The escape artistry of Nicholas de Segrave
So I came across this funny little letter from King Edward I to Robert Burghesh, constable of Dover, dated April 15, 1304, concerning Burghesh's 'guest', Nicholas de Segrave. The letter instructs Burghesh to allow Segrave to enjoy the meadow at Dover Castle during his stay, nous savons bien qe le chevaler nad mie talent senfouyr [s'enfuir] (we know well that the knight has some talent at running away).
Some explanation of all this is found the next year, Februrary 1205, when Nicholas de Segrave was summoned to parliament in Westminster on the king's orders.
The charges were this: "during the last war in Scotland", Nicholas de Segrave was serving in the king's army when he became embroiled in a dispute against John de Crumbwell. Whatever they were fighting about, it was bad enough that Nicholas challenged John to single combat in the court before the king of France. Jon de Crumbwell accepted this challenge, and a day was set. Nicholas de Segrave then abandoned the king "by leaving him among his enemies in peril of them" and endeavored to cross to France via Dover. Robert de Burghesh, constable of Dover, refused to allow Nicholas to cross, on orders from the king not to allow passage from Dover for anyone who had horses and arms. Nicholas, "feigning that he would obey the prohibition", went to some other port and crossed in secret. When Nicholas de Segrave returned from France, Burghesh captured him and held him at Dover, only for Nicholas to escape!
Nicholas threw himself on Edward's mercy, and Edward was merciful. He released Nicholas from prison. I'm not sure what happened during Segrave and Crumbwell's battle royale in France, or why they were quarreling in the first place. I do notice that Crumbwell's wife was named Idonia de Leyburn, while one of the mainpernors (basically, a surety who agreed to insure that Segrave would appear before the king if called) was Robert de Leyburn. As Segrave was in charge of finding seven willing mainpernors to vouche for him (another of the mainpernors was Henry de Segrave, perhaps a brother of Nicholas), it seems likely to me that Robert de Leyburn was a friend of his. I wonder if it was some kind of personal dispute that got way out of hand.
For further details, check Calendar of the Close Rolls, 1302-1307.
Some explanation of all this is found the next year, Februrary 1205, when Nicholas de Segrave was summoned to parliament in Westminster on the king's orders.
The charges were this: "during the last war in Scotland", Nicholas de Segrave was serving in the king's army when he became embroiled in a dispute against John de Crumbwell. Whatever they were fighting about, it was bad enough that Nicholas challenged John to single combat in the court before the king of France. Jon de Crumbwell accepted this challenge, and a day was set. Nicholas de Segrave then abandoned the king "by leaving him among his enemies in peril of them" and endeavored to cross to France via Dover. Robert de Burghesh, constable of Dover, refused to allow Nicholas to cross, on orders from the king not to allow passage from Dover for anyone who had horses and arms. Nicholas, "feigning that he would obey the prohibition", went to some other port and crossed in secret. When Nicholas de Segrave returned from France, Burghesh captured him and held him at Dover, only for Nicholas to escape!
Nicholas threw himself on Edward's mercy, and Edward was merciful. He released Nicholas from prison. I'm not sure what happened during Segrave and Crumbwell's battle royale in France, or why they were quarreling in the first place. I do notice that Crumbwell's wife was named Idonia de Leyburn, while one of the mainpernors (basically, a surety who agreed to insure that Segrave would appear before the king if called) was Robert de Leyburn. As Segrave was in charge of finding seven willing mainpernors to vouche for him (another of the mainpernors was Henry de Segrave, perhaps a brother of Nicholas), it seems likely to me that Robert de Leyburn was a friend of his. I wonder if it was some kind of personal dispute that got way out of hand.
For further details, check Calendar of the Close Rolls, 1302-1307.