Execution of David Prince of Wales

Annals of Dunstable. And on the feast of Saint Alban [22nd June 1283] next following, the aforesaid David (age 44), hiding on a certain mountain with a few men, was captured through the treachery of one of his own, and bound in irons was kept in the safest custody until the following feast of Saint Michael [29th June 1283]. His wife [Elizabeth Ferrers (age 43)] also was likewise taken and kept safely. On the said feast of Saint Michael, the said David, by the judgment of all the baronage of England, received four sentences in this manner:

1. Because he had been a traitor to his lord the king, who had made him a knight, he was drawn by horses at a slow pace to the place of execution.

2. Because he had committed the homicide of Fulk Trigald and of other English nobles, he was hanged alive.

3. Because he did this in the time of the Lord's Passion, for that blasphemy his entrails were burned with fire.

4. Because in many places of England he had plotted the death of his lord the king, he was cut limb from limb [on 3rd October 1283], and his members sent through the regions of England for the terror of evil-doers.

But his head was fixed upon the Tower of London on a very high stake, facing the sea. And this likewise was done in the eleventh year of the aforesaid lord King Edward's reign.

Et die Sancti Albani proximo subsequenti, prædictus David in quodam monte latitans cum paucis, captus est per proditionem cujusdam ex suis, et ferro vinctus tutissime servabatur usque ad sequens festum Sancti Michaelis. Uxor etiam sua similiter capta est et salvo custodita. In predicto festo Sancti Michaelis, dictus David per totum barnagium Angliæ quatuor judicia suscepit in hune modum.

1. Quia proditor fuit domini regis, qui eum militem fecerat; tractus est equis lento passu ad locum suspendii.

2. Quia homicidium fecerat Fulconis Trigald, et aliorum nobilium Angliæ; suspensus est vivus.

3. Quia illud fecit tempore Dominicæ Passionis; propter blasphemiam viscera ejus incendio sunt cremata.

4. Quia in pluribus locis Angliæ mortem domini regis fuerat machinatus; membratim est partitus, et per climata Angliæ ad terrorem malignantium destinatus.

Caput autem ejus in Turri Londoniæ super palum altissimam est affixum, versus mare; et hoc similiter factum est anno undecimo prædicti domini regis Edwardi durante.

French Chronicle of London. In this year was Davy¹, the brother of Leulyn, drawn, hanged, and beheaded, and his head sent to the Tower of London. In the same year, for the death of Laurence Duket¹, who was hanged in the church of Our Lady at Arches, seven persons were drawn and hanged, that is to say, Reginald de Lanfar, Robert Pinnot, Paul de Stybbenheth, Thomas Corouner, John de Tholosane, Thomas Russel, and Robert Scot; a woman also, called Alice Atte Bowe, was burnt for the same deed; and Ralph Crepyn, Jordan Godchep, Gilbert le Clerk, and Geoffrey le Clerk, were attainted of the felony, and remained prisoners in the Tower.

Note 1. David, Prince of Wales, was hanged, drawn and quartered on 3rd October 1283.

Note 2. The following were the main circumstances of this case. Laurence Duket, a citizen of London, wounded one Ralph Cropin, or Crepyn, in West Chepe, and fled to the church of Saint Mary le Bow. Being pursued thither by certain persons, he was slain at night in the steeple of the church, and the body was then hanged in one of the windows, in such a way as to deceive the Coroner's inquest, who returned a verdict of felo de se [i.e. suicide]; whereupon the body was dragged thence by the feet, and buried in a ditch without the City. It so happened however that a boy, who lay within the church the same night, witnessed the transaction, and gave information against the murderers; whereupon, numerous persons were apprehended and sixteen hanged. Alice atte Bowe, who was burnt alive, as the chief contriver of the murder, according to one account was the mistress of Crepyn, who, in the same account, is described as a clerk. Those who were imprisoned in the Tower, were only released on paying heavy penalties; and the church was placed under interdict, the doors and windows being filled with thorns until purification had been duly made. Duket's remains also were disinterred, and becomingly buried in the churchyard.

Lanercost Chronicle. [3rd October 1283] The offspring of David was condemned to perpetual imprisonment; but David himself was first drawn as a traitor, then hanged as a thief, thirdly he was beheaded alive and his entrails burnt, as a burner and slayer; fourthly his body was cut into four parts, and in punishment of a spoiler those parts were hung up as a spectacle in four notable places of England: namely, the right arm with a ring on the finger at York, the left arm at Bristol, the right leg and thigh at Northampton, and the left at Hereford. But the head of the wicked man, lest it should decay by putrefaction, was bound about with iron, and set up high in London on a long spear for mockery. And just as holy Jeremiah composed metrical Lamentations for the desolation of Judah, so the Welsh people composed a heroic plaint for the death of their prince and the desolation of their nation, in which at the end they always join the memory of David with a curse, as the author of this misery. Whence H. says in verse:

David the Welshman — horse, fire, rope, and sword,

Unhappy one, these give you death and torment.

By a fourfold death you perish: thief, traitor, and murderer,

An enemy too of the Church, by law you must die.

Proles David carceri perpetuo adjudicata eft, ipfe vero David prius traétus ut proditor, poft fufpenfus ut latro, tertio vivus decapitatus eft et vifcera ejus combufta ut combuftor et occifor, quarto membra ejus in quatuor partes defeéta in poenam depellatoris per quatuor folemnia Angliz loca fpeétaculo funt fufpenfa; videlicet, brachium dextrum cum annulo in digito apud Eboracum, brachium finiftrum apud Birftow, tibia et coxa dextra apud Northamptoun, finiftra apud Herforde. Caput vero iniqui, ne putrefiendo deficeret, ferro eft circumligatum, et in longo haftili eminenter Londoniz ludibrio pofitum. Quemadmodum fanétus Jeremias Threnos metricos inftituit pro deftitutatione Judee, fic gens Wallica planétum heroicum compofuit pro fui principis morte, in defolatione fuze nationis, in cujus fine femper memoriam David adjiciunt cum malediétione, tanquam auctor fuit hujus miferie; unde H. dicit verfus;

David Walenfis, equus, ignis, funis, et enfis,

Infelix, fatum tibi dant necis et cruciatum.

Es nece quadrifida, fur, proditor ac homicida,

Hoftis et ecclefize debes de jure perire.

The Brut. [3rd October 1283] How David, who was Llewelyn's brother, Prince of Wales, was put to death. Chapter 164.

David, who was Llewelyn's brother, through pride thought to have been Prince of Wales after his brother's death. And upon that, he summoned the Welshmen to his parliament at Denbigh, and in full made Wales rise against the King, and began to move war against the King, and did all the sorrow and harm that he could by his power.

When King Edward heard of this thing, he ordered men to pursue him; and David fiercely defended himself until he came to the town of Saint Maurice¹. And there David was taken as he fled, and led to the King; and the King commanded that he should be hanged and drawn, and his head struck off, and quartered, and his head sent to London, and the four quarters sent to the four chief towns of Wales, so that they should take warning and beware.

How Dauid, þat was Lewelynes broþer, Prynce of Walys, was put to deþ. Capitulo Centesimo lxiiij^to.

Dauid, þat was Lewelynus broþer, þrouȝ pride wende forto haue bene Prince of Walis after his broþeres deth; and oppon þat, he sent after Walshemen to his parlement at Denbegge, and fulliche made Walys [MS Rawlinson B 171 104a] arise aȝeynes the Kyng, and biganne to meve Werr aȝeyns þe Kyng, and dede al þe sorwe and dissese þat he myght by his power.

When Kyng Edward harde of þis þing, he ordeyned men to pursue oppon him; and Dauid ferseliche him defended til þat he come to þe toun of Seynt Morice; and þere was Dauid take as he fley, and lad to þe Kyng; & þe Kyng commanded þat he shulde ben hongede & ydraw, & smyten of his heuede, & quarter him, & sende his heuede to London, and þe iiij quarters sende to the iiij chief tounes of Walys, for þai shulde take ensample, & þerof be-war.

Note 1. This probably a mistake for the Feast Day of St Maurice, the 22nd of September, on which date David was captured.

Langtoft's Chronicle. David goes skulking about, and expects in certainty

To hold the lordship after the death of his brother.

He has drawn the Welsh to his parliament

At Christmas, in Denbigh, and they make an ordinance

By assent to defend the Welshery.

The king causes him to be hunted; David defends himself;

On the eve of St. Maurice¹, by power of people,

David is dismembered very disgracefully;

His head is sent to London for a present,

And his four members cut off completely.

In four cities a man might see how

At each by itself one of the members hangs

Note 1. The Fest Day of St Maurice is the 22nd of September. Other sources [Walter of Guisborough] describe his captured on the 22nd of September and his execution on the 3rd October 1283.