Swillington tower*, and which seems to have been designed as a place of close confinement.

upon the bridge. And emong al other, one gotte unde the bridge, and at a hole thruste with a launce the renounid Knight thorough oute al Christentye Humfrede de Boun yn the foundemente, so that his bowels cam oute. And Syr Roger Clifforde was sore wonded on the hedde. And Syr William Sulley and Syr Roger Bernefeld were slayne. And then wente Thomas Lancastre into a chapel, denying to rendre hymself to Harkely, and said, looking on the crucifix, "Good Lord, I render myself to thee, and put me yn to thy mercy."

Then they toke of his cote armures, and put on hym a ray cote, or goune, one of his mennes lyveryes, and carried hym by water to York, were they threw balles of dirte at hym. And the resi dew of the Barons part were pursuid from place to place, and to the church hold was no reverence gyven, and the father pursuid the sunne, and the sunne the father.

The King hering of this discomfiture, cam with the Dispensars and other Nobles his adherentes to Pontfracte.

Syr Andrew of Herkeley brought Thomas of Lancastre to Pontfracte to the Kinge, and there was put in a towre that he had newly mad toward the abbay, and after juged in the haule sodenly by thes Justices, Syr Hugh Dispensar the father, Syr Aimer Counte of Pembroke, Syr Edmunde Counte of Kent, Syr John de Britayne, and Syr Robert Malmethorp, that pronounced his judgement.

Then Thomas Lancastre sayd, "Shaul I dy withowtanswer?" Then certayne Gascoyne toke him away, and put a pillid broken hatte or hoode on his hedde, and set hym on a lene white jade with owt bridil, and he than cryed thus, "King of heaven have mercy on me: For the King of Herth nous ad querpi."

And thus he was caryed, sum throwing pelottes of dirt at hym, and having a frere Precher for his Confessor with hym, on to a hille withowte the toune, where he knelid doune toward the este, on tille one Hughinde Muston causid hym to turne his face towarde Scotlande: wher kneling, a villayne of London cut of his hedde, 11 Cal. Aprilis anno D.- 1321. And after the Prior and the Monkes required his body, aud got it of the King, and buried it on the right hand of the hy altare.

LEL. Col. vol. 1. p. 464, &c. * Part of this tower has been lately cut away, in order to widen the public road. The tower was square; its walls of great

After sentence was passed upon him, he said Shall I die without answer? He was not however permitted to speak in his own defence, but a certain Gascoigne took him away, and having put an old hat or hood on his head, set him on a lean white mare, without a bridle. Lancaster then said, King of heaven have mercy on me, for the king of earth, nous ad querpi. Attended by a fryer-preacher, as his confessor, he was carried out of the town, suffering the insults of the people, who continued to throw dirt at him.

-Nay then farewel!

I have touch'd the highest point of all my greatness;
And, from that full meridian of my glory,

I haste now to my setting. I shall fall,
Like a bright exhalation in the evening,

And no man see me more.

At length he reached the hill where he was doomed to suffer, and having kneeled down, with his face toward the east, one Hugin de Muston, caused him to turn his face towards Scotland, and the executioner severed his head from his body. The prior and monks having begged his body of the king, took and buried it on the right hand of the high altar, in the church of the priory.

Thus fell Thomas, Earl of Lancaster, the first prince of the blood, and one of the most powerful noblemen that had ever been in England. His death involved many others in the same

strength, being ten feet and a half thick, nor was there ever any other entrance into the interior, than by a hole or trap door, in the floor of the turret; so that the prisoner must have been let down to this abode of darkness, from whence there could be no possible way of escape. The room was twenty-five feet square.

fate; and all their estates were confiscated, and according to the will of the Spencers given to others. Daniel, has made the remark, "That this is the first blood of nobility, that ever was shed in this manner in England, since William I. which being such, and so much as it was, opened veines for more to follow, and procured a most hideous revenge, which shortly after ensued *"

It is difficult to delineate the character of Thomas, as he has been by one party charged with every crime, which can add disgrace to human nature; and by another, not only exculpated, but adorned with every quality, which can add dignity to man. If we judge of the man by his actions, he seems to have been highspirited and passionate, and wholly destitute of that self-command which accompanies true greatness of mind. The ordinances, drawn up under his influence, and by his direction, exhibit him in the most amiable light, as the advocate and decided friend of liberty, and as the avowed enemy of those prerogatives of the crown, the exercise of which, particularly in a weak reign, was alike injurious to the true interests of the king, and of the people. Time has, sanctioned the wisdom and propriety of these ordinances, and no king thinks now of advancing to the highest offices, men to whom a majority of the legislature is confessedly inimical.

It may be doubted whether Thomas possessed any qualities which entitled him to the character of saint; unless his liberality to the religious orders, be admitted as sufficient to constitute

*DANIEL'S Col. of especial affairs of government, p. 180.

such a character. It is said
It is said indeed, That
many miracles were wrought at his tomb ;-
that blood continued to issue from it; and that
such was the fame of St. Thomas' tomb, that
Edward placed a guard to restrain the people.
When repulsed from the tomb of the Saint, the
people flocked to the hill where he was beheaded,
and where afterwards a church was built. Not-
withstanding these miracles, it is doing more jus-
tice to his character, to consider him as a mar-
tyr in the cause of liberty, than to honour him
with the apotheosis of a saint.

For, if invaded rights the task demand,
If men behold oppress'd their native land,
By foreign despots, wand'ring far for prey
Who, locusts like, with ruin mark their way;
Or, see their Prince direct the nation's helm,
In ruin's surge, his people to o'erwhelm:
Reward for foulest deeds a venal tribe,
Nor shun to blacken whom he cannot bribe ;
Engaged his meanest subjects to defend,
Yet, prove their tyrant, rather than their friend;
On pow'r despotic, rear a rush-built throne:
And, crown'd for all, live to himself alone:
'Twill then be right to grasp the blazing spear,
Be duty then the banner'd staff to rear,
To dare the fight at freedom's sacred call,
Maintain her rights, or with her bravely fall.

SECTION VIII.

Historical events till the death of Richard II.

IN the moment of triumph, Edward, instead of displaying the god-like virtue of clemency, and conciliating the affection of the barons, manifested the weakness of his mind, by yielding himself up to the passion of revenge. On the day Lancaster was beheaded, the following barons, his adherents, were hanged here*: Lord Warren de Lisle, Lord William Toehet, Lord Thomas Mandute, Henry de Bradburne, Lord Fitzwilliam the younger, and Lord William Cheyney. On the day following, the Lords Clifford, Mawbrey and Deynville, were executed at York, and hung in chains, and considerable numbers in other parts of the kingdom.

While the king remained at Pontefract, he created Andrew de Harcla, Earl of Carlisle, for the good services rendered him in taking the Earl of Lancaster, granted a special charter to him and his heirs male of an annuity of twenty pounds per annum, to be paid by the sheriff of Cumberland for the time being; and also lands and rents in Cumberland and Westmoreland, of the value of one thousand marks per annum, and five hundred marks per annum, out of the marches of Wales. This is the first creation of honour, wherein any preamble importing the merits of the person so

* SPEED. 675.