Chr. Dunstab.
In the meane time, the earle of Leicester procéeding in his businesse, wan the castell of Ludlow, and after marching towards Montgomerie, whither the lords Roger de Mortimer, and Iames Audelie were withdrawne, he constreined them at length to a feigned agréement, so that they gaue hostages, promising to come to the next parlement that was appointed to be holden, where they were banished the land for a twelue moneths, and all the castels on the marshes, in manner from Bristow to Chester, were deliuered to the earle. After this (as by Nicholas Triuet it appeareth) there was a great assemblie of men of warre made out of all parts of the realme, to resist such strangers as the quéene (remaining in the parts beyond the seas) had got togither, meaning to send them into England to aid the king against the barons, and for that purpose had caused a great number of ships to be brought into the hauen of Dam. But now that the king was in the barons hands, and that such a multitude of horssemen and footmen were assembled on Barham-downe (as a man would not haue thought had béene possible to haue found within the whole relme) to resist the landing of those strangers, the said strangers were sent home againe, without hauing doone anie pleasure to the quéene, other than spent hir monie. The king held his Christmas at Woodstoke; and the earle of Leicester, who séemed then to rule the whole realme, kept his Christmasse at Killingworth.
Abington.
After this a parlement was holden at London in the octaues of saint Hilarie, and manie things were concluded, couenants accorded, and oths taken for performance by the K. and his sonne prince Edward, which shortlie after came to little effect. Yet prince Edward, and Henrie the sonne and heire of the king of Almaine, which had béene kept as pledges about the tearme of nine moneths and od daies, were in the Lent following set at libertie, vpon assurance made, that the said prince Edward should remaine in the kings court, and not depart from thence without licence of the king and certeine of the barons. He was also constreined to giue vnto the earle of Leicester the countie Palantine of Chester before he might obteine to haue so much libertie. Betwéene Easter and Whitsuntide, the earles of Leicester and Glocester fell at variance, through the presumptuous demeanour of the earle of Leicesters sonnes, and also bicause the earle of Leicester would not deliuer the king of Almaine and other prisoners vnto the earle of Glocester, requiring to haue the custodie of them, bicause he had taken them in the battell at Lewes.
Prince Edward escapeth awaie.
Matth. West.
The earle of Glocester, perceiuing himselfe not well vsed, secretlie entred into confederacie with the lord Mortimer, and other of the marshes: wherevpon the earle of Leicester hauing thereof some inkeling, came to Hereford, in purpose to haue taken the earle of Glocester, and to haue put him in safe kéeping, as latelie before he had serued the earle of Darbie. But by the practise of the lord Mortimer, shortlie after the lord Edward or prince Edward (whether yée list to call him) assaieng abroad in the fields an horsse or two, such as he should vse at iusts and tornies, which were appointed to be holden, he mounted at length vpon a light courser, which the said lord Mortimer had sent to him; and bidding the lord Robert Roos and other (that were appointed to attend on him, as his kéepers) farewell, he galloped from them, and could not be ouertaken of them that pursued him, till at length he came to the lord Mortimer, who with a great troope of men was come foorth of his castell of Wigmore to receiue him. This was on the thursdaie in Whitsunwéeke.
The earle of Leicesters sonne raiseth an armie. He wan Winchester.
About the same time, the earle of Warren, with William de Valence earle of Penbroke, the kings halfe brother, and others, who (as yée haue heard) fled from the battell at Lewes, were now returned into the realme, landing first in Southwales with a power of crossebowes and other men of warre, the which hearing that the lord Edward was thus escaped out of captiuitie, came to Ludlow, and there ioined with him, and so likewise did the earle of Glocester. Now after they had communed togither, and were made fréends and confederats, they caused all the bridges to be broken, that the enimies should not come to oppresse them, till they had assembled all their forces, and passing forward towards Glocester, wan the citie, and still came people vnto them from all sides, namelie those lords and capteins, which all the time sincce the battell of Lewes had laine in Bristow. After this they came to Worcester, and entred there also. When the earle of Leicester was hereof aduertised (who in all this meane time by order taken, was about the king, and ruled all things in the court) he sent in all hast vnto his sonne Simon de Montfort to raise a power of men, the which accordinglie assembled to him much people, and comming with the same vnto Winchester, wan the citie by surrender, spoiled it, and slue the more part of the Iewes that inhabited there. Then he laid siege to the castell, but hearing a feigned rumor that prince Edward was comming thither with his power, he departed from thence with his companie, and went to Killingworth.