This Day in History: 1309-03-31
By late March 1309 – the exact date is unclear from any source – Edward II was in a stronger position than the year previously and may have been advocating the return of Piers Galveston from Ireland. The earls were still not fully behind the king and met at Dunstable in late March, under the auspices of a tournament, to discuss the situation. This gathering was probably led by Thomas, 2nd Earl of Lancaster – the owner of Pontefract Castle and the most powerful nobleman in England. Thomas was now becoming the most vocal of Piers Gaveston’s opponents, and at this meeting in Dunstable, John de Warenne – 7th Earl of Surrey and owner of Sandal Castle – agreed to serve Lancaster with eighty men-at-arms.