Page:The Complete Peerage Ed 2 Vol 4.djvu/284

266 DESPENSER was dispatched to defend Bristol, which, however, he at once surrendered on the arrival of the Queen, 26 Oct.(^) Next day he was tried — without being allowed to speak in his own defence — condemned to death as a traitor,() and hanged on the common gallows. (■=) On his death, 27 Oct. 1326, at the age of 65, all his honours yv&ve forfeited^ the sentence of " Exile " passed on him in 132 1 being re-affirmed in Pari., i Edw. 111.0 (») Murimuth, p. 48. (•') "Mcccxxvi, vi'° kalendas Novembres, videlicet in vigilia apostolorum Simonis et Jude, dominus Hugo Despenser senior, Comes Wyntonienis ... ad racionem positus fuit et accusatus sub lingua gallica in hiis verbis. 'Hughe sire ceste court vous defend al comencement tote manere respons et pur ceo qe vous feistes une ley qe homme dust estre dampne sauns respons seit ceste ley en vous esteint et vos aherdanz et com celui qest treitour ateint.' " After reciting his crimes, the judgment proceeds: "Par quei agarde la court qe pur le tresun seietz trayne pur la roberie seietz pendu et pur ceo qe vousauetzmespris encountre seinte eglise seintz decole et qe vostre teste seit mene a Wyncestre ou vous feustes counte encountre ley et resun Et pur ceo qe vous queistes illoekes dignete tele et honur veot la court qe vostre teste seit mys en deshonur de vous et pur ceo qe autre fetz feites deshonurer ordre de chiualerie entant com vous feites pendre les bones gens en cotes quartiles agard la court qe vous seietz pendu en vne cote quartile de vos armes et seient les armes destruz pur touz iours." {Annales Paulini, p. 317). (') " Sire Hughe le Despenser le piere fust traigne penduz et decollee a la ville de Bristuit et rependuz par les braz de deux grosses cordes et le quart iour apres ert il decolpee tut enpieces et chiens le deuourerent Et pur ceo qe le Roi ly out fait Counte de Wincestr' sa teste fust maundee illoeqes sur vne launce." [Chron. de Brut, Royal MSS., 20 A iii, f. 220). The Chronicle of Tewkesbury (late transcript in Cotton MSS., Cleop., C 3, f. 225 v) gives the date as vi kal. Nov., Bridlington, p. 87, erroneously, as the day before the vigil of SS. Simon and Jude. Cf. Malmesber., p. 289, French Chron. of London, p. 55, and Murimuth, p. 48. [^) Pari. Rolls, vol. ii, pp. 7, 11. The various acquisitions by the two Des- pensers, subsequent to the battle of Boroughbridge, were innumerable, and only a few of the principal ones can be noticed here. In 1323 Thomas, Earl of Norfolk, granted the castle of Strigoil, the towns and manors of Chepstow and Tidenham, and all his lands between Severn and Wye, in Wales and the marches, to Hugh the younger for life, at a rent of ;^200 a year, which was commuted in 1324 for a cash payment of 1,200 marks. In 1324 Hugh the elder obtained a grant from William de Brewose of all the land of Gower, and from Aline de Moubray, da. of William, a grant of the reversion of the castle and manor of Bramber after William's death. The Despensers, between them, obtained many castles and manors, and some 175 knights' fees, from Alice, widow of Thomas, Earl of Lancaster. In 1325 the younger Hugh imprisoned John de Sutton till he surrendered the castle and manor of Dudley, and Elizabeth Comyn till she surrendered the castle of Goodrich and the manor of Painswick. {Patent Rolls, 16 Edw. II, /. I, m. 26; 17 Edw. II, />. I, m. 14., p. 2, mm. 9, 6, 5; 18 Edw. II, /. I, m. 7, p. 2, mm. 23, 14; 10 Edw. Ill, p. i, m. 35: Close Rolls, 17 Edw. II, m. 20 d; 18 Edw. II, m. 25 d; 19 Edw. II, m. 27 d; I Edw. Ill, p. I, m. 7: Pari. Rolls, vol. ii, p. 22: Ancient Deeds, A, nos. 198, 4842, 4880, 4884). Hugh the younger also attempted to obtain the other two purparties of the honour of Gloucester. See Damory, and Gloucester, Earldom of.