About the feast of saint Michaell, the new Scotish king Robert le Bruce returned foorth of the Iles (into the which he had fled) with manie Irishmen and Scots in his companie, and remained a certeine time in Kentire, he sent certeine of his officers, to leuie and gather vp the rents of the fermes due at the feast of saint Martine for such lands and possessions as they held in that countrie, wherof the lord Percie being aduertised, hasted thither; but the new king comming vpon him, slue certeine of his men, tooke his horsses and plate, with other things, and droue him into a castell, within the which he besieged him, till at length by a power sent from king Edward, Bruce was constreined to depart. The king in this meane time was come to Lauercost néere to Carleill, and there remained a long time. From thence he sent his iustices vnto Berwike, where they sate in iudgement vpon Nigell Bruce, and the other prisoners taken with him, which were condemned to die, and so they were hanged, drawen and quartered. The earle of Atholl was conueied to London, and although he sued for pardon in respect of that he was of kin to the king, yet was he hanged vpon a gibbet higher than all the residue, his bodie burned vnder the same gibbet, and his head first cut off, was set vpon a pole ouer London bridge for example sake that traitors should looke for no pardon.
The summes of monie which the pope had of the archbish. of Yorke.
The elect archbishop of Yorke William Gréenefield was confirmed this yeare by pope Clement the fift, at the citie of Lions in France, where the same pope was crowned about the same time, and held his court there, liuing chéeflie by the monie which he got of bishops that came to him for their confirmations: he had of the said archbishop of Yorke within one yeare, nine thousand and 500 markes, besides the expenses which he was at whilest he laie there, and so when this archbishop was returned into England, through pouertie he was driuen to gather monie of the persons, préests, and religious men within his prouince at two sundrie times in one yeare, as first, in name of a courtesie and gratious beneuolence, and the second time by waie of an aid.
The great reuenues of Anthonie B. of Durham.
Moreouer, pope Clement ordeined Anthonie bishop of Durham, patriarch of Ierusalem, dispensing with him, so as he held still the bishoprike of Durham, notwithstanding his other promotion; and this was, bicause the bishop was rich, and the pope poore. For this bishop might dispend in yearelie reuenues by purchases & inheritances, besides that belonged to his miter, aboue fiue thousand marks, and he gaue great rewards to the pope, and to his cardinals, by means whereof he obteined in suit against the prior of Durham, so that he had the charge and ouersight of the monasterie of Durham, both the spirituall gouernement and temporall, through informing the pope, that the prior was not able in discretion to rule the house. At his returning home, he caused a crosse of siluer and gilt, adorned with an image of the crucifix, to be borne afore him.
He is kept out of the abbeie at Durham.
He is summoned to appéere before the K. and refuseth.
But where he appointed certeine persons as his deputies to enter into the priorie of Durham, and to take charge thereof in place of the prior, the moonks shut the gates against them, appealing to the pope, and pretending the kings protection, which they had purchased. But those that thus came in the bishops name, accursed the moonks, & so departed. The king héerewith was highlie offended, so that he caused them to answer the matter afore the iustices of his bench, and for their presumption in pronouncing the cursse, without making the king priuie to their dooings, they were put to their fines. And whereas the bishop was summoned to appeare before the king in person at a certeine daie, he made default, and departing out of the realme, got backe againe to the pope, contrarie to the kings prohibition: wherevpon the liberties of the sée of Durham were seized into the kings hands, and the king placed his iustices and chancellor there, and in the yeare next insuing, he exacted of the tenants of the archbishoprike, the thirtéenth penie of their goods, and otherwise vexed them with sundrie talages.
The conclusion of the strife betwixt the bishop and moonks of Durham.