A HISTORY OF LANCASHIRE 



of his own party, and were never forgiven by the king, though his isolation 

 and the Scottish wars compelled him for a time to submit to Lancaster's 

 domination.^"' 



Shortly after Thomas' appointment in August, 131 5, as commander-in- 

 chief against the Scots, whom Bannockburn made aggressive, he was con- 

 fronted by a revolt in his own county of Lancaster. 



Bitter party feuds and lawless violence were the inevitable results of 

 their earl's conflict with the king, and one of our authorities represents the 

 rising of Sir Adam Banaster as directed against Lancaster's ' principal Coun- 

 sellor,' Robert de Holland.'"^ The head of a comparatively obscure family 

 which had been seated at Upholland near Wigan for over a century,"" the 

 earl's favour enabled Holland to make a great match,^"* and in 13 14 he was 

 summoned to Parliament as a peer. The Hollands were a numerous clan in 

 south-west Lancashire ; their importance greatly increased with the rise of 

 their chief, and probably they presumed upon it. 



Banaster was a military tenant of the earl at Shevington, Charnock 

 Richard and Welch Whittle in the wapentake of Leyland, and had been 

 attached to his household."" On 8 October, 13 15, he met his brother-in- 

 law. Sir Henry de Lea of Charnock, Lea and Ravensmeols, Sir William Brad- 

 shaw of Blackrod and others at Wyndgates in Westhoughton, close to 

 Blackrod, where they entered into a sworn confederacy to live and die 

 together.'""' A party detached to bring in Adam de RadclifFe from RadclifFe 

 slew Sir Henry de Bury. The confederates reassembled in force at Charnock 

 on 22 October, and moved slowly southwards, gathering adherents willing and 

 unwilling, by Wigan, to Knowsley, which they reached on the 24th. Next day 

 they made an unsuccessful attack upon Liverpool Castle, and on the 26th 

 betook themselves to Warrington, where they stayed several days. Bradshaw 

 plundered the houses of Holland's brother Sir William at Haydock, and Sir 

 John de Langton at Newton, while Sir Henry de Lea and Sir Thomas 

 Banaster crossed the Mersey and stormed Halton Castle. A force which had 

 been sent northwards took Clitheroe Castle. In both cases arms collected 

 there for the Scottish war were carried off. The confederates exhibited 

 letters patent with the king's seal, and said they had the king's commission to 

 do what they had done. On the 31st they proceeded to Manchester, where 

 next day they showed to the people a standard bearing the king's arms taken 

 from the church, claiming that Edward had sent it to them. The news that 

 the sheriff Sir Edward de Nevill was gathering forces against them beyond 

 the Ribble drew them north. Wigan was reached on 2 November, and 



"' The best account of Lancaster's career is in Diet. Nat. Biog. Ivi, 148 et seq. 



" Chron. cf Edw. 1 and Edw.ll (Roils Ser ), i, 279. Another chronicler attribute! it to fear of punish- 

 ment for a murder he had committed ; ibid, ii, 214. Sec also Leland, Collectanea, i, 249, 274-5. Banaster 

 was connected by marriage with Holland. He married Joan third daughter of his sister Margaret de Holland 

 by her second husband John de Blackburn of Wiswall; Lanes. Final Cone, ii, 8 l.« ; Whalley Coucher, 1085 ; Sir 

 Henri' de Lea married the second daughter. 



'' The statement in Packington's Chronicle (Leland, op. cit. ii, 464) that Lancaster took him ' oute of 

 his Botery and preferrid him to the yerely lyving of 2 M (2000) Markes ' exaggerates the small beginnings of 

 the great house of Holland. 



' ' With Maud, daughter and coheir of Alan Lord Zouche of Ashby, who brought him considerable 

 property in the Midlands, including Brackley in Northamptonshire. Lancaster's own gifts included (after 

 Banaster's revolt) the manor of West Derby, Torrisholme and Nether Kellet and the custody of the forest of 

 Lancashire ; Cai Pat. 131--21, p. 431. 



*^ Lanes. Inq. i, 150, 269 ; Cat. Pat. 13 1 3- 17, p. 421. »* Coram Rege R. 254, Rex m. 52. 



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