Biography of William Montagu 1st Earl Salisbury 1301-1349

Chronicle of Geoffrey the Baker of Swynebroke. In the year of our Lord 1330, in the fourth year of King Edward III, on the Friday following the feast of Saint Luke [19th October 1330], a parliament was held at Nottingham¹, where Roger de Mortimer, Earl of March, shone with excessive but fading honour². He was considered the chief counselor of Queen Isabella, at whose command all things were arranged. No one dared to refer to him by any title other than 'Earl of March.' He was accompanied by a greater noise and company of men than the king himself. Those he loved, he honoured. He allowed the king to rise in his presence, and arrogantly used to walk beside the king, step for step, never yielding precedence, and sometimes even walking ahead of him. When a certain official assigned to the king for arranging noble lodgings gave lodging in the town to the Earl of Lancaster, the king's cousin, the Earl of March harshly rebuked him, demanding to know who had made him so bold as to house the queen's enemy so near her. Terrified, the constable reassigned Lancaster's lodging to a place a full league outside the town, and instead gave the chamber to John de Bohun, Earl of Hereford and Essex, the Constable of England. Murmurs rose among the magnates, whispers that spread to the common people, saying in secret that Mortimer, the queen's lover and the king's master, was striving for the ruin of royal blood and the usurpation of royal majesty. This murmuring reached the royal ears and alarmed the king's friends, namely William de Montagu (age 29), Edward de Bohun, and others who, having sworn an oath for the king's safety, judged (and rightly) that it would serve the good of the realm if Mortimer were put to death.

Anno Domini MCCCXXX, ipsius regis Edwardi tercii anno iIIJ, die Veneris proxima post festum sancti Luce, fuit parliamentum apud Notyngham, ubi nimio fulsit honoure marcessibili comes Marchie, Rogerus de Mortuo mari, tamquam regine Isabelle, ad cuius nutum omnia disponebantur, conciliarius principalis. Illum non alio nomine quam titulo comitis Marchie ausus est aliquis nominare; illum maior strepitus virorum comitabatur quam personam regis; ille quos amavit honouravit; regem permittens sibi assurgere, gradiens cum rege pari passu solebat arroganter ambulare, nunquam regem preferre, set ipsum aliquando anteire. Quemdam officiarium deputatum domino regi pro ospiciis nobilium assignandis, ospicium in villa "pro comite Lancastrie regis consanguineo capescentem, vehementer increpuit iste comes Marchie, querens quis eum fecerat audacem inimicum regine Isabelle tam prope illam hospitare; unde territus constabularius ospicium comiti Lancastrie ultra villam ad unam leucam domino assignavit, et comitem Herefordie Essexieque Iohannem de Bohun, constabularium Anglie, ospicio collocavit. Fit murmur inter magnates, quod ad aures populares avolavit, secreto dicencium quod ille de Mortuo mari, amasius regine et regis magister, ad regalis sanguinis demolicionem et regie magestatis usurpacionem anelaret. Terruit iste murmur aures regales et regis amicos, scilicet Willelmum de Monte acuto, Edwardum de Bohun et alios qui, in salutem regis coniurati, arbitrati sunt, et juste, obsequium salutis se prestituros regno, si ille de Mortuo mari morti committeretur.

Note 1. Stow, Annales, 356, 357: "There was a parliament holden at Nottingham, where Roger Mortimer was in such glory and honour that it was without all comparison. No man durst name him any other than earle of March; a greater route of men waited at his heeles than on the kings person; he would suffer the king to rise to him and would walke with the king equally, step by step and cheeke by cheeke, never preferring the king, but would go formost himselfe with his officers; he greatly rebuked the earle of Lancaster, cousin to the king, for that without his consent he appointed certain lodgings for noblemen in the town, demanding who made him so bold, to take up lodgings so nigh unto the queen: with which words the constable, being greatly feared, appointed lodging for the earle of Lancaster one myle out of the towne: and likewise were lodged the earle of Hereford, John de Bohune of Estsex, high constable of England, and others. By which meanes a contention rose among the noblemen and great murmuring among the common people, who said that Roger Mortimer, the queenes paragon and the kings master, sought all the means he could to destroy the kings blood and to usurpe the regall majestic: which report troubled much the kings friends, to wit, William Montacute and other, who, for the safegard of the king, sware themselves to be true to his person, and drew unto them Robert de Holland, who had of long time been chiefe keeper of the castle, unto whome all secret corners of the same were knowne. Then upon a certaine night, the king lying without the castle, both he and his friends were brought by torch-light through a secret way under ground, beginning far off from the said castle, till they came even to the queens chamber, which they by chaunce found open: they therfore, being armed with naked swords in their hands, went forwards, leaving the king also armed without the doore of the chamber, least that his mother should espie him: they which entred in slew Hugh Turpinton, knight, who resisted them, master John Nevell of Horneby giving him his deadly wound. From thence they went toward the queene mother, whome they found with the earle of March, readie to have gone to bedde; and having taken the said earle, they ledde him out into the hall, after whom the queene followed, crying, Bel filz, bel filz, ayes pitie de gentil Mortimer, Good sonne, good sonne, take pitie upon gentle Mortimer: for she suspected that her sonne was there, though she saw him not. Then are the keyes of tHe castle sent for, and every place with all the furniture is yeelded up into the kings hands, but in such secret wise that none without the castle, except the kings friends, understood thereof. The next day in the morning very early they bring Roger Mortimer and other his friends taken with him, with an horrible shout and crying (the earle of Lancaster,"then blind, being one of them that made the shout for joy), towards London, where he was committed to the Tower, and afterwards condemned at Westminster, in presence of the whole parliament, on S. Andrewes eeven next following, and then drawne to the Elmes, and there hanged on the common gallowes ... He was condemned by his peeres, and yet never was brought to answer before them, for it was not then the custome, after the death of the earles of Lancaster, Winchester, Glocester, and Kent: wherefore this earle had that law himselfe, which he appointed for other."

(It will be seen that Stow has quite misunderstood the passage: 'a certain official,' etc.)

By the side of this passage from Stow may be placed a chapter from the Brute chronicle (Harley MS. 2279): "Of the deth of sir Roger Mortymer, erle of the Marche. And so hit bifel atte that tyme that sir Roger Mortymer, erle of the Marche, was so proude and so hauten that he helde no lorde of the reame his pere; and tho bicome he so coveytous that he folwede dame Isabel the quenes courte, that was the kynges moder Edwarde, and biset his penyworthis with the officers of the quenes housholde, in the same maner as the kynges officers dede. And so he made his takynges as touching vitailles and also of cariages; and alle he dede for encheson of spenses, for to gadere tresour; and so he dede withoute nombre in alle that he myghte. Tho made he him wonder privee with the quene Isabelle, and so moche lordeship and retenewe had, so that alle the grete lordes of Engelonde of him were adrad. Wherfor the kyng and his counsele towarde him were agrevede, and ordeynede amonges ham for to undone him thurgh pure reson and lawe, for encheson that kyng Edwarde, that was the kynges fader, treytoursly thurgh him was mordred in the castel of Berkela, as bifore is seide more plenerly. And som that were of the kynges courte loveden the Mortymer, and tolde him in privetee how that the kyng and his counsel were aboute fro day to day him for to shende and undone. Wherfor the Mortymer was sore anoyede and angry as the devel ayens hem that were of the kynges councele, and seide that he wolde of hem bene avengede how so ever he toke on. Hit was nought longe afterwarde that kyng Edwarde and dame Philipe, his wife, and dame Isabel, the kynges moder, and sir Roger Mortymer wente unto Notyngham, ther for to sojourne. And so hit fel that quene Isabelle, thurgh counselle of the Mortymer, toke to hire the keyes of the yates of the castel of Notyngham, so that no man myght come nother in ne oute by nyght, but thurgh the comaundement of the Mortymer, ne the kyng ne none of his counsel. And that tyme hit fel so that the Mortymer as a devel for wrath bollede, and also for wrath that he had ayens towarde the kynges men Edwarde, and principally ayens hem that him had accusede to the kyng of the deth of sir Edwardes fader. And prively a councele was taken bitwen the quene Isabelle and the Mortymer and the bisshop of Lincoln and sir Symonde of Bereforde and sir Hugh of Trompetone and other prive of her councele, for to undone hem alle that had accusede the Mortymer unto the kyng of his fadres deth, of tresoun and of felonye. Wherfor al tho that were of the kynges counsel, whan thei wiste of the Mortymeres castyng, prively come to the kyng Edwarde and seiden that the Mortymer wolden hem destroye for cause that thei had accusede him of kyng Edwardus deth his fader, and prayede him that he wolde mayntene hem in here trewe quarelle. And the kyng grauntede hem hire bone, and seide he wolde mayntene hem in hire righte. And these were the lordes to pursewe this quarelle: sir William Mountagu, sir Humfrey de Boungh, sir William his brother, sir Rafe of Stafford, sir Robert of Hufforde, sir William of Clynton, sir John Nevile of Horneby, and meny other of hire consente; and alle these sworen uppon a boke to mayntene the querel in as moche as thei myghte. And hit bifel so after that sir William Mountagu ne none of the kynges frendes moste noughte bene herburghede in the castel for the Mortymer, but wente and tuke hire herburghe in diverse places in the toune of Notyngham; and they were thei sore adrad leste the Mortymer shulde hem destroye. And in haste ther come to the kyng Edwarde William Mountagu, ther that he was in his castelle, and prively tolde him that he ne none of his companye shulde nought take the Mortymer withoute councel and helpe of William of Elande, constable of the same castel. 'Now certis,' quoth the kyng, 'I leve yow ful wel, and therfor I councel yow that ye gone to the saide constable, and comaundith him in my name that he be youre frende and helpe for to take the Mortymer, alle thing lefte, uppon perel of life and of lyme.' 'Sir,' quoth Mountague tho, 'Sir, my lorde, graunt mercie.' Tho wente furth the forsaide Mountagu and come to the constable of the castelle and tolde him the kynges wille; and he answerde and seide the kynges wille shulde be done in as moche as he myghte, and wolde noughte spare for no maner deth, and so he swore and made his othe. Tho saide sir William of Mountagu to the constable, in heryng of alle hem that wer helpyng to the querell: 'Now certis, dere frende, us behoveth for to werche and done by youre queyntyse to take the Mortymer, sith that ye ben keper of the castelle, and haveth the keyes in youre warde.' 'Sire,' quoth the constable, 'wile ye understonde that the gatis of the castel beth lokede with the lokis that dame Isabel sende hider; bi nyghte she hath the keyes therof, and leith hem under the chevisel of hire bedde unto the morue, and so I may noughte come into the castel by the yates in no maner wise. But I knowe an alee that stretcheth oute of the warde under erthe into the castel, that goth into the weste; whiche alee dame Isabel, the quene, ne none of hire men, ne the Mortymer, ne none of his company, knowith hit nought; and so I shal lede yow thurgh that alee and so ye shulle come into the castelle, withoute aspics of eny man that beth youre enemyes.' And the same nyghte sir William Mountagu and alle the lordes of his querelle and the same constable also wente hem to horse, and maden semblaunt as hit were for to wende oute of the Mortymeris sight. But anone, as the Mortymer herde this tithing, he wende that thei wolde have gone over the see for drede of him; and anone he and his company nome councel amonges hem, for to lette hire passage, and sente lettres anone unto the portis, so that none of the grete lordes shulde wende home into hire centre, but if he were arreste and taken. And, amonge other thinges, William Elande, constable of the forsaide castel, priviliche ladde sire William Mountagu and his companye by the forsaide wey under erth, so til thei comen into the castel, and wente up into the toure, ther that the Mortymer was in. But sir Hugh of Trompetone hem ascriede hidously and seide: 'A! treytours, it is al for noughte that ye beth come into this castel. Ye shulde die yit in evel deth everichone.' And anone one of hem that was in Mountagues companye up with a mace and smote the same Hugh uppon the hede, that the brayne brake oute and fel on the ground; and so was he dede in evel deth. Tho nomen thei the Mortymer, as he armede him at the toures dore, whan he herde the noyse of hem, for drede. And when the quene Isabel sawe that the Mortymer was taken, she made moche sorowe in herte and these wordes unto hem seide: 'Now, faire sires, I yow preye that ye done none harme unto his bodie, a worthi knyghte, our welbelovede frende, and oure dere cosyn.' Tho wente thei thens and comen and broughte the Mortymer and presente him unto the kyng Edwarde; and he comaunded to bring him into safe warde. But anone, as they that were consente unto the Mortymeris doyng herde telle that he was taken, thei wente and hid hem, and priveliche by nyghte wente oute of the toune everych on his side, with hevy herte and mournyng, and levede uppon hire landes as wel as thei myghte. And so that same yeer that the Mortymer was take, he had atte his retenu ix score knyghtes, withoute squyers and sergeauntes of armes and fote men. And tho was the Mortymer lad to London, and sir Symound of Bereforde was ladde with him, and was take to the constable to kepe. But afterward was the Mortymeris life examynede atte Westmynstre, bifore the kyng and bifore alle the grete lordes of Engelonde, for perel that myghte falle to the reaume; and to inquere also whiche were assentyng to sir Edwardis deth, the kynges fader; and also, thurgh whome the Scottis ascaped fro Stanhope into Scotlande, withoute the wille of kyng Edwarde; and also, how the charter of Ragman was delyvered unto the Scottis, wherin the homages and the feautees of Scotlande were conteynede that the Scottis shulde done evermore unto the kynges of Engelonde for the reame of Scotlande. Wherfor in his absence he was dempnede to bene drawe and hongede for his tresoun. And this meschief come unto him in Seint Andrewes eve and in the yeer of Incarnacion of our Lorde lesu Criste MCCC and XXX."

Note 2. Compare what Knyghton, 2552, says (not, however, referring to this particular occasion), as regards Mortimer's pride: "In those days, Queen Isabella and Roger de Mortimer, by unanimous agreement between themselves, appropriated royal power in many matters, as well as the treasure of the kingdom, and they so subordinated the king that no one dared speak for the good of the king or the realm. And if anyone did so, they were pursued by them with great dishonour. They imposed many and heavy burdens upon the country; and they always lodged together in the same residence, from which arose many slanders and suspicious rumours about them. To such an extent did these two — the queen and Roger — arrogate power to themselves, that Henry, Earl of Lancaster, who had been appointed and established as the king's chief guardian and highest counselor at the time of the coronation, by the common assent of the nobles and magnates of the realm, for the better governance of the king and kingdom, was not permitted to approach the king or to give him any counsel."

The Brute chronicle (Harley MS. 2279) has the following: "And now shul ye here of sir Roger the Mortymer of Wygemore, that desirede and coveytede to bene atte an hie state, so that the kyng grauntid him to ben callede the erle of the Marche thurgh alle his lordeship. And he become tho so proude and so hauten that he wolde lese and forsake the name that his aunceters had evere before, and for that incheson he lete him calle erle of the Marche, and none of the comonis of Engelonde durste call him by none other name, for he was callede so by the kynges crie, that men shulde calle him erle of the Marche. And the Mortymere tho bore him so hauten and so proute, that wonder hit was to wite; and also disgisede him with wonder riche clothes, oute of almaner reson both of shapyng and of weryng. Wherof the Englisshe men had grete wonder how and in what maner he myjte contreve or fynde suche maner pride. And thei seiden amonges hem alle comonly that his pride shulde noujte longe endure. And the same tyme sir Geffray the Mortymer, the yong, that was the Mortymers sone, lete him calle 'kyng of folye'; and so hit bifel afterward in dede."

Scalacronica. [19th October 1330]. The council having been dissolved, the said William (age 29) said to the King that it were better to eat the dog than that the dog [should eat] them; so he advised him to speak to the constable of the castle, charging him upon his oath and allegiance to keep the plan secret, and [directing] him to leave a postern open to the park that very night, and [warning him] that if he would not do so, he [the King] would cause him to be hanged so soon as he [the King] should have the upper hand. The said William arranged with his comrades to assemble by night at a certain thicket in the park to which all should come; but they missed the trysting place, except the said William de Montacute and John de Nevill with four-and-twenty men, who kept their appointment well.

They were afraid that their comrades might miss them, and they durst not sound a call because of the sentries in the castle; and so, as bold and enterprising men, they declared that, as the matter had gone so far, they would risk the adventure by themselves. They went forward, and found the postern open, as the King had commanded. They entered the castle and mounted the stairs of the second court without meeting anybody, for it was mirk night, and the followers of the [gentle] folk had left the castle for their lodgings. The Queen (age 35), Mortimer (age 43), and their confidential adherents were holding a council to take measures against this plot which had been discovered to them. They [the conspirators] entered the hall where the Queen was sitting in council. The usher cried out at their entry. Hugh de Turpington, who was steward of the King's household, [but] was of the Queen's party, rushed out of the council and met them in the middle of the hall, crying 'Down with the traitors!' and made to strike the first [of them] with a dagger, when John de Nevill ran him through the body and slew him, and an esquire [also] who offered resistance.

Then they passed forward into the chamber, and seized Mortimer and those whom they wished to have; so that before dawn none remained in the town save those who were of the King's party, who had armed themselves when the conspirators entered the castle.