ABSTRACT
The defeat of the king at Bannockburn in 1314 gave Lancaster and his supporters the opportunity they desired. A beaten and discredited king returned from Scotland. His prestige had gone, and his power was seriously diminished. Lancaster had not joined in person the force that fought at Bannockburn. A section of the barons had protested that the campaign was against the Ordinances, which provided that the king should not go out of his kingdom to fight without the consent of all his magnates in parliament1. A number of the moderates, the earls of Gloucester, Hereford and Pembroke and others had gone; but other of the magnates had refused to set out in person, though they sent their due service in aid of the king2. One chronicler attributes the defeat to the fact that the campaign was contrary to the Ordinances and points out in support that not one of the ordainers who took part in the fight escaped capture or death, except Pembroke, who fled bare without arms3. As soon as practicable after the battle a parliament was held at York4, meeting on 9 September5. Before the parliament had met the king was making a rapprochement with Lancaster. On 4 September he wrote asking him to allow the archbishop of Canterbury for his greater security to travel in his company6. This prepared the way for the reconciliation which took place at the parliament7.
