08/06/2024
In November 1297 William Wallace was rampaging through northern England following his and Andrew de Moray"s victory over the English at the battle of Stirling Bridge. Wallace"s forces targeted villages, religious buildings and farms, but avoided besieging castles. Wallace did not intend to get bogged down in siege warfare. His plan was to plunder the northern counties of everything. His army needed food, and Scotland had suffered bad harvests.
According to the contempary Guisborough Chronicle:
"[The Scots] . . . splitting up into separate troops, and sending out scouts before them, came suddenly and secretly into Northumberland . . . whose inhabitants, thinking that the enemy would not now come, had foolishly returned to their homes. Quickly spreading all over the county, they slew many and carried off much spoil: they set up a camp in Rothbury Forest (near the border) and came and went just as they liked, for there was no one to scare them off. At that time the service of God totally ceased in all the monasteries and churches between Newcastle and Carlisle, for all the monks, canons and priests fled before the face of the Scots as did nearly all the people. And thus the enemy went on plundering and burning . . . with no opposition save from our men in Alnwick castle and a few other strong places . . . until about 11 November, when they gathered themselves together and moved off, harrying as they went."
After passing Newcastle, Wallace headed west and put Corbridge to the torch. He then marched to Hexham Priory where an interesting and controversial event took place that involved him and his men. The Guisborough Chronicle records:
"The Scots came to Hexham Priory . . . some Scots spearmen broke in there, shaking their weapons and shouting, ‘Bring out the treasures of your church or we’ll kill you at once’ . . . At that moment William Wallace himself entered, and abusively ordered his men to get out: then he requested the canons to celebrate a Mass, and straightway they began to do so. After the elevation of the Host, Wallace left the church to remove his armour, while the priest made ready to distribute the bread and wine, with the Scots soldiers crowding round him in hopes of stealing the chalice. Indeed when he returned from washing his hands in the sacristy, he found that not only the chalice but all the ornaments of the altar had been pilfered . . . so that he could not finish the Mass he had begun, because everything had been stolen. And while he stood wondering what to do, Wallace returned, saw what had happened, and told his followers to pursue the men who had done that sacrilege and hang them: but of course they were never found, for the soldiers only pretended to seek them . . . before he left Wallace gave them his letters of protection . . ."
Wallace apparently told the canons to stay close to him. His protection was offered probably in return for money. One of the letters is translated below:
"Andrew de Moray and William Wallace, Generals of the army of Scotland, in the name of the renowned Prince Lord John, by the grace of God, the illustrious King of Scotland, with the consent of the Community of the same realm, to all men of the said realm to whom the present writing shall come, greeting,—
Know that we, in the name of the said King, have duly taken the Prior and convent of Hexham in Northumberland, their lands, their men, and the whole of their possessions, including all their goods, movable and immovable, under the firm peace and protection of the said Lord King and of ourselves. Wherefore we strictly forbid that any one presume to do them any evil, annoyance, injury, or offence in their persons, lands, or goods, under penalty of forfeiture of all the offender"s property to the said Lord King, or to put them, or any one of them, to death, under penalty of loss of life and limbs. These presents to remain in force for one year and no longer.
Given at Hexham, November 7."
Andrew de Moray was certainly not present at Hexham, as he was suffering from his wounds sustained at Stirling Bridge, but Wallace included his name because both men were still nominally leaders of the army of Scotland. The Hexham documents are the last that have Andrew de Moray"s name alongside Wallace"s as leader, and he presumably died around the time they were issued.
Author: International Man of History/Sir William Wallace (page names). . .
Photo Credits: Royalty Now and Undiscovered Scotland
Sources:
William Wallace, by Andrew Fisher
The Wallace Book, edited by Edward J Cowan
In the Footsteps of William Wallace in Scotland and Northern England, by Alan Young and Michael J Stead
