In the same yeare, there was a great conspiracie practised by certein persons that had taken part with the barons in the late warres, purposing to set at libertie in one selfe night, all those noble men and others, that were by the king kept in prison for that quarrell. Certeine therefore of those conspirators came to the castell of Walingford, within the which the lord Maurice Berkelie, and the lord Hugh Audlie remained as prisoners. The conspirators found shift to enter the castell by a posterne gate towards the Thames side, howbeit not so secretlie but that the townesmen hauing knowledge thereof, assembled togither, and besieged them that were so entred the castell, till the earles of Kent and Winchester came with a great power to réenforce the siege, so that in the end, they that had made this attempt fled into the chappell of the castell, in hope to be saued through sanctuarie of the place, but they were (against the willes of the deane and préests of the colledge there that sought to defend them) taken foorth by force, so that sir Iohn de Goldington knight, sir Edmund of the Bech chapleine, and an esquire called Roger Walton, were sent to Pomfret, and there put in prison; the esquire was after sent to Yorke, and there drawne and hanged. This enterprise caused all other prisoners to be more streightlie looked vnto. [Sidenote: _Polydor._] [Sidenote: _Rich. Southw._] [Sidenote: _Polydor._] In this yeare was begun a wicked practise of treason vpon this occasion. Where K. Edward hauing assaied fortune so froward towards him, in chance of warre against the Scots at sundrie times, was therby taught to doubt the triall thereof any further, and rather to séeke for peace, he appointed Andrew Herklie earle of Carleill, to séeke some means, whereby a peace might be concluded betwixt him and king Robert. The earle by the kings commandement, going into Scotland, and comming vnto king Robert, whome he found at Loghmaban, intreated with him of warre, and not of peace; for whether it were so that he despaired of the state of king Edwards businesse, which prospered neither at home nor abroad; chéefelie by reason of his owne wilfull negligence (as some write) or whether of his owne nature this earle delighted in nothing so much, as in deceipt, craft, and treason: he concluded vpon points with the Scotish king, how, when, and where king Edward should be betraied, and to the end that couenanted faith on either side might be the more suerlie kept and obserued, the sister of K. Robert was affianced vnto the said earle of Carleill: a verie beautifull ladie and as comelie as was anie where to be séene or found. [Sidenote: Treason will euer come to light by one meane or other.] [Sidenote: 1323.] [Sidenote: The earle of Carleill put to death.]