Translation by Steven Muhlberger, July 13, 2001. Translation
copyright 2001.
A.D. 1341-2
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 xvjo. 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.