Scotland,
which had long been suspected; received the promise of a reenforcement
from that country, under the command of Randolf, earl of Murray, and Sir
James Douglas;[***] and being joined by the earl of Hereford, advanced
with all his forces against the king, who had collected an army of
thirty thousand men, and was superior to his enemies. Lancaster posted
himself at Burton upon Trent, and endeavored to defend the passages of
the river:[****] but being disappointed in that plan of operations, this
prince, who had no military genius, and whose personal courage was even
suspected, fled with his army to the north, in expectation of being
there joined by his Scottish allies.[*****] He was pursued by the king,
and his army diminished daily, till he came to Boroughbridge, where he
found Sir Andrew Harcla posted with some forces on the opposite side of
the river, and ready to dispute the passage with him. He was repulsed
in an attempt which he made to force his way: the earl of Hereford was
killed; the whole army of the rebels was disconcerted: Lancaster
himself was become incapable of taking any measures either for flight or
defence; and he was seized without resistance by Harcla, and conducted
to the king.[******]

* Rymer, vol. iii. p. 907. T. de la More, p. 595.

** Walsing. p. 115. Murimuth, p. 57.

*** Rymer, vol. iii. p. 958.

**** Walsing. p. 115.

***** Ypod. Neust. p. 504.

****** T. de la More, p. 596. Walsing. p. 116.

In those violent times, the laws were so much neglected on both sides,
that, even where they might, without any sensible inconvenience, have
been observed, the conquerors deemed it unnecessary to pay any regard to
them. Lancaster, who was guilty of open rebellion, and was taken in
arms against his sovereign, instead of being tried by the laws of
his country, which pronounced the sentence of death against him, was
condemned by a court-martial,[*] and led to execution. Edward, however,
little vindictive in his natural temper, here indulged his revenge,
and employed against the prisoner the same indignities which had been
exercised by his orders against Gavaston. He was clothed in a mean
attire, placed on a lean jade without a bridle, a hood was put on his
head, and in this posture, attended by the acclamations of the people,
this prince was conducted to an eminence near Pomfret, one of his own
castles, and there beheaded.[**]

* Tyrrel, vol. 11. p. 291.