An. Reg. 8.

The duke of Lācaster sent into France to treat of a peace.

Iohn de Northampton late maior of London cōdemned to perpetuall prison and all his goods confiscated.

About the beginning of August in the eighth yéere of this kings reigne, the duke of Lancaster went ouer againe into France, to treat of peace; but after he had remained there a long time, & spent no small store of treasure, he returned with a truce, to indure onelie till the first of Maie then next insuing. While the duke of Lancaster was foorth of the relme, Iohn de Northampton, that had borne such rule in the citie of London, whilest he was maior, and also after (as partlie ye haue heard) was accused by a chapleine (that he had in his house) of seditious sturs, which he went about, so that being arreigned thereof, he was in the end condemned to perpetuall prison, and the same not to be within the space of one hundred miles at the least of the citie of London. All his goods were confiscated, and so he was sent to the castell of Tintagill in Cornewall, and the kings officers seized vpon his goods & cattels. ¶ About the feast of saint Martine, a parlement was called at London, in which, monie was demanded of the cleargie and temporaltie, towards the maintenance of the kings wars.

A combat.

The appellan being vanquished, is adiudged to be hanged.

Abraham Fleming out of Henrie Knighton canon of Leicester abbeie.

During this parlement also, a combat was fought within lists betwixt an English esquier, named Iohn Walsh, and an esquier of Nauarre that accused the said Walsh of treason, though not iustlie, but mooued through displeasure, conceiued of an iniurie doone to him by the same Walsh, whilest he was vnder capteine or vicedeputie (as we may call him) of Chierburgh, in abusing the Nauarrois wife. Wherevpon when the Nauarrois was vanquished and confessed the truth, he was adiudged by the king to be drawne vnto the place of execution and hanged, not­with­stand­ing that the queene and diuerse other made sute for him. ¶ Henrie Knighton maketh report hereof in somewhat a differing maner: but the issue of his tale falleth out to be like to the other. On a wednesdaie (saith he) at S. Andrews tide, Iohn Wallise of Grimsbie fought in lists with Martilet of Nauarre esquier, at Westminster, in presence of K. Richard & of Iohn the good duke of Lancaster: in so much that the said Iohn Wallise slue his aduersarie, whervpon at the kings cōmandement being made knight, he was inriched with manie gifts, as well of the kings and the dukes bestowing, as also of other great men and peeres of the realme. As for Martilet, after he was slaine, he was presentlie drawne, hanged, and headed.

Berwike castell woone by the Scots.

Berwike castel recouered by the earle of North­um­ber­land.

Furthermore before the said parlement was dissolued, newes came foorth of the north parts, that the Scots had woone the castell of Berwike: for which the earle of North­um­ber­land, that was capteine thereof, was put in high blame, for that he had not committed the kéeping thereof to more circumspect persons. The duke of Lancaster, who bare no |765| good will to the said earle, was well appaid that he had so good matter to charge his aduersarie withall, so that through his meanes the earle of North­um­ber­land was sore accused, and had much adoo to escape the danger of being reputed a traitor. Wherevpon great occasion of malice and displeasure grew betwixt those two noble personages, as after it well appeared. But howsoeuer the matter was handled, the earle was licenced by the king to go into his countrie, and séeke to recouer possession of the castell thus latelie lost. Wherevpon raising an armie, & besieging the Scots that were within the castell, he so constreined them, that for the summe of 2000 marks they surrendred the fortresse into his hands, their liues and goods saued: and so the earle of North­um­ber­land recouered the castell out of the Scotishmens hands, being taught to commit it to more warie keepers than the other before.

1385.

The duke of Lancaster getteth him to his castell of Pomfret, and fortifieth it.

The princesse of Wales maketh an atonement betwéene the king and the duke of Lancaster.

The king being incensed against the duke of Lancaster, meant that he should haue béene arrested and arreigned of certeine points of treason before sir Robert Trissillian cheefe iustice (as Thomas Walsingham saith) and peraduenture there might be some such report, that such was the kings meaning: but yet how this may stand, considering he was to be tried by his peeres, in case that any the like matter had beene pretended, I sée not. But how soeuer it was, he being warned thereof by some of the councell, got him to his castell of Pomfret, which he fortified, and banded himselfe so with his fréends, that it appeared he would defend his cause with force of armes, rather than to come to his triall by order of law afore such a iudge: and by reason hereof, it was greatlie doubted, least some ciuill warre would haue broken foorth. But through the earnest labour of the kings mother, that (not­with­stand­ing hir indisposition of bodie to trauell, by reason of hir corpulencie) riding to and fro betwixt them, made an agréement betwixt the king hir sonne, and the duke, to hir great comfort and contentation of mind, and no lesse suertie of quietnesse to the whole realme.

The ships of Portsmouth & Dartmouth did better seruice than the kings great nauie.

About the same time the French king had a great fléet of ships in Flanders, so that it was doubted least he meant some inuasion into England. Wherevpon there was sent to the sea the lord of S. Iohns, and sir Thomas Percie with a strong nauie, but they did no good, suffering the French fléet diuerse times to passe by them, and not once offering to set vpon them. But the ships of Portesmouth & Dertemouth, bestirred themselues better: for entering into the riuer of Saine, they drowned foure of their enimies ships, and tooke other foure, with a barke of the lord Clissons, one of the fairest that was to be found either in France or England. In these vessels the Englishmen had a rich preie of wines, and other merchandizes. ¶ The king vpon some occasion tooke great displeasure against William Courtnie archbishop of Canturburie, so storming against him, as few durst speake anie thing in his excuse. The lord chancellor Michaell de la Poole seeming to fauour his cause, was likelie to haue run in high displeasure. Sir Thomas Triuet, and sir Iohn Deuereux intreating for him, were sore rebuked at his hands. Yet at length, after that the archbishop was withdrawne, and had kept him close for a time, he was thorough mediation of some fréends reconciled to the kings fauour.

Iac. Meir.

Froissard.

The French king aideth Scots against Englishmen.

The Scots inuade the frontiers of England.