262 THE ANTIQUITIES 



was so well acquainted. Prince Edward, desirous of putting an 

 end to the troubles which had so long harassed the kingdom, 

 pursued the arch-rebel into his fastnesses ; attacked his camp ; 

 leaped over the entrenchments ; and, singling out Gurdon, ran 

 him down, wounded him, and took him prisoner.^ 



There is not perhaps in all history a more remarkable instance 

 of command of temper, and magnanimity, than this before us : 

 that a young prince, in the moment of victory, when he had the 

 fell adversary of the crown and royal family at his mercy, should 

 be able to withhold his hand from that vengeance which the 

 vanquished so well deserved. A cowardly disposition would 

 have been blinded by resentment : but this gallant heir apparent 

 saw at once a method of converting a most desperate foe into a 

 lasting friend. He raised the fallen veteran from the ground, 

 he pardoned him, he admitted him into his confidence, and 

 introduced hira to the queen, then lying at Guildford, that very 

 evening. This unmerited and unexpected lenity melted the 

 heart of the rugged Gurdon at once ; he became in an instant a 

 loyal and useful subject, trusted and employed in matters of 

 moment by Edward when king, and confided in till the day of 

 his death. 



LETTER IX. 



It has been hinted in a former letter that Sir Adam Gurdon had 

 availed himself by marrying women of property. By my evidences 

 it appears that he had three wives, and probably in the following 

 order : Constantia, Ameria, and Agnes. The first of these ladies, 

 who was the companion of his middle life, seems to have been a 

 person of considerable fortune, which she inherited from Thomas 

 Makerel, a gentleman of Selbome, who was either her father or 

 uncle. The second, Ameria, calls herself the quondam wife of 

 Sir Adam, "quae fui uxor," &c. and talks of her sons under age. 

 Now Gurdon had no son : and beside Agnes in another document 

 says, " Ego Agnes quondam uxor Domini Adx Gurdon in pura et 

 " ligea viduitate mea " : but Gurdon could not leave two widows ; 

 and therefore it seems probable that he had been divorced from 

 Ameria, who afterwards married, and had sons. By Agnes Sir 

 Adam had a daughter Johanna, who was his heiress, to whom 



1 M. Paris, p. 675, & Triveti Annales. 



