Biography of Thomas Plantagenet 2nd Earl of Leicester, 2nd Earl Lancaster, Earl of Salisbury and Lincoln 1278-1322

Before 9th March 1301 seven Earls and 96 Barons signed a letter to the Pope refuting the Pope's claim that Scotland was subject to the Pope's feudal overlordship. The letter was never sent. Those who signed include: John Warenne 6th Earl of Surrey [aged 70], Thomas Plantagenet 2nd Earl of Leicester, 2nd Earl Lancaster, Earl of Salisbury and Lincoln [aged 23], Ralph Monthermer 1st Earl of Gloucester and Hertford [aged 31], Humphrey Bohun 4th Earl Hereford 3rd Earl Essex [aged 25], Roger Bigod 5th Earl Norfolk [aged 56], Richard Fitzalan 1st or 8th Earl of Arundel [aged 34], Guy Beauchamp 10th Earl Warwick [aged 29], Aymer de Valence 2nd Earl Pembroke [aged 26], William Leybourne 1st Baron Leybourne [aged 59], [his brother] Henry Plantagenet 3rd Earl of Leicester 3rd Earl Lancaster [aged 20], William Latimer 1st Baron Latimer of Corby [aged 58], Edmund Hastings, John Hastings 2nd Baron Hastings 14th Baron Abergavenny [aged 14], Edmund Mortimer 2nd Baron Mortimer of Wigmore [aged 50], Fulk Fitzwarin 2nd Baron Fitzwarin [aged 16], Henry Percy 9th and 1st Baron Percy [aged 27], Robert Fitzwalter 1st Baron Fitzwalter [aged 54], John Beauchamp 1st Baron Beauchamp Somerset [aged 26], William de Braose 2nd Baron de Braose 10th Baron Bramber [aged 41], John Botetort 1st Baron Botetort [aged 36], Reginald Grey 1st Baron Grey of Wilton [aged 61], John Moels 1st Baron Moels [aged 32], Thomas Berkeley 6th and 1st Baron Berkeley [aged 55], Robert de Vere 5th Earl of Oxford, John Strange 1st Baron Strange Knockin [aged 48], Thomas Multon 1st Baron Multon [aged 25], Robert Clifford 1st Baron Clifford [aged 26], Walter Beauchamp [aged 58], Alan Zouche 1st Baron Zouche Ashby [aged 33], John Segrave 2nd Baron Segrave [aged 45], William Ferrers 1st Baron Ferrers of Groby [aged 29], Simon Montagu 1st Baron Montagu [aged 51], Piers Mauley, Ralph Neville 1st Baron Neville of Raby [aged 38], John Mohun 1st Baron Dunster [aged 32], Roger Scales 1st Baron Scales, Thomas Furnival 1st Baron Furnivall [aged 41], Hugh Bardolf 1st Baron Bardolf [aged 41], Gilbert Talbot 1st Baron Talbot [aged 24], William Deincourt 2nd Baron Deincourt, Edmund Stafford 1st Baron Stafford [aged 28], Walter Fauconberg 1st Baron Fauconberg [aged 81].

On 7th July 1307 [his uncle] King Edward I of England [aged 68] died at Burgh by Sands [Map] whilst on his way north to Scotland. His son Edward [aged 23] succeeded II King of England. Earl Chester merged with the Crown.

Edward had gathered around him Thomas Plantagenet 2nd Earl of Leicester, 2nd Earl Lancaster, Earl of Salisbury and Lincoln [aged 29], Guy Beauchamp 10th Earl Warwick [aged 35], Aymer de Valence 2nd Earl Pembroke [aged 32] and Robert Clifford 1st Baron Clifford [aged 33] and charged them with looking after his son in particular ensuring Piers Gaveston 1st Earl Cornwall [aged 23] didn't return from exile.

On 4th May 1312 King Edward II of England [aged 28] and Piers Gaveston 1st Earl Cornwall [aged 28] were at Newcastle upon Tyne Castle where they barely escaped a force led by Thomas Plantagenet 2nd Earl of Leicester, 2nd Earl Lancaster, Earl of Salisbury and Lincoln [aged 34], Henry Percy 9th and 1st Baron Percy [aged 39] and Robert Clifford 1st Baron Clifford [aged 38]. Piers Gaveston 1st Earl Cornwall escaped to Scarborough, North Yorkshire [Map], King Edward II of England to York [Map].

Around 15th June 1312 Piers Gaveston 1st Earl Cornwall [aged 28] was tried at Warwick Castle [Map] by Guy Beauchamp 10th Earl Warwick [aged 40], Humphrey Bohun 4th Earl Hereford 3rd Earl Essex [aged 36], Thomas Plantagenet 2nd Earl of Leicester, 2nd Earl Lancaster, Earl of Salisbury and Lincoln [aged 34] and Edmund Fitzalan 2nd or 9th Earl of Arundel [aged 27]. He was condemned to death.

Lanercost Chronicle. 19th June 1312. Having surrendered, he [Piers Gaveston 1st Earl Cornwall [aged 28]] was committed to the custody of Sir Aymer de Valence [aged 37], Earl of Pembroke, who had ever before been his chief enemy, and about the feast of the nativity of John the Baptist, in the absence of Aymer de Valence, he was beheaded on the high road [Map] near the town of Warwick by command of the Earl of Lancaster [aged 34] and the Earl of Warwick [aged 40].

Before 22nd March 1322, the date he was executed, Thomas Plantagenet 2nd Earl of Leicester, 2nd Earl Lancaster, Earl of Salisbury and Lincoln [aged 44] was tried by a tribunal consisting of, among others, Hugh "Elder" Despencer 1st Earl Winchester [aged 61], Hugh "Younger" Despencer 1st Baron Despencer [aged 36] and Edmund Fitzalan 2nd or 9th Earl of Arundel [aged 36]. He was not allowed to speak in his defence, nor was he allowed to have anyone speak for him. He was convicted of treason and sentenced to death.

On 22nd March 1322 Thomas Plantagenet 2nd Earl of Leicester, 2nd Earl Lancaster, Earl of Salisbury and Lincoln [aged 44] was beheaded at Pontefract Castle [Map] following his capture six days before at the Battle of Boroughbridge. He was buried at Pontefract Priory [Map]. Earl of Leicester, Earl Lancaster forfeit.

Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke. Indeed, the chief instigator of so great a disaster,¹ Thomas, Earl of Lancaster [aged 44], whose noble birth and immense wealth led others to follow him as though he were immortal, was, on the sixth day after the king's triumph [22nd March 1322], condemned by public justice to the penalty of hanging. But royal compassion did not permit such a shameful death for one of the king's own blood; instead, the punishment for treason was mercifully commuted to beheading. Of the others,² eighteen were drawn and hanged in various places throughout England. Five fugitives were punished with exile. As for the rest, seized and worn down by the filth of prison, the king, showing mercy to the many, released them to redemption.

Nempe tante cladis principalem presumptorem Thomam comitem Lancastrie, cuius generositas et diviciarum amplitudo quasi immortali ceteros fecerunt aderere, vj. die post regis triumphum pupplica iusticia suspendio dampnatum, morte turpissima suum consanguineum non permisit tractari pietas regalis, set decapitacioni penam prodicionis misericorditer remisit. De numero ceterorum X et octo in diversis locis Anglie tractis et suspensis, V fugitivis exilio castigatis, ceteros squalore carcerali correptos, parcens multitudini, regia miseracio dimisit redempcioni.

Note 1. Vita Edward II, 270.

The story of Lancaster's capture and execution is told graphically in the Brute chronicle (Harley MS. 2279): "Whan sir Andrewe of Herkela sawe that sir Thomas men of Lancastre laskede and slakede, anone he and his companye come to the gentil knyghte Thomas of Lancastre and seyden: 'Yelde the, treytour, yelde the.' The gentil erle answerde tho and seide: 'Nay, lordes, traytours be we none; and to yow wil we nevere us yelde while that oure lyves lasten, but levere we have to bene slayn in oure treuthe than yelde us to yow.' And sir Andrewe ayen grad upone sir Thomas companye, yollyng as a wode wolfe, and seide: 'Yelde yow, treytours taken, yelde yow.' And with an hie vois and seide: 'Beth ware, seres, that none of yow be so bardie uppon life and lyme to mysdone Thomas bodie of Lancastre." And with that worde the good erle Thomas wente into a chapel and seide, knelyng don uppon his kneys, and turnede his visage towarde the crois and seide: 'Almyghti God, to the I me yelde, and holiche putte me into thi mercy.' And with that the vilaynes ribaudes lepte aboute him in evere side that gentile erle, as tirauntes and wode turmentours, and dispoylede him of his armure, and closed him in a robe of raye that was of his squyers lyvery, and furth lad him unto Yorke by water. Whan he was taken and broughte to Yorke, meny of the cite were ful glade, and uppon him criede with hie voi: 'A! sire traytour, ye erne wel come, blessid be God, for now shal ye have the rewarde that longe tyme ye have deservede'; and cast uppon him meny snow ballis, and meny other reproves dede him. But the gentil erle that suffred and seide nether one ne other. And in the same tyme the kyng herd of that scomfiture and was ful glad, and in haste come to Pountfret, and sir Hugh the Spencer, and sire Hugh his sone, and sir John erle of Arundelle, and sir Edmunde of Wodestoke, the kyngis brother, erle of Kente, and sire Aymer of Valence, erle of Penbroke, and maister Robert of Baldok, a fals pillede clerk, that was pryve and dwellyng in the kyngis courte; and alle come thider with the kyng. And sire Raufe of Beestone yaf up the castel to the kyng, and the kyng enterede into the castelle. And sire Andrewe of Herkela, a fak tiraunt, thurgh the kynges comaundement nome with him the gentil erle Thomas to Pountfret; and ther he was prisonede in his owen castelle that he had newe made, that stode ayens the abbay of kyng Edwarde. And sir Hugh the Spencer, the fader, and sir Hugh his sone caste and thoughte how and in what maner the good erle Thomas of Lancastre shulde ben dede, withoute eny iugement of his peris. Wherfor hit was ordeynede thurgh the kynges Justices that the kyng shuld putte uppone him poyntes of tretry. And so hit bifelle that he was lad to the barre bifore the kynges Justices, bare heed, as a these, in a faire halle within his owen castel that he had made therin meny a faire feste bothe to riche and eke to pore. And these were his Justices: sir Hugh the Spencer, the fader, sir Aymer the Valance, erle of Penbroke, sire Edmunde of Wodestoke, erle of Kente, sire John of Britaigne, erle of Richemonde, and sir Robert of Malmethorpe, iustice. And sir Robert him acoupede in this maner: 'Thomas, atte the first oure lorde the kyng and this courte excludeth yow of almaner answer. Thomas, our lorde the kyng putte uppon yow fat ye have in his lande riden with baner displayede, ayens his pees, as a treytour.' And with that worde the gentile erle Thomas with an hie vois sayde: 'Naye, forsothe, lordes, and by seynt Thomas I was never traytour.' The iustice seide ayen tho: 'Thomas, oure lorde the kyng putte uppon the that ye have robbede his folk and mordred his peple, as a thefe. Thomas, the kyng also putte uppon the that he descomfited yow and youre peple with his folke in his owen reame; wherfor ye wente and fley to the wode as an owtelawe, and also ye were taken as an outelawe. And, Thomas, as a treytour ye shulde ben hangede by resonn; but the kyng hath foryeve yow that iewes [punishment] for the love of quene Isabelle. And, Thomas, reson wolde that ye shulde ben honged, but the kyng hath foryeve hit yow for cause and love of your lynage. But, Thomas, for as moche as ye were take fleyng and as an outelawe, the kyng wil that youre hede be smyten of, as ye have wel deservede. Anone done him oute of prees, and anone bring him to his iugemente.' The gentile knyjte, whan he had herde alle these wordes, with an hie voys criede, sore wepyng, and seide: 'Alias, seint Thomas, faire fader, alias, shal I ben dede thus? Graunte me now, blissful Lord God, answer.' But alle hit avayle him noujte, for the cursede Gascoigne putte him hider and thider, and on him criede with an hie voys: 'O kyng Arthure, most dredful, wel knowe now fine opyn traytrye; in evel deth shall thow die, as thou hast wel deservede.' Tho sette thei uppon his hevede, in scorne, an olde chapelet alle torente and torne, that was not worth an halpeny. And, after, thei sette him uppon a lene white palfreye ful unsemeliche and eke al bare, with an olde bridel; and with an horrible noys they drow him oute of the castelle towarde his deth, and caste on him many ballis of snawe. And as the turmentours ladde him oute of the castelle, tho seide he thise petous wordis, and his handis helde up in hie towardes hevene: 'Now the Kyng of hevene yeve us mercie, for the erthely kyng hath us forsake.' And a frere prechoure wente with him oute of the castelle til that he come til the place that he endid his life, and to whome he shrofe him alle his life. And the gentile erle helde him faste bi the clothis, and saide: 'Faire fader, abide with us til that I be dede; for my flessh quaketh for drede of deth.'And soth for to saye the gentil erle sette him uppon his kneys and turnede him in to the est. But a ribaude, that men callede Higon of Mostone, sette hande uppon the gentil erle and seide in despite of him: 'Sir treytour, turne the towarde the Scottis, thine foule deth to underfonge'; and turnede the erle toward the north. The noble erle Thomas answerede tho with a mylde voys and seide: 'Now, faire lordes, I shal done alle youre wille.' And with that worde the frere wente fro him, ful sore wepyng. And anone a rebaude wente to him and smote of his hevede.

Note 2. See particulars of the executions in: Knighton 426, Chronicle of Lanercost 245, Gesta Edward de Carnarvon, 77, Annales Paulini 303 and Stubbs Constitutional History of England 2.381.

On 25th March 1322 Andrew Harclay 1st Earl Carlisle [aged 52] was created 1st Earl Carlisle in reward for his capture of Thomas Plantagenet 2nd Earl of Leicester, 2nd Earl Lancaster, Earl of Salisbury and Lincoln [deceased] at the Battle of Boroughbridge.