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From Chronicles of England, France and Spain and the Surrounding Countries, by Sir John Froissart, Translated from the French Editions with Variations and Additions from Many Celebrated MSS, by Thomas Johnes, Esq; London: William Smith, 1848. pp. 12-18.
THIS act of justice performed, the king and sir Hugh Spencer, seeing themselves so closely pressed, and being ignorant whether any succour was coming to them, embarked one morning with a few followers, in a small boat behind the castle, intending, if possible, to reach the principality of Wales: they were eleven or twelve days in this small boat, and notwithstanding every effort to get forward, the winds proved so contrary, by the will of God, that once or twice a day they were driven back within a quarter of a league of the castle whence they set out. At length sir Henry Beaumont, son of the viscount Beaumont of England, espying the vessel, embarked with some of his companions in a barge, and rowed so vigorously after it, that the king’s boatmen, unable to escape, were overtaken. The king and sir Hugh Spencer were brought back to Bristol, and delivered to the queen and her son as prisoners. Thus ended this bold and gallant enterprise of sir John de Hainault and his companions, who, when they embarked at Dordrecht, amounted to no more than three hundred men at 13 arms. By their means* queen Isabella recovered her kingdom, and destroyed her enemies; at which the whole nation, except some few who were attached to the Spencers, was greatly rejoiced.
When the king and sir Hugh Spencer were brought to Bristol by sir Henry Beaumont, the king was sent, by the advice of the barons and knights, to Berkeley castle, under a strong guard. Many attentions were paid to him, and proper people were placed near his person, to take every care of him, but on no account to suffer him to pass the bounds of the castle. Sir Hugh Spencer was delivered up to sir Thomas Wager, marshal of the army.
The queen and all the army set out for London, which is the principal city in England. Sir Thomas Wager caused sir Hugh Spencer to be fastened on the poorest and smallest horse he could find, clothed with a tabart, such as he was accustomed to wear. He led him thus in derision, in the suite of the queen, through all the towns they passed, where he was announced by trumpets and cymbals, by way of greater mockery, till they reached Hereford, where she and her suite were respectfully and joyfully received. The feast of All Saints was there celebrated with the greatest solemnity and magnificence, out of affection to her son, and respect to the noble foreigners that attended him.
* Lord Berners adds “& the lordes in Inglande,” not thinking it right that all the praise should be given to the Hainaulters.
WHEN the feast was over, sir Hugh, who was not beloved in those parts, was brought before the queen and knights assembled; the charges were read to him — to which he made no reply; the barons and knights then passed the following sentence on him: first, that he should be drawn on a hurdle, attended by trumpets and clarions, through all the streets in the city of Hereford, and then conducted to the market-place, where all the people were assembled; at that place he was to be bound upon a high scaffold*, in order that he might be more easily seen by the people. First, his private parts were cut off, because he was deemed a heretic, and guilty of unnatural practices, even with the king, whose affections he had alienated from the queen by his wicked suggestions. His private parts were then cast into a large fire kindled close to him; afterwards, his heart was thrown into the same fire, because it had been false and traitorous, since he had by his treasonable counsels so advised the king, as to bring shame and mischief on the land, and had caused some of the greatest lords to be beheaded, by whom the kingdom ought to have been supported and defended; and had so seduced the king, that he could not nor would not see the queen, or his eldest son, who was to be their future sovereign, both of whom had, to preserve their lives, been forced to quit the kingdom. The other parts of sir Hugh thus disposed of, his head was cut off and sent to London.
After the execution, the queen and all the lords, with a great number of common people, set out for London. As they approached it, great crowds came out to meet them, and received both her and her son, as well as those who accompanied her, with great reverence.
The citizens presented handsome gifts to the queen, as well as to those of her suite, where they thought them best bestowed. After fifteen days passed in feasts and rejoicings, the companions of sir John de Hainault were impatient to return home, for they thought they had well performed their duty, and acquired great honour. They took leave of the queen and of the nobles of the country, who besought them to tarry a little longer, to consider what ought to be done with the king, then a prisoner; but they had so great a desire to return home, that entreaties were of no avail. When the queen and her council saw this, they addressed themselves to sir John de Hainault, and requested him to remain only till after Christmas, and that he would detain as many of his followers as possible. That gallant knight, wishing to leave nothing undone that depended on him, courteously complied with the queen’s request. He detained as many of his companions as he could; but small was the number, the greater part refusing to stay on any account, which angered him much.
Though the queen and her council saw that no entreaties could prevail on his companions 14 to stay, they showed them every mark of respect. The queen ordered a large sum of money to be given them for their expenses, besides jewels of high price, which she presented to each according to his rank; so that all were perfectly satisfied. She also paid to each, in ready money, the value of their horses that they chose to leave behind, according to their own estimation, without any demur.
Sir John and a few of his companions remained in England, according to the queen’s desire, and the English paid to him and his companions all the respect in their power.
There was at that time a great number of countesses and other noble ladies and damsels attendant on the queen, as well as others who came there daily, who were not behindhand in their attentions to sir John, thinking the gallant knight very deserving of them.
* Tyed on high upon a ladder [eschelle].—Lord Berners.
MOST of the followers of sir John de Hainault having returned home, the lord of Beaumont however remaining, the queen gave leave to many of her household, as well as others, to return to their country-seats, except a few of the nobles, whom she kept with her as her council, expressly ordering them to come back at Christmas to a great court, which at that time she intended to hold. They took leave, promising to be there at the time appointed, as well as many others who had notice of the feast. When Christmas came, she held the court above mentioned, and it was very fully attended by all the nobles and prelates of the realm, as well as by the principal officers of the chief cities and towns. In this assembly it was determined, that the kingdom could no longer remain without a sovereign, and that all the acts of the king, then in prison, proceeding from his own will, or the evil counsel of others, and ill government of the realm, should be stated in writing, and read aloud to all the nobles and sages of the country, in order that they might take advice, and resolve how, and by whom, the country in future should be governed: and when all the acts done by the king, or having his consent, as well as his conduct in private life, had been read, the chiefs of the assembly consulted together, and agreeing, from their own knowledge, that the greater part of what they had just heard read was true, that such a man was not worthy to be a king, neither to bear a crown, nor the title of king, they unanimously resolved, that his elder son and true heir, then present, should be crowned instead of the father; and that he should take good and loyal counsel, that the kingdom might be henceforward better governed. They ordered that his father should be kept a prisoner, having every attention paid to his rank, as long as he should live. All was done, as agreed to by the chief nobles of the country and the principal officers of the great towns.
EDWARD THE THIRD. — From the tomb at Westminster Abbey.
The young king Edward, since so fortunate in arms, was crowned with a royal diadem, 15 in the palace of Westminster, on Christmas-day, 1326. He completed his sixteenth year on the feast of the conversion of St. Paul following.
At this coronation, sir John de Hainault, and all his companions, noble or otherwise, were much feasted, and many rich jewels were given to him and those that stayed with him. He and his friends remained during these grand feasts, to the great satisfaction of the lords and ladies that were there, until Twelfth-day, when he received information that the king of Bohemia, the earl of Hainault his brother, and many great lords of France, had ordered a tournament to be proclaimed at Condé: sir John, therefore, would no longer stay, notwithstanding their entreaties, from the great desire he had to attend this tournament, to see his brother and the other princes, especially that gallant and generous prince, Charles, king of Bohemia.
When the young king Edward, his mother, and the barons, saw that it was not possible to detain him any longer, they gave him permission to depart very much against their will. The king, by the advice of the queen, granted him an annuity of four hundred marks sterling, hereditable rent, to be held of him in fee, payable in the city of Bruges. He gave also to Philip de Chateaux, his principal esquire and chief counsellor, a hundred marks sterling of rent, to be paid at the same time and place. He likewise gave a considerable sum to defray his expenses, and those of his attendants, on their return home. He ordered many knights to accompany him to Dover, and that his passage should be free of all cost. He presented the countess de Garennes, sister to the count de Bar, and some other ladies who had accompanied the queen to England, with many rich jewels, on their taking leave.
Sir John and his company immediately embarked on board the vessels prepared for them, to be in time for the tournament. The king sent with him fifteen young and hardy knights to attend him at this tournament, there to try their skill, and to get acquainted with the lords and knights that were to be there. Sir John and his company paid them all the attention in their power, and on this occasion tournayed at Condé.
AFTER the departure of sir John de Hainault, king Edward and his mother governed the kingdom, by the counsels of the good earl of Kent, and of sir Roger Mortimer, who possessed vast estates in England, to the amount of 700l. sterling a-year. Both of them had been banished with the queen. They also took the advice of sir Thomas Wager, and of others, who were esteemed the wisest in the land. This, however, created much envy, which never dies in England, but reigns there as well as in other places. Thus passed the winter and Lent in perfect peace, until Easter; when it happened that Robert, king of Scotland, who, though brave, had suffered much in his wars with England, having often been defeated by king Edward, grandfather of the young king, being at this time very old, and afflicted with leprosy, hearing that the king had been taken prisoner and deposed, and his counsellors put to death, thought it a favourable opportunity to send a defiance to the present king, as yet a youth, whose barons were not on good terms with each other, and to attempt the conquest of some part of England. About Easter, 1327, he sent a defiance to king Edward and all the country, informing them that he would enter the kingdom, and burn it as far as he had done before after the defeat of Stirling, in which the English suffered so much.
When the young king and his council received this challenge, they published it throughout the kingdom, and ordered that all the nobles and others should come properly accoutred and accompanied, according to their different ranks, to York, the day of Ascension following. He also sent a considerable body of men-at-arms to guard the frontiers of Scotland, and messengers to sir John de Hainault, begging him very affectionately to assist and accompany him in this expedition, and to meet him at York on Ascension-day, with as many companions at arms as he could bring with him.
When the lord of Beaumont received this request, he dispatched letters and messengers into Flanders, Hainault and Brabant, or wherever he thought he could collect good companions, praying them to meet him, well equipped, at Wissan*, there to embark for England. 16 Such as he sent to came, as well as others that had heard of it, in the expectation of gaining as large sums as those who had accompanied him in his former expedition to England.
When the lord of Beaumont came to Wissan, he found vessels ready to transport him and his company. They embarked with their cavalry as expeditiously as possible, and crossed over to Dover, whence, without halting, they continued their march till they reached York. The king, his mother, and a number of other lords and barons were there assembled, as well to advise as to attend the king. They waited at York the arrival of sir John, of the men at arms and archers, and of the common people from the different towns and cities. As they came in large bodies, they were quartered in the villages around York, at the distance of two or three leagues, and thence marched towards the borders.
Sir John and his company reached York by the appointed time, and were welcomed and magnificently entertained by the king, queen, and all the barons. The handsomest suburbs of the city were assigned them for their quarters, and a monastery of white friars was allotted for him and his household. In company with the knight, came from Hainault, the lord of Anghien called sir Walter, sir Henry, lord of Antoing, the lord of Seignoles, and the following knights: sir Fastres de Reu, sir Robert de Bailleul, sir William de Bailleul, his brother, the lord of Havereth castellan of Mons, sir Alart de Briseil, sir Michael de Ligne, sir John de Montigny the younger and his brother, sir Sause de Boussac, sir Percival de Severies, the lords of Gommegines, de Biaurien and de Folion. There came also from Flanders; first, sir Hector de Vilains, sir John de Rhodes, sir Vaufflat de Guistelle, sir James de Guistelle, his brother, sir Gossuin de la Muelle, and the lord of Tarces. Many came from Brabant; as the lord of Dusle, sir Thierry de Vaucourt, sir Rasses de Gres, sir John de Cassebegne, sir John Pilestre, sir William de Courterelles, the three brothers de Harlebeque, sir Walter de Hautebergue, and several others. Of the Bohemians were, sir John de Libeaux, Henry his brother, sir Henry de la Chappelle, sir Hugh de Hay, sir John de Limies, sir Lambert des Prez, sir Gilbert de Hers. There came also other volunteer knights out of Cambresis and Artois, in hopes of advancement; so that sir John had five hundred good men in his company, well apparelled and richly mounted.
After the feast of the Pentecost, sir William, who was afterwards duke of Juliers, by the death of his father, and sir Thierry de Hamberque, since earl of Los, arrived with a gallant company, to do honour to sir John de Hainault.
* Wissan is a town in the Boulonois, generality of Calais. It is believed by Camden to be the Portus Iccius from which Cæsar embarked for Britain. This is discussed in one of the dissertations at the close of the Mémoires de Joinville. — Fifth volume of the Collection of Historical Memoirs relative to the History of France.
[The issue is discussed in detail on Bill Thayers section on the Portus Itius page here. — Elf.Ed.]
THE king of England, in order to entertain and feast the strangers and their company held a great court on Trinity-Sunday, at the house of the Black Friars, where he and the queen were lodged, and where each kept their household separate; the king with his knights, and the queen with her ladies, whose numbers were now considerable. At this court the king had five hundred knights, and created fifteen new ones. The queen gave her entertainment in the dormitory, where at least sixty ladies, whom she had invited to entertain sir John de Hainault and his suite, sat down at her table. There might be seen a numerous nobility well served with plenty of strange dishes, so disguised that it could not be known what they were. There were also ladies most superbly dressed, who were expecting with impatience the hour of the ball, or a longer continuance of the feast: but it fell out otherwise; for, soon after dinner, a violent affray happened between some of the grooms of the Hainaulters, and the English archers, who were lodged with them in the suburbs. This increased so much that the archers collected together, with their bows strung, and shot at them so as to force them to retreat to their lodgings. The greater part of the knights and their masters, who were still at court, hearing of the affray, hastened to their quarters. Those that could not enter them were exposed to great danger; for the archers, to the number of three thousand, aimed both at masters and servants. It was supposed that this affray was occasioned by the friends of the Spencers, and the earl of Arundel, in revenge for their having been put to 17 death through the advice of sir John de Hainault. The English also, at whose houses the Hainaulters lodged, barricaded their doors and windows, and would not suffer them to enter: nevertheless, some of them got admittance at the back doors, and quickly armed themselves, but durst not advance into the street, for fear of the arrows. The strangers immediately sallied from behind their lodgings, breaking down the hedges and enclosures, until they came to a square, where they halted, waiting for their companions, till they amounted to a hundred under arms, and as many without, who could not gain admittance to their lodgings. United thus, they hastened to assist their friends, who were defending their quarters in the great street in the best manner they could: they passed through the hotel of the lord of Anghien, which had great gates before and behind open into the street, where the archers were dealing about their arrows in a furious manner. Many Hainaulters were wounded with them*.
Here we found the good knights, sir Fastres de Rue, sir Percival de Severies, and sir Sause de Boussac, who, not getting admittance into their lodgings, performed deeds equal to those that were armed. They had in their hands great oaken staffs, taken from the house of a carter: they dealt their blows so successfully that none durst approach them, and, being strong and valiant knights, beat down, that evening, upwards of sixty men. At last the archers were discomfited and put to flight. There remained on the ground dead three hundred men, or thereabouts, who were all from the bishoprick of Lincoln. I believe that God never showed greater grace or favour to any one than he did in that day to sir John de Hainault and his company; for these archers certainly meant nothing less than to murder and rob them, notwithstanding they were come upon the king’s business. These strangers were never in such great peril as during the time they remained at York: nor were they in perfect safety until their return to Wissan; for, during their stay, the hatred of the archers was so greatly increased against them, that some of the barons and principal knights informed the lords of Hainault, that the archers and others of the commonalty of England, to the number of six thousand, had entered into an agreement to massacre and burn them and their followers in their lodgings either by night or day, and there was no one on the part of the king, or of the barons, that could venture to assist them. The Hainaulters, therefore, had no other resource left than to stand by each other, and to sell their lives as dearly as possible. They made many prudent regulations for their conduct, were frequently obliged to lie on their arms, to confine themselves to their quarters, and to have their armour ready, and their horses always saddled. They were also obliged to keep detachments continually on the watch in the fields and roads round the city, and to send scouts to the distance of half a league, to see if those people, of whom they had received information, were coming, with orders, that, if they perceived any bodies in motion advancing towards the town, they were immediately to return to the detachments in the fields, in order that they might be quickly mounted, and collected together under their own banner, at an appointed alarm-post. They continued in the suburbs four weeks in this distressing situation, and none, except a few of the great lords, who went to court to see the king and his council, or to the entertainments to hear the news, ventured to quit their quarters or their arms. If this unfortunate quarrel had not happened, they would have passed their time very pleasantly; for there was such plenty in the city and surrounding country, that during more than six weeks, while the king and the lords of England, with upwards of forty thousand men at arms, remained there, the provisions were not dearer; for as much was to be bought for a penny as before their arrival. Good wines from Gascony, Alsace and the Rhine, were in abundance and reasonable; poultry and other such provisions at a low price. Hay, oats, and straw, of a good quality, and cheap, were delivered at their quarters.
* In Leland’s Collectanea, there is a different account of the cause of this affray. Part second of volume first, p. 307: —
“Anno Domini 1328, Hunaldi apud Eboracum combusserunt de suburbio civitatis fere unam parochiam, quæ vocatur S. Nicholai in Ousegate, propter contumeliam motam inter burgenses et illos, quia ceperunt uxores burgensium, et filias, et ancillas, per vim in suburbio civitatis. Burgenses vero suburbii indignati de tali facinore, congressi sunt cum Hunaldis more bellico: et ex utraque parte bene armati una die Martis in Septembri ante solis, ortum in Watelingate dormiente tota civitate summ[ ] mane. Ibi ceciderunt de Hunaldis 527, præter eos qu[] lætaliter vulnerati sunt et obierunt in 3 die et in 4 sequenti. De Anglis ceciderunt 242. Submersi in Ouse, flu. de Hunaldis, inventi sunt 136.”
AFTER remaining three weeks from the time of this affray, the king issued a proclamation by his marshals, that every one in the course of the ensuing week should be provided with carts, tents, and every thing necessary for their march towards Scotland: when every one was properly equipped, the king and all his barons marched out of the city, and encamped six leagues from it. Sir John de Hainault and his company were encamped near the king, as a mark of distinction, and to prevent the archers from taking any advantage of him, the king and this first division remained there two days and two nights, waiting the arrival of money for his expenses, as well as to examine whether any thing were wanting. On the third day the army dislodged, and before day-break marched till they came to the city of Durham, a long day’s journey, at the entrance of a country called Northumberland, which is wild, full of deserts and mountains, and poor in every thing except cattle. The river Tyne runs through it, full of flints and large stones. Upon this river is situated the town called Newcastle upon Tyne. The lord marshal of England was there, with a numerous army to guard the country against the Scots. At Carlisle was a considerable body of Welsh, under the command of lord Hereford and lord Mowbray, to defend the passage of the Eden; for the Scots could not enter England without passing one of these rivers. The English could get no certain information of the Scots until they arrived at this place: they had passed the river so privately, that neither those of Carlisle not those of Newcastle had the smallest knowledge of it. These towns are said to be distant from each other four-and-twenty English leagues.
The Scots are bold, hardy, and much inured to war. When they make their invasions into England, they march from twenty to four-and-twenty leagues without halting*, as well by night as day; for they are all on horseback, except the camp followers, who are on foot. The knights and esquires are well mounted on large bay horses, the common people on little galloways. They bring no carriages with them, on account of the mountains they have to pass in Northumberland; neither do they carry with them any provisions of bread or wine; for their habits of sobriety are such, in time of war, that they will live for a long time on flesh half sodden, without bread, and drink the river-water without wine. They have, therefore, no occasion for pots or pans; for they dress the flesh of their cattle in the skins, after they have taken them off: and, being sure to find plenty of them in the country which they invade, they carry none with them. Under the flaps of his saddle, each man carries a broad plate of metal; behind the saddle, a little bag of oatmeal: when they have eaten too much of the sodden flesh, and their stomach appears weak and empty, they place this plate over the fire, mix with water their oatmeal, and when the plate is heated, they put a little of the paste upon it, and make a thin cake, like a cracknel or biscuit, which they eat to warm their stomachs: it is therefore no wonder, that they perform a longer day’s march than other soldiers. In this manner the Scots entered England, destroying and burning every thing as they passed. They seized more cattle than they knew what to do with. Their army consisted of four thousand men at arms, knights and esquires, well mounted; beside twenty thousand men, bold and hardy, armed after the manner of their country, and mounted upon little hackneys, that are never tied up or dressed, but turned, immediately after the day’s march, to pasture on the heath or in the fields. This army was commanded by two valiant captains. The king of Scotland himself, who had been very brave, yet being old, and labouring under a leprosy, appointed for one that gallant prince, so renowned in arms, the earl of Moray, who bore upon his banner argent three pillows gules; the other was sir James Douglas, esteemed the bravest and most enterprising knight in the two kingdoms: he bore for arms azure on a chef argent. These two lords were the greatest barons, and most renowned for their prowess and other feats of arms.
* Wherever English leagues are mentioned, lord Berners translates them, and probably correctly, miles; it is incredible that a body of men armed at all points, should travel from sixty to eighty miles a day on horseback, which the Scots must have done if we are here to read leagues. — ED.
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