Page:The Complete Peerage Ed 2 Vol 4.djvu/281

 DESPENSER 263 with the King in Scotland in 1300, 1303, 1304, and i3o6.(*) Was appointed an envoy to the Pope, Sep. 1300, to treat of peace with the King of France, 25 Apr. 1302, and an envoy to the Pope, Oct. I305.('') In 1305 he was appointed and sworn, in Pari., a commissioner to treat with the Scots. C") At the Coronation of Edward II, 25 Feb. 1307/8, he was one of the four who carried the table {scaccarium) on which were laid the royal robes. ("=) Constable of the castles of Devizes and Marlborough, 12 Mar. 1307/8 to 2 Dec. i3o8.('=) Constable of the castle of Strigoil and Keeper of the town of Chepstow, 12 Mar. 1307/8 to 17 July (or 21 Aug.) 13 io.('=) Appointed Justice of the forests South of Trent during the King's pleasure, 16 Mar. 1307/8, and for life, 28 Aug. I309.('') In the quarrel about Gavastone in 1308 he alone sided with the King against the Barons, who induced the King to promise to dismiss him from Court-C) He took part in the Barons' Letter to the Pope, 6 Aug. I309.('^) Had licence to crenellate all his dwelling houses throughout the kingdom, 29 Sep. 1311.0 Keeper of the forests South of Trent, 14 June 1312 to 19 Feb. i3i4/5.(*) He was one of the King's deputies in the treaty with the mag- nates concerning the death of Gavastone, 20 Dec. 1 3 1 2.(°) Was pardoned for all arrears and debts to the King, 25 Mar. 1313,0 and accompanied him to Pontoise, 23 May following.^) He was excluded from the peace that was arranged between the King and the discontented barons in the autumn of 1313.Q Was at the battle of Bannockburn, 24 June 13 14, and accom- panied the King in his flight to Dunbar, and thence by sea to Berwick.(«) A few months afterwards the party of the Earl of Lancaster obtained his dismissal from Court,0 and his removal from the Council in Feb. 1314/5.(8) A commission was appointed, 13 July 13 15, to hear complaints against his acts of oppression as Keeper of the forests South of Trent.(«) He was in the Scottish Wars in 1317.(8) He was again specially excluded when peace was made with the Earl of Lancaster in Aug. I3i8:(«) to avoid the Earl, he is said to have gone " on pilgrimage " to Compostella.C') Was (*) Suppl. Cloie Ro/h, no. 7, mm. 5, I ; no. 9, m. 7. C") Jlmain Rolls, 28 Edw. I, w. 8; 30 Edw. I, m. 6: Patent Rolls, 28 Edw. I, mm. 6, I; 30 Edw. I, m. 25; 33 Edw. I, p. 2, ?nm. II, 8: Close Roll, 33 Edw. I, mm. 13 d schedule, 6 d: Annales London., pp. 127, 143. («) Close Roll, I Edw. II, m. 10 d: Patent Rolls, I Edw. II, p. 2, m. 22; 2 Edw. II, />. I, w. 17; 3 Edw. II, OT. 38 schedule; 4 Edw. II, /. i, m. 17: Fine Rolls, I Edw. II, mm. 7, 5; 4 Edw. II, m. 21: Ancient Deeds, A, no. 4815. (^) Fita Edwardi auct. Malmesber., p. 158: Annales Paulini, p. 264: Annales London., p, 162. («) Patent Rolls, 5 Edw. II, p., m. 14, p. 2, m. 3; 6 Edw. II, p. 2, mm. 1 6, 9: Close Roll, 6 Edw. II, WW. 8 d, 4 d: Fine Roll, 8 Edw. II, m. 10. (') "Tota terra versa est in ejus odium: pauci lugerenl ejus infortunium. Multis in officio suo injuste nocuit: plures magnates et viros divites exheredavit." (Malmesber., p. 195). (e) French Chron. of London, p. 38: Malmesber., pp. 208, 209, 236: Patent Roll, 9 Edw. II, p. 1, m. 29 d schedule: Close Roll, 1 1 Edw. II, m. 21 A. C") "Hugo semper et caute querit subterfugia ut redimat tempus et evitet