Edward III: September 1327

1327 September

Introduction September 1327

Lincoln

15 September - 23 September

For the writs of summons see RDP , iv, 376-78; CCR 1327-30 , 225-6.

(There is no surviving roll for this parliament)

The most prominent members of the new regime in the immediate aftermath of Edward II's deposition appear to have been the archbishop of Canterbury, the bishops of Norwich and Hereford, the earls of Norfolk, Kent (the young king's uncles), and Lancaster (Henry of Lancaster, earl of Leicester since March 1324, was styled as earl of Lancaster on 26 October 1326 and formally restored to the earldom on 3 February 1327), Roger Mortimer of Wigmore, Thomas Wake (Lancaster's son-in-law), and John of Ross. Increasingly however Mortimer became the real power behind the throne, amassing to himself lands and honours until he fell spectacularly from power in 1330. By the end of 1327 the enormous reserve of over £60,000, which Edward II had accumulated at Westminster and in the Tower of London, had been largely used up, squandered on gifts to Mortimer and Isabella and on the costs of unsuccessful war against the Scots. Even before the previous parliament ended on 9 March 1327 a series of important diplomatic and military initiatives was undertaken. On 22 February the bishops of Winchester and Norwich, the earl of Richmond, John of Hainault, and Hugh Audley were appointed to go to France to negotiate a truce in the conflict in Gascony which had begun in 1324. A truce was successfully concluded on 31 March. On 24 March the bishop of Hereford was appointed to go to Avignon to obtain a dispensation for the marriage of Edward III and Philippa of Hainault and, just as important, to explain to the pope the dramatic events which had just taken place in England. (fn. f1327Sint-1)

The most immediate danger to the new regime came from the Scots, who had laid siege to Norham on 1 February, the day of Edward III's coronation. The siege failed and a temporary truce was agreed in March. On 5 April a military summons for a muster in the March of Scotland on 17 May was issued at Ramsey. This had probably been decided on before the parliament ended on 9 March or soon after. No grant of taxation for the Scottish war was either sought or obtained during the parliament since there was still enough cash available. The Scots invaded England again in June 1327 but the two armies did not come close to an encounter until early August at Stanhope Park near Durham. In a surprise attack on 4 August the Scots almost captured the young Edward III. The Scots were able to withdraw with their plunder, having humiliated Edward III and discredited his government. Worse still, most of the accumulated treasure in England had now been spent. On 7 August the writs for an assembly, variously described as council or as a parliament, to meet at Lincoln on 15 September, were issued from Stanhope Park. On 12 September Henry Percy was appointed as warden of the March of Scotland and another truce made with the Scots. (fn. f1327Sint-2)

After the coronation of Edward III on 1 February the former Edward II remained at Kenilworth until 2 April when he was transferred to the custody of Thomas of Berkeley and John Maltravers, following a plot to free him by a Dominican, John of Stoke. The plot was probably used as a pretext to take Edward out of the custody of Henry of Lancaster and place him under the control of Roger Mortimer. He was at Llantony abbey near Gloucester on 5 April and reached Berkeley castle on the following day. In July a conspiracy involving another Dominican, Thomas Dunheved, and a number of others temporarily released Edward from his prison in Berkeley, but it is not clear whether he was ever outside the walls of the castle. On 14 September yet another plot to release Edward, this time by a Welshmen Sir Rhys ap Gruffudd, was reported. Shortly afterwards it was announced at the Lincoln parliament that Edward had died at Berkeley on 21 September. (fn. f1327Sint-3)

Writs of summons were issued at Stanhope on 7 August for an assembly at Lincoln on 15 September. The writs do not refer to the meeting as a parliament but state that the king has ordained the holding of a 'colloquium' and 'tractatum' with those attending. However a marginal note on the Close Roll describes the intended meeting as a parliament.

Writs of summons were issued on 7 August 1327 to the two archbishops, eighteen bishops (including the four Welsh bishops), and nineteen abbots; six earls (Norfolk, Kent, Lancaster, Surrey, Oxford, and Hereford), forty-six barons; fourteen royal judges and clerks; and for the election of representatives of the knights of the shire and burgesses, and of the lower clergy.

The writs of summons issued on 7 August gave the purpose of the parliament as the discussion of the defence of the realm against the Scots who have refused to meet solemn envoys sent to the March of Scotland to discuss peace, and have broken truces, and 'other arduous affairs touching the king and the state of the realm.'

The official purpose of the September 1327 parliament was to discuss the war with Scotland. The disastrous Stanhope Park campaign and the near exhaustion of royal finances made the situation particularly urgent. Before the end of the parliament on 23 September a twentieth was granted for the continuation of the war with Scotland. The first instalment was due on 3 February 1328; and the second instalment was probably due by 29 September 1328. On 2 December 1327 wool merchants from 28 towns were summoned to appear before king at York on 20 January 1328. (fn. f1327Sint-4)

In the absence of a Parliament Roll for this assembly, there is no evidence as to whether petitions were received and answered. Given the short duration of the assembly it seems unlikely that they were.

However all other business was overshadowed by the dramatic news of the death of the former king Edward II, which was received at Lincoln on 22 September. The bearer of the news Thomas Gurney had been one of Edward's jailers at Berkeley; no one yet knew that he was also one of his murderers. (fn. f1327Sint-5)