Letters of Archbishop John Peckham is in Victorian Books.
But the aforesaid Llewelyn1, prince of Wales, having spurned all the offers and forms of peace previously set forth, invaded in hostile manner the land of the lord king of England, laying it waste with fire and plunder, and moreover drawing the men of that land to himself and severing them from the good estate of the king’s peace. Yet this prince, within that same month, was the first of his army to be slain with a shameful death, by the household of lord Edmund de Mortimer, son of lord Roger de Mortimer; and all his army was either slain or put to flight in the parts of Montgomery on the Friday next before the feast of Saint Lucy, that is, the third Ides of December [11th December 1282], in the year of the Lord 1282, the tenth indiction, with Dominical Letter D then current.
Lewelinus autem princeps Walliæ prædictus, spretis omnibus oblationibus et pacis formis præscriptis, invasit hostiliter terram domini regis Angliæ, destruendo eam incendio et rapina, necnon homines terræ illius ad se trahendo et a bonitate pacis regiæ separando. Qui tamen princeps infra mensem illum ignominiosa morte primus de exercitu suo occisus est per familiam domini Eadmundi de Mortui Mari, filii domini Rogeri de Mortuo Mari, et totus exercitus suus vel occisus vel in fugam conversus, in partibus Montisgomoriæ die Veneris proxima ante festum Sanctæ Luciæ, videlicet iii. idus Decembris sub anno Domini millesimo CC. LXXXIL, indictione decima, litera Dominicali D. currente.
Note 1. The following words are appended here in the margin of A. : "Lewelinus fuit princeps Walliæ." i.e. "Llywelyn was Prince of Wales".
To Adam de Nanneu, a Dominican.
Brother John, etc., to his beloved son Brother Adam of Nanneu, of the Order of Preachers, greeting, grace, and blessing. Lately, with our letters, we sent you to the regions of Snowdon concerning certain matters to be explained to Lord Llewelyn, Prince of Wales, and to the other magnates of the land, for the good of the commonwealth, with the understanding that you should return to us with their replies as soon as it could conveniently be done. But you, in no way observing the time set for your return, have neither come to us nor taken care up to now to inform us concerning the replies received from the said prince and magnates. Wherefore, strictly enjoining you in virtue of obedience, we command you that, all delay and slowness set aside, you come to us with all speed, to report to us what you have received and what you have done in regard to those matters for which we sent you, so that we may clearly understand what is to be done in this affair, through which provision may wholesomely be made both for us and for them. In testimony of which matter we have caused these our letters to be sent to you. Farewell. Given at Sugwas, on the day before the Ides of December [12th December 1284], in the third year of our ordination.
Frater J[ohannes] etc., dilecto filio fratri Adze de Nanneu, ordinis Prædicatorum, salutem, gratiam et benedictionem. Nuper cum nostris literis misimus vos ad partes Snaudon’, pro quibusdam negotiis domino Lewelino principi Walliz et ceteris terrae magnatibus pro utilitate rei publicse exponendis, ita quod ad nos cum responsis eorundem quam citius commode posset fieri rediretis; vos autem tempus redditus vestri minime observantes, nec ad nos venitis nec super responsis acceptis a principe et magnatibus preedictis, curastis hactenus nos reddere certiores. Quocirca vobis in virtute obedientie firmiter injuangendo mandamus, quatenus omni dilationis tzedio cessante ad nos celerius veniatis, nobis relaturi quid receperitis et feceritis in hiis pro quibus vos duximus transmittendum, ut que agenda sunt in hac parte lucide cognoscamus, per que tam nobis quam ipsis valeat salubriter provideri. In cujus rei testimonium vobis has nostras literas duximus transmittendas. Valete. Datum apud Sugwas, i. id. Decembris, ordinationis nostree anno illl.
[After 11th December 1282]. To Maud Lungespeye [aged 48].
Friar John, by the permission of God, archbishop of Canterbury, primate of all England, to the lady of great worth, Maud Lungespeye, greeting, and the blessing of Jesus Christ. My lady, your prayer agrees with pity and reason. But know that Llewellyn, who was prince of Wales, cannot be absolved unless he showed signs of repentance at his death to amend and leave his follies. Therefore if this is certain that he was repentant at his death, and ready as far as was in his power to make amends1 to Holy Church, and this is proved before us, we will do what is right about it, for otherwise, without doing wrong, he cannot be absolved. Therefore we approve that you and his other friends should labour about this, that some of those who were at his death should come in time before us and show the signs aforesaid, for in any other manner we can do nothing.
Note 1. La asez.
To Edward I.
To my lord the King. To his very dear lord Edward, by the grace of God king of England, lord of Ireland, duke of Aquitaine, friar John, by the permission of God, archbishop of Canterbury, primate of all England, greeting in great reverence. Sire, know that those who were at the death of found in the most secret part of his body some small things which we have seen. Among the other things there was a treasonable letter disguised by false names. And that you may be warned, we send a copy of the letter to the bishop of Bath, and the letter itself Edmund de Mortemer has, with Llewellyn’s privy seal, and these things you may have at your pleasure. And this we send to warn you, and not that any one should be troubled for it. And we pray you that no one may suffer death or mutilation in consequence of our information, and that what we send you may be secret. Besides this, sire, know that lady Maud Lungespeye [aged 48] prayed us by letter to absolve Llewellyn, that he might be buried in consecrated ground, and we sent word to her that we would do nothing if it could not be proved that he showed signs of true repentance before his death. And Edmund de Mortemer said to me that he had heard from his servants who were at the death that he asked for the priest before his death, but without sure certainty we will do nothing. Besides this, sire, know that the very day that he was killed, a white monk sang mass to him, and my lord Roger de Mortemer has the vestments. Besides this, sire, we request you to take pity on clerks, that you will suffer no one to kill them nor do them bodily injury. And know, sire, God protect you from evil, if you do not prevent it to your power, you fall into the sentence, for to suffer what one can prevent is the same as consent. And, therefore, sire, we pray you that it may please you that the clerks who are in Snowdon may go thence and seek1 better things with their property in France or elsewhere. For because we believe that Snowdon will be yours, if it happen that in conquering or afterwards, harm is done to clerks, God will accuse you of it, and your good renown will be blemished, and we shall be considered a coward. And of these things, sire, if it please you, send us your pleasure, for we will give thereto what counsel we can, either by going thither or by some other way. And know, sire, if you do not falfil our prayer, you will put us in sadness, which we shall never leave in this mortal life. Sire, God keep you, and all that belongs to you.
This letter was written at Pembridge, Thursday after St. Lucy’s day2.
Note 1. Querelur, to dispute, but is perhaps an error for querer,
Note 2. The Feast Day of St Lucy is 13th December.