TheBarons' Letter of 1301 was written by 103 English, Scottish, Norman and Welsh, earls and barons loyal toKing Edward I. The letter was addressed toPope Boniface VIII as a repudiation of his claim of feudal overlordship of Scotland (expressed in the BullScimus Fili), and as a defence of the rights ofKing Edward I of England as overlord of Scotland. The letter survives in two copies, known as A and B, both held in theNational Archives atKew under the reference E 26. Historically they were held amongst the documents in theExchequer, Treasury of the Receipt department.
The occasion of the letter was a meeting of theParliament of England held at Lincoln. It is addressed to the Pope, referred to as "most Holy Father", and dated from Lincoln on "12 February 1300" (at the time, the start of the New Year varied among different countries, and had been tied in England since the Norman Conquest to 25 March, the Feast of the Annunciation; thus, 24 March 1300 was followed by 25 March 1301).[1] The letter explains in its text
At a general Parliament lately summoned at Lincoln by the most serene Lord Edward, by the grace of God, illustrious King of England, the same our Lord the King caused lately to be displayed in our midst and to be explained to us certain Apostolic letters which he had received on your part concerning certain matters affecting the condition and state of the kingdom...[1]
The seals of the signatories to the letter survive in excellent condition. Although they are now detached from the document, they form the earliest contemporary group of true coats of arms, the rules ofheraldry having only been established at around the start of the 13th century, and were stated for that reason byLord Howard de Walden to be of very great value to students of heraldry.[2] Many of the armorials also appear in the near contemporary FalkirkRoll of Arms made before theBattle of Falkirk in 1298 and in the near contemporaneous stained glass shields inDorchester Abbey, Oxfordshire.[3] Many are alsoBlazoned in verse in theRoll of Caerlaverock of 1300.
The letter was written by English barons (mainlyfeudal barons and a few barons by writ) as a repudiation to thepope of his claim to feudal overlordship of Scotland, which he had expressed in apapal bull dated 27 June 1299 atAgnani. The bull was addressed toKing Edward I of England and it was delivered byRobert Winchelsey,Archbishop of Canterbury atSweetheart Abbey inGalloway, Scotland, on 26th or 27 August 1300. The bull is preserved in the National Archives at Kew under reference SC 7/6/10.
The king sought the advice ofWilliam of Sardinia, a formerDean of Arches to the Archbishop, as to what his response should be, and was presented with various options set out in a letter preserved in the National Archives (C/47/31/15). The Papal bill had been delivered to the king at a sensitive moment, just after the hard-won English victory at theSiege of Caerlaverock Castle over the Scots. Following their defeat at theBattle of Falkirk in 1298 the Scots had appealed to the pope for his protection, yet the English had fought to subject their northern neighbour and were not about to release it from under their control, perhaps only to rise up again against them.[citation needed][clarification needed]
The French were the real movers of the pope's claim, having suggested the move to him as a means to effect protection of the Scots, then their allies under theAuld Alliance,[4] and were themselves allied with the Scots against the English. An English attack on a kingdom the feudal overlord of which was the pope would be virtually unthinkable in political and religious terms.[citation needed] There was thus no question of the English even considering the pope's claim, and the tone of the barons' reply to him is one of anger and open defiance, devoid of almost any of the diplomatic niceties with which the papal bull was replete.[citation needed]
In the event, the Barons' Letter was never sent to the pope, as events changed rapidly to such an extent that it appeared superfluous.[5] A letter to the same effect from the king had however been sent to the pope; it is now held in the Vatican Archives with a copy in the National Archives at Kew under reference C 54/118. It was stored away within the archives of the Exchequer, where the two copies of it remained for several centuries until transferred to Public Record Office under the custody of theMaster of the Rolls before 1903[6] and more recently transferred to the National Archives at Kew.
The letter was composed and sealed at the parliament specially convened for the purpose of replying to the Pope's letter held at Lincoln between 13–20 January 1301.[7] To it were summoned 9 earls and 80 barons, yet 7 earls and 96 barons are recorded in the letter itself as co-authors. Those barons who did not answer the summons sealed the letter later.
The seals appended by hempen cords to Exemplar B were "tricked" (i.e. reproduced by drawing) byLancaster Herald Nicholas Charles in 1611.[8] He also made a transcript of Exemplar B., which clearly was then in a better state of preservation than today.[9] Whilst his drawings provide much detail which is otherwise difficult to see in photographs of the seals themselves, some of his transcripts of the legends are inaccurate.[10]
In 1903Lord Howard de Walden published Charles' drawings and a facsimile of his transcript, and also two sets of photographic images of the seals from Exemplar A; firstly of all the surviving individual cords of seals in colour (showing one face only of each seal), and secondly black and white images of each constituent seal on the cord, obverse and reverse (where existing). The number of surviving seals (series unspecified) is given as 95 by the National Archives catalogue entry, and as 72 (7 earls and 65 barons) by Brian Timms. Photographic images were published by Brian Timms on his heraldry website.[11]
| # | Latinised name in letter (English translation); Standard identification; Legend (obverse/reverse) | Cord (A series) on which affixed | Seal (obverse,reverse), 1904 photo (A series); 1611 drawing (B series) | Arms | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Johannes Comes Warenne (John Earl Warenne);John de Warenne, Earl of Surrey; S(IGILLUM) JOH(ANN)IS DE WARENNIA COMITIS DE SURREIA / SIGILLUM JOHANNIS COMITIS DE WARENNIA |  |   | .svg) | ||
| 2 | Thomas Comes Lancastrie (Thomas Earl of Lancaster) –Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster; S(IGILLUM) THOM(A)E COMITIS LANCAST LEYCESTRIE ET DE FERRARIIS | |   |  | ||
| 3 | Radulphus de Monte Hermerii Comes Gloucestr & Hertford (Ralph de Monthermer Earl of Gloucester & Hertford);Ralph de Monthermer, 1st Baron Monthermer; S(IGILLUM) (T?) RADULFI DE MONTE HERMERII COM(ITIS) GLOUERNIE ET HERTFORD / S RADULFI DE MONTE HERMERII COM(ITIS) GLOUERNIE ET HERTF |  |  | |||
| 4 | Humfridus de Bohun Comes Hereford & Essex & Constabulari Anglie (Humfrey de Bohun Earl of Hereford & Essex & Constable of England);Humphrey de Bohun, 4th Earl of Hereford; S(IGILLUM) H DE BOHUN COMITIS HEREFORD ET CONSTABULAR(II) ANGL(IAE) / S(IGILLUM) HUMFRIDI D3E BOHUN COMITIT HEREFORDIE ET ESSEXIE | |  | |||
| 5 | Rogerus Bigo Comes Norff' & Marescallus Anglie (Roger Bigod Earl of Norfolk & Marshall of England);Roger Bigod, 5th Earl of Norfolk; SIGILLUM ROGERI BIGOD (seal of Roger Bigod) |  |  | |||
| 6 | Ricardus Comes Arundell (Richard Earl Arundel);Richard FitzAlan, Earl of Arundel; SIGILLUM RICARDI COMITIS DE ARUNDELL (seal of Richard Earl of Arundell) | | .svg) | |||
| 7 | Guido Comes Warrewik (Guy Earl Warwick);Guy de Beauchamp, 10th Earl of Warwick; S(IGILLUM) GWIDONIS DE BELLO CAMPO COM WARREWYK/ S GUIDONIS DE BELLOCAMPO COMITIS WARREWIK (seal of Guy de Beauchamp Earl of Warwick) | |   |   | ||
| 8 | Adomarus de Valencia D(omi)n(u)s de Moniniaco (Aylmer de Valence Lord of Moniniaco);Aymer de Valence, 2nd Earl of Pembroke; SIGILLUM ADOMARI DE VALENCE | | .svg) | |||
| 9 | Will(elmu)s D(omi)n(u)s de Leyborn (William Lord ofLeyburn) –William (d. 1310), son ofRoger de Leybourne (1215-1271), Governor ofCarlisle;[12] S(IGILLUM) WILLIELMI DE LEYBURN | |  | |||
| 10 | Henricus de Lancastre Dominus de Munemue (Henry of Lancaster Lord ofMonmouth);Henry, 3rd Earl of Lancaster | |  | |||
| 11 | Will(elmu)s le Latimer D(omi)n(u)s de Corby (William le Latimer Lord ofCorby);William Latimer, 1st Baron Latimer | |  | |||
| 12 | Edmundus de Hastingg Dns de Enchimeholmok (Edmund de Hastings, Lord ofInchmahome) –Edmund Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings (younger brother of (13) Johannes de Hastinges Dns de Bergaveny) | |  |  | ||
| 13 | Johannes de Hastinges Dns de Bergaveny (John de Hastings, Lord ofBergavenny) –John Hastings, 1st Baron Hastings (elder brother of (12) Edmundus de Hastingg Dns de Enchimeholmok) | |  |  | ||
| 14 | Edmundus de Motuomari Dns de Wiggemor (Edmund Mortimer, Lord ofWigmore) –Edmund Mortimer, 2nd Baron Mortimer; S(IGILLUM) EDMUNDI DE MORTUOMARI (seal of Edmund from "the dead sea") | |  | |||
| 15 | Fulco filius Warini Dns de Whitington (Fulk, son of Warin, Lord ofWhittington) –Fulk FitzWarin, 1st Baron FitzWarin, Lord ofWhittington, Shropshire; SIGILLUM FULCONIS FILLII WARINI (seal of Fulk son of Warin) | |  | |||
| 16 | Henricus de Percy, Dns de Topclive (Henry de Percy, Lord ofTopcliffe) –Henry Percy, 1st Baron Percy; SIGILLUM HENRICI DE PERCY /SIGILLUM HENRICI DE PERCI | |   |  | ||
| 17 | Theobaldus de Verdon, Dominus de Webbele (Theobald de Verdon, Lord ofWeobley);Theobald de Verdon, 1st Baron Verdon | |  |  | ||
| 18 | Robertus filus Walteri, Dns de Wodeham (Robert son of Walter, Lord of Wodeham) –Robert FitzWalter, 1st Baron FitzWalter (1247-1326) ofWoodham Walter andLittle Dunmow, Essex | |  |  | ||
| 19 | Johes Dns de Sullee (John, Lord ofSudeley) –John de Sudeley, 1st Baron Sudeley | |  |  | ||
| 20 | Johannes de Sco Johanne, Dns de Hannak (John St John, Lord ofHalnaker, Sussex) | |  | |||
| 21 | Johes de Bello Campo,Dns de Hacche (John de Beauchamp, Lord ofHatch) –John Beauchamp, 1st Baron Beauchamp of Somerset[13] | | |  | ||
| 22 | Johannis de Hudleston, Dns de Aneys (John de Hodleston, Lord of Aneys) | |  | |||
| 23 | Willus de Breuhosa Dns de Gower (William de Braose,Lord of Gower) –William de Braose, 2nd Baron Braose | |  | |||
| 24 | Johannes Botetourte, Dns de Mendesham (John Botetourt, Lord ofMendlesham, Suffolk) –John Botetourt, 1st Baron Botetourt | | | |||
| 25 | Reginaldus de Grey, Dns de Ruthyn (Reynold/Reginald de Grey, Lord ofRuthin) –Reynold Grey, 1st Baron Grey of Wilton | | |  | ||
| 26 | Johes de Moeles, Dns de Caudebury (John de Moels, Lord ofCadbury) –John Moels, 1st Baron Moels | | |  | ||
| 27 | Johes filius Reginaldi, Dns de Blenleveny (John son ofReginald, Lord ofBlaenllynfi); S(IGILLUM) JOHANNIS FILII REGINALDI (seal of John son of Reginald) -John FitzReginald | | .svg) | |||
| 28 | Almericus de Sco Amando Dns de Widehaye (Almeric de Saint Amand, Lord of Widehaye) -Almaric de St Amand, 1st Baron Saint Amand | |  | |||
| 29 | Robertus filius Pagani, Dns Lammer (Robert son of Payne, Lord of Lammer); Robert FitzPayne; S(IGILLUM) ROBERTI FILII PAGANI (seal of Robert son of Payne) -Robert FitzPayne, 1st Baron FitzPayne | |  | |||
| 30 | Thomas Dns de Berkele (Thomas Lord Berkeley) –Thomas de Berkeley, 1st Baron Berkeley | |  | |||
| 31 | Petrus Corbet, Dns de Cauz (Peter Corbet, Lord of Caus) -Peter Corbet, 2nd Baron Corbet;Sigillum Petri Corbet; Seal of Peter Corbet | |  | |||
| 32 | Henricus de Tyes, Dns de Chilton (Henry de Tyes, Lord of Chilton) -Henry de Teyes, 1st Baron Teyes | |  | |||
| 33 | Robtus de Tatteshale, Dns de Bukeham (Robert de Tattershall, Lord ofBuckenham) -Robert de Tateshall, 2nd Baron Tateshall | | .svg) | |||
| 34 | Johannes Lovel, Dns de Dacking (John Lovell, Lord of Dacking) -John Lovel, 1st Baron Lovel | | .svg) | |||
| 35 | Hugo de Vere, Dns Swainschaumpis (Hugh de Vere, Lord ofSwanscombe) –Hugh de Vere, 1st Baron Vere, son ofRobert de Vere, 5th Earl of Oxford | | | |||
| 36 | Robtus la Warde, Dns de Alba Aula (Robert la Warde, Lord of Alba Aula) -Robert de La Ward, 1st Baron De La Ward | | .svg) | |||
| 37 | Johannes le Estraunge, Dns de Cnokyn (John le Strange, Lord ofKnockin) –John le Strange, 1st Baron Strange of Knockyn | |  | |||
| 38 | Thomas de Multon, Dns de Egremont (Thomas de Multon, Lord ofEgremont) –Thomas de Multon, 1st Baron Multon of Egremont | |  | |||
| 39 | Rogerus de Mortuo Mari, Dns de Penketlyn (Roger de Mortimer, Lord of Pengethly) -Roger Mortimer, 1st Baron Mortimer of Chirk | |  | |||
| 40 | Robertus de Clifford,Castellanus de Appelby (Robert de Clifford, Lord ofAppleby) –Robert Clifford, 1st Baron Clifford | |  | |||
| 41 | Willus de Cantilopo, Dns de Ravensthorp (William de Cantelupe, Lord ofRavensthorpe) -William de Cantilupe, 1st Baron Cantilupe |  |  | |||
| 42 | Brianus filius Alani, Dns de Bedale (Brian son of Alan, Lord ofBedale) –Bryan FitzAlan, Lord FitzAlan | | _as_shown_in_The_Roll_of_Caerlaverock_(1300).svg) | |||
| 43 | Nicus de Carru, Dns de Mulesford (Nicholas de Carew, Lord ofMoulsford) –Nicholas Carew (died 1311) | |  | |||
| 44 | Johes de Haveringes, Dns de Grafton (John de Havering, Lord ofGrafton) | | .svg) | |||
| 45 | Walterus de Teye, Dns de Standgreve (Walter de Teye, Lord of Standgreve) -Walter de Teye | |  | |||
| 46 | Walt(er)us de Bello Campo, D(omi)n(u)s de Alcestre ("Walter de Beauchamp, Lord ofAlcester") – Walter de Beauchamp (d.1306) ofBeauchamp's Court, Alcester in Warwickshire and ofPowick inWorcestershire,Steward of the Household to King Edward I. Younger brother ofWilliam de Beauchamp, 9th Earl of Warwick. Signed the Letter with his nephewGuy de Beauchamp, 10th Earl of Warwick | |  | |||
| 47 | Alanus la Zuche, Dns de Assheby (Alan la Zouche, Lord ofAshby) –Alan la Zouche, 1st Baron Zouche of Ashby | | .svg) | |||
| 48 | Eustachius, Dns de Hacche (Eustace, Lord of Hacche) -Eustace de Hache, 1st Baron Hache | | .svg) | |||
| 49 | Wills Martyn, Dns de Camesio (William Martin, Lord ofKemeys) -William Martin, 1st Baron Martin | | .svg) | |||
| 50 | Johannes, Dns de Segrave (John, Lord ofSegrave) –John Segrave, 2nd Baron Segrave | | .svg) | |||
| 51 | Wills de Ferrariis, Dns de Groby (William de Ferrers, Lord ofGroby) –William Ferrers, 1st Baron Ferrers of Groby | | .svg) | |||
| 52 | Robtus de Tonny, Dns de Castro Matill (Robert de Tony, Lord of Castle Maud) -Robert de Toni, 1st Baron Toni | | .svg) | |||
| 53 | Adam, Dns Welle (Adam, Lord of Well) -Adam de Welles, 1st Baron Welles | |  | |||
| 54 | Gilbertus Pecche, Dns de Corby (Gilbert Peche, Lord of Corby) | |  | |||
| 55 | Wills Paynell, Dns de Tracyngton (William Paynell, Lord of Tracyngton) -William Paynel, 1st Baron Paynel | | .svg) | |||
| 56 | Simon, Dns de Monte Acuto (Simon, Lord Montagu) | |  | |||
| 57 | Petrus de Malolacu, Dns de Musgreve (Peter de Mauley, Lord ofMulgrave) –Peter de Mauley, 1st Baron Mauley | |  | |||
| 58 | Ranulphus de Nevill, Dns de Raby (Ranulph de Nevill, Lord ofRaby) –Ranulph Neville, 1st Baron Neville (1262–1331) | |  | |||
| 59 | Radulphus, Dns de Grendon (Ralph, Lord ofGrendon) –Ralph de Grendon, 1st Baron Grendon | |  | |||
| 60 | Johannes de Mohun, Dns de Dunsterre (John de Mohun,Lord of Dunster) -John de Mohun, 1st Baron Mohun | |  | |||
| 61 | Henricus de Pynkeny, Dns de Wedone (Henry de Pinkney, Lord of Wedone) -Henry de Pinkeney, 1st Baron Pinkeney | | .svg) | |||
| 62 | Mattheus filius Jonis, Dns de Stokenhame (Matthew son of John, Lord of Stokenhame);Matthew FitzJohn | | .svg) | |||
| 63 | Thomas, Dns de la Roche (Thomas, Lord of la Roche) -Thomas de la Roche, 1st Baron Roche | |  | |||
| 64 | Thomas de Chaurces, Dns de Norton (Thomas de Chaworth, Lord of Norton) -Thomas de Chaworth, 1st Baron Chaworth | | .svg) | |||
| 65 | Robtus de Scales, Dns de Neuseles (Robert de Scales, Lord of Newsells) –Robert Scales, 1st Baron Scales | |  | |||
| 66 | Thomas de Furnivall, Dns de Shefeold (Thomas de Furnivall, Lord ofSheffield) -Thomas de Furnivall, 1st Baron Furnivall | |  | |||
| 67 | Bogo de Knovill, Dns de Albomonasterio (Bogo de Knovill, Lord of Albomonasterio) -Bogo de Knovill, 1st Baron Knovill | |  | |||
| 68 | Fulco le Estraunge, Dns de Corsham (Fulk le Strange, Lord of Corsham) -Fulk le Strange, 1st Baron Strange of Blackmere | |  | |||
| 69 | Hugo Bardolfe, Dns de Wirmegaye (Hugh Bardolf, Lord ofWormegay) –Hugh Bardolf, 1st Baron Bardolf | |  | |||
| 70 | Ricardus Talebot, Dns de Eckleswell (Richard Talbot, Lord of Eccleswall) –Richard Talbot | |  | |||
| 71 | Edmundus de Eyncourt, Dns de Thurgerton (Edmund Deincourt, Lord ofThurgarton) –Edmund Deincourt, 1st Baron Deincourt | |  | |||
| 72 | Emundus, Baro Stafford (Edmund, Baron Stafford) –Edmund Stafford, 1st Baron Stafford (1272–1308) | |  | |||
| 73 | Phus, Dns de Kyme (Philip, Lord of Kyme) -Philip de Kyme, 1st Baron Kyme | |  | |||
| 74 | Jones Pynell, Dns de Otteleye (John Paynel, Lord of Otley) -John Paynel of Otley | | | |||
| 75 | Walterus, Dns de Huntercombe (Walter, Lord of Huntercombe) –Walter de Huntercombe | |  | |||
| 76 | Wills Marescallus, Dns de Hengham (William Marshal, Lord ofHingham) -William Marshal, 1st Baron Marshal | |  | |||
| 77 | Robertus de Monte Alto, Dns de Harwardyn (Robert Montalt, Lord of Harwardyn) -Robert de Montalt, 1st Baron Montalt | |  | |||
| 78 | Hugo Poyntz,Dns de Corimalet (Hugh Poyntz, Lord ofCurry Mallet) -Hugh Poyntz, 1st Baron Poyntz | |  | |||
| 79 | Henricus Tregoz, Dns de Garynges (Henry Tregoz, Lord ofGoring) -Henry de Tregoz | |  | |||
| 80 | Wills Touchet, Dns de Leuenhales (William Touchet, Lord of Lewenhales) –William Touchet, 1st Baron Touchet | | | |||
| 81 | Johannes, Dns de Kingeston (John, Lord of Kingeston)John de Kingston | |  | |||
| 82 | Robertus Hastang, Dns de la Desiree (Robert de Hastang, Lord of la Desiree) -Robert Hastang, 1st Baron Hastang | |  | |||
| 83 | Walterus, Dns de Faucomberge (Walter,Lord of Fauconberg) -Walter de Fauconberg, 1st Baron Fauconberg | | .svg) | |||
| 84 | Rogerus le Estraunge, Dns de Ellesmere (Roger le Strange, Lord of Ellesmere) -Roger le Strange, Baron Strange | | .svg) | |||
| 85 | Jones filius Marmeduci, Dns de Hordene (John son of Marmaduke, Lord ofHorden) –John FitzMarmaduke | | .svg) | |||
| 86 | Johannes le Breton, dns de Sporle (John le Breton, Lord ofSporle) -John le Breton (died 1310) | | .svg) |
See the full text on wikisources:Barons' Letter, 1301 (English);la:s:Baronum epistola, 1301 (Latin).
_Seal_BaronsLetter_1301.png)
