class="sidenote">1314.

The king and quéene this yeare in Maie went ouer into France, where they were present in Paris on Whitsundaie at the coronation of Philip sonne to the French king, created that day king of Nauarre. ¶ Iohn de Drokensford bishop of Bath and Welles was appointed warden of the realme till the kings returne. In Iulie the king returned backe from his iournie into France, and landed at Sandwich the mondaie before the feast of S. Margaret, hauing dispatched his businesse with the French king in good and honorable maner, for his lands and countrie of Gascoine. ¶ About this season Maurice fitz Thomas, and Thomas fitz Iohn maried two sisters that were daughters to Richard earle of Vlnester. In this meane time, Robert Bruce recouered the most part of all Scotland, winning out of the Englishmens hands such castels as they held within Scotland, chasing all the souldiers which laie there in garrison, out of the countrie, and subduing such of the Scots as held on the English part.

King Edward to be reuenged herof, with a mightie armie brauelie furnished, and gorgiouslie apparelled, more séemelie for a triumph, than méet to incounter with the cruell enimie in the field, entred Scotland, in purpose speciallie to rescue the castell of Sterling, as then besieged by the Scotishmen. But at his approching néere to the same, Robert Bruce was readie with his power to giue him battell. In the which king Edward nothing doubtfull of losse, had so vnwiselie ordered his people, and confounded their ranks, that euen at the first ioining, they were not onelie beaten downe and ouerthrowne, by those that coped with them at hand, but also were wounded with shot a farre off, by those their enimies which stood behind to succour their fellowes when néed required, so that in the end the Englishmen fled to saue their liues, and were chased and slaine by the Scots in great number.

The king escaped with a few about him, in great danger to haue béene either taken or slaine. Manie were drowned in a little riuer called Banokesborne, néere to the which the battell was foughten. There were slaine of noble men, Gilbert earle of Glocester, Robert lord Clifford, the lord Giles Argentine, the lord Paine Tiptost, the lord William Marshall, the lord Reginald Daincourt, the lord Edmund of Mauley the kings steward, with other lords and barons to the number of 42, and of knights and baronets to the number of 67.

There were slaine of all sorts vpon the English part that daie about ten thousand men, ouer and beside the prisoners that were taken. Amongst the which were accounted 22 men of name, as the earle of Hereford, the lord Iohn Segraue, William lord Latimer, Maurice lord Berkley, and others. He that listeth to heare more of this discomfiture may read thereof further at large in the Scotish historie.

The king of England hauing escaped from this battell, which was fought on Midsummer day in the yéere aforesaid, came to Yorke, where he held a councell of his lords, to haue their aduise by what means he might best restore his armie, and reuenge the losse which he had susteined at the hands of his enimie R. Bruce. And shortlie after was sir Peter Spalding sent vnto Berwike, with a crew of souldiers to defend the towne against the said Bruce, who intended shortlie to laie siege to that towne, as the king had certeine vnderstanding. Also the Scotishmen aduanced highlie in their minds for the late gotten victorie, passed ouer into Ireland, vnder the conduct of Edward Bruce, the brother of Robert Bruce, sore afflicting that countrie, by spoile, sword, and fire: the villages were robbed, the townes and castels which they wan were sacked, and after fired, so vtterlie to deface them.

The Irishmen being put in great feare herewith, assembled togither, and ioined themselues with such Englishmen as laie there in garrisons, ouer the which the lord Iohn Bermingham as deputie had the chéefe charge. Thus being ioined togither, they made earnest resistance against the attempts of their enimies in defense of the countrie. And so by that means they warred and fought one against an other, with great slaughter on both sides, the Scotishmen on their part dooing their best to obteine the gouernement of the countrie, hauing alreadie obteined no small portion thereof, and created Edward Bruce king there; and the Irishmen on the other part, inforcing their whole indeuor to beat the enimie backe, and to rid him out of the countrie. But at length the inuincible obstinatnesse of the Irishmen preuailed, through aid of the Englishmen (as after shall appeare.) Neuerthelesse in the meane while, as some English chronicles make mention, there died of the Scots in these warres to the number of thirtie thousand, and aboue fiftéene thousand Irishmen.

The Scots not onelie thus inuaded Ireland, but also continued their rage against England. For the same yeare about the feast of Peter and Paule, they entered into the bishoprike of Durham, & spoiled the countrie vnto Hartilpoole, which towne they robbed of all the goods which they there found, the inhabitants being fled with their ships to the sea. About Maudelentide following, the king of Scots entred England with a mightie armie on the west borders, and comming to Carleill besieged the citie, remaining before it ten daies, but they within so valiantlie defended themselues and their wals, that the Scots lost more than they wan, sauing that during their abode at this siege, they robbed and wasted the countries of Allerdale, Copeland, and Westmerland. The 11 day after their comming thither, when they had assaied all their force and policie to win the citie, and saw themselues nothing to preuaile, but to lose their men and trauell, they raised their field, and returned into Scotland with dishonor, leauing behind them all their engines of warre, so that besides the dishonour which he susteined by the repulse, in lieu of lucre he suffered losse, and therefore this lesson by exemplification would be learned and practised, that

Now as they went their waie, certeine Englishmen following them, tooke Iohn de Murrey, who in the battell of Striueling had for his part 13 English knights prisoners, beside esquiers and others. They tooke also with him one Robert Berdolfe a great enimie of the Englishmen.

This yeare there fell excéeding great raine and abundance of wet, in the moneths of Iulie and August, that the husbandmen of the countrie could not get in that small crop which then stood on the ground,