A chronicle of the Kings of England, from the time of the Romans goverment [sic] unto the raigne of our soveraigne lord, King Charles containing all passages of state or church, with all other observations proper for a chronicle / faithfully collected out of authours ancient and moderne, & digested into a new method ; by Sr. R. Baker, Knight.

Of his comming to the Crowne, and Acts done in his minority.

EDward of Windsor, eldest sonne of King Edward the second, by Order of Parliament, upon his Fathers Resignation, was pro∣claimed King of England, on the five and twentieth day of Ia∣nuary, in the yeare 1327. and because he had not yet received the Order of knighthood, he was by Henry Earle of Lancaster gi••t solemnly with the Sword; and on the first day of February fol∣lowing, was Crowned at Westminster by Walter Reginolds Arch∣bishop of Canterbury: and thereupon a generall Pardon is Proclaimed, which hath since beene used as a Custome with all the succeeding Kings: that at their first comming to the Crowne, a Generall Pardon is alwayes granted. And because the King was under age, scarce fifteene yeares old (though Froyssard saith he was then Eighteene) there were twelve appointed Governours of him and the kingdome•• namely the Arch-bishops of Canterbury and Yorke, the Bishops of Winchester, Here∣ford, and Worcester; Thomas of Brotherton, Earle Marshall, Edmund Earle of Kent, the Kings Unkles; Iohn Earle Warren, Thomas Lord Wake, Henry Lord Percie, Oli∣ver Lord Ingham, and Iohn Lord Rosse: but though these were appointed and bore the name, yet the Queen and Roger Mortimer tooke all the authority to themselves. The first action that was undertaken, was an expedition against the Scots; for Ro∣bert Bruce, though now old and sickly, and (as was said) Leprous: yet considering the youth of the new King, and the distractions of the kingdome, thought it now a ••it time to doe some good upon England: and entring the English borders with an Army, sent defiance to King Edward: whereupon an Army is raised, and the Hey∣na••lders (whom the Queen had brought over) are joyned with the English; but a variance falling out betweene the two Nations, made the action not successefull. For the Kings Army encountring the Scots at Stanhope Parke in Weridall in the Bi∣shopricke of Durham, though three times as many as the Scots, as being thirty thou∣sand; yet through this variance, but more through treason of some great men, suffered them all to escape their hands, and the Scots returned home in safety, the English with dishonour: and after this, the English seeing the Heynaulders could doe them no good, sent them away to their owne Countrey. In King Edwards second yeare, his marriage with Philippa of Heynault is solemnised, (a dispensation being first gotten, because of their nearenesse in bloud) and a Parliament is holden at

Northampton, where the King made three Earles: Iohn of Eltham his brother, Earle of Cornwall; Roger Mortimer, Earle of March, and Iames Butler of Ireland, Earle of Ormond: and in this Parliament a dishonourable peace is concluded with the Scots, and confirmed by a match betweene David Bruce Prince of Scotland, being but se∣ven yeares old, and Ioane sister to King Edward, not so old; at which time, by the secret working of Queene Isabell, Roger Mortimer and Sir Iames Dowglasse; the King surrenders by his Charter, all his title of Soveraignty to the Kingdome of Scotland, restores divers Deeds and Instruments of their former Homages and Fe∣alties, with the famous Evidence called Ragmans Roll, and many ancient Jewels and Monuments, amongst which was the blacke Crosse of Scotland; and besides, any English man is prohibited to hold lands in Scotland, unlesse he were a dweller there. In consideration whereof King Bruce was to pay thirty thousand Markes, and to renounce his claime to the Counties of Cumberland and Northumberland, and any other place possessed by him in England. This was no good beginning, and yet worse followed after. For another Parliament being holden at Winchester, Edmund Earle of Kent, the Kings Unkle, is there accused, and condemned upon his con∣fession, for intending to restore his brother, the late King Edward; an intention onely without any fact; yet condemned he was, and brought to the Scaffold, but generally, so beloved of the people, that he stood on the Scaffold from one a clocke till five, before any executioner could be found that would doe the of∣fice, till at last a silly wretch of the Marshalsey was gotten to cut off his head. But the Authors of his death escaped not long themselves, for in the third yeare of the Kings Raigne, another Parliament is holden at Nottingham, wherein the Queen hath all her great Joynture taken from her, and is put to her Pension of a thousand pounds a yeare, and her selfe confined to a Castle, where she remained the rest of her dayes, no fewer then thirty yeares, a time long enough to finde that her being the daughter of a King, the sister of a King, the wife of a King, and the mother of a King, were glorious titles, but all not worth the liberty of a meane estate; and as for Mortimer, (lying then in the Castle of Nottingham) and lately created Earle of the Marches of Wales) he was seised on in this manner; the King taking with him William Montacute, Robert Holland, and others, goe secretly one night by Torch∣light, through a privie way under ground, till they came to the Queenes Chamber, where leaving the King without, they entred, and found the Queene with Mortimer, ready to goe to bed: then laying hands on him, they led him forth, after whom the Queene followed, crying, Bel fits, ••el fits, ayes pitie du gentil Mortimer; good son good sonne, take pity upon the gentle Mortimer, suspecting that her sonne had beene amongst them: this course was taken to apprehend him for avoyding of tumult, he having no fewer then ninescore knights and Gentlemen, besides other meaner ser∣vants continually about him. But thus seised on, he is committed presently to the Tower, accused of divers great crimes, whereof these were chiefe; that he had pro∣cured the late Kings death; that he had beene the author of the Scots safe escaping at Stanhope Parke, corrupted with the gift of thirty thousand pounds; that he had procured the late marriage and Peace with Scotland, so dishonourable to the King and kingdome; that he had beene too familiar with the Queene, as by whom she was thought to be with child: of which Articles he is found guilty, and condemned; and thereupon is drawne and hanged on the common Gallowes at the Elmes, now called Tiburne, where his body remained two dayes as an opprobrious spectacle for all beholders.

After these businesses in England, there comes a new businesse upon him from the King in France: for about this time Philippe le Bel, King of France, the Queens brother dying without issue, the right of succession to the Crowne is devolved up∣on the Heire to Charles a former King, wherein are competitours Philip Duke de Valois, and Edward King of England; Edward is the nearer in bloud, bu•• drawes his Pedegree by a Female: Philippe, the further off, but descending by all Males; and because the Law Salique excluding Females, was conceived as well to exclude all descendants by Females, therefore is Philips title preferred before King Edwards,

and Philip is received and crowned King of France: to which preferment of his, Robert d' Arthois a Peere of great power, gave no small furtherance. And now as soone as Philip was Invested in the Crowne, he summons King Edward to come and doe his Homage for the Dutchy of Guyenne, and his other lands in France, held of that Crowne, according to the custome; which though it were some prejudice to King Edwards claime afterward, yet in regard his kingdome of England was scarce well setled, and himselfe but young, he was contented to doe; and thereupon the sixth of Iune, in the yeare 1329. King Edward in a Crimson Velvet gowne imbroi∣dered with Leopards, with his Crowne on his head, his Sword by his side, and golden Spurres on his heeles; presents himselfe in the body of the Cathedrall Church of Amyens before King Philip, sitting in his Chaire of Estate, in a Velve•• Gowne of a Violet colour imbroydered with Flowers de lys of Gold, his Crowne on his head, and his Scepter in his hand, with all his Princes and Peeres about him. The Viscount Melun Chamberlaine of France, first commands King Edward to pu•• off his Crowne, his Sword, and his Spurres, and to kneele downe, which he did, on a Crimson Velvet Cushion before King Philip; and then the Viscount putting both his hands together betweene the hands of the King of France, pronounced the words of the Homage, which were these: You become Liegeman to my Ma∣ster here present, as Duke of Aquitaine and Peere of France, and you promise to beare faith and loyalty unto him; Say yea: and King Edward said yea, and kissed the King of France in the mouth, as Lord of the Fee. The like Homage also he did for the Earldome of Ponthieu. But this act of submission left a rancour in King Edwards heart, which afterwards brake so out, that it had beene good for France 〈◊〉〈◊〉 had never beene exacted.

This done, King Edward returnes home, and there finds a new busines with Scot∣land, upon this occasion. Edward Baylioll, sonne to Iohn Baylioll (sometimes King of Scotland) two and thirty yeares after his fathers deposition, beganne now to shew himselfe, attempting the recovery of that Crowne; and comming out of Fra••ce, where he had all that while remained; and getting aide under-hand in Engla••d, with them he suddenly assailes those who had the government of Scotland, during the Nonage of the young King David, (being at that time with the King of Fra••ce) and in a battell overcame them, with the slaugher of many Noble men, and thou∣sands of the common people; and thereupon was immediatly Crowned King of Scotland at Scone. But notwithstanding this great defeat, King Baylioll was for∣ced to retire him into England to get more aide of King Edward: who now shewes himselfe in the action, joynes with Baylioll against his brother in Law, King David; goes in person with a strong Army to recover Berwicke, which after three moneths siege, being valiantly defended by the Lord Seton, was taken in; and the Army of the Scots which came to the rescue thereof, at Hallidowne-hill, utterly defeated: where were slaine seven Earles, ninety knights and Bannerets, foure hundred Esquires, and about two and thirty thousand common Souldiers, as our Writers report; as theirs, but foureteene thousand: and with this effusion of bloud is Baylioll returned to his miserable kingdome, and to hold good correspondence with the King of England hereafter, doth him Homage for his Realme of Scotland, and the Ilands adjacent. But though he had a kingdome, yet he had not quietnesse, for many of the Scots ai∣ded by the French, made warre upon him divers yeares after; during all which time, King David with his wife remained in France. If any man marvell why King Ed∣ward would aide Bailioll against King David, who had married his sister; he may consider that Alliances, how neare soever, weigh but light in the Scales of State.

About this time the Ile of Man is conquered by William Montacute, Earle of S••lisbury; for which service King Edward gave him the Title of King of Man.