Thom. Wals.
The chéefe cause of the variance betwixt ye lords and the Spēsers.
About this season, the lord William de Bruce that in the marches of Wales enioied diuerse faire possessions to him descended from his ancestors, but through want of good gouernement was run behind hand, offered to sell a certeine portion of his lands called Gowers land lieng in the marches there, vnto diuerse noble men that had their lands adioining to the same, as to the earle of Hereford, and to the two lords Mortimers, the vncle & nephue, albeit the lord Mowbraie that had maried the onelie daughter and heire of the lord Bruce, thought verelie in the end to haue had it, as due to his wife by right of inheritance. But at length (as vnhap would) Hugh Spenser the yoonger lord chamberleine, coueting that land (because it laie néere on each side to other lands that he had in those parts) found such means through the kings furtherance and helpe, that he went awaie with the purchase, to the great displeasure of the other lords that had béene in hand to buie it.
Hereby such hartburning rose against the Spensers, that vpon complaint made by the erle of Hereford vnto the earle of Lancaster, of their presumptuous dealing, by ruling all things about the king as séemed best to their likings, it was thought expedient by the said earles that some remedie in time (if it were possible) should be prouided. Wherevpon the said earls of Lancaster and Hereford, with the lords Roger Tuchet, Roger Clifford, Iocelin Deieuille, Roger Bernsfield, the two Mortimers, Roger the vncle and Roger the nephue, William de Sullie, William de Elmbrige, Iohn Gifford of Brimesfield, and Henrie Tieis, all barons; the which with diuerse other lords and knights, and men of name, assembling togither at Shierborne in Elmedone, sware each of them to stand by other, till they had amended the state of the realme. But yet notwithstanding this their oth, the most part of them afterwards forsaking the enterprise, submitted themselues to the king.
The lords take armes vpon them against the Spensers.
Neuerthelesse, whether for that the king by a proclamation set foorth the sixtéenth of March, had commanded (as some write) that the lords Mowbraie, Clifford, and Deieuille for disobeieng to make their personall appearance before him, should auoid the land within ten daies next insuing, or for that they meant with all spéed to put their enterprise in execution, we find that the earle of Hereford, the lords Mortimer, the vncle and nephue, the lord Roger Damorie, the lord Iohn Mowbraie, the lord Hugh Audelie, and his sonne named also Hugh, the lord Clifford, the lord Iohn Gifford of Brimesfield, the lord Morice Berkeley, the lord Henrie Tieis, the lord Iohn Matrauers, with manie other that were alied togither, hauing the consent also of the earle of Lancaster, on the wednesdaie next after the feast of the Inuention of the crosse, hauing with them to the number of eight hundred men of armes, fiue hundred hoblers, and ten thousand men on foot, came with the kings banner spread vnto Newport in Wenloks lands, where they tooke the castell that belonged vnto the lord chamberleine Hugh Spenser the yoonger.
They inuade the Spensers lands.
They also tooke Kaerdie, Kersillie, Lantrissane, Taluan, Lamblethian, Kenefegis, Neoth, Drusselan, and Diuenor; part of his men which in the foresaid places they found, they slue, as sir Iohn Iwain, and sir Matthew de Gorges knights, with 15 other of his men that were Welshmen: part they tooke and put them in prison, as sir Rafe or Randulfe de Gorges being sore wounded, sir Philip Ioice, sir Iohn de Frissingfield, sir Iohn de Dunstable, William de Dunstable, and manie other, of the which the most part were put to their ransome. They tooke, spoiled and destroied so much in value of his goods as amounted vnto two thousand pounds. They tooke vp in such debts as were owing to him in those parts, to the summe of thrée thousand pounds, and of his rents to the value néere hand of a thousand pounds. They burnt 23 of his manors which he had in those parts of Wales, with his barnes, and did what hurt they could deuise, burning or taking awaie all his writings and euidences. After they had remained 15 daies there, they came into England, with the like force and disorder inuading his castels, manors and possessions, so that the damage which they did here vnto the said lord chamberleine, amounted to the value of ten thousand pounds.
The king sendeth to the lords.