a young man of English birth, of high rank, and
of a noble family.[*] He possessed all the exterior accomplishments of
person and address which were fitted to engage the weak mind of Edward;
but was destitute of that moderation and prudence which might have
qualified him to mitigate the envy of the great, and conduct him through
all the perils of that dangerous station to which he was advanced. His
father, who was of the same name, and who, by means of his son, had also
attained great influence over the king, was a nobleman venerable from
his years, respected through all his past life for wisdom, valor, and
integrity, and well fitted by his talents and experience, could affairs
have admitted of any temperament, to have supplied the defects both of
the king and of his minion.[**] But no sooner was Edward's attachment
declared for young Spenser, than the turbulent Lancaster, and most of
the great barons, regarded him as their rival, made him the object of
their animosity, and formed violent plans for his ruin.[***] They first
declared their discontent by withdrawing from parliament; and it was
not long ere they found a pretence for proceeding to greater extremities
against him.

{1321.} The king, who set no limits to his bounty toward his minions,
had married the younger Spenser to his niece one of the coheirs of the
earl of Glocester, slain at Bannockburn. The favorite, by his succession
to that opulent family, had inherited great possessions in the marches
of Wales,[****] and being desirous of extending still farther his
influence in those quarters, he is accused of having committed injustice
on the barons of Audley and Ammori, who had also married two sisters of
the same family.

* Dugd. Baron, vol. i. p. 389.

** T. de la More, p. 594.

*** Walsing. p. 113. T. de la More, p. 595. Murimuth, p. 55.

**** Trivet, Cont. p. 25.

There was likewise a baron in that neighborhood, called William de
Braouse, lord of Gower, who had made a settlement of his estate on John
de Mowbray, his son-in-law; and in case of failure of that nobleman and
his issue, had substituted the earl of Hereford in the succession to the
barony of Gower. Mowbray, on the decease of his father-in-law, entered
immediately in possession of the estate, without the formality of taking
livery and seizin from the crown; but Spenser, who coveted that barony,
persuaded the king to put in execution the rigor of the feudal law, to
seize G