Excerpts from Adam Murimuth, Continuatio Chronicarum, in Rerum Britannicarum Medii Aevi Scriptore (Rolls Series), 93.

Translation by Steven Muhlberger.   Translation copyright 2001.

Deeds of Arms Index -- Historical Materials on Knighthood and Chivalry -- KCT Library

Hoc anno, circa Adventum Domini, audio rumore quod David le Bruys, qui diutinam moram traxit in Franciae partibus, de consensu Philippi de Valoys rediret in Scociam cum multitudine armatorum et teneret ibi Natale prope marchiam Angliae, rex Angliae, cum comite Derbyae, et aliis paucis armatis, se transtulit versus Scociam, et, audito quod David le Bruys voluit tenere Natale apud Meuros, idem rex praeveniens tenuit suum Natale ibidem, et per nuncios optulit se paratum pugnare cum Scotis; se ipsi noluerunt pugnam aliquam exspectare, sed ultra mare Scoticum latitarunt.  Rex tamen et sui quaesiverunt habere facere cum eisdem, et quaerendo magnas hiemales angustias tolerarunt; multasque praedas ceperunt et patriam vastarunt ubique.  Sed quidam ex suis et ex nostris habuerunt inter se hastiludia ex consensu, licentia regis optenta, in quibus pauci de suis et nostris a casu fortuito ceciderunt.  Et finaliter fuit inita una treuga usque ad festum Pentecostes.

    Et statim fuit proclamatum unum turniamentum apud Dunstaple, die Lunae ante Quadragesimam tunc futuram.  Et rex Angliae est reversus circa festum Conversionis sancti Pauli, anno regni sui xvj^o.  Ad quod turniamentum venit quasi tota juventus armatorum Angliae, sed alienigenae nulli.  In quo turniamento fuit rex, ad modum tamen simplicis militis; fuerunt etiam comites omnes juvenes regni, videlicet Derbiae, Warewykiae, Northamptoniae, Penebrokiae, Oxoniae, Suthfolkiae; sed abfuerunt comites Gloucestriae, Arundeliae, Devoniae, et Warreniae, et Huntyngdoniae, quos aetas et infirmitas excusavit.  Sed barones, tam de borae quam aliis partibus regni, interfuerunt, ita quod summa militum galeatorum ad ccl. milites et amplius ascendebat.  Sed ita tarde exiverunt in campum, quod nox obscura superveniens quasi totum negotium impedivit; ita quod vix x. equi fuerunt perditi vel lucrati.  Posteo vero rex, comites, et barones se transtulerunt Londonias, tractaturi quid forent in aestate facturi.

    Item, in quindena Paschae habuit rex hastiludia apud Northamptonam, ubi multi nobiles fuerunt graviter laesi et aliqui mutilati, et perditi multi equi, et dominus J[ohannes] de Bello monte occisus.

    Item, circa festum Ascensionis venit comes Hanoniae, frater reignae Philippae, in Angliam; propter quem fiebant hastiludia apud Eltham, ubi idem comes in brachio laedebatur.

(Another very similar version is in the appendix, pp. 223-224.)

In this year, around the Advent of the Lord, having heard rumors that David the Bruce, who had remained a long time in France, with the consent of Philip de Valois was returning to Scotland with a great many armed men to keep Christmas near the English marches, the King of England, with the Earl of Derby and a few other armed men, went across into Scotland, and having heard that David the Bruce wished to keep Christmas at Melrose, the king anticipated him and held his own Christmas there, and through heralds showed that he was ready to fight the Scots; but they were unwilling to await any battle, and hid beyond the Scottish sea. Nevertheless the king and his people sought battle with them, and in their seeking endured great wintry distress; and they took much loot and devasted the whole country.  But some of their men and ours held hastiludes by agreement among themselves and with the permission of the king, in which a few of both them and us happened by chance to kill someone.  And finally a truce was established, to last until Pentecost.

And immediately a tournament was announced at Dunstaple, on the Monday before the upcoming Quadragesima Sunday.   And the King of England returned around the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul, in the sixteenth year of his reign.   To this tournament came just about all the young men at arms of England, but no foreigners.  In this tournament the king took part like a simple knight; and all the young earls of the realm were there, namely the earls of Derby, Warwick, Northampton, Pembroke, Oxford, and Suffolk.   But the earls of Gloucester, Arundel, Devon, Warrene, and Huntingdon were absent, whom age and infirmity excused.   But the barons of the north and of other parts of the realm were there, so that the number of helmeted knights reached 250 or more.  But they were so late going out in the field that nightfall prevented the affair from proceeding, so that scarcely ten horses were lost or gained.  After that the king, earls and barons went to London, to discuss what out to be done in the summer.

Likewise, fifty days after Easter, the king held hastiludes at Northampton, where many nobles were seriously wounded and some mutilated, and many horses were lost, and Lord John of Belmont was killed.

Likewise, around the Feast of the Ascension the Count of Hainault, the brother of Queen Philippa, came to England; on account of this hastiludes were held at Eltham, where the count was wounded in the arm.