David who had previously forgotten the feuds which disturbed the peace of his family and country, assumed, on the death of his brother, the sovereignty of North Wales; but after various unsuccessful struggles, he was basely betrayed into the hands of Edward, who confined him in Rhuddlan castle, and soon after sent him in chains to Shrewsbury.
Edward now (1283) summoned a parliament to meet at Shrewsbury, for “consulting what course to take with David prince of Wales,” whence, in a few days it was removed to Acton Burnell. David, whilst at the English Court had been made a baron of the realm, and it was in consequence determined to proceed against him as a subject of the crown. His judges, deaf to the claims of humanity and justice, and influenced, no doubt, by their desire to gratify the implacable and vindictive spirit of their master, condemned him to die as a traitor. For this act of revenge, new tortures were invented.—He was sentenced to be drawn at a horse’s tail through the town—to be hanged—his heart and bowels to be burnt—his head to be cut off, and exposed at the tower of London, and his body quartered and hung up in different parts of the kingdom. On the death of this prince, the Welsh every where submitted to the victorious arms of the conqueror.
The tragical and cruel death of David closed the only sovereignty which remained of the ancient British empire: an empire which through various changes of fortune, had opposed the disciplined legions of imperial Rome; and for more than eight hundred years, had valiantly withstood the most strenuous efforts of their Saxon and Norman invaders.
The conquest of Wales by the English monarch was of great importance to Shrewsbury, the inhabitants of which had now time for breathing, after having been for nearly 800 years in the scene of continual warfare.
Edward II. visited Shrewsbury in 1322, on his march to subdue the barons who had justly banished the Spencers and was met by the burgesses in armour, who escorted him into the town. About this period, John, one of the sons of the famous Roger Mortimer, earl of March, was slain in a tournament held here. In 1326, Edmund Fitz Alan, earl of Arundel, who had been a faithful adherent of the weak and unfortunate Edward, was apprehended in the neighbourhood of this place by the partizans of the abandoned Queen and her paramour Roger Mortimer.
Richard II. who appears to have been particularly attached to the inhabitants of these marches, summoned a parliament to assemble at Shrewsbury in 1397, and which is called by Speed the “great parliament,” in consequence of the extraordinary number of peers who assembled here. The king was sumptuously entertained, and the parliament too much devoted to his interests, passed several very oppressive acts. One of the articles of accusation on which he was afterwards deposed, charges him with “procuring the many oppressive acts passed in the parliament of Shrewsbury, and with intimidating the judges and other persons whom he caused to come before him there.”
In the following reign the Welsh made another attempt to recover their freedom under the celebrated Owen Glyndwr. Twice were Henry and his generals obliged to retire from their meditated attack of Owen without bringing him to any action, and his rebellion assumed a more serious appearance from the support which he received from the earls of Northumberland and Worcester, and the earl of Douglas, who were disgusted with the treatment which they had received from Henry. At the commencement of the war, Northumberland was suddenly taken ill at Berwick—Hotspur his son accordingly took the command of the troops, amounting to about 12,000 chosen men, and marched towards Shrewsbury to unite his forces with those of the Welsh chieftain. The king aware of the importance of every moment, also hurried to Shrewsbury, and interposed himself between Hotspur and Glyndwr. This moment saved his crown; and the prudence of the one leader and the impetuosity of the other induced them to hasten a general engagement.
Previous to the engagement, Henry sent Thomas Presbury, abbot of Shrewsbury, with offers of pardon to Percy’s army if they would disperse, but this message being misrepresented to Percy by the earl of Worcester, the former sent a manifesto into the royal army in which he renounced his allegiance to Henry and enumerated at length various grievances and indignities of which he conceived the nation in common with his own family had to complain. This manifesto tended to inflame the passions of both parties; and the ability of the respective commanders, the valour of the soldiers and their equality in point of numbers, gave reason to expect a dreadful and doubtful contest. The battle was fought at Oldfield or Bullfield, now Battlefield, about 3 miles north of Shrewsbury, on St. Magdalene’s eve, July 22, 1403. The onset commenced near Berwick with a terrible discharge of arrows from both lines. The Scots rushed with impetuous fury upon the front of the royal army, which began to give way, but the king arriving with reinforcements they again rallied and recovered their ground. Henry exposed his person in the thickest of the fight and combated with an ardour worthy the crown he was defending. His valiant son whose military achievements in France were afterwards so renowned and whose wild youthful excesses are so beautifully pourtrayed by our great dramatic bard, here performed his noviciate in arms, signalized himself on his father’s footsteps, and regained his good opinion. The gallant Percy supported that brilliant fame he had acquired in so many bloody engagements, and Douglas,
Whose high deeds,
Whose hot incursions, and great name in arms
Holds from all soldiers chief majority,
the ancient enemy of Percy but now his friend, still appeared his rival amidst the horror and confusion of the day. This nobleman performed feats of valour which are almost incredible. He seemed determined that the king of England should that day fall by his arm: and as Henry either to elude the attacks of the enemy on his person, or to encourage his own men by the belief of his presence every where, had accoutred several captains in the royal garb; the sword of Douglas rendered this proud distinction fatal to many. Having dispatched sir Walter Blount, the king’s standard bearer, he assailed Henry with such fury that it was with difficulty he escaped to another part of the field. But while the armies were contending in this furious manner, the death of Percy by an unknown hand, decided the fate of the day and the royalists prevailed. On this memorable day, which is immortalized by the genius of Shakspeare, it is supposed that 7000 men were slain. A great number of persons of distinction were killed on both aides, and the earls of Douglas and Worcester, taken prisoners; the latter was after beheaded at Shrewsbury.