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Updated: June 1, 2025
There was at his court a noble old knight, Sir Hugh le Despenser, whose ancestors had come over with William the Conqueror, and whose father had been created a Baron in 1264, as a reward for his services against Simon de Montfort.
The league at once began to wage war against Despenser in south Wales, and approached the court with a demand that he should be banished as a traitor. Edward made his way to Gloucester in March, 1321, and strove to protect Despenser and to calm the wild spirits of the marchers. But private war had already broken out after the marcher fashion, and the king retired without effecting his purpose.
Something far more interesting to herself detained her at Cardiff; where, on the 30th of November, 1396, an heir was born to the House of Le Despenser. That the will of "the Lady" stood paramount we see in the name given to the infant. He was christened after her favourite brother, Richard a name unknown in his father's line, whose family names were always Hugh and Edward.
See for this, W.H. Stevenson, A Letter of the Younger Despenser in 1321 in Engl. Hist. Rev., xii. , 755-61. Despenser, abler and more restless than the others, and confident in the royal favour, was the first to take the aggressive.
"Farewell, good friend," resumed Le Despenser, with a parting grasp of his squire's hand. "Be sure to tell Madam my mother that I died true to God and the King and say unto my Lady that my last thought was of her." Then he knelt down to commune with God. But he asked for no priest; and when they saw it, the cries of the mob became fiercer than ever.
She was particular that her step-daughter's chair should not be set one inch further under the canopy than was precisely proper; her fur trimmings must be carefully regulated, so as not to equal those of the Duchess in breadth; instead of the old home name of "the Lady Custance," she must be styled "the Lady Le Despenser;" and the Duchess strongly objected to her using such vulgar nicknames as "Ned" and "Dickon," desiring that she would in future address her brothers properly as "my Lord."
Negotiations for peace were entered upon; Pembroke and the younger Despenser being the chief English commissioners. Peace was found impossible, as English pride still refused to recognise the royal title of King Robert, but a thirteen years' truce was arranged without any difficulty. This treaty of 1323 practically concluded the Scottish war of independence.
And then the King rose from his throne, the ceremony was over; and Constance Le Despenser left the hall among the Princesses by right of her birth, but wearing her new coronet as Countess of Gloucester. Four months later, the Duke of Hereford knelt before the throne, and solemnly accused his late friend and colleague, the Duke of Norfolk, of treason.
A weary way lay still before Le Despenser and Bertram. They journeyed over land; and many a Welsh mountain had to be scaled, and many a brook forded, before when men and horses were so exhausted that another day of such toil felt like a physical impossibility spread before them lay the silver sea, and the sun shone on the grim square towers of Cardiff.
Harry of Bolingbroke hath sent to take you. We must hide you some whither." Le Despenser was almost too tired and depressed to care for apprehension. "Whither, my Lady?" he asked hopelessly. "Better yield, maybe." And springing to the wardrobe in the ante-chamber, she was back in a second, with a thick furred winter gown. "Lo' you, my Lord! Lap you in this, and "
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