as before ye haue heard, without attempting any exploit worthie of praise. Indéed some laie the blame in the Gascoine footmen for the losse of this battell, bicause that they withdrew backe, and left the English horssemen in danger of the enimies which had compassed them about on euerie side. Thrée hundred of the men of armes came through to the towne of Bellegard, but bicause it was night, so that they could not be discerned whether they were frends or foes, they within the towne would not suffer them to enter: wherevpon they departed, and went to S. Seuere foure leagues off. Yet further in the night, other of the Englishmen were receiued into Bellegard, which came thither after the other, and so in the morning they of the garison with their assistance issued foorth, and comming to the place where the battell had béene, gathered the spoile of the field, and conueied into their towne such prouision of vittels as they found there.

The earle of Lincolne with a great manie of other wandred a great part of the night and knew not whither to go. At length about thrée of the clocke in the morning he came to Perforate, where he had lodged with his armie the night before, & there found a great number of his people right glad of his comming and happie escape out of danger. From thence he returned vnto Baion with the earle of Richmond sir Iohn de Britaine and all his companie that were left. And such was the hap of this iournie. In Lent following, those that were dispersed here and there abroad, resorted to the earle of Lincolne, soiourning at Baion, and in the summer season made a iournie towards Tholouse, spoiling and wasting the countries of Tholouse and other there abouts, and remoued also the siege which those of Tholouse had laid vnto a fortresse called S. Kiternes, in chasing them from the same siege: and towards Michaelmasse they returned to Baion, and there laie all the winter till after Christmasse, and then by reason of the truce concluded, as after appeareth, betwixt the two kings of England & France, they returned home into England.

In the same yeare the king raised the custome of wooll to an higher rate than had béene paid at any time before: for he tooke now fortie shillings of a sacke or sarpler, where before there was paid but half a marke. Moreouer he commanded, that against his iournie which he meant to make ouer into France, there should be two thousand quarters of wheat, and as much of oates taken by the shiriffe in euerie countie within the realme to be conueied to the sea side, except where they had no store of corne, and there should béeues and bakons be taken to a certeine number. In the meane time the earle of Flanders was sore vexed by war which the French king made against him, being entred into Flanders with an armie of thrée score thousand men, as some authors haue recorded.

About the feast of the natiuitie of S. Iohn Baptist, he laid siege to Lisle, and shortlie after came the earle of Arthois, being returned out of Gascoine with his power vnto that siege, and was sent foorth to kéepe the Flemings and others occupied, which laie at Furneis, and in other places thereabouts in low Flanders, with whome he fought and got the victorie. King Edward therefore, to succour his fréends prepared to go ouer into Flanders, and therevpon summoned all those that owght him any seruice, & such also as held lands to the value of twentie pounds and aboue, to be readie with horsse and harnesse at London about Lammas to passe ouer with him in that iournie.

In the meane time about the moneth of Maie, there began a rebellion in Scotland by the setting on of William Waleis: for the king of Englands iustice William Ormsbie, accordinglie as he had in commission, confined and put to outlawrie a great sort of such Scotishmen, as refused to doo fealtie and homage vnto the king of England, the which Scotishmen being thus condemned as outlawes, elected the foresaid William Waleis for their capteine, with whome William Douglas being once associated, the number of them increased hugelie. The earle of Surrey and the treasurer being in England, those outlawes purposed to haue taken the iustice at Scone: but he being warned though almost too late, escaped himselfe with much adoo, leauing the most part of his people as a spoile to the enimies. For William Waleis and his companie killed as manie Englishmen as fell into his hands, and taking certeine religious men, he bound their hands behind them, and constreined them to leape into the riuer, taking pleasure to behold how they plunged.

The king sent the bishop of Durham into Scotland, to vnderstand the certeintie of this rebellion, who returning from thence, informed him of the truth. The king not minding to breake his iournie which he had purposed to make into Flanders, appointed that the earle of Surrey should haue the leading of all such men of warre as might be leuied beyond Trent, to represse the Scotish rebels, and also wrote vnto Iohn Comin earle of Boughan, that remembring their faith and promise, they should returne into Scotland, and doo their best to quiet the countrie: they according to his commandement, went into Scotland, but shewed themselues slow inough to procure those things that perteined to peace and quietnesse.

In the meane time, whilest these things were a doing, the bishop of Carleill, and other which laie there vpon the gard of that citie and castell, hauing some mistrust of the loialtie in Robert Bruce the yoonger, that was earle of Carrike by his mother, they sent him word to come vnto them at a certeine daie, bicause they had to talke with him of matters touching the kings affairs. He durst not disobeie but came to Carleill togither with the bishop of Gallowaie, & there receiued a corporall oth vpon the holie and sacred mysteries, and vpon the sword of Thomas Becket, to be true to the king of England, and to aid him and his against their enimies in all that he might: and further to withstand that the said king receiued no hurt nor damage so far as in him might lie.

This doone, he returned againe into Scotland, and for a colour entred into the lands of William Douglas, and burnt part of them, bringing the wife and children of the same William backe with him into Annandale: but shortlie after, he conspired with the Scotish rebels, and ioined himselfe with them, not making his father priuie to the matter, who in the meane while remaind in the south parts of England. He would haue persuaded such knights, gentlemen and other as held their lands of his father in Annandale, to haue gone with him, but they would not breake their faith giuen to the king of England, and so left him. The earle of Surrey assembling togither his power in Yorkeshire, sent his nephue the lord Henrie Percie with the souldiers of the countrie of Carleill before into Scotland, who passing foorth to the towne of Aire, went about to induce them of Gallowaie into peace, and hearing that an armie of Scotishmen was gathered togither at a place about foure miles from thence called Irwin, he made thitherward, and comming néere to the Scotish host, might behold where the same was lodged beyond a certeine lake. In that armie were capteins, the bishop of Glasco, Andrew de Murreie steward of Scotland, and William Waleis which (as it should séeme) were not all of one mind.