June 19th is of course the anniversary of the death of Piers Gaveston in 1312. Having surrendered to Aymer de Valence, Earl of Pembroke, on very favourable terms, Piers was heading south with Pembroke when he was abducted by Guy, Earl of Warwick. He was imprisoned and given a charade of a trial, in which he was not allowed to speak. He was found guilty and sentenced to death. Warwick, too cowardly to do the deed himself, handed Piers to the king’s cousin, Thomas of Lancaster. Lancaster marched Piers from Warwick to his own land at Blacklow Hill. He handed Piers over to some soldiers, who took Piers a little further, and ran him through with a sword and the cut off his head. It seems even Lancaster couldn’t bring himself to watch such a shameful episode in English history. RIP Piers.
