MarginaliaThe Archb. of Cant. excommunicateth the B. of Couentry for holding with Peter Gaueston.therefore afterward did excommunicate. Which Thomas of Lancaster by the publicke assent of the rest sent to the kyng (lying then at Yorke) humble petitions, in the name aswell of the whole Nobilitie, as of the commons: Desiryng his grace to geue the foresaid Gaueston vnto them, or els accordyng to the ordinaunce of the Realme, that the land might be auoyded of him. But the tyrannous kyng, who set more by the amour of one straūger then by his whole Realme beside: neither would harken to their counsayle; nor geue place to their supplications: But in all hasty fury, remoued from Yorke to Newcastell, where hee remained almost till Midsommer.
[Back to Top]In the meane season, the Barons had gathered an host of sufficient and able soldiours, comming toward Newcastell: not entendyng any molestation agaynst the kyng, but onelye the execution of the lawes vpon wicked Gaueston. The kyng not hauyng wherewith to resist their power: remoueth in all speedy manner to Thinmouth, where the Queene lay. And hearyng there that Newcastell was taken: taketh shypping and sayleth from thence (notwithstandyng the Queene there beyng great with child, with weeping teares and all instaunce, desireth him to tary with her, as safely he might) but he nothyng relentyng to her, tooke Peter his cōpere with him, and coasted ouer to the Castell of Scarbrough, where he leauyng Peter Gaueston to the safe keepyng of his men, himselfe iourneth toward the coast beside Warwike. MarginaliaPeter Gauestone taken of the nobles.The Lordes hearyng where Peter was, bendeth thether all their power: so that at length Gaueston seing no remedy but he must needes come into their handes, yeldeth and submitteth himselfe: requiryng none other conditiō, but onely that he might talke but a few wordes with the kyng in his presence. Thus Gaueston beyng apprehended, MarginaliaThe king entreateth for Gaueston.the kyng hearyng therof, sendeth vnto the Lordes, requiryng his lyfe to be spared: and that he might be brought to his speech, and so promised that in so doyng he would satisfie their myndes and requestes, what soeuer. About this, aduisemēt was taken: but then the Earle of Pēbroke hearyng the kynges promise, perswaded the Barons to graūt vnto his petition: promising hymselfe, vpon loosing all his landes to take the charge vpon hym to be brought vnto the kynges speech, and so to be recommitted to them agayne. Which wh? he had obtayned, he taketh Peter Gaueston with hym, to bring him where the kyng lay. And so cōming to Dedington not farre from Warwike, leaueth hym in the keepyng of his soldiours, while he that night went to his wife, beyng from thence not farre of. MarginaliaGwy of Warwike.The same night it chaunced, Guido the Earle of Warwike to come to the same place where Gaueston was left: who takyng hym out of the handes of his keepers, MarginaliaPeter Gaueston agayne apprehēded by Gwy of Warwike.caryeth hym to the Castell of Warwike, where incontinent they wold haue put hym to death: but doubtyng and fearyng the kyngs displeasure, a litle they stayed. At what tyme one of the company, (a man of sage and wise counsaile as myne author writeth) standyng vp among them with his graue oration declareth the nature of the man, the wickednes of his condition, the Realme by him to greatly endamaged, the nobles despised and reiected, the pride and ambition of the man intollerable, the ruine of thynges lyke to ensue by him, and the great charges & expenses they had bene at in so long pursuyng and gettyng of him. And now being gotten and in their handes, he exhorted them so to vse and take the occasiō now present: that hereafter beyng out of their handes, they afterward might seeke, and should not finde it.
[Back to Top]Briefly, in such sort he perswaded the hearers, that forthwith he was brought out, MarginaliaPeter Gaueston beheaded.and by commō agreement beheaded in a place called Blakelow, which place in other storyes I find to be called Gaueshed, but that name (as I thinke) was deriued vpon this occasion, afterward. And thus he, that before had called the Earle of Warwike the blacke dog of Ardeyne: was thus by the sayd dogge woorowed, as ye haue heard. &c. His carkas, the Dominicke Friars of Oxford had in their Monastery interred the space of. ij. yeares: MarginaliaThe corpes of Peter Gaueston buried in the kings Maner of Lāgley.but after that, the kyng caused the sayd carkas to be taken vp and buried within his owne Manour of Langley.
[Back to Top]After this, great disturbance began to rise betwene the kyng and the Lords:
The Foxe Project was not able to complete the commentary on this section of text by the date by which this online edition was compiled (23 September 2008). This commentary will become available in due course from the 'Late Additions and Corrections' page of the edition.
Shortly vpon the same, Isabell the Queene was deliuered of a fayre child at Windsore, whō Lewes the French kyngs sonne (the Queenes brother, with other Frenchmē there present) would to be called by the name of the French kyng: but the English Lordes were contrary, willyng him to be called by the name of Edward hyis father. At the byrth of which Edward, great reioysing was through all the land, and especially the kyng his father so much ioyed therat: that he began dayly more and more to forget the sorow and remembraunce of Gauestons death, and was after that more agreable to the will of his nobles.
[Back to Top]MarginaliaAn. 1312.Thus peace and concord betwene them began to be in a good towardnes: which more & more might haue bene confirmed in wearyng out of tyme, had not Sathan the author and sower of all discord, styrred vp his instrumentes MarginaliaThe king ruled by forrene counsail.
Makebates about the kyng.(certain Frenchmen, Titinyllars, and makebates about the kyng) which ceased not in carpyng and deprauyng the nobles, to inflame the kynges hatred & grudge agaynst them. By the excityng of whom, the old quarels beyng renued a fresh, the kyng in his Parliament called vpon the same: began to charge the foresayd Barons and nobles with sedition and rebelliō, and for slaying Peter Gaueston. Neither were the nobles lesse stoute agayne in defēdyng their cause, declaryng that they in so doing had deserued rather thanke and fauour with the kyng then any displeasure, in vanquishing such a publique enmey of the Realme, who not onely had spoyled & wasted the kynges substance, but also raysed much disturbance in the Realme. And for asmuch as they had begon with the matter to their so great labours and expenses: they would procede further, they sayd, not ceasing til they saw an end therof. To be short, great threats there were on both partes, & a foule matter like to haue followed. MarginaliaMediation for making peace.But agayne through the diligent mediatiō of the Queene, the Prelates, and the foresayd Earle of Gloucester: the matter was takē vp and brought to reconcilement vpon these cōditions, MarginaliaThe king reconciled agayne wyth hys nobles.that the Lords and Barons openly in Westmynster hall should humble themselues before the kyng, and aske pardon there of their doynges, and euery man there to receaue a letter of the kynges pardon, for their indemnitie, and assurance. And so passed ouer that yeare, within the which yeare dyed Robert Winchelsey Archb. of Cant. In whose roome, Thomas Cobbhā was elected by the kyng and Church of Cant. to succede: but the pope, cassating that election, placed Walter Reynalde Bishop of Worceter.
MarginaliaAn. 1313.
What discord doth in a commō wealth.
The Scots rebell against the realm of England.In the meane tyme, the Scots hearyng this ciuill discord in the Realme, began to be busie and to rebell of new, through the meanes of Robert Bruys: who beyng chased out of Scotlād, by kyng Edward the first, as is aboue premised, into Norway, was now returned agayn into Scotlād: where he demeaned him in such sort to þe Lordes there, that in short processe he was agayne made kyng of the Realme: And warred so strongly vpon them that tooke the kynges part, that he wanne from them many castels and strong holdes, and inuaded the borders of Englād. The k. hearyng this, assembleth a great power, and by water entreth the Realme of Scotland. Agaynst whom, encountred Robert de Bruys with his Scots at Estriualin, where was fought a strong battaile: MarginaliaEnglishmē ouercome by the Scots.in the end wherof, the Englishmē were discomfited, & so egerly pursued by the Scots, that many of the noble men were slayne, as the Earle of Glouceter, Syr Robert Clifford, Syr Edmund Maule with other Lordes to the number of xlij. and knightes and Barons lxvij. beside xxij. men of name, which were taken prisoners: of common souldiours, x. thousand, or after the Scottish story fifty thousand slayne. After which tyme Syr Robert Bruys reigned as kyng of Scotland.
About which tyme and in which yeare, dyed pope Cle-