An. Reg. 5. Berwike fortified. the earles of Glocester and Warren, he came to Berwike, which towne he caused to be fortified with a strong wall, and a mightie deepe ditch, and although the other earles would not come to serue him in that voiage, by reason of a new variance risen amongst The king entred into Scotland. them, yet he marched foorth into Scotland, to seeke his aduersarie Robert le Bruce: but Robert refusing the battell, kept him foorth of the waie, so that the king was driuen to returne to Berwike againe, without meeting with his enimie. And he was no sooner come backe, but the said Robert and his people entred into Louthian, sore molesting such as were yéelded to the king of England. The king aduertised therof, followed them, but could doo no good, & so returned. The earle of Cornewall laie at Rockesbourgh, and the earle of Glocester at Norham to defend those parts. After Candlemasse, the king sent the earle of Cornewall, with two hundred men of armes to S. Iohns towne, beyond the Scotish sea, who receiued to the kings peace all those that inhabited beyond that sea vp to the mounteins. The king laie still at Berwike, but the earles of Glocester and Warren, after the beginning of Lent, rode into the forest of Solkirke. and receiued the foresters & other the inhabitants there to the kings peace. ¶ In this fift yeare of the kings reigne, but somwhat before this present, in the yeare 1310, Henrie Lacie earle of Lincolne gouernour of England in the kings absence departed this life, in whose place the earle of Glocester was chosen gouernour, and therefore he returned now into England. This erle of Lincolne was buried in the new worke at Paules. Lieng on his death bed, he requested (as was reported) Thomas earle of Lancaster, who had married his daughter, that in any wise he should stand with the other lords in defense of the commonwelth, and to mainteine his quarell against the earle of Cornewall, which request earle Thomas faithfullie accomplished: for by the pursute of him, and of the earle of Warwike cheefelie, the said earle of Cornewall was at length taken and beheaded (as after shall appeare.) Some write that king Edward the first vpon his death-bed, charged the earles of Lincolne, Warwike, and Penbroke, to foresée that the foresaid Péers returned not againe into England, least by his euill example he might induce his sonne the prince to lewdnesse, as before he had alreadie doone.
Thomas earle of Lancaster came towards Berwike, to doo homage to the king for the earledome of Lincolne fallen to him in right of his wife, now after the deceasse of hir father the late earle of Lincolne. But he was counselled not to go foorth of the realme to the king, so that therevpon rose no small displeasure, and great doubt least there would haue followed ciuill warres about it. Neuerthelesse, at length the king was persuaded to come ouer the water vnto Hagerston, foure miles distant from Berwike, and there receiued homage of the earle, and so they continued fréends, and for that time departed asunder in louing maner. The lords perceiuing the mischeefe that dailie followed and increased Fabian. Hen. Marle. by that naughtie man (as they tooke it) the earle of Cornewall, assembled at Lincolne, and there tooke counsell togither, and concluded eftsoones to banish him out of the realme, and so therevpon shortlie after, about Christmasse (as some write) or rather, as other haue, within the quindene of saint Michaell, he was exiled into Flanders, sore against Rich. South. The earle of Cornewall banished into Flanders the kings will and pleasure, who made such account of him, that (as appeared) he could not be quiet in mind without his companie, & therefore about Candlemasse he eftsoones reuoked him home.
But he being nothing at all amended of those his euill manners, rather demeaned himselfe 1312. woorse than before he had doone, namelie towards the lords, against whom vsing reprochfull speech, he called the earle of Glocester bastard, the earle of Lincolne latlie deceased bursten bellie, the earle of Warwike the blacke hound of Arderne, and the earle of Lancaster churle. Such lords and other more that were thus abused at this earle of Cornewals hands, determined to be reuenged vpon him, and to dispatch the realme of such a wicked person: and therevpon assembling their powers togither, came towards Maister Fox. Thom. Wals. Newcastell, whither the king from Yorke was remooued, and now hearing of their approch, he got him to Tinmouth, where the quéene laie, and vnderstanding there that Newcastell was taken by the lords, he leauing the quéene behind him, tooke shipping, and sailed from thence with his dearelie belooued familiar the earle of Cornewall, vnto Scarbourgh, where he left him in the castell, and rode himselfe towards Warwike. The lords hearing where the earle of Cornewall was, made thither with all spéed, and besieging the castell, at length constreined their enimie to yéeld himselfe into their hands, requiring no The earle of Cornewall taken. other condition, but that he might come to the kings presence to talke with him.
The king hearing that his best beloued familiar was thus apprehended, sent to the lords, The kings request for his life. The earle of Ponbroks suit to the other lords. requiring them to spare his life, and that he might be brought to his presence, promising withall that he would sée them fullie satisfied in all their requests against him. Wherevpon the earle of Penbroke persuaded with the barons to grant to the kings desire, vndertaking vpon forfeiture of all that he had, to bring him to the king and backe againe to them, in such state and condition as he receiued him. When the barons had consented to his motion, he tooke the earle of Cornewall with him to bring him where the king laie, and comming to Dedington, left him there in safe kéeping with his seruants, whilest he for one night went to visit his wife, lieng not farre from thence.
The same night it chanced, that Guie erle of Warwike came to the verie place where the erle of Cornewall was left, and taking him from his kéepers, brought him vnto Warwike, where incontinentlie it was thought best to put him to death, but that some doubting the kings displeasure, aduised the residue to staie; and so they did, till at length an ancient graue man amongst them exhorted them to vse the occasion now offered, and not to let slip the meane to deliuer the realme of such a dangerous person, that had wrought so much mischéefe, and might turne them all to such perill, as afterwards they should not be Continuation of Triuet. able to auoid, nor find shift how to remedie it. And thus persuaded by his words, they caused him streitwaies to be brought foorth to a place called Blackelow, otherwise named Gauers heath or Gauersuch. The earle of Cornewall beheaded. by most writers, Gauerslie heath, where he had his head smitten from his shoulders, the twentith day of Iune being tuesdaie. A iust reward for so scornefull and contemptuous a merchant, as in respect of himselfe (bicause he was in the princes fauour) esteemed the Nobles of the land as men of such inferioritie, as that in comparison of him they deserued no little iot or mite of honour. But lo the vice of ambition, accompanied with a rable of other outrages, euen a reprochfull end, with an euerlasting marke of infamie, which he pulled by violent meanes on himselfe with the cords of his owne lewdnesse, and could not escape this fatall fall: for
Ad mala patrata sunt atra theatra parata.The kings displeasure. When the king had knowledge hereof, he was woonderfullie displeased with those lords that had thus put the said earle vnto death, making his vow that he would sée his death reuenged, so that the rancour which before was kindled betwixt the king and those lords, began now to blase abroad, and spred so farre, that the king euer sought occasion how to
