Thomas Wake 2nd Baron Wake of Liddell 1297-1349

Chronicle of Jean le Bel Volume 1. Then Sir Thomas Wake [aged 29], a good knight, wise and courteous, who was marshal of the host, rose and recounted all their deeds and actions in writing. He then turned to a knight who was present, that he might declare upon his oath what judgment should be rendered for such persons and such crimes. The knight took counsel with the other knights and barons and reported, by common assent, that they had well deserved death for several horrible deeds which they had heard recounted there and held to be true and manifest. By the gravity of their offenses, they had deserved to be punished in three manners: first drawn, then beheaded, and afterward hanged upon a gallows. In the very manner in which they were condemned, so were they executed before the castle of Bristol¹, in the sight of the king and the said Sir Hugh the son, and of all those within, who bore great indignation and sorrow at it, as may well be understood. This was in the year of grace 1326, in the month of October.

Adoncques se leva messire Thomas Wage, bon chevalier, sage et courtois, qui estoit marescaus de l'ost, et leur raconta tous leurs faitz et leurs œuvres tout par escript, et tourna vers ung chevalier, qui là estoit, affin qu'il raportast sur sa feaulté que à faire avoit par jugement de telles personnes et de telz faits. Le chevalier se conseilla aux aultres chevaliers et barons, et raporta par la plaine syeute qu'ilz avoient bien mort deservi pour pluseurs horribles faitz, lesquelz ilx avoient ouy là recorder et les tenoient pour vrais et tout clers, et avoient deservi par la diversité de leurs faits à estre justicez en trois manieres; c'est assavoir: premierement, trahynez, aprez decolez et aprez pendus à ung gibet. Tout en la maniere qu'ilz furent condempnez, ilz furent exequtez pardevant le chastel de Bristo', voyant le roy et ledit messire Hue le fil et tous ceulx de layens, qui grand despit en avoient, ce pœut chascun sçavoir. Ce fut l'an de gracc mil III^C et XXVI, au moys d'ottembre.

Note 1. Hugh Despenser the Elder was executed the day after the capture of Bristol on 27th October 1326. Edmund Fitzalan was not executed in Bristol on the same day. His execution took place at Hereford on 17th November 1326; Adam Murimuth Continuation: 'Lord Hugh Despenser the Younger, Robert de Baldock, and Simon of Reading were brought to the Queen, who was at Hereford. However, before their arrival, the Earl of Arundel, John Daniel, and Thomas de Micheldever were beheaded in Hereford through the agency of Lord Roger Mortimer, who harboured a deep hatred for them and whose advice the Queen followed in all matters.'

1. Hugues Spencer le vieux fut supplicié le lendemain de la prise de Bristol.

Froissart Book 1: 1307-1340. [27th October 1326] 14. When the queen [aged 31], the barons, and the others were comfortably lodged, they laid siege to the castle as closely as they could. Then the queen had Sir Hugh Despenser the elder [aged 65] and the Earl of Arundel [aged 41] brought before her eldest son and all the barons who were there, and said that she and her son would give them justice and a fair trial, according to their deeds and actions. Then Sir Hugh replied: 'Ah, lady, may God grant us a just judge and a fair judgment; and if we cannot have it in this world, may He give it to us in the next!' Then rose Sir Thomas Wake [aged 29], a good knight, wise and courteous, who was marshal of the army. He recited all their deeds from a written record, and then turned to an old knight who was there, so that he might deliver a judgment, based on the faith owed by men in such matters, and on the nature of such crimes. The knight consulted with the other barons and knights and then delivered his full judgment: that they had well deserved death, based on the many horrible deeds recounted there against them, which were held to be true and clear. And they had, by the diversity of their crimes, deserved to be executed in three ways: first to be drawn, then beheaded, and finally hanged from the gallows. And just as they were judged, so were they immediately executed before the castle of Bristol, in sight of the king and of the said Sir Hugh the younger [aged 40], and of all those inside, who were filled with deep grief and outrage. And it may be understood that they were in great anguish of heart. This execution was carried out in the year of grace 1326, on the feast of Saint Denis, in October.

14. Quant la royne et tout li baron et li aultre furent herbergiet à leur aise, il assegièrent le chastiel, au plus priès qu'il peurent. Et puis fist la royne ramener monsigneur Huon le Despensier le vielle et le conte d'Arondiel devant son ainsnet fil, et devant tous les barons qui là estoient, et leur dist que elle et ses filz leur feroient droit et loy et bon jugement, selonch leurs fais et leurs œuvres. Adonc respondi messires Hues et dist: «Ha! dame, Diex nous voelle donner bon juge et bon jugement; et se nous ne le poons avoir en ce siècle, si le nous doinst en l'autre!» Adonc se leva messires Thumas Wage, bons chevaliers, sages et courtois, qui estoit mareschaus de l'ost, et leur racompta tous leurs fais par escript, et tourna en droit sus un viel chevalier qui là estoit, afin qu'il raportast sus se feauté que à faire avoit de telz personnes, par jugement, et de telz fais. Li chevaliers se consilla as autres barons et chevaliers, et raporta par plainne sieute que il avoient bien mort desservie, par pluiseurs horribles fais qu'il avoient là endroit oys racompter, et les tenoient pour vrais et tous clers. Et avoient desservi, par le diversité de leurs fais, à estre justiciés en trois manières, c'est à savoir, premiers traynés, et puis decolés, apriès pendus à un gibet. Tout en tel manière qu'il furent jugiet, furent il tantost justiciet par devant le chastiel de Bristo, veant le roy, et veant le dit monsigneur Huon le fil, et tous ceulz de laiens qui grant despit en eurent. Et puet çascuns savoir que il estoient à grant meschief de cuer. Ceste justice fu faite l'an de grasce mil trois cens vingt et six, le jour saint Denis, en octembre.