1260-1269 Second Baron's War

Annals of Six Kings of England by Nicholas Trivet [1258-1328]. Henry, the king, having returned from France, came to Oxford and in person, for the sake of prayer, visited Saint Frideswide¹. Armed with right faith, he did not fear the superstitious opinion of those who think it unlawful for kings to enter the town, the virgin being believed to exercise vengeance upon them. When his son came to him, having gathered an army, he prepared to drive back the enemy with a strong force. Meanwhile the men of London, seizing the king’s justiciars and the barons of the Exchequer, committed them to prison. The king, having with him illustrious princes, namely his brother Richard, King of the Romans, his son Edward, William de Valence his uterine brother, and renowned knights, John Comyn of Scotland with a multitude of Scots, John de Balliol, lord of Galloway, Robert de Brus, lord of Annandale, Roger de Clifford, Philip Marmion, John de Vaux, Roger de Leybourne, Henry de Percy, Philip Basset, and Roger de Mortimer, advancing with an army, besieged the town of Northampton, which on Passion Sunday [6th April 1264] he entered after breaking the wall. There he took fifteen banner-bearing knights, namely Simon [de Montfort] the younger, William de Ferrers, Peter de Montfort, Baldwin Wake, Adam of Newmarket, Roger Bertram, Simon, son of Simon who had first raised the banner against the king, Berenger of Waterville, Hugh Gubion, Thomas Maunsell, Roger Boutevilain, Nicholas Wake, Robert of Newenton, Philip of Driby, and Grimbald of Pauncevout; of these he sent Simon the younger to the castle of Windsor, and the others to various castles as prisoners. About forty other knights of lesser rank were also taken, and many squires.

Henricus rex de Francia reversus, Oxoniam veniens, personaliter orationis gratia sanctam adiit Frideswidam. Armatus nempe fide recta, non veritus est superstitiosam opinionem illorum qui putant illicitum regibus intrare villam, ultionem in eos virgine exercente. Ad quem cum venisset filius ejus, coadunato exercitu, disposuit hostes in manu valida propulsare. Interim Londonienses justitiarios regis et barones de scaccario capientes, carceri manciparunt. Rex vero habens secum illustres principes, Ricardum germanum suum regem Alemanniæ ac fillum suum Edwardum, Willelimumque de Valentiis fratrem uterinum, clarissimosque milites Joannem Comyn de Scotia cum multitudine Scotorum, Joannem de Balliolo dominum Galwidiæ, Robertum de Brus dominum Vallis-Anandiæ, Rogerum de Clifford, Philippum Marmioun, Joannem de Vallibus, Rogerum de Leyborne, Henricum de Percy, Philippum Basseth, Rogerum de Mortuo-mari, cum exercitu progrediens villam Northamptoniæ obsedit, quam Dominica in Passione effracto muro intravit: cepitque in illa milites vexilliferos quindecim; videlicet Symonem juniorem, Willelmum de Ferrariis, Petrum de Monte-forti, Baldewinum Wake, Adam de Novo-mercato, Rogerum Bertrandi, Symonem filium Symonis qui primo vexillum erexerat contra regem, Berengarium de Watervile, Hugonem Gubion, Thomam Maunsel, Rogerum Boutevileyn, Nicolaum Wake, Robertum de Newentonia, Philippum de Dribi, Grimbaldum de Paunsevout; de quibus Symonem juniorem ad castrum de Windelsore, reliquos vero ad alia castra transmisit captivos. Capti sunt et alii milites minoris gradus circiter quadraginta, scutiferique non pauci.

Note 1. 'Frideswidam' i.e. 'Frideswide'’, died 10th October 727, which day is her Feast Day, daughter of King Didan of Mercia and Safrida. She was buried at the Priory of St Frideswide, Oxford, of which she was Abbess, now Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford. Legend has it that when King Æthelbald of Mercia sought to marry her, despite her vow of celibacy, she fled to Oxford, and when he entered Oxford to find her, he was struck blind.

Annals of Six Kings of England by Nicholas Trivet [1258-1328]. The aforesaid earls, approaching the town of Lewes [on 14th May 1264] with an armed force, attacked the king’s followers who had gone out to seek fodder for the horses, and slew many of them. The king, being forewarned of the sudden arrival of the earls and barons, went out to meet them with his army divided into three parts: over the first was Edward, the king’s firstborn, with William de Valence, Earl of Pembroke, and John de Warenne, Earl of Surrey and Sussex; over the second, the King of the Romans with his son Henry; over the third, the king himself, Henry. The army of the barons, however, was divided into four parts: over the first was Henry de Montfort with the Earl of Hereford; over the second, Gilbert de Clare with John fitz John and William de Montchesney; over the third, in which were the men of London, Nicholas de Segrave; over the fourth, Earl Simon himself with Thomas of Pelveston. Edward, therefore, with his division rushed upon the enemy with such force that he compelled them to retreat, and many of them, fleeing, were drowned, as some write, to the number of sixty knights. The men of London also were put to flight, and while Edward pursued them for a distance of four miles, inflicting very heavy slaughter, being separated from the rest of the army, he weakened its strength. Meanwhile many of the king’s division were slain, and the King of the Romans, Robert de Brus, and John Comyn, who had brought the Scots, were captured; King Henry also, his horse having been killed, was taken and confined under guard in the priory. Edward, returning, was met with a fierce battle, and the Earl of Warenne, William de Valence, Guy de Lusignan, the king’s uterine brothers, and Hugh Bigod, with a force amounting to four hundred men in armour, fled, all making for the castle of Pevensey.

Appropinquantes autem ad villam de Lewes comites prædicti in manu armata, regios satellites, qui pro quæritando equorum pabulo egressi faerant, invadentes plurimos peremerunt. Præmunitus rex de adventu subito comitum et baronum, obviam pergit cum exercitu in tres partes diviso: quarum primæ præerat Edwardus regis primogenitus, cum Willelmo de Valentiis Penebrochiæ, et Joanne de Warenna Surreyæ et Susexiæ, comitibus; secundæ rex Alemanniæ cum filio suo Henrico; tertiæ vero rex ipse Henricus. Baronum vero exercitus in quatuor partes divisus erat: quaram primæ Henricus de Monte-forti cum comite Herfordiæ; secundæ Gilebertus de Clare cum Joanne filio Joannis, et Willelmo de Monte-canisii; tertiæ, in qua erant Londonienses, Nicolaus de Segrave; quar-tæ ipse comes Symon cum Thoma de Pelvestone præfuerunt. [Edwardus igitur cum acie sua tanto impetu in hostes irruit, ut eos retrocedere cogeret: quorum multi fugientes submersi sunt, ut scribunt aliqui, usque ad numerum militum sexaginta. Londonienses etiam in fugam versi sunt, quos dum insequitur] Edwardus ad quatuor milliarium spatium, gravissimam cædem inferendo, a reliquo separatus exercitu diminuit robur ejus. Interim vero multi de acie regis occisi sunt, captique rex Alemanniæ, Robertus de Brus et Joannes Comyn qui Scotos adduxerant: rex etiam Henricus dextrario ejus occiso captus, et in prioratu apposita custodia est reclusus. Reversus Edwardus gravi prælio excipitur, fugeruntque comes Warennæ, Willelmus de Valentiiss Guido de Lisiniaco fratres regis uterini, Hugo Bigod cum militia quæ ad quadringentos loricatos adscendit, omnes ad castrum de Peuvensie tendentes.

Chronicle of Walter of Guisborough. Meanwhile the royalists went out to battle, arranging themselves in three divisions. The first was led by the king's son Edward, with the Earl of Warenne and William de Valence, the king's brother; the second by the king of Germany with his son Henry; the third by the king himself with his magnates. A fourth division the king did not set up, since he had left behind many standard-bearers to guard the town and castle of Tonbridge against the Earl of Gloucester; and there was the flower of almost all his youthful knighthood, for the king had not believed that the barons' approach was so near. When therefore the lines of battle were prepared on either side, they exhorted one another to fight bravely; and with the clash of a fierce encounter many foot soldiers fell almost in an instant. At once the king's son Edward with his line, being a young man bold and a vigorous knight, charged into the enemy with such force that he compelled them to retreat a great distance; so that some of those behind, believing from the retreat that the front ranks had fallen, fled in large numbers, and about sixty knights, trying to ford the waters to escape, were drowned. And when some had been slain, the men of London, who had begged for the first blows of battle, though ignorant of its dangers, immediately took to flight. Edward pursued them with his troop, cutting down the hindmost for two or three miles; for he hated them, because they had deserted his father and had dishonoured his mother when she was travelling by water from Westminster to the royal Tower along the Thames, throwing mud and stones from the bridge into her boat and shouting words of insult. Meanwhile, while he thus pursued the fugitives, the barons charged into the king's second division, of which the greater part perished, and the king of Germany was captured, along with Robert de Brus and John Comyn, who had brought a numerous host of Scots. The king's own division was broken through, and his war-horse was slain; and when his men saw many fallen and many others fleeing, they led the king back into the abbey from which he had set out, shutting the gates and setting a guard with many knights. The barons entered the town, the victory being won; nor could it easily be told for a long time, by reason of the multitude of wounded, who were royalists and who were baronial. While these things were happening, Edward the king's son returned with his troop, and when his men saw in the plain the war-cart which Earl Simon had had made for riding, standing there without driver or guide, they rushed upon it and in a moment tore it to pieces; and they slew with the sword two burgesses whom they found in it. But as they came near the place of the slain and looked upon the great slaughter, their hearts were shaken and their fierce countenances grew pale. Yet their hearts were strengthened by that bold leader, the king's son, who urged them by every means to be brave men. As they approached the town, the barons came out against them, and with a fierce battle fought, many fell on both sides. Then the Earl of Warenne fled with the king's two brothers, William de Valence and Guy his brother, followed by more than seven hundred picked men-at-arms of their household and company; and on that same day, setting out as far as Pevensey, they crossed the sea. Hugh Bigod also fled with many others, and they madly abandoned the king's son, though he was fighting manfully. Seeing this, he circled back around the town to the castle, and not finding his father there, returned to him in the abbey.

Interim egressi sunt regales ad pugnam, se præparantes per tres turmas, quarum primam ducebat filius regis Edwardus, cum comite de Warenna, et Willelmo de Valence fratre regis; secundam vero rex Alemanniæ cum filio suo Henrico; tertiam autem ipse rex cum magnatibus suis; quartam vero aciem non constituit rex, eo quod plures vexillarios reliquerat post se ad custodiendum villam et castrum de Tunebrige contra comitem Gloucestriæ, et erat ibi juvenilis ætas quasi totius militiæ suæ, non enim credebat rex adventum baronum tam propinquum: præparatis itaque hinc et inde aciebus exhortabantur ad invicem ad strenue militandum, et conserto gravi prælio corruerunt multi pedestres quasi in momento; statimque filius regis Edwardus cum acie sua, utpote juvenis acer et miles strenuus, irruit in hostes cum tanto impetu quod eos retrocedere compulit spatio magno, ita quod posteriores quidam ex retrocessione credentes primos corruisse, fugerunt plures, et aquæ se credentes ut transirent submersi sunt milites circiter LX cæsisque aliquibus fugerunt statim Londonienses qui primos ictus petierant, belli discrimina ignorantes, quos insequebatur Edwardus cum turma sua, cædens extremos eorum spatio duorum vel trium milliarium, eos enim habebat exosos pro eo quod recesserant a patre, et matrem suam dehonestaverant cum a Westmonasterio usque regiam turrem per aquam Thamesim navigaret, projicientes ex ponte in navem ipsius lutum et lapides, et contumeliosa verba protulerant; interim vero dum sic sequeretur fugientes irruerunt barones in aciem regis secundam, periitque ejus pars maxima et captus est rex Alemanniæ cum Roberto de Bruys et Johanne Comyn qui Scotos adduxerant numerosos, perforataque est acies ipsius regis et dextrarius ejus occisus; cumque vidissent sui multos corruisse et quamplures fugam iniisse, reduxerunt regem in abbatiam unde prius exierat, claudentes portas et custodiam adhibentes cum multis militibus; ingressique sunt barones in urbem, obtenta victoria; nec facile discerni poterat per longum spatium, præ multitudine vulneratorum, qui dicerentur regales et qui baronales: dumque fierent hæc Edwardus filius regis cum turma sua reversus, et videntes sui in planicie currum quem fieri fecerat comes Simon ad equitandum stantem cum eis absque auriga vel duce itineris, cucurrerunt, et quasi in momento dilaceraverunt eum, duos etiam burgenses quos invenerunt in eo gladio peremerunt; appropinquantes autem ad locum occisorum et stragem intuentes permaximam, expavit cor eorum et ferocis animi vultus deperiit; confortabat tamen corda eorum dux ille strenuus regis filius, et ut essent viri robusti modis omnibus animabat, appropinquantibus ipsis ad urbem exierunt barones obviam eis, et conserto gravi prælio corruerunt hinc et inde, fugitque comes de Warenna cum duobus regis fratribus Willelmo de Valence et Gwydone fratre ejus, et sequebantur eos plusquam septingenti armati electi qui erant de domo et familia eorum; et eadem die proficiscentes usque Pevensay mare transierunt: fugit etiam Hugo Bygot cum multis aliis, et filium regis strenue militantem vecorditer reliquerunt; quod videns ipse denuo circumduxit villam usque castrum, et ibi non invento patre reversus est ad eum in abbatiam.

Annals of Six Kings of England by Nicholas Trivet [1258-1328]. In this year there appeared a comet¹ so remarkable that, as Brother Martin writes in his chronicles, no one then living had ever seen the like before. Rising from the east with great brightness, it drew a shining tail as far as the middle of the hemisphere towards the west; and although it may perhaps have signified many things in different parts of the world, this one thing is certainly known, that since it lasted for more than three months, when it first appeared Pope Urban began to fall ill, and on the same night [2nd October 1264] on which the pope died the comet disappeared. He died at Perugia and was buried there. Clement the Fourth succeeded Urban, a native of Provence, who, having first had a wife and children, had been a renowned advocate and counsellor of the King of France. After the death of his wife, on account of his good, holy, and praiseworthy life, he was first made Bishop of Le Puy, then Archbishop of Narbonne, and finally, having been raised to the cardinalate, became Bishop of Sabina; and when he had been sent by Pope Urban as legate into England for the restoration of peace, he was elected pope in his absence. At this time there flourished at Paris distinguished doctors, Brother Thomas Aquinas among the Friars Preachers, and Bonaventure among the Friars Minor.

Hoc anno apparuit cometa tam notabilis, ut scribit frater Martinus in chronicis suis, quod nullus tunc vivens talem ante viderit. Ab oriente enim cum magno fulgore surgens usque ad medium hemisphærii versus occidentem comam perlucidam pertrahebat; et licet in diversis mundi partibus multa forte significaverit, hoc tamen unum pro certo compertum est, ut cum plusquam per tres menses duraverit, ipso primo apparente papa Urbanus infirmari cœpit, et eadem nocte qua papa mortuus est cometa disparuit. Obiit autem Perusii et sepultus est ibidem. Urbano successit Clemens quartus, natione Provincialis; qui primo uxorem habens et filios, famosus fuit advocatus et consiliarius regis Francorum. Mortua vero uxore, propter vitam bonam, sanctam, et laudabilem, primo. Podiensis episcopus efficitur, ac deinde archiepiscopus Narbonensis, tandem ad cardinalatum assumptus, fit episcopus Sabinensis; qui cum a papa Urbano missus fuisset legatus in Angliam pro pacis reformatione, absens electus est in papam. Clarent his temporibus Parisiis doctores eximii frater Thomas de Aquino inter Prædicatores, Bonaventura inter Minores.

Note 1. Martin of Opava aka Martin Polonus refers to the comet of 1264 in his 'Chronicon Pontificum et Imperatorum' i.e. 'Chronicle of Popes and Emperors' in which he writes: 'In the year of our Lord 1264, a comet appeared so remarkable that no one then living had ever seen the like. For, rising in the east with great brightness, it drew a shining tail as far as the middle of the sky towards the west; and although it may perhaps have signified many things in different parts of the world, this one thing is certainly known, that since it lasted for more than three months, when it first appeared Pope Urban began to fall ill, and on the same night on which the pope died, the comet disappeared.'

Chronicle of Walter of Guisborough. As the king's party declined and the earl's party grew stronger, the earl [Simon de Montfort] became the more difficult to deal with, because both the king and all that belonged to him now depended upon the earl's power and favour. Therefore they carried the king's son about to stronger castles, until nearly all the castles of the land were delivered into the earl's hand; and from then on they guarded him more strictly than before. And when rumour grew that the king's son was being held in chains, they urged him to take part in a tournament so that he might be seen among the people; but he, having been warned beforehand and fearing a rising, did not trust them. Meanwhile, the earl's sons, Henry, Simon, Guy, and Amaury, being puffed up with pride, committed many outrages which displeased the Earl of Gloucester. Among other things, Henry the eldest had been bound to joust with the Earl of Gloucester at Northampton, but failed to do so, because they feared that worse might arise from it. The earl, offended, sent word to their father Simon, and demanded that the notable captives whom he himself had taken in the battle of Lewes should be given into his keeping, of whom the king of Germany [Richard of Cornwall] was named the chief. But Simon sent back answer that it ought to suffice him that his lands had been spared on the day of battle; therefore he would not send them. Instead, he kept the more important captives in Dover Castle, among whom was Philip Basset, who at the battle of Northampton had undermined the wall, as mentioned above. So the Earl of Gloucester, angered at this reply, at once sent word to Sir Roger de Mortimer, who had always steadfastly adhered to the king's party, that they should confer together for the good of the king and the realm. Mortimer, however, fearing lest he might not be truly faithful, demanded a hostage, and obtained one. When at last they came together, the earl told him everything that had been done, and declared that he repented of having sinned against the king and wished to wipe out the stain of his sin by doing all in his power to secure the king's liberation. Then they secretly sent word to Robert, the earl's brother, who was dwelling with Simon de Montfort and held in high favor among his first supporters, how they had agreed together and that he should carefully press forward with the release of the king's son when an opportunity should present itself. Roger de Mortimer also sent to the king's son a fine horse, a swift courser, on which he might rely when he should see the time to escape. When Edward learned this¹, he asked Simon de Montfort, by Robert's counsel, for leave to ride abroad and test the chargers, since he might have to joust, as they sometimes desired. At that time both the king and the earl were at Hereford, for the earl always kept the king with him, and with honour. So leave being given, after he had already tried several horses and wearied them, at length he mounted that chosen horse which Mortimer had sent him. And because of this plan, he had first sent ahead a boy who was in his confidence, carrying two swords and mounted on an excellent horse. Then Edward, turning to his keeper Robert de Ros and the other companions standing round him, said: "My dearest lords, for some time have I remained in your custody; but being unwilling to remain longer, I commend you to God." And turning his reins, he departed in haste². Those who pursued him could not seize him, and at last, seeing Roger de Mortimer coming from his castle of Wigmore with many armed men to meet him, as had been arranged beforehand, they returned empty-handed, having been outwitted. In that same year, namely 1264, Pope Urban died, and was succeeded by Clement IV.

Decrescente parte regis et roborata parte comitis difficiliorem se comes exhibuit, eo quod rex et omnia sua in potestate comitis et gratia dependebant; circumduxerunt ergo filium regis ad fortiora castella quousque quasi omnia castra terræ in potestatem comitis traderentur, et extunc arctius solito custodiebant eum; cumque crebresceret fama quod filius regis in vinculis teneretur, excitaverunt eum ut tornearet, ut videretur in populo: at ille præmunitus et seditionem timens non se credebat eis, filii autem comitis qui erant quatuor, scilicet Henricus, Simon, Gwido, et Emericus in superbiam erecti fecerunt multa mala quæ displicuerunts comiti Gloucestriæ; inter quæ Henricus ille primogenitus cum ipso comite Gloucestriæ torneasse debuerat apud Norhamtonam, sed defecit, eo quod timebant plures inde posse deterius evenire; motusque comes misit ad patrem eorum comitem Simonem, et petiit sibi mitti insignes captivos quos ipse ceperat in bello de Lewes, inter quos rex Alemanniæ nominabatur primus; at ille remandans respondit sibi sufficere debere quod ei terras salvaverat in ipso die belli, noluit ergo mittere; sed nobiliores servavit in castro Doverniæ, inter quos fuit ipse Philippus Basset, qui in conflictu Norhamtonæ murum confoderat, ut supra continetur. Indignatus ergo comes Gloucestriæ, accepto responso, misit continuo ad dominum Rogerum de Mortimer qui parti regis semper absque mutatione adhæserat, quod mutuo loquerentur sibi pro utilitate regis et regni, at ille timens ne forte vere fidelis esset petiit obsidem et obtinuit: convenientibus tandem ipsis dixit ei comes omnia quæ facta sunt, et quod pœnituit eum peccasse in regem et peccati maculam delere velle in liberatione ipsius pro posse; miserunt ergo secreto ad Robertum fratrem ipsius comitis Gloucestriæ qui cum comite Simone morabatur, et inter primos ipsius magnus tenebatur, quomodo unanimes effecti sunt, et quod ad liberationem filii regis cautius instaret cum ad id se offerret opportuna facultas: misitque prædictus Rogerus de Mortimer ad filium regis equum optimum et cursorem velocissimum in quo confidere posset cum sibi videret tempus opportunum. Quibus cognitis petiit Edwardus de consilio prædicti Roberti a comite Simone licentiam spatiandi et probandi dextrarios, si forte torneare deberet sicut et aliquando voluissent: et erant tunc apud Herefordiam et rex et comes, semper enim regem secum tenuit comes, et honore: accepta itaque licentia, cum jam currisset equos aliquos et eos lassos reddidisset, tandem ascendit illum equum electum quem prædictus Rogerus de Mortimer ei miserat; et ob hanc causam præmisso interim puero qui ei consenserat, cum duobus gladiis et in equo optimo, conversusque ipse ad custodem suum Robertum de Ros cæterosque socios circumstantes dixit, "Domini charissimi, aliquantisper mansi in custodia vestra, et ulterius manere nolens ad Dominum vos commendo;" et conversis loris cum festinatione abiit: insequentes autem eum cæteri comprehendere non potuerunt, et demum videntes Rogerum de Mortimer a castro suo de Wyggemore cum multis armatis venientem ei obviam, sicut primitus condixerant, reversi sunt vacui et sic illusi. Eodem anno scilicet MCCLXIV obiit Urbanus papa; cui successit Clemens quartus.

Note 1. In a parliament summoned by the Earl of Leicester at the commencement of the year 1265, an order was passed for the liberation of Prince Edward, on condition that he should remain with his father (then a prisoner in the earl's hands) and obey him in all things. Edward was accordingly removed from his confinement in Dover Castle and delivered to his father. Rot, Cart. 49 Hen. III. m. 5.

Note 2. The Earl of Leicester, in order to prevent the increase of Prince Edward's forces, caused the king to address a summons to his tenants in capite, commanding them, on pain of treason, to come immediately armed to Worcester to oppose his son, and also procured from him letters addressed to the bishops of the province of Canterbury, enjoining them to excommunicate that prince and all his adherents. From the first of these documents, dated on the 30th of May, we learn that Edward escaped from the barons on Thursday in the week of Pentecost (May 28) in the afternoon; accompanied by two knights and four esquires. Rot. Claus. 49 Hen. III. m. 4, d.; Rot. Pat. 49 Hen. III. n. 54; Rymer, Fœdera, 1.455, 456.

Annals of Six Kings of England by Nicholas Trivet [1258-1328]. 1266. The castle of Dover was surrendered to Edward, into which he brought Guy de Montfort to be held in custody. The legate Ottobono, having convened a council at Northampton, pronounced a sentence of excommunication against all bishops and clerics who had given aid or favour to Earl Simon against the king; and specifically against John of Winchester, Walter of Worcester, Henry of London, and Stephen of Chichester. Of these, the Bishop of Worcester soon after died, on the sixth day before the Nones of February [31st January 1266], and Nicholas de Ely, the king’s chancellor, succeeded him. The other three aforesaid bishops, going to Rome, awaited the favour of the pope. By the same sentence he also publicly bound all others opposing the king; there too he published the pope’s grant that a tenth of the English Church should be paid to the king for the following year. The keeper of Guy de Montfort in the castle of Dover, having been corrupted, released him after Easter, and he crossed the sea with him. Guy, going into the parts of Tuscany, attached himself to Count Rufus; and, since he was renowned in warfare, he took as wife his daughter and heiress. His brother Simon, a little earlier, in Lent, having escaped from prison, fled into France. The king appointed in each county a captain who, together with the sheriff, might restrain the violence of robbers, who were very numerous. On the vigil of Pentecost [15th May 1266], Robert de Ferrers, Earl of Derby, was captured near the town called Chesterfield by royal knights, his companions whom he had summoned for plunder being scattered in flight. Some of the disinherited, occupying the Isle of Axholme, were soon compelled to surrender by Lord Edmund, the king’s brother. A certain knight in the parts of Winchester, called Adam, surnamed Gurdon, being disinherited with others who had adhered to Earl Simon, refused to come to the king’s peace and settled with his followers near the road between the town of Alton and the castle of Farnham, which at that time ran winding through wooded heights in a valley, and was therefore well suited to robbers; and he harried the country with raids, especially the lands of those who adhered to the king’s party. Edward, wishing to test the strength and prowess of this man, of which he had heard by report, came upon him with a strong force as he was preparing for battle, and ordered his men that none should interfere with their single combat. Thus engaging, they struck repeated blows, and, with equal fortune, neither yielding to the other, they fought for a long time. At length Edward, delighted with the knight’s valour and spirit, while they were fighting advised him to surrender, promising him life and fortune. The knight agreeing, immediately cast down his arms and surrendered himself; and that same night Edward sent him to Guildford to be presented to the queen mother with earnest recommendation. Afterwards restored to his inheritance, Edward always held him dear and loyal.

1266. CASTRUM Dovoriæ redditum est Edwardo, in quod Guidonem de Monte-forti transtulit sub custodia detinendum. Ottobonus legatus, vocato concilio apud Northamptoniam, sententiam excommunicationis tulit in omnes episcopos et clericos, qui comiti Symoni contra regem præstiterant auxilium aut favorem; et nominatim in Joannem Wintoniensem, Walterum Wigorniensem, Henricum Londoniensem, Stephanum Cicestrensem; de quibus Wigorniensis cito post obiit ’sexto nonas Februarii, cui Nicolaus de Hely, cancellarius regis, successit. Reliqui vero tres præfati episcopi, Romam adeuntes, domini papæ gratiam expectabant. Eadem etiam sententia ceteros quosque regi adversantes publice innodavit; ibi etiam concessionem domini papæ de decima ecclesiæ Anglicanæ solvenda regi per annum sequentem proximo publicavit. Custos Guidonis de Monte-forti in castro Dovoriæ corruptus, ipsum post Pascha liberum dimisit, mare transiens cum eodem. Guido partes Tusciæ adiens, comiti Rufo adhæsit; cujus cum in militia famosus esset, uxorem accepit filiam et heredem. Symon vero frater ejus senior paulo ante, tempore Quadragesimali, de carcere evadens transfugit in Gallias. Rex in singulis comitatibus capitaneum unum constituit, qui una cum vicecomite prædonum, qui plurimum abundabant, violentias coerceret. In vigilia Pentecostes Robertus de Ferrariis, comes Derbeiæ, apud oppidum, quod Cestrefelde dicitur, captus est per milites regios, sociis quos ad prædandum acciverat per fugam dispersis. Exheredatorum quidam, insulam de Axeholme occupantes, per dominum Eadmundum, fratrem regis, in brevi ad deditionem coguntur. Miles quidam in partibus Wintoniæ Adam dictus, cognomento Gurdoun, exheredatus cum ceteris qui comiti Symoni adhæserant, ad pacem regis renuens venire, juxta viam inter villam de Aultonia, et castrum de Fernham, quam tunc in valle promuntoria nemorosa reddebant tortuosam, ac per hoc prædonibus opportunam, cum suis resedit patriam rapinis infestans, et præcipue terras illorum qui parti regiæ adhærebant. Cujus vires et probitatem ex fama cognitas cupiens Edwardus experiri, cum in manu forti supervenisset eidem se ad pugnam paranti, præcepit suis, ne quis inter eos impediret singulare certamen. Congressi itaque mutuos ictus ingeminant; parique sorte, neutro cedente alteri, diutius dimicant. Delectatus tandem Edwardus militis virtute et animo, inter pugnandum consulit ei ut se redderet, vitam pollicens et fortunam. Cui miles adquiescens, abjectis armis se illico reddidit, quem eadem nocte Gildfordiam Edwardus transmisit, reginæ matri cum recommendatione supplici præsentandum, quem postea hereditati restitutum, Edwardus semper carum habuit atque fidum.

Annals of Six Kings of England by Nicholas Trivet [1258-1328]. In the same year many of the disinherited entered the castle of Kenilworth and fortified it with provisions and arms, intending to defend it against the king. The king, hastening there, on the day [25th June 1266] after the feast of Saint John the Baptist laid siege to the castle. While the siege continued, the king caused twelve persons to be chosen, to whom he entrusted the task of providing for the peace of the king and the realm, and of moderating the sentence pronounced against the disinherited, swearing that he would in all things observe their ordinances. The persons thus chosen, meeting at Coventry, unanimously decreed that the disinherited should redeem their inheritances by a monetary penalty from those who had received them by the king’s grant; provided, however, that this redemption should not exceed seven years’ revenue of the lands, nor be less than one year’s revenue, but should be assessed within these limits according to the degree of the offence. From this redemption, however, the sons of Earl Simon and Robert, Earl of Derby, whose disinheritance they judged to be perpetual, were excluded. Those who were to be fined in this manner, if they could not pay the assessed redemption, were to leave their lands in the hands of the possessors until the redemption should be raised from the profits thereof. The castle of Kenilworth was surrendered to the king before Christmas, want of provisions compelling it, with life, limb, and necessary goods preserved to those who had held it.

Eodem anno multi de exheredatis castrum de Kenilworthe ingressi victualibus munierunt et armis, disponentes illud defendere contra regem Rex autem illuc properans, in crastino S. Joannis Baptistæ obsidionem posuit circa castram. Qua durante rex personas 'duodecim eligi fecit, quibus commisit ut providendæ paci regis et regni, latam in exheredatos sententiam moderarentur, jurejurando spondens se eorum ordinationes per omnia servaturum. Convenientes igitur personæ electæ apud Coventreiam unanimi decreverunt assensu, ut exheredati pœna pecuniaria suas hereditates redimerent ab his qui eas occupaverant dono regis; ita tamen quod hæc redemptio proventus hereditatum in septennium non excederet, nec unius anni proventibus minor esset; sed intra hos taxarent terminos secundum quantitatem delicti Ab hac tamen redemptione filii comitis Symonis et Robertus comes Derebeiæ, quorum exheredationem censuerunt fore perpetuam, excluduntur. Qui autem modo prætaxato multandi essent pecunia, si taxatam redemptionem solvere nequirent, terras suas in manibus possessorum relinquerent, quousque de earum fructibus redemptio levaretur. Castrum de Kenilworthe ante Natalem [Domini] regi redditum est, penuria victualium compellente, vita et membris ac supellectili necessaria his qui tenuerant illud salvis.