272 DESPENSER White Castle, and elsewhere.(') He successfully defended Caerphilly Castle against the Queen's forces under Roger de Chaundos, till he obtained pardon of the forfeiture of his life or members, 20 Mar. 1326/7. () He was imprisoned, being sent to Bristol Castle, 15 Dec. 1328, and not released till 5 July 133 i-C") In the meantime he was implicated in the plot of Edmund, Earl of Kent.('^) The King promised him 200 marks a year in land and rent, and made him various provisional grants in satisfac- tion, 2 Feb. 1 33 1/2 to 18 June I334.(°) In Apr. 1332 he was about to go on pilgrimage to Santiago. Q On 22 and 30 Apr. 1337 he had extensive grants of lands. (') The King took his homage, and he had livery of his mother's lands, 21 July I337.(^) He was in the Scottish Wars, Nov. 1337 to 1338, C') and at the battle of Sluys, 24 June I340.(') He accompanied the Earl of Northampton in his expedition to Brittany, and with Sir Richard Talbot defeated the French at Morlaix in Oct. I342:(') he was then a banneret.() Was appointed an envoy to the Pope concerning the King's claim to the Crown of France, 20 May I343.(') Accompanied the King to France in (=") Patent Roll, 20 Edw. II, m. 8. C") The garrison (some 130 men) apparently held out till Hugh's life was secured, 20 Mar. He had hitherto been excepted by name in the pardons issued to them. {Patent Rolls, 20 Edw. II, mm. 4, 3; I Edw. Ill, p. I, mm. 32, 29, 16). Walsingham {Hist., vol. i, p. 184) says that they did not surrender till Easter (12 Apr.). (<=) Close Rolls, 2 Edw. Ill, m. 2; S Edw. Ill, p. i,m.gd: Pari. Rolls, vol. ii, p. 61. (■*) So, at least, the Earl's confession, 16 Mar. 1329/30. (Murimuth, appendix, p. 254). (<=) Patent Rolls, 6 Edw. Ill, p. I, mm. 30, II, 6, 4, />. 2, m. 3, p. 3, m. 6; 7 Edw. Ill, p. 2, ra. 24; 8 Edw. Ill, p. 1, m. 12. (') The manors of Rotherfield, Sussex, Langtree and Chittlehampton, Devon, 3^ knights' fees and 4 advowsons, all escheats to the King by the death of Hugh le Despenser the younger; the manors of Ashley and Mapledurwell, Hants, Freeby, co. Leicester, Thorley and Wellow in the Isle of Wight; and the reversion of the manors of Broadtown, Sherston Magna, Upavon, Netheravon, and Seend, Wilts: in fee. {Patent Roll, 1 1 Edw. Ill, p. 2, m. 29). (8) Before the inquisitions were returned into Chancery (Ch. Privy Seals, I, file 236, no. 10094: Fine Roll, 1 1 Edw. Ill, m. 27), by special grace. (>-) Patent Roll, 1 1 Edw. Ill, p. 3, m. 18: Close Roll, 12 Edw. Ill, p. 1, m. 13 d. (') He had been provided with two ships, furnished with double equipment, 15 Nov. 1339. {Close Roll, 13 Edw. Ill, p. 3, m. 23). (J) Murimuth, p. 128. His yr. br., Edward, had lately been killed at Morlaix, in a battle where Charles de Blois was defeated, 30 Sep. {Idem, p. 127). Froissart (lib. i, cap. 93), who narrates all the events quite differently, says that Edward was taken prisoner by Herve de Leon at the capture of Vannes by the French, and died, mortally wounded, the third day afterwards. C') He had in his retinue a banneret, 14 knights, 44 esquires, and 60 archers. {Close Roll, 16 Edw. Ill, p. 2, m. 32). (') French Roll, ij Edw. Ill, m. 12: Walsingham, Hist., vol. i, p. 261: Papal Letters, vol. iii, p. 2.
