Chapter 1

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HENRIE THE SECOND,

The Second Sonne of Geffrey Plantagenet.

[Sidenote: An. Reg. 1.] Henrie the second of that name, a French man borne, the second sonne of Geffrey Plantagenet earle of Aniou, begotten of Maud the empresse, daughter to Henrie the first, [Sidenote: 1154.] began his reigne ouer England the fiue and twentith of October, in the yeare after the creation of the world 5121. and in the yeare after the incarnation of our sauiour 1154. about the beginning of the third yeare of the emperour Frederike the first, the second of pope Anastasius the fourth, the seuenteenth yeare of Lewes the seuenth king of France, and second of Malcolme then king of Scotland. Immediatlie after he was aduertised of the death of king Stephan, he came ouer into England, landing at Ostreham about the seuenth day of December. [Sidenote: _N. Triuet._ _Matth. Paris._] After he had got his companies togither, which by tempest were scattered in his passage, he came first to Winchester, where he receiued homage and fealtie of the Nobles of the realme resorting vnto him. This doone he set foorth towards London, where he was crowned king by Theobald archbishop of Canturburie the twentith daie of December.

[Sidenote: _N. Triuet._ The archbishop of Rouen.] The archbishop of Rouen, with thrée of his suffragans, the archbishop of Yorke, and manie other bishops of England: Theodorus the earle of Flanders, with a great number of other earles, lords and barons were present there at his coronation. [Sidenote: _Polydor._] He was at that time about the age of three and twentie yeares, and to win the peoples loue, he spake manie comfortable words vnto them, to put them in hope (as the manner is) that they should find him a louing prince. He vsed the lords also verie courteouslie. [Sidenote: Councellers chosen.] And first of all, after his attéining to the crowne, he chose to him councellers of the grauest personages, and best learned in the lawes of the realme, with whose prudent aduice he perused those lawes, and amended them where he thought necessarie, commanding chieflie, [Sidenote: _Ran. Higd._] that the lawes established by his grandfather Henrie the first should be obserued: [Sidenote: Thom. Becket lord chancellor] and in manie things he relied vpon the aduice of Theobald archbishop of Canturburie, at whose sute he admitted Thomas Becket to be his chancellour, which Becket the said archbishop had made archdeacon of Canturburie the yeare before.

Moreouer, by the sentence and doome of his councellers, to the intent that peace and quiet order might take place, and be the better mainteined, [Sidenote: An. Reg. 2. 1155] he commanded by waie of publishing a proclamation, [Sidenote: _Nic. Triuet._ _Polydor._ _Wil. Paruus._ Strangers appointed to depart the realme. Aliens auoid the land.] that all strangers (which to get somwhat by the wars had flocked into the realme, during the time of the ciuill discord betweene him and king Stephan) shuld depart home without further delaie: wherefore he appointed them a daie, before the which they should auoid vpon perill that might insue. It was a worlds woonder to sée and marke how suddenlie these aliens were quite vanished, as though they had béene phantasmes. Their abiding here was nothing profitable to the subiects of the realme, as they that were accustomed to attempt one shrewd turne vpon an others necke, and thought it lawfull for them so to doo. Amongst them was a great number of Flemings, whom the king hated more than the residue.

[Sidenote: William de Ypres.] By vertue also of this edict, William of Ypres, whom king Stephan (as ye haue heard) had made earle of Kent, was constreined with others to depart the realme, king Henrie seizing all his possessions into his owne hands. [Sidenote: Castels ouerthrowne. _Polydor._ _Matth. Paris._] Diuerse castels were throwne downe and made plaine with the ground at the kings commandement, which priuate men by king Stephans permission had builded, or else for that they stood not in such places as was thought meet and expedient; [Sidenote: _Wil. Paruus._ _Matth. Paris._] yet some he caused to be fortified: and furthermore, tooke into his hands againe such lands and possessions as apperteined to the crowne, and were alienated vnto any manner of person, of what degrée so euer he was. This wounded the minds of many with an inward grudge, as well enough perceiuing that the king would looke so néere to his owne commoditie, that nothing should be left for them that might any way be recouered and gotten to his vse.

In this yere queene Elianor being then in the citie of London, on the last of Februarie was deliuered of hir second sonne named Henrie. [Sidenote: _N. Triuet._ _Matth. Paris._ _Matth. West._ William Peuerell disherited.] About the same time also, William Peuerell of Notingham a noble man and of great possessions was disherited by the king for sorcerie and witchcraft[1], which he had practised to kill Ranulfe earle of Chester, as it was reuealed openlie, and brought to light. In accomplishing of which hainous crime and detestable act, many others were of counsell, and found giltie with him, which escaped not vnpunished.

[Sidenote: _Nic. Treuet._] On the tenth of Aprill, king Henrie assembled the péeres & great lords of his realme togither at Wallingford, and caused them to sweare allegiance vnto his eldest sonne William: [Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._ _Nic. Treuet._ Hugh de Mortimer. The castell of Cleberie.] prouiding, that if he chanced to die, then they should doo the like vnto his brother Henrie. Also whereas Hugh de Mortimer had fensed his castels against king Henrie, he besieged the same, and taking the castell of Cleberie, he destroied it. Wherevpon, the foresaid Hugh shortlie after was at peace with the king, and surrendred to him the two castels of Wigmore and Bridgenorth, which hitherto he had holden. [Sidenote: Roger Fitz Miles.] Moreouer, whereas there was variance kindled betwixt the king, and Roger Fitz Miles of Glocester (who was earle of Hereford) for the lands of Glocester, that variance was also quenched: for after the same Roger was dead, his brother Walter succeeding him in the earldome of Hereford, was constreined to depart with the citie of Glocester, which the king held and reteined in his owne hands.

[Sidenote: An. Reg. 2.] In the second yeare of his reigne, [Sidenote: The king goeth into the north.] king Henrie went to Yorke, and in that countrie tooke into his hands diuers castels which had béene long in possession of priuate men; [Sidenote: The castell of Scarborough.] namelie, the castell of Scarborough, which William earle of Albemarle held, and now was constreined to resign it vp, full sore against his will. [Sidenote: _Wil. Paruus._ _Nic. Treuet._ The death of the kings son William.] This yeare William the kings eldest sonne departed this life, and was buried at Reading. The realme of England was brought on all sides into verie good quiet; [Sidenote: Geffrey the kings brother rebelleth.] but yer long, word came to K. Henrie, that his brother Geffrey had begun a rebellion on the other side of the sea. For their father Geffrey (when he died) left thrée sonnes behind him, Henrie, Geffrey, and William, ordeining by his testament, when Henrie should haue gotten possession of England and Normandie, that then the countrie of Aniou should remaine vnto Geffrey, and in the meane time, he to haue these three townes, Chinon, Lodun, and Mirabell, to mainteine his estate; and when the time came that the whole heritage should fall vnto him, he might by possession of these three haue a readier meane to come by all the rest. [Sidenote: _Wil. Paruus._] Furthermore, fearing least his eldest sonne Henrie (who as then was absent) would not consent to the performance of this his will, he caused certeine bishops and other of the Nobles to sweare, that they should not suffer his bodie to be committed to buriall, till his sonnes had sworne to fulfill his last will and testament in all other things, but especially in this behalfe, wherin he iudged not amisse. For though Henrie was loth to take his oth, yet bicause his fathers bodie should not remaine vnburied, he was contented to sweare.

But after he had obteined the kingdome of England, his couetous desire, increasing still with abundance alreadie obteined, [Sidenote: Pope Adrian an Englishman borne. A dispensatiō for an oth. _Nic. Treuet._] found meanes to procure of pope Adrian the fourth (who was an Englishman borne) a dispensation for that oth: wherevpon (hauing got licence to depart from the office both of right, law and equitie) neglecting his fathers ordinance, he passed ouer into Normandie, and making war against his brother the said Geffrey, easilie expelled him out of those places, which were assigned him by bequest in his fathers testament, and so tooke the earledome of Aniou into his owne possession. Howbeit, he gaue vnto his said brother a pension of a thousand pounds English & two thousand pounds of the monie of Aniou, with the towne of Lodun, and certeine other lands to liue vpon; who neuerthelesse thinking himselfe euill vsed at the kings hands, rebelled and died.

¶ Here we haue to note the lacke of conscience and religion, not onlie in the pretended successor of Peter in giuing a dispensasion for an oth, but also in his good ghostlie sonne, who was no lesse forward in reuolting from his oth, than the other was willing to acquite him from the force thereof. But if these men had beene profiting scholars in the vniuersitie of the pagans, as they were arrand truants and ranke dullards in the schoole of christians, they might haue learned by profane examples, that as oths are not to be rashlie taken, so they are not to be vnaduisedlie broken. Herevnto alludeth Aristotle in his Metaphysikes, shewing the cause why poetrie hath feigned that the gods in old time vsed to sweare by water, as Jupiter is reported to haue doone in this manner; [Sidenote: _Ouid. Met. lib. 1. fab. 6._] ---- per flumina iuro Infera sub terra Stygio labentia luco.

To signifie vnto vs, that as water is a verie ancient and excellent element, and so necessarie that without it the life of man cannot consist; euen so we ought to estéeme of an oth, than the which we should thinke nothing more religious, nothing more holie, nothing more christian. [Sidenote: _Ouid. Met. lib. 3. fab. 8, 9, 10._] Herevnto also tendeth the fable of the transmutation of mariners into Dolphins for periurie: importing thus much for our instruction, that the breaking of an oth, in a case that may preiudice, procureth greeuous punishments from God against them that so lewdlie doo offend. But such is the impudencie of the pope, that he will not grant dispensations onlie for oths, but for incest, for treason, and for any other sinne: which he may doo (as he boasteth) by vertue of his absolute and vniuersall iurisdiction: as we haue latelie in most lamentable sort séene exemplified. But to the course of our storie.

[Sidenote: 1156.] Shortlie after, when king Henrie had dispatched his businesse in Normandie, and made an end of troubles there betwixt him and his brother Geffrey, he returned into England, bicause he receiued aduertisement, that Malcolme king of Scotland began to make war against his subiects that bordered next vnto him, wherevpon he hasted northwards: [Sidenote: King Henrie goeth against the Scots. He wan Carleil and Newcastell and others.] and comming first into Cumberland, he tooke the citie of Carleil, seizing all that countrie into his hands; and going after into Northumberland, he wan the towne of Newcastell, with the castell of Bamburg, and tooke into his possession all that countrie which his mother the empresse had sometimes granted vnto king Dauid, as before ye haue heard: howbeit, bicause he would not séeme to offer too much wrong, and be esteemed vnmindfull of former benefites receiued, [Sidenote: The earledome of Huntingtō.] he suffered king Malcolme to enioy the earledome of Huntington, which king Stephan had giuen vnto his father earle Henrie, sonne to king Dauid, as before is partlie touched.

[Sidenote: William earle of Mortaigne _Matth. Paris._ _Nic. Treuet._] William also the earle of Mortaigne, and Warren sonne of king Stephan, were compelled to surrender to king Henrie, the castell of Pemsey, the citie of Norwich, and other townes and castels which he held, apperteining to the demeane of the crowne: to whom the king in recompense restored those lands which his father king Stephan held in the daies of king Henrie the first.

[Sidenote: An. Reg. 3. 1157.] [Sidenote: Theodorike earle of Flanders.] About this time Theodorike earle of Flanders (going with his wife vnto Jerusalem) committed his sonne Philip with all his lands, to the custodie of the king of England. Hugh Bigot also resigned his castels into the kings hands.

But whilest king Henrie was about (as before ye haue heard) to recouer and get backe the portions of his kingdome made away and dismembred by his predecessors, he was informed that the Welshmen raised a rebellion against him; [Sidenote: Rebellion of Welshmen. The king inuadeth them.] to represse whose attempts, he hasted foorth with all diligence. Now at his first approch to their countrie, his souldiers being set vpon in the straits, were verie fiercelie put back by the enimies, in somuch that a rumor ran how king Henrie was slaine, which puffed vp the Welshmen with no small hope, and dawnted the Englishmen with great feare. In déed, diuerse of the English nobilitie were slaine, [Sidenote: Eustace Fitz John & Robert de Curey slaine.] and (amongst others) Eustace Fitz John, and Robert de Curey, men of great honor and reputation.

Those which escaped in returning backe, not knowing that the king passed through the straits without danger, declared to their fellowes that followed and were approching to the said straits, that (so farre as they knew) the king and all the residue were lost. [Sidenote: Henrie of Essex.] These newes so discomforted the companies, that Henrie of Essex, which bare the kings standard by right of inheritance, threw downe the same, and fled: [Sidenote: _Matth. West._ _Wil. Paruus._ A combat betwixt Henrie de Essex, and Robert de Mountfort. _Matth. West._] which dishonorable déed was afterward laid to his charge by one Robert de Mountfort, with whom (by order taken of the king) he fought a combat in triall of the quarrell, and was ouercome: but yet the king qualifieng the rigor of the iudgement by mercie pardoned his life, and appointed him to be a shorne moonke, and put into the abbey of Reading, taking his lands and possessions into his hands as forfeited: howbeit this combat was not tried till about the 9. yeare of this kings reigne.

Now the king, hearing that his armie was discomfited, came to his men, and shewing himselfe to them with open visage, greatlie reuiued the whole multitude, and then procéeding against the enimies, his people were afterwards more warie in looking to themselues, [Sidenote: The Welshmen submit themselues.] insomuch that at length (when the K. prepared to inuade the Welshmen both by water & land) they sought to him for peace, and wholie submitted themselues vnto his grace and mercie.

[Sidenote: The castell of Rutland and Basingwerke built. _Matth. Paris._] About the same time, king Henrie builded the castell of Rutland, the castell of Basingwerke, and one house also of Templers. In the moneth of September also this yeare, the kings third sonne was borne at Oxenford, & named Richard. [Sidenote: Ann. Reg. 4.] [Sidenote: Thomas Becket lord Chancelor.] [Sidenote: 1158.] This yeare was Thomas Becket preferred to be the kings Chancellor. The king holding his Christmas at Worcester in great royaltie, sat in the church at seruice, with his crowne on his head, as the kings vsed in those daies to doo on solemne feasts: but as soone as masse was ended, he tooke his crowne from his head, [Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._ The king laieth his crown on the altar.] and set it downe vpon the altar in signe of humblenes, so that he neuer after passed for the wearing of a crowne. [Sidenote: Coine altered.] The same yeare also the king altered his coine, abrogating certeine peeces called basels.

In the moneth of August he went ouer into Normandie, and came to an enteruiew with the French king neere to the riuer of Eata, [Sidenote: Additions to John Pike.] where they intreated of a league, and of a marriage, which was after agréed vpon, betwixt Henrie the sonne of king Henrie; and the ladie Margaret, daughter to the French king: [Sidenote: The lord chancellor Becket sent into France. _Matth. West._] at which time Thomas Becket (then being the kings chancellor) was sent to Paris in great araie to fetch hir: who among other furnitures had nine long charrets (as Matthew Paris writeth.) Now when this ladie was deliuered to Thomas Becket the lord chancellor, and brought from Paris, she was appointed from thencefoorth to remaine in the house of Robert de Newburge, a Noble man of great honor, vntill such time as the mariage should be solemnized.

After the two kings were departed in sunder, K. Henrie prepared an armie against Conan duke of Britaine, who had seized the citie of Naunts into his hands, after the decease of Geffrey the kings brother, who was earle of Naunts. At length, the same Conan perceiuing himselfe not able to resist the king of England, vpon the daie of the feast of saint Michael the archangell came to king Henrie, and surrendred the citie of Naunts into his hands, with all the whole countrie therevnto belonging. Soone after which resignation, [Sidenote: Geffrey the kings fourth son born.] and vpon the 24. of August, Geffrey the kings fourth sonne was borne of his wife queene Elianor.

In December following, Theobald earle of Blois was accorded with king Henrie, to deliuer to him two of his castels. [Sidenote: Petroke earle of Perch.] Likewise Petroke earle of Perch surrendred two castels vnto king Henrie, which he had vsurped of the demeanes of Normandie in the daies of king Stephan: one of which castels the king gaue him againe, receiuing homage of him for the same.

[Sidenote: Raimond erle of Barzelone. Richard the kings sonne offered to erle Raimonds daughter.] Moreouer king Henrie and Raimond earle of Barzelone met togither at Blaime, where they concluded a league by way of allegiance, so that Richard the sonne of king Henrie should take to wife the daughter of the said Raimond in time conuenient; and that the king of England should giue vnto the said Richard the duchie of Aquitane, & the countie of Poictow. This earle Raimond had married the daughter and heire of the king of Aragon.

In the meane time, a secret grudge that had long depended betwéene king Henrie and king Lewes of France did still continue, and though there was a friendship agreed betweene them (as ye haue heard) to haue extinguished the same; [Sidenote: A fained friendship.] yet was it but a fained friendship: for vpon euery new occasion they were readie to breake againe, as it came to passe shortlie after.

[Sidenote: William duke of Aquitaine.] William duke of Aquitane, grandfather to queene Elianor, married the daughter and heire of the earle of Tholouze, and going vnto the warres of the holie land, [Sidenote: Earle of saint Giles otherwise Tholouze.] he engaged that earledome vnto Raimond the earle of saint Giles, and died before he could returne. His sonne William, father to quéene Elianor, suffered his earledome to remaine still vnredéemed, either for want of sufficiencie, or through negligence and carelesnesse: so that the earle of saint Giles kéeping possession thereof vnto his dieng daie, left it to his sonne Raimond, who inioyed it likewise. Now when king Lewes (hauing married the foresaid Elianor) demanded restitution as in the right of his wife, earle Raimond flatlie at the first denied to restore it, but after considering his lacke of power to resist the kings puissance, he plied the K. with humble petitions, and so preuailed by faire words; that in the end king Lewes granted him his sister Constance in marriage (which Constance, as ye haue heard, was married before vnto Eustace the sonne of king Stephan) & with hir granted him libertie to reteine the earldome of Tholouze as it were by waie of endowment: whereto the other accorded. [Sidenote: An. Reg. 5. 1159.] [Sidenote: _Matth. Paris_ _Matt. Westm._] Howbeit king Henrie hauing married the foresaid quéene Elianor, after the diuorse had betwixt hir and king Lewes, made claime to the said countie of Tholouze in the right of his wife. Herevpon earle Raimond, trusting now to the aid of his brother in law king Lewes, denied to restore it; so that king Henrie determined to recouer it by force, and entring by and by into Gascoine with an armie, he drew towards the countrie of Tholouze, & began to inuade the same with great force and courage.

[Sidenote: _Wil. Paruus._ William Trencheuille.] Diuerse great lords of those parties ioyned with king Henrie in his war which he attempted against the earle of saint Giles, as the earle of Barzelone, and the lord William Thencheuile, a man of great power in those quarters, hauing vnder his rule manie cities, castels and townes, notwithstanding that he had of late lost many of them by violence of the foresaid earle of Tholouze, but now by the aide of king Henrie he recouered them all. [Sidenote: _N. Triuet._] Malcolme also king of Scotland came vnto king Henrie, whilest he was foorth in this iournie, to associate him in this businesse.

The earle hearing of king Henries comming with an armie, was put in great feare, and therevpon wrote letters to his brother in law king Lewes, requiring him with all spéed possible to come vnto his aid. King Lewes vpon receipt of the letters, & vnderstanding the present danger of the earle, made such hast in continuing his iournie both daie and night, that he came to Tholouze, before king Henrie could arriue there. Which when king Henrie vnderstood, and perceiued how he was preuented, he changed his purpose of besieging the citie, and fell to spoiling of the countrie thereabouts: [Sidenote: The citie of Cahors. _N. Triuet._ The lord chancellor Becket.] at which time he recouered certaine places that latelie before had reuolted from his gouernment, & (amongst the rest) the citie of Cahors, which he furnished with men, munition and vittels, appointing his chancellor Thomas Becket to the custodie and keeping thereof: he fortified other places also which he had gotten, placing capteines and men of warre to looke vnto the defense of the same. Whilest the king was thus abrode on his iournie in the parties of Aquitaine, [Sidenote: _Rob. Houed._ William earle of Bullongne.] William earle of Bullongne and Mortaine the sonne of king Stephan, and Haimon earle of Glocester departed this life, which two earles went thither with him.