[1] [2] [3] But now touching the foresaid earle of Lanca|ster, Auesburie. Nic. Triuer. great strife rose afterwards amongst the peo|ple, whether he ought to be reputed for a saint or no. Some held, that he ought to be no lesse esteemed, for that he did manie almesdéeds in his life time, hono|red men of religion, and mainteined a true quarell till his liues end. Also, his enimies continued not long after, but came to euill end. Others conceiued an other opinion of him, alledging, that he fauoured not his wife, but liued in spouse-breach, defiling a great number of damosels and gentlewomen. If anie offended him, he slue him shortlie after in his wrathfull mood. Apostataes and other euill dooers he mainteined, and would not suffer them to be puni|shed by due order of law. All his dooings he vsed to commit vnto one of his secretaries, and tooke no heed himselfe thereof: and as for the manner of his death, he fled shamefullie in the fight, and was taken and put to death against his will, bicause he could not auoid it: yet by reason of certeine miracles which were said to be doone néere the place both where he suffered, and where he was buried, caused manie to thinke he was a saint; howbeit, at length, by the kings cõmandement, the church doores of the priorie where he was buried, were shut and closed, so that no [page 332] man might be suffered to come to the toome to bring any offerings, or to doo any other kind of deuotion to the same. Caxton. Also, the hill where he suffered was kept by certeine Gascoines, appointed by the lord Hugh Spenser the sonne then lieng at Pomfret, to the end that no people should come and make their praiers there in worship of the said earle, whome they tooke verelie for a martyr.