enjoined the Earl of Warwick, to whose command the army in Cheshire had been entrusted, as well as other nobles, "to take especial care to keep all things quiet, and on no account to allow any one to move with armed force, to the terror of the king's lieges, and to the disturbance of the peace."[1]
Notwithstanding these cautions, however, the king, on his return from abroad, found the social state of England in great confusion.
"To his very dear Lord, Monsire Edmund Earl of Cornwall, his William de Beauchamp, Earl of Warwick, greeting and all reverence.
"We have before us the transcript of your letter, which the Earl de Warenne has sent us, concerning the quarrel arisen between him and Sir Reynaud de Grey, at which we are amazed and troubled. But inasmuch as you, Sire, hold the place of our Lord the King, as long as he is abroad, and as we were directed by his own self to be observant of you and your command, so we do not wish, without your command and your advice, that horses or arms should stir anywhere on the territory of our Bang. On which matter we beg you therefore, dear Sire, to be pleased to signify to us your pleasure. And it appears to us, Sire, that you should strictly forbid persons from stirring at all in such a manner, and should devise how the quarrel might be abated by other means, so that more serious damage may not arise, and that no one may be found to raise up more serious impediments, which would be more difficult to appease. Adieu, dear Sire."
"A son tres cher seignur mun Sire Edmund, Comte de Cornewalle, le soen William de Beauch', Cunte de Warrick, saluz e tute reverences.
"Nus avoms enveu, sire, le transcrit de votre lettre, ke le Cunte de Warenne nous envea de cuntele aleve entre li e sire Renaud de Grey dunt nous sumes esmerveillet e annuyet : mes pur ceo, sire, ke vous tenet le Lyw nostre segnur le Rey taunt cume il est hors de terre, e nous fumes par li memmes assigne de estre entendant a vous e a vostre commaundement, si ne volums saunz vostre commaundement e vostre conseil nule part a chevaus e armes en la terre nostre le Rey aler. Dunt nous vous prioms, cher sire, ke vous nus voillet vostre volunte de ceo maunder. E il nous semble, sire, ke vous endevet ben defendre ke genz ny ayllent mie en celle maniere e purveer coment le cuntel pusse par autre veye estre abessee. Issi ke greyvaur damage ny aveyne e ke auchesums ne pussent estre trovez de greyvurs baretz alever ke plus forts sereyent de apeser. A deu, cher sire."—Tower MSS., No, 1136.
The Earl de Warenne about the period of this letter had endured the sudden loss of his only son William, at a tournament, January 15, 1286. More than five months afterwards a posthumous grandson, afterwards the eighth earl, was born. Many years later, in 1399, Edward I expressed his sympathy with the father when at Lewes, by making
- ↑ Rot. Claus., 160 Edw. II. m. 3.
