The king hearing of this riotous act, and being informed that Peter de Mountfort was at Northampton, assembling people to strengthen the barons part, he got togither such men of warre as he could from all places, and so he had with him his brother Richard king of Almaine, his eldest sonne the lord Edward, William de Valence his halfe brother on the mothers side, & Iohn Comin of Ward in Scotland with a great number of Scots, Iohn Ballioll lord of Gallowaie, Robert Bruis lord of Annandale, Roger Clifford, Philip Marmion, Iohn Vaux, Iohn Leiborne, Henrie Percie, Philip Basset, and Roger Mortimer. [Sidenote: Northampton taken by force.] Thus the king hauing these Noble men about him, with his armie sped him towards Northampton, and comming thither tooke the towne by force, slue diuerse, and tooke prisoners Peter Mountfort, and Simon Mountfort the earle of Leicesters son, William Ferries, Baldwin Wake, with Nicholas his brother, Berengarius de Wateruile, Hugh Gubiun, Robert Buteuilein, Adam of Newmarch, Robert Newton, Philip Dribie, Grimbald Pauncefoet, Roger Beltram, Thomas Mansell, and diuerse other, to the number of 80 knights (or as Matthew Westminster hath 15 barons, and 60 knights) besides a great number of esquires and burgesses, the which were bestowed abroad in sundrie prisons. The towne (as some write) was taken by this meanes. Whilest diuerse of the capteins within were talking with the king on the one side of the towne towards the meadowes, the lord Philip Bassett approched the walles néere vnto the monasterie of S. Andrew, and there with his people hauing spades, mattocks, and other instruments prouided for the purpose, vndermined a great paine of the wall, and reuersed the same into ditches, making such a breach, that fortie horssemen might enter afront. Some put the blame in such moonks of the abbeie as were strangers, as though they should prepare this entrie for the enimie: but howsoeuer it was, the king got the towne out of his enimies hands. [Sidenote: Scholers fight against the king.] [Sidenote: Some write that Iohn de Balioll and Robert de Bruis, and Peter de Bruis, came to him here and not before.]