The Archbishop of Canterbury being lately returned from Rome, where he had remained in exile in the late deceased king's days for a certain time, did pronounce the said Peers accursed if he tarried within the realm longer than the appointed time, and likewise all those that should aid, help, or maintain him, as also if he should at any time hereafter return again into the land. To conclude, this matter was so followed, that at length he was constrained to withdraw himself to Bristow, and so by sea as a banished man to sail into Ireland.

'The king, being sore offended herewith, as he that favoured the earl more than that he could be without his company, threatened the lords to be revenged for this displeasure, and ceased not to send into Ireland unto Peers, comforting him both with friendly messages and rich presents, and as it were to show that he meant to retain him still in his favour, he made him ruler of Ireland as his deputy there. The lords perceiving the king's affection, and that the treasure was spent as lavishly as before, thought with themselves that it might be that the king would both amend his past trade of life, and that Peers being restored home, would rather advise him thereto than follow his old manners, considering that it might be well perceived that if he continued in encouraging of the king to lewdness as in times past he had done, he could not think but that the lords would be ready to correct him as by proof he had now tried their meanings to be no less.

'1309. Hereupon to retain amity, as was thought on both sides, Peers, by consent of the lords, was restored home again (the king meeting him at Chester), to his great comfort and rejoicing for the time, although the malice of the lords was such that such joy lasted not long.

1310. The king this year fearing the envy of the lords against Peers de Gaueston, placed him for his more safety in Bamborough Castle, bearing the prelates and lords in hand that he had committed him there to prison for their pleasures. The Earl of Cornwall . . provoked the king to all naughty rule and riotous demeanour, and having the custody of the king's jewels and treasure, he took out of the jewel-house a table and a pair of trestles of gold, which he delivered unto a merchant called Aimerie de Friscobald, commanding him to convey them over the sea into Gascoigne.

1310. Henry Lacy, Earl of Lincoln, lying on his deathbed, requested (as was reported) Thomas, Earl of

Lancaster, who had married his daughter, that in any wise he should stand with the other lords in defence of the commonwealth, and to maintain his quarrel against the Earl of Cornwall, which request Earl Thomas faithfully accomplished; for by the pursuit of him and of the Earl of Warwick chiefly, the said Earl of Cornwall was at length taken and beheaded (as after shall appear). Some write that King Edward I upon his deathbed charged the Earls of Lincoln, Warwick, and Penbroke to foresee that the foresaid Peers returned not again into England, lest by his evil example he might induce his son to lewdness, as before he had already done.

'1312. [The] lords and other more that were abused at this Earl of Cornwall's hands, determined to be revenged upon him, and to despatch the realm of such a wicked person; and thereupon assembling their powers together, came towards Newcastle, whither the king from York was removed, and now hearing of their approach, he got him to Tinemouth, where the queen lay, and understanding there that Newcastle was taken by the lords, he leaving the queen behind him, took shipping and sailed from thence with his dearly beloved familiar the Earl of Cornwal, unto Scarborough, where he left him in the castle, and rode himself towards Warwick. The lords hearing where the Earl of Cornwall was, made thither with all speed, and besieging the castle, at length constrained their enemy to yield himself into their hands, requiring no other condition but that he might come to the king's presence to talk with him. The king hearing that his best beloved familiar was thus apprehended, sent to the lords requiring them to spare his life, and that he might be brought to his presence, promising them withal that he would see them fully satisfied in all their requests against him. Whereupon the Earl of Penbroke persuaded with the barons to grant to the king's desire, undertaking upon forfeiture of all that he had, to bring him to the king and back again to them, in such state and condition as he received him. When the barons had consented to his motion, he took the Earl of Cornwall with him to bring him where the king lay, and coming to Dedington, left him there in safe keeping with his servants, whilst he for one night went to visit his wife, lying not far from thence.

'The same night it chanced that Guy, Earl of Warwick, came to the very place where the Earl of Cornwall was left, and taking him from his keepers, brought him unto Warwick, where incontinently it was thought best to put him to death.

They caused him straightways to be brought forth to a place called Blacklow, otherwise named by most writers Gauerslie Heath, where he had his head smitten from his shoulders the twentieth day of June, being Tuesday. When the king had knowledge hereof, he was wonderfully displeased with those lords that had thus put the said earl unto death, making his vow that he would see his death revenged, so that the rancour which before was kindled betwixt the king and those lords began now to blaze abroad and spread so far, that the king ever sought occasion how to work them displeasure. King Edward chose such to be about him, and to be of his privy council, which were known to be men of corrupt and most wicked living (as the writers of that age report). Amongst these were two of the Spensers, Hugh the father, and Hugh the son. younger Spenser

lain.

The

was ordained to be his chamber

1314. King Edward, with a mighty army, bravely furnished, and gorgeously apparelled, more seemly for a triumph than meet to encounter with the cruel enemy in the field, entered Scotland. [For details of the battle of Bannockburn, Holinshed refers to his Scottish History.]

‘1321. [The lords] sent to the king. Their chief request was that it might please his highness to put from him the Spensers, whose counsel they knew to be greatly against his honour; and hereof not to fail, if he tendered the quiet of his realm.

1322. The Earls of Lancaster and Hereford, with the other barons, came to Borough Bridge, where Sir Andrew de Herkley had forelaid the passage, and there on a Tuesday, being the 16 of March, he setting upon the barons, in the end discomfited them, and chased their people. In this fight was taken, Thomas, Earl of Lancaster. On the two-and-twentieth of March he was

arraigned of high treason,

and thereupon adjudged

to die. And so accordingly thereunto, suffered at Pomfret, the two-and-twentieth of March.

The

Lord Hugh Spenser, the father, was made Earl of Winchester; also Master Robert Baldock, a man evil beloved in the realm, was made lord chancellor of England. The Frenchmen made roads and incursions into the borders of Guien, alleging that they did it upon good and sufficient occasion, for that King Edward had not done his homage unto the King of France, as he ought to have dcne.

'1323. The French king, being lately come to the crown, sent certain ambassadors unto King Edward . . . to give summons unto him, from the French king, to come and do homage for the lands which he held in France.

About the same time the Lord Roger Mortimer of Wigmor, giving his keepers a drink, that brought them into a sound and heavy sleep, escaped out of the Tower of London, where he was prisoner. He got over into France. 1325. It was thought good that the queen should go over to her brother, the French king. The French king wrote his letters-patents into England, and other letters also, of safe conduct, as well for the son, as for the king himself, if it should please him to come over himself in person. it was determined that the king's

At length

eldest son, Edward, should go over.

'1326. It was well understood that the queen meant not to return till she might bring with her the Lord Mortimer, and the other banished men, who in no wise could obtain any favour at the king's hands, so long as the Spensers bare rule. King Edward understanding all the queen's drift, at length sought the French king's favour, and did so much by letters and promise of bribes with him and his council, that Queen Isabel was destitute in manner of all help there, so that she was glad to withdraw into Heinault, by the comfort of John the Lord Beaumont, the Earl of Heinault his brother, who required her to go into Heinault, and he would be glad to attend her; she gladly consenting hereto, went thither with him, where she was most joyfully received with her son, and all other of her train.

Queen Isabel and her son,

stoke, Earl of Kent, Sir John de Heinault, Lord Roger Mortimer of Wigmore,

Edmund of Wod

and the having with them

a small company of Englishmen, with a crew of Heinewiers and Almains, to the number of 2757 armed men, landed at length, in Suffolk, at an haven called Orwell, besides Harwich, the 25 day of September.

set forth a proclamation, that

. . The whosoever

king could bring the head or dead corpse of the Lord Mortimer of Wigmore should have for his labour a thousand marks. The queen's proclamation, on the other hand, willed that whosoever could bring to the queen the head of Hugh Spenser, the younger, should have two thousand pounds of the queen's gift.

'In the meantime, the king being come to Bristow, left that city in the keeping of the Earl of Winchester. And

with the Earls of Glocester and Arundell, and the lord chancellor, Sir Robert Baldocke, he sailed over into Wales, there to raise a power of Welshmen.

'The queen, accompanied with a great power, departed from Oxenford, and went straight unto Glocester, and sent before her unto Bristow, the Earl of Kent, the king's brother, Sir John of Hennegew, with other, to take the Earl of Winchester. They did their endeavour with such diligence that the townsmen, compounding to be saved harmless in body and goods, delivered the town and castle unto the queen, and to her son, the prince. The morrow after her thither coming, being the Even of the Apostles Simon and Jude, through the instant calling upon of the people, the Earl of Winchester was drawn forth in his coat armour, unto the common gallows, and there hanged. His head was after cut off.

in the

The king with the Earl of Glocester, and the lord chancellor, taking the sea, meant to have gone either into the isle of Lundaie, or else into Ireland, but being tost with contrary winds for the space of a week together, at length he landed in Glamorganshire, and got him to the abbey and castle of Neith, there secretly remaining upon trust of the Welshmen's promises. The queen, meanwhile, sent the Lord Henry, Earl of Leicester, and the Lord William la Zouch, and one Rice ap Howell, that was lately delivered out of the Tower, where he was prisoner, into Wales, to see if they might find means to apprehend the king by help of their acquaintance in those parts, all three of them having lands thereabouts, where it was known the king for the more part kept. They used such diligence in that charge, that finally, with large gifts bestowed on the Welshmen, they came to understand where the king was, and so on the day of St Edmund the archbishop, being the sixteenth of November, they took him in the monastery of Neith, near to the castle of Laturssan, together with Hugh Spenser the son called Earl of Glocester, the lord chancellor Robert de Baldock, and Simon de Reading the king's marshal, not caring for other the king's servants, whom they suffered to escape. The king was delivered to the Earl of Leicester, who conveyed him by Monmouth and Leadbury to Killingworth Castle, where he remained the whole winter. The Earl of Glocester, the lord chancellor, and Simon de Reading, were brought to Hereford, and there presented to the queen, where on the four-and-twentieth of November, the said earl was drawn and hanged. John, Earl of Arundel, was

taken on St Hugh's Day, in the parts about Shrewsbury, and