Part 6

[Sidenote: An. Reg. 17. 1171.] This was the end of Thomas Becket archbishop of Canturburie, which was after he had entred into that see eight yeares and six moneths, [Sidenote: After their account that begin the yere on Christmas day.] in the yeare after the birth of our Lord 1171. On Christmas day before his death, which fell that yeare on the fridaie, he preached a sermon to the people, and when he had made an end thereof, he accurssed Nigell de Sackeuille, the violent incumbent of the church of Berges, [Sidenote: Robert de Broc.] and Robert de Broc, both which had (vpon spite) curtailed the horsse of the said archbishop: and as the same day whilest he was at the altar, according to his custome, altogither in teares and lamentation; so at dinner he shewed himselfe verie pleasant & merrie, insomuch that when those that were at the table séemed somewhat doubtfull to eat of the flesh that was set before them, bicause it was friday; "Why do ye abhorre (saith he) to eat flesh? This day flesh hath a great priuilege, for this same day the word was made flesh, and came into light, and appeared vnto vs." These his words greatlie contented all the companie.

¶ Thus you haue heard the tragicall discourse of ambitious Becket, a man of meane parentage, and yet through the princes fauour verie fortunate, if he had not abused the beneuolence of so gratious a souereigne by his insolencie and presumption. Wherein we haue to note, how vnseemelie a thing it was for him, being called to so sacred a function, to lead so secular and prophane a life, as if he had professed open hostilitie to the vocation which he pretended to honour and reuerence. We are also taught, that promotions atchiued by ambition are not permanent, and are so farre from procuring fame and renowne to the obteiners, that they turne them in the end to shame, infamie and reproch, after losse of life and effusion of bloud. The issue of all which tragedie is to be imputed to the prouidence and counsell of almightie God, as one writeth verie agréablie to this purpose, saieng, [Sidenote: _Hesi. in lib. cui tit. op. & dies._] Nam facilè extollit facilè elatúmq; refrænat, Et clarum obscurans, obscuri nomen adauget. Erigit & miserum facilè extinguítque superbum Iuppiter altifremus, cui celsum regia cœlum.

[Sidenote: King Henrie sorie for the archb. Beckets death. _Polydor._] But to let this matter passe. King Henrie doubtlesse was right pensiue for his death, bicause he wist well inough that it would be iudged, that he himselfe was priuie to the thing: and euen so it came to passe, for immediatlie vpon notice giuen into France of the archbishops death, king Lewes, and Theobald the earle of Blois, as they that loued him most deerelie were most sorowfull for it, and iudging straightwaie that king Henrie was the procurer, they wrote their letters vnto pope Alexander, giuing him to vnderstand both of the slaughter, and how king Henrie had caused it to be put in execution, requiring most instantlie, that such an iniurie doone to the Christian religion, might spéedilie be punished. The pope was much offended, and determined to haue the matter throughlie considered and ordered, so as might stand with his dignitie, and accordinglie as the hainous state of the case required. King Henrie whilest these things were a dooing, lay certein daies at Argenton, so much displeased in his mind, that he would suffer no man once to speake to him about any maner of businesse.

[Sidenote: King Henrie sendeth ambassadours to the pope.] At length, he sent his ambassadors to Rome, partlie to purge himselfe of the archbishops death, partlie to excuse his fault, for that in his furie he had vttered words against the archbishop, which had giuen occasion to naughtie men to contriue his death, & partlie to require the pope to send his legats into England, to make inquirie both for the death of the archbishop, and also of the state of the clergie. The kings ambassadors found the pope at Tiuoli, and there were heard to declare their message: but little credit was giuen to their words, in so much that the pope plainelie told them, that he vnderstood the matter to be much otherwise than they had declared. Yet according to the kings request, he sent two of his cardinals into England, which vpon due examination, might vnderstand the truth of the matter thoroughlie as apperteined.

[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._] There be that write, that the king sent ambassadours twice vnto the pope, for the first that went, could not come to his presence, nor be suffered to declare their message: those that were sent the second time, were receiued of some of the cardinals, but yet onelie with words without anie other way of freendlie interteinement. At length, when the feast of Easter drew néere, on the which either absolution or excommunication was to be denounced against euerie man, there were certeine of the cardinals which gaue intelligence to the English ambassadours, that the pope by aduice of the colledge, meant on the thursdaie before Easter daie to declare the sentence of interdiction against the king of England, and against all his dominions, and to confirme that which had beene alreadie pronounced against Richard the archbishop of Yorke, and the other bishops his complices.

The ambassadours being brought to a streict issue herewith, by helpe of some of the cardinals found meanes to haue it put into the popes head, how the English ambassadours had commission to vndertake, that the king of England should obeie in all things what order soeuer it pleased the pope and his court to award him. Herevpon they tooke their oth, that it should so be, and by that meanes they auoided the interdiction. The messengers of the archbishop of Yorke & the other bishops vsed the like shift, but yet the same daie the pope did excommunicate the knights that had murthered the archbishop Thomas, and all those that had procured, aided, succoured, or abetted them therein. [Sidenote: _Ger. Dor._ The ambassadours were glad to vse a shift by briberie.] Some write, that those ambassadours which the king sent to the court of Rome, could not be suffered to come to the popes presence, till according to the fashion, they had giuen 500. marks in reward, and so at length were admitted to his presence.

Howsoeuer that matter passed, the king stood in great feare least his land should be interdicted, in so much that he commanded the wardens of the ports both on this side the sea and beyond, to take good héed, least any cōming with letters of interdiction should passe into England; but if any such came, that the bringer should be arrested and committed to prison. Also he commanded, that no clearke were suffered to come ouer into England, except he first tooke an oth that he came about no businesse that might turne to the preiudice of the king or his realme. This commandement he set forth, at what time he transported ouer into England himselfe, where he landed this yeare at Portesmouth the third daie of August. About which time it came into the kings mind, to make a conquest of Ireland vpon this occasion.

[Sidenote: Sundrie rulers in Ireland.] It chanced, whereas diuerse rulers or (as we may call them) petie kings reigned the same seson in that Iland (which was diuided into seuerall estates or kingdomes) that continuall strife and dissention remained amongst them, so that oftentimes they made sore war after the manner of their countrie one against an other, (for [Sidenote: _Luc. lib. 1._] Nulla fides regni socijs, omnisque potestas Impatiens consortis erit.)

Herevpon it fortuned, that one of those kings or rulers, about the 14. yeare of this kings reigne, was sore afflicted and oppressed by his neighbours, wherevpon taking aduice what he might best doo for remedie in that case, [Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._ _W. Paruus._ Sée more hereof in Ireland.] at length he sent his son into England to reteine souldiours and men of warre, and to bring them ouer vnto his aid in hope of gaine, & such commodities as he assured them of.

Now it came to passe, that by the assistance of such Englishmen as then came ouer, the foresaid Irish king began to recouer his losses, and in the end waxed so strong, that he subdued all his enimies. When he had thus obteined the victorie, he did not onelie not send backe his aiders, but so liberallie reteined them still with him, that they had no hast to returne home, but setled themselues in that countrie, where they liued a pleasant and verie licentious life. For this cause also the stoutest lords and rulers of the Irish nation began sore to stomach the matter against him that had thus brought the English nation into their countrie, in so much that the Englishmen perceiuing their malice, and therewithall hauing some feare of themselues, bicause of their small number, they sent ouer into England for such as wanted liuing, and were willing to seeke for it in other countries, of which sort, great numbers went ouer thither within a short space, whereby the multitude of the English greatlie increased: [Sidenote: Erle Strangbow. _N. Triuet._] but for as much as they had no ruler to gouerne them, they procured Richard Strangbow earle of Struguille, aliàs Chepstow in Wales to come ouer thither, and to receiue the souereigne gouernement, with such honorable prouision for maintenance of his estate, as should séeme requisit.

[Sidenote: _N. Triuet._ _Wil. Paruus._] ¶ Some write, that this earle Richard (being also earle Marshall of England) for a rebellion moued against king Henrie, had before this time forfeited all his lands; but others affirme that through riot and more sumptuous port than his abilitie might beare, he had made awaie and consumed the most part of his liuing, and was run so far in debt, that he knew not how to satisfie his creditors, and therefore was he the readier to incline to their request, which made labour vnto him to come ouer into Ireland to haue the gouernance of such English people, as had alreadie planted themselues there to inhabit & remaine. Herevpon he prepared a nauie, and assembled togither a great number of such as lacked liuing, and shortlie determined to passe ouer into Ireland. [Sidenote: Strangbow countermanded.] But euen as he was readie to set forward, there came vnto him messengers from king Henrie, commanding him to staie, and not to take that iournie in hand. Howbeit the earle hauing nothing in England whereof to make anie great accompt, notwithstanding the kings commandement, tooke the sea, and passed ouer into that countrie, where he greatlie delited such Englishmen as dailie had looked for his repaire and comming thither.

Shortlie after, ioining those which he brought ouer with him, with the other that were there before his comming, he thought to worke some feat, whereby he might make his name famous, & cause the Irishmen to haue him in feare. [Sidenote: Dublin won. Additions to _Iohn Pike._] Wherevpon he first assailed the citie of Dublin, and by force wan it. He likewise wan Waterford, & diuerse other townes neere vnto the sea side. Also to haue some freendship amongst those barbarous people, [Sidenote: Strangbow marrieth Dermutius his daughter.] he married the daughter of the confederate king, and so grew into verie great estimation in that countrie and region.

Howbeit, with these and the like doings of the earle, king Henrie tooke such displeasure (but chéeflie for disobeieng his commandement) that he confined him the realme, [Sidenote: Strangbow confined.] seized his lands as forfeited, and by proclamation restreined all his subiects from passing into Ireland with any kind of merchandize, prouision of vittels, or other commodities whatsoeuer. By reason whereof, earle Strangbow, partlie by constreint, [Sidenote: He séeketh to procure the kings fauour.] and partlie in hope to returne into fauour with king Henrie, and for other respects as may be coniectured, aduertised him of the whole state of the countrie of Ireland, promising him, that if it would please his grace to come ouer thither, he would so worke that he should be admitted souereigne lord of all the land. [Sidenote: The king pardoneth him. _N. Triuet._[3]] Heerevpon king Henrie pardoned him of all former trespasses, and restored vnto him all his lands and inheritances within England and Normandie: and further, confirmed to him such liuings abroad in Ireland out of the walled townes, as he held alreadie in right of his wife: and furthermore ordeined, that he should be high steward of Ireland vnder him.

King Henrie then returning out of Normandie into England about the sixt day of August (as is aforesaid) caused a nauie of 400. ships to be made readie, [Sidenote: _Rog. Houed._] and to assemble at Milford hauen in Penbrokshire, with all such prouision and furniture as was thought necessarie for such a iournie. Herewith also he leuied a great armie both of horssemen and footmen, and came forward with the same vnto Penbroke, and so when all his prouision and ships were readie, [Sidenote: Milford hauen.] he entred the sea at Milford hauen aforesaid the sixtéenth daie of October, [Sidenote: King Henrie landeth in Ireland. Crowch.] and landed in Ireland, at a place called Crowch, not past seauen miles from Waterford the day next folowing, about nine of the clocke: and on the morrow after being S. Luke the euangelists day, he with all his armie marched foorth to Waterford, where he found William Fitz Aldelme his sewer, and Robert Fitz Bernard, with other whome he had sent thither before him for such purposes as he thought most conuenient. He remained at Waterford fiftéene daies, during which time, there came in vnto him the king of Corke, the king of Limerike, the king of Ossorie, the king of Méeth, Reignald de Waterford, and diuerse other great princes of Ireland. [Sidenote: The surrender made by erle Strangbow.] At his first arriuall, the foresaid earle Richard surrendred into his hands all those townes and places which he had subdued in that countrie.

Herewithall the whole land began to tremble, so that the rulers of townes and countries sent vnto him messengers; offering to become tributaries, and to deliuer hostages: [Sidenote: Sundrie rulers in a land what weakenes it causeth.] for whilest euerie of those rulers which had the gouernment of Ireland in their hands, feared their owne estate, and mistrusted their owne powers, they all in maner submitted themselues, so that this victorie chanced to king Henrie, without the drawing foorth of his sword, and in such wise, that he could not haue wished for better or more speedie successe therein. For whereas the whole Iland was diuided into sundrie dominions, and ruled by sundrie gouernours, not drawing all one waie, but through factions and contrarie studies one enuieng an others wealth (for [Sidenote: _Ouid. li. 3. de art. Stat. 1. Th._] Non bene cum socijs regna venúsque manent, ---- Socijsq; comes discordia regnis) nothing more hindred the fierce and vnquiet nation from making resistance, than that they could not agrée to take councell togither for defending of their liberties, and entier state of the commonwelth. Whervpon, whilest euerie of them apart by himselfe was in doubt to attempt the hazard of war against so mightie a king, they were all ouercome, as were the Britons likewise in the time of Cesar and the Saxons. King Henrie therefore gladlie receiued their humble submission, and they doing homage vnto him, sware to be his liege and faithfull subiects. Onelie Roderike gouernour of Connagh refused to submit himselfe.

[Sidenote: Roderike K. of Connagh.] This Roderike pretended to be the chéefe king of Ireland, and therefore kept continuall war with the other rulers, which was partlie the cause wherefore they submitted themselues so soone vnto king Henrie. [Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._ _Polydor._ The nature of the countrie of Connagh.] The said Roderike held that part of Ireland which lieth toward the west, being full of great and thicke woods, and defended with verie high & great mountaines, closed also with waters and marishes, so that it should be verie hard, and speciallie in the winter season, to bring an armie vnto it: which was the onelie cause whie king Henrie attempted nothing against Roderike at that time, but tooke in hand to plant garisons of souldiers in places conuenient to kéepe the land in quiet, which he had woone alreadie, and to giue order for the gouernement of the whole estate of the countrie to his behoofe and commoditie. Hervpon going to Dublin, which is the cheefest citie of all Ireland, he assembled all the rulers and lords as well spirituall as temporall togither in councell, consulting with them for the assurance of the dominion of the land to him and his heires for euermore.

[Sidenote: The allegation of the Irishmen.] The Irishmen alleged for themselues, that his deuise therin could not be compassed, vnles the popes authoritie were therein first obteined: for they affirmed, that immediatlie vpon receiuing the christian faith, they did submit themselues, & all that they had, vnto the see of Rome, so that they could not acknowledge any for their souereigne lord, but onelie the pope. Which opinion some of them (although vainelie) haue holden vnto these our daies. King Henrie then vnderstanding this matter, dispatched ambassadours to Rome, requiring of pope Alexander, that he would by his authoritie grant him licence to ioine the countrie of Ireland vnto the realme of England, who went thither with all expedition according to their charge.

And certeinelie, these ambassadors whom the king sent now out of Ireland to Rome in this behalfe, returned with better spéed in their message, than did the other whom he had sent to him out of Normandie, to excuse him of the death of the archbishop Thomas. For the pope vpon good aduice taken in this matter (considering that he had now no profit growing to him by that Ile, and that the Irish people being wild and rude, were far off from all good order of christianitie in diuerse points) thought it would be a meane to bring some gaine to his cofers, and the people more easilie from their naughtie customes, if they were once made subiect vnto some christian prince of puissance able to tame them, and constreine them by force to be more meeke and tractable. In consideration wherof, he was content to grant vnto the king all that herein he required.

Herevpon, king Henrie considering in what respect the pope was so readie to accomplish his request, [Sidenote: A councell at Cassill.] called a councell of the bishops to assemble at Cassill, where manie things were decréed and ordeined for the reforming of diuerse customes vsed before amongst the Irish men, and méerelie repugnant to the lawes of the christian religion. [Sidenote: _R. Houed._] There were also appointed as solicitors in these matters, and to sit as assistants with the Irish bishops, one of the kings chaplaines named Nicholas, [Sidenote: The archdeacon of Landaf.] and one Rafe the archdeacon of Landaf.

1 Amongst other things there concluded, it was ordeined, that children shuld be brought to the church, there to receiue baptisme in faire water, with thrée dippings into the same, in the name of the father, the sonne, and the Holie-ghost, and that by the préests hands, except in case where danger of death was feared, which then might be doone by any other person, and in any other place.

2 Also it was ordeined, that tithes should be paid to churches, and that such laie men as would kéepe wiues, should keepe them according to the lawes of holie church, and not otherwise.

3 The Peter pence also that Adrian reserued in his buls, sent to the king touching the same matter in the beginning of his reigne (with diuerse other things) were in like maner appointed to be paid, so that nothing was omitted that might pleasure the pope, or recouer his gratious fauour alreadie lost in the matters of Thomas Becket, whereof you haue alreadie heard. Thus you heare what successe our ambassadours had in this voiage. ¶ Now will I tell you (yer I procéed any further) what strange things did happen in England whilest the king was thus occupied in Ireland, and within the compasse of that yeare, and first of all, [Sidenote: An. Reg. 18.] in the night before Christmas day last passed, [Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._ _Matth. West._ A sore tempest.] [Sidenote: 1172.] there chanced such a tempest of lightning and thunder, that the like had not bin heard of, which tempest was not onelie generallie throughout all England, but also in other foreine parts néere adioining, namelie in Ireland, where it continued all that night, and Christmas daie following, to so great terror of the people, that they looked for present death.

The same night at Andeuer in Hamshire, a préest being in his praiers before the altar, was striken with the tempest, so that he died yer it was nine of the clocke in the morning. [Sidenote: Lightning.] Also, a temporall man that was there the same time, was burned with the lightning, and whereas his brother being present, ran to him to haue succoured him, he likewise was caught with the fire, and in like maner consumed. [Sidenote: _Polydor._] In Ireland also, euill diet in eating of fresh flesh and drinking of water, contrarie to the custome of the Englishmen, brought the flix and other diseases in the kings armie, so that manie died thereof, for [Sidenote: _Pub. Mim._] Grauissimum est imperium consuetudinis. [Sidenote: _Rog. Houed._] Wherfore, about the beginning of Lent, the king remoued from Dublin, & went vnto the citie of Wexford, where he remained till toward Easter, and then prepared to returne into England: [Sidenote: The kings gift vnto Hugh Lacie.] but before he tooke the sea, he gaue and by his charter confirmed to Hugh Lacie, all the lands of Meeth, with the appurtenances, to hold of him & his heires in fee by knights seruice, as to find him an hundred knights or men of armes (as we may terme them) for euermore. He gaue also vnto the same Hugh, the kéeping of the citie of Dublin, and made him chéefe iusticer of Ireland. Unto Robert Fitz Bernard he committed the cities of Waterford and Wesseford, that he should kéepe the same to his vse, and build in them castels, for a more sure defense against the enimies.

Thus when the king had planted garisons of souldiers in those & other places also where was thought néedfull; and further had giuen order for the politike gouernement of the whole countrie, so far as he had conquered; he first sent ouer his houshold seruants, which tooke the water on Easter daie, and landed at Milleford, but he himselfe and other of the Nobles staid there all that daie, by reason of the high solemnitie of that feast: howbeit the daie next after they tooke the sea togither, and landed néere to S. Dauids in south Wales, [Sidenote: The king returneth into England. _Ger. Dor._ The popes legats.] from thence (without delaie) he hasted foorth to Douer, and hauing his sonne the yoong king with him, he sailed ouer into Normandie in the crosse weeke to meet the popes legats, whom he vnderstood to be alreadie come thither. At his méeting with them there, he gaue them verie good countenance, and right honorable enterteinment, omitting nothing that might doo them pleasure.