1260-1269 Second Baron's War

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.

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.