armour of hys owne. And then deuiding theyr battailes, they marched toward their enemies: but before they ioyned, the welchmen ran their wayes, and thinkyng to scape ouer the riuer of Dee, were there some drowned, & some slayne. Then when the battels ioyned and came to handy strokes, within short space, many of the Earles part fell and were slayne. MarginaliaK. Henry almost slaine in the battel, at length knowen by hys voyce & rescued by his sonne.And the kyng himselfe beyng stroken at, cryed with a loud voyce to them, saying: kill me not, I am Henry your kyng. And with these the kings wordes þ^e lord Adam Mōhaut knew hym, and saued hym. At whose voyce & cry came also Prince Edward hys sonne, and deliuered hym to the garde and custody of certayne knightes. In the meane season, the Erle Symon was hard bestead and beaten downe, & also slayne before Edward the prince came at hym. Howbeit, before he fell, when as yet he fought for his lyfe, & Henry his sonne and other Noble men on hys part were about hym, he brake out in these words vnto hys enemies saying: what, is there no mercy and compassion wyth you? Who agayne aunswered, what compassion should there bee shewed to traytors? Then sayd he, the lord be mercifull to our soules, our bodies are in your handes. And as soone as these wordes were spoken, they mangled his body, and deuided hys members, and cut of hys hed, which hed Roger Mortimer sent vnto his wyfe. And not far of from hym also was slayne Henry his eldest sonne, the Lord Hugh Spencer, the Lord Radulph Basset, the Lord Thomas de Hestele, MarginaliaErle Simō, his sonne, & many moo Lords & barons slaine at this battel of Eushem.the Lord William Maundeuile, the Lord Iohn Bewchampe, the Lord Guido Baillofer, the Lord Roger Rowley, and many other noble men besides, with a great multitude of people the Lord knoweth how many. This battayle was fought in the month of August and continued from one of the clock til it was night: in the which, was not so much as one man on þ^e erles part of any estimation, fortitude, & courage, but in that battayle lost hys lyfe: more then the Lorde Iohn, who by the great grace of God escaped death. Neyther is this to be forgotten, that the same day beyng Teusday, at that instant houre when the battell begā, which was at one of the clocke at after noone: there was such a darknesse ouer all, such thunder and such tempest: that the lyke before that tyme was neuer sene, beyng very fayre & calme weather both immediately before and after, which seemed (sayth mine author) to geue a playne demonstration of that which afterward chaunced and followed.

[Back to Top]

Marginalia1266.
A parlimēt summoned at Winchester where K. Hēry was againe restored to his regalitieAfter this great slaughter and ouerthrow, there was a Parliament summoned at Winchester by the Earle of Glocester, and other of hys part.  

Here by the way is to be considered, that the kyng although he was in the campe of the Erle of Leicester, beyng then in custody, and hys sonne Edward with the Erle of Gloucester, yet the kyng was in that side agaynst his will, and therfore in the sayd Parliament, the kyng was restored to hys kingly dignity which was before that tyme vnder the custody of the Barones. But after the battaile was ended and done, certen of them that loued the Earle: vppon an olde ladder, garhered vp such partes of his body as remayned, and coueryng the same wyth an olde gowne brought it to Eusham: where they puttyng the same in a fayre linnen clothe, buried it in the Church. MarginaliaThe Earles carkas vntombed and cast forth of Christen Buriall.But not long after, by such as thought not themselues sufficiently reuenged with hys death (to wreke them of the dead corpes) tooke vp the same and threw it in an other place, saying: that he which was both accursed, & a traitor, was not worthy of Christian buriall.

[Back to Top]

The same yere also, died M. Walter Cantilupus bishop of Winchester, after whom succeded M. Nicholas of Ely, the kings Chauncellor.

The same yere the kyng perceauyng, that vnlesse þ^e Castle of Kenilworth were recouered, and the boldnes of them restrayned that kept the same: many euils and inconueniēces might ensue therupon, to the preiudice of his kingdome: for that the nomber increased euery day more and more, wasting and spoyling the countrey all about. Therfore, he gathered an army and came to Warwicke, where he a whyle taryed expecting the meeting and assembling of his Marqueses and Lordes, with engines and other munition sautable. MarginaliaKenilwoorth castle besieged of the k.Who when their bandes were furnished and mustered, and all things redy, the morrow after Midsommer day he displayed hys banner, and began his voyage marchyng towardes Kenilworth and besieged the same. During which siege, by the aduise and counsayle of the king, the Popes Legate, and other noble men: xij. persons were chosē which should haue the disposing of those things that pertayned to the state of the Realme, and of those that had lost their landes and inheritaunces: who amongst other thinges, made and established this one prouiso, that was commonly called Kenilworth decree. MarginaliaKenilworth decree against the disherited.That all those which had lost their landes by attaynder (although not yet attainted) should fyne therfore at the kinges pleasure, and take their landes of him agayne: paying some thre yeres, some foure yeres, some two yeres reueneues of the same, accordyng to the qualitie of the crime and offence committed. All which prouisos or prouisions, were established and confirmed as well by the corporall othe, as by signment of the same with the handes and seales of all the Prelates and Clergy of England, there assembled for that purpose by the Popes Legate vppon the feast of all saintes. When these thinges were thus finished, messengers were sent on the kings behalf, as well to those that kept the castle of Kenilworth, as also to those that were assembled in the Ile of Ely: willyng them to come vnder the protection of the kinges peace, and yeld to the foresayd prouisos establised by the twelue commissioners. MarginaliaKenilworth decre gaynsayd by diuers.Who altogether aunswered and sayd: that they would in no wyse condescend thereunto: both for that it was done wythout theyr consents not beyng called vnto it, and also for that the sayd decree was ouer straight and intollerable. Within short space after, great famine and pestilence chaunced amongest them which kept the castle, in so much as they were without all hope of kepyng the same: wherfore, soone after the kyng sending agayne to them to yeld the Castle and take their pardons, they consulting together of their own estate: thus aunswered the kinges messengers. If it please þ^e kyng and hys counsayle to permit vs to send our Messenger vnto the Lord Symon Mountfort which is beyond the sea, that he may come by a certayne day to the defence of this his garrison and fort: and that in the meane space, we be not disturbed by the kings army that hath enuironed vs, tyll the returne of our messengers. If by the day appointed he come not, we will yeld vp the same, so that we may be pardoned of lyfe, limme and moueables.

[Back to Top]

When the messengers were returned, and had declared to the kyng their aunswere: he consultyng with his nobles about the matter, agreed to their petitions. And caused the truce to be proclaimed throughout all his camp, after that sufficient hostages were on either side giuen for the performaunce of the same; wherupon, they set forward their messengers, as before was sayd they would. But after that, many of them within the Castle beyng very greuously vexed with the bloudy flixe and other diseases, in so much that the whole men might not abyde the corruption, and annoyaunce of those that were diseased: MarginaliaKenilworth castle yelded vp to the king before the returne of the messengers out of Fraunce.deliuered vp the Castell before the returne of the messengers agayne, and were permitted to go whether they would to refresh themselues, as men molested with great vexation and miseries. After the rendryng vp of the Castell, the kyng committed the custody therof to his sonne Edmund, and so with his host departyng from the siege, came vpon Christmas eunes euen to Osney: where, he with great solemnitie and triumph kept his Christmas duryng seuen dayes, and from thence with his host came to Windsore, from whence after a few dayes he marched towardes Ely: In which Iland he besieged those, which were disherited, & sharply assaulted them.

[Back to Top]

The same yeare, pope Clement the iiij. promoted master Walter Giffard Byshop of Bathe, to be Archbishop of Yorke.

In which yere also, the church of England begū to pay þ^e tenths of all their reueneues as well spiritual as temporall, to the King: to continue for 3. yeres space, and this was done by the authorite Apostolicall.

MarginaliaThe tēthes graunted to the k. by autoritie Apostolicall.Within a whyle after, the Barons which were yet remayning, gathered themselues together agayne: Amongst whome Iohn Daywile (beyng a subtile and stoute man of warre) began to haue a name and was well estemed amongest them: who altogether did what mischiefe they myght, and in the month of May, MarginaliaA new assembly of the Barrons at Chesterfield, where they had the ouerthrow.they assembled at Chesterfield, vnder the said Ihon Daywile and the Erle Ferarence, vpon whom the kings souldiors, commyng sodenly in þ^e night, toke them sleping, and slue many of them. Then the sayde Ihon Daywile quickly arming hymself, came forth: thynking with more defence both to saue himselfe, and to escape. Who in the way, stroke, the Lord Gilbert Humsard such a blow with his demilaunce, that he feld both him and his horse to the ground, & so fled with a few more after him. And thus whilest the poore souldiors fought & were slaine, the Barōs fled away & saued themselues. MarginaliaAll the confederates of Symon Mountfort, with their children disherited by the k. Symon Mountfort & his confederates excommunicate by the popes Legate.Also the erle Ferarence fled, & hid himself in a church. But being bewrayde by a womā he was taken forth, and led away prisoner. After this, the king kept a parliament at Northampton, where he disherited all those that toke any part with the erle Simon, and al their children. Where also the Popes Legate Octobonus held a conuocation, and excommunicated all such bishops, as had take any part with Simon, against the king: of whom diuers he sent vp to Rome, to be absoyled of the pope: & farther þ^e said Legate caused to be proclaimed certaine decrees,

[Back to Top]