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The tenour of the kings letters patents.
The tenour of the said sixt letter lacking a direction.
Edward, the second of that name, the sonne of Edward the first, borne at Carnaruanin Wales, began his reigne ouer England the seauenth day of Iulie, in the yeareof our Lord 1307, of the world, 5273, of the comming of the Saxons 847, after the conquest241, about the tenth yeare of Albert emperour of Rome, and the two and twentithof the fourth Philip, surnamed Le Beau, as then king of France, and in the third yeareafter that Robert le Bruce had taken vpon him the crowne and gouernement of Scotland.His fathers corpse was conueied from Burgh vpon Sands, vnto the abbie of Waltham,there to remaine, till things were readie for the buriall, which was appointed atWestminster.
Within thrée daies after, when the lord treasurer Walter de Langton bishop of Couentrieand Lichfield (thorough whose complaint Péers de Gaueston had béene banished theland) was going towards Westminster, to make preparation for the same buriall, he wasvpon commandement from the new king arrested, committed to prison, and after deliueredto the hands of the said Péers, being then returned againe into the realme, whosent him from castell to castell as a prisoner. His lands and tenements were seizedto the kings vse, but his mooueables were giuen to the foresaid Péers. Walter Reignoldthat had béene the kings tutor in his childhood, was then made lord treasurer, and afterwhen the sée of Worcester was void, at the kings instance he was by the pope to thatbishoprike preferred. Also Rafe bishop of London was deposed from the office of lordChancellour, and Iohn Langton bishop of Chichester was thereto restored. Likewise,the barons of the excheker were remooued, and other put in their places. And Ameriede Valence earle of Penbroke was discharged of the wardenship of Scotland, and Iohnde Britaine placed in that office, whom he also made earle of Richmond.
But now concerning the demeanour of this new king, whose disordered maners broughthimselfe and manie others vnto destruction; we find that in the beginning of his gouernement,though he was of nature giuen to lightnesse, yet being restreined with the prudentaduertisements of certeine of his councellors, to the end that he might shew some likelihoodof good proofe, he counterfeited a kind of grauitie, vertue and modestie; but yethe could not throughlie be so bridled, but that foorthwith he began to plaie diuers wantonand light parts, at the first indéed not outragiouslie, but by little and little, and thatcouertlie. For hauing reuoked againe into England his old mate the said Péers deGaueston, he receiued him into most high fauour, creating him earle of Cornewall, andlord of Man, his principall secretarie, and lord chamberlaine of the