heraldryofyorkmi01custuoft

MORTIMER. 339
The London populace positively refused to allow the stone to be taken from
the Abbey. And when it became known that Mortimer had received
,20,000 from the Scotch to promote their wishes, a feeling of general indignation
was kindled against him. The Earl of Kent he speedily disposed
of; * but the Earl of Lancaster was too wary to be entrapped, and too
powerful to be seized. The young King, however, stung with a sense of
" his own dishonour and damage, as also the impoverishment of his people/'
consulted his own Council ;
and with the courage and resolution of a Plantagenet
at once acted thereon, privately directing Sir William de Montacute
to secure the assistance of Sir Humphrey and Sir Edward de Bohun, Sir
Ralph de Stafford, Sir William de Clinton, Sir John de Nevill, of Hornby,
and Sir William Eland.
The Parliament had been summoned to meet at Nottingham.
Mortimer and Isabel forestalled the King's intention of taking up his
abode in the Castle, by establishing themselves there with a strong guard
of armed followers. Conscious of the changing temper of the times and
the muttering of the coming storm, the walls were strongly guarded ;
the
drawbridge raised; the gates locked and barred, and the keys placed
under the guilty woman's pillow. But without avail.
Sir William de Montacute and his comrades " drew unto them," says
Stowe, " Robert Holland, who had of long time been keeper of the castle,
"unto whom all the secret corners of the same were known." By his
means the King and his friends were led " by torchlight, by a secret way
"underground, in the dead of the night, which through the rock passeth
"up with stairs to the room next the Queen's lodgings, which they by
" chance found open." Here Mortimer, Henry Bishop of Lincoln, and others,
were assembled. The King remained outside, but the others rushed in,
and killing in the scuffle Sir Hugh de Turpleton and John de Munmouth,
seized Mortimer, and led him into the hall below ;
the Queen crying, " Bel
" filz ! bel filz !
ayez pitie de gentil Mortimer." The keys of the castle were
then delivered to the King; and "the next day, very early in the morning,
" they bring Roger, and his friends taken with him, with a horrible shout
"and crying the Earl of Lancaster, then blind, being one of them that
" made the showt for joye towards London, where he was committed to
" the Tower, and afterwards condemned at Westminster in the presence of
" the whole Parliament, on Saint Andrew's even next following."
Sir Simon Burford and John Deverel, who were also taken in the
Queen's ante-chamber, earnestly desired to disclose the particulars of
Edward II.' s death, but they were not permitted to do so, lest they should
implicate the Queen mother.
They were, however, taken with Mortimer to
Tyburn, then called the Elms, and hung, being the first
persons executed
* See Roy at Hera/dry.