And now fearing to be punished therefore by order of law, he shewed his malice against such as had the execution of the same lawes chieflie in their hands. Herevpon he tooke prisoner Henrie Braibroke, one of the kings iustices of his bench, and led him to his castell of Bedford, and there shut him vp close as his lawfull prisoner. Indéed the said Henrie de Braibroke, with Martine de Pateshull, Thomas de Multon, and other of the kings iustices were come to kéepe their circuit at Dunstable. Where, vpon information giuen and presented before them, Fouks de Brent was condemned to the king in great summes of monie. Wherewithall this Fouks tooke such indignation and displeasure, that he commanded his men of warre which laie in the castell of Bedford, to ride vnto Dunstable, and there to apprehend the said iustices, and to bring them vnto Bedford, where (as he said) he meant to commen further with them. But they hauing knowledge of his purpose, fled quicklie out of the towne, séeking to escape euerie man which waie he might best deuise. Howbeit, the souldiers vsed such diligence, that Henrie de Braibroke fell into their hands, & and so was brought captiue to Bedford as their maister had commanded them.
Bedford castell besieged.
The king aduertised hereof by the gréeuous complaints of his subiects, was as then at Northampton (where he had assembled his parlement) and thervpon hauing gathered spéedilie a power, with all expedition he hasted towards Bedford. At his comming thither, he besieged the castell on ech side, and at length after two moneths, though not without much adoo, he wan it, and hanged them all which taken within, being in number 80 or aboue: and amongst other William de Brent, the brother of the said Fouks was one. There were but thrée that escaped with life, who were pardoned, vpon condition they should passe into the holie land, there to serue among the Templers. The siege began on the Ascension éeuen, and continued till the 15 daie of August, being the feast daie of the assumption of our ladie.
He was in the borders of Wales, where the earle of Chester was lord.
Fouks himselfe, whilest the siege continued, laie aloofe in Cheshire, and on the borders of Wales, as one watching to doo some mischiefe: but after the castell was woone, he got him to Couentrie, and there was yer long apprehended, and brought to the king, of whom he obteined pardon of life, but yet by the whole consent of the nobles and péeres of the realme, he was exiled the land for euermore, and then went to Rome, where he knew to purchase his pardon easilie inough for mony, of crime whatsoeuer he should be iudged culpable. His wife, bicause she neuer consented to his dooings, nor yet willinglie to the marriage had betwixt hir and him, was acquited of all blame, and so likewise was his sonne Thomas.
The end of Fouks de Brent.
Howbeit at length the foresaid Fouks, hauing obteined his purpose at Rome (by meanes of his chapleine Robert Paslew an Englishman, who was his sollicitor there) as he returned towards England in the yeare insuing, was poisoned and died by the waie, making so an end of his inconstant life, which from the time that he came to yeares of discretion was neuer bent to quietnes. Which may be reported of him not to his honour or renowme (for alas what fame is gotten by giuing occasions of euill) but to his euerlasting shame and infamie, for the same shall neuer die, but remaine in perpetuall memorie, as one saith right well,
Plaut. in Persa.
Hominum immortalis est infamia,
Etiam tunc viuit cùm esse credas mortuam.
But now to leaue these things and returne to the dooings in France where we left. Ye shall vnderstand, that after Sauerie de Mauleon was reuolted to the French king, the said king with all spéed determined to make warre vpon king Henrie, and to win from him certeine townes and fortresses within the countrie of Poictou.