Part 10
In the thrée and twentith yeare of his reigne, king Henrie held his Christmasse at Winchester, where a great grudge arose betwixt him and Gilbert the earle of Penbroke, by reason that the said earle with his seruants (hauing tipstaues) in their comming to the court, were not suffered to enter within the gates but were kept backe by the porters and other. Of which iniurie when he had complained, the king made him such an ouerthwart answer, that the earle perceiuing him not to like verie well of his seruice, departed foorthwith, and rode into the North countrie, so that from that daie foorth, neither he nor his brother Walter loued the king as they ought to haue doone. Soone after this departure of earle Gilbert, vpon Candlemas day the king gaue the earldome of Leicester vnto Simon de Mountford, and inuested him thereinto, hauing first pacified earle Almerike that was elder brother to the same Simon. Yet about the beginning of the next August, the king was so incensed against earle Simon, that both he and his wife were glad to get them ouer into France, till the kings wrath were more pacified.
[Sidenote: The birth of king Edward the first.]
[Sidenote: _Polydor._]
[Sidenote: A strange star.]
Vpon the sixtéenth day of Iune, the kings eldest sonne named Edward, and after surnamed Longshanke by the Scots in mockage, bicause he was a tall and slender man, was borne at Westminster, who after his fathers decease, succéeded him in the kingdome. ¶ Before the birth of this Edward, there appeared earlie in the morning certeine daies togither before the sunne was vp, a star of a large compasse, the which with swift course was caried through a long circuit of the aire, sometimes shewing as it had borne fire with it, and sometimes leauing as it were smoke behind it, so that it was after iudged, that the great déeds which were to be atchiued by the same Edward, were by this wonderfull constellation foreshewed and signified.
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]
[Sidenote: Ranulfe Briton taken out of his house, and led to the tower.]
About the same time, by reason of an accusation made by a prisoner against Ranulfe Briton (sometime the kings chancellour, but now leading a priuat life, being a canon of the cathedrall church of S. Paule in London) the same Ranulfe (by commandement from the king sent to the maior of the citie William Ioiner) was taken out of his house, had to the tower, and there imprisoned, whervpon the deane of Paules, maister G. Lucie, in absence of the bishop accurssed all those that had presumptuouslie attempted to laie hands on the said Ranulfe, and further, he put his owne church of saint Paule vnder interdiction.
[Sidenote: Great raine.]
To conclude, through threatning of excommunication to be pronounced against the king, and other for this fact by the legat and the bishops of the realme as namelie, Canturburie and London, the king was compelled to release and set at libertie the foresaid Ranulfe. Finallie, the prisoner that had accused the said Ranulfe and other, being one of the kings purseuants, when for his wicked dooings he came to suffer death, openlie confessed, how he had accused those persons, onelie in hope to deferre his owne execution, being conuicted as accessarie to the treason of the clearke that suffered at Couentrie the last yeare. He had accused not onelie the said Briton, but diuers of the nobilitie also to be priuie and giltie of the same conspiracie. ¶ This yeare for the space of foure moneths togither, fell excéeding great raine, yet at length it began to hold vp about Easter.
[Sidenote: The legat beginneth to looke to his owne c[=o]moditie.]
[Sidenote: Sir Robert de Twing.]
In this while, the lords of the realme practised sundrie drifts likewise, as men that would faine haue béene rid of the legats companie: but the king did what he could on the otherside (by sending to the pope for licence) to haue him remaine still here, who began now indéed to look to his owne profit, as by waie of procuracies and other meanes, so that he got togither great summes of monie, although in the beginning he séemed to forbeare, and not to séeke for anie such gaine. Also, he tooke vpon him to bestow benefices without consent of the patrones that were temporall men, wherevpon complaint was made to the pope, namelie, by one sir Robert de Twing, who claimed as patrone the presentation of the rectorie of Luthun in Yorkeshire, and could not be permitted to inioy it, by reason of the popes prohibition, but vpon the hearing of his title in the popes consistorie, he obteined letters from the pope to be restored, and also an inhibition, that from thencefoorth no person should be promoted to anie spirituall benefice or church, without consent of the patrone. The king and the péeres of the realme vnderstanding themselues to be touched in this wrong offered to this knight, had written in his fauour to the pope, so that his suit had the better successe.
[Sidenote: The Iewes punished by the pursse.]
[Sidenote: A synod holden at London.]
Moreouer, the Iewes in this yeare, for a murther which they had secretlie committed, were gréeuouslie punished, namelie by the pursse to buy their peace, & they were glad to giue the king the third part of all their goods. The legat also assembled a synod of the clergie at London vpon the last of Iulie, in the which he demanded procuracies, but the bishops vpon deliberation had in the matter, answered, that "the importunatnes of the Romane church had so often consumed the goods of the English church, that they could no longer suffer it," and therefore said they; "Let them giue you procuracies which vnaduisedlie haue called you into the realme, if they will, for of vs you shall be sure to come by none at all," howbeit he got his demand of the abbats and other religious men.
About the feast of the assumption of our ladie, Thomas earle of Flanders, vncle to the quéene, arriued at Douer, and was receiued of the king with great ioy and gladnesse, who rode thitherward to méet him, and so brought him to London, where the citizens came foorth also, and méeting him in the waie, brought him into the citie with all honour that might be deuised. He did homage to the king (as authors write) and at his departure had in reward fiue hundred marks, and a pension assured him of as much yearelie out of the escheker of the kings frée gift. This earle Thomas was sonne to the earle of Sauoy, and a little before his comming into England, he had married Ione countesse of Flanders, which had first béene coupled in marriage with Ferdinando, as in the life of king Iohn may further appeare.
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 24. 1240.]
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]
[Sidenote: _Matth. West._]
[Sidenote: Baldwin de Riuers earle of the Ile of Wight.]
[Sidenote: The woods about Leicester féeld.]
In the 24 yeare of his reigne, king Henrie held his Christmasse at Winchester, where he made Baldwine de Riuers knight, and inuested him with the right of the earledome of the Ile of Wight, in the presence of the earle of Cornewall, who procured him this honour, bicause he had the wardship of him, and married him to his daughter in law the ladie Amicia, that was daughter to his wife the countesse of Glocester by hir former husband. The earle of Leicester also, meaning to go into the holie land, returned out of France, where he had remained a certeine time as an exile, but was now receiued honorablie of the king and other péeres of the realme, and after that he had séene the king and doone his dutie as apperteined, he went to his possessions to make monie for his furniture necessarie to be had in that iournie, for the which he sold at that time his woods about Leicester, vnto the knights of the Hospitall, and to the canons of Leicester, receiuing of them for the same about the summe of a thousand pounds.
[Sidenote: Leolin prince of Wales departeth this life.]
[Sidenote: Griffin ap Maddocke.]
About the same time, to wit, the 14 of Aprill, died Leolin prince of Wales, and then followed contention betwixt his sons Griffin and Dauid for the principalitie, which at length Dauid obteined through king Henries support (though he were the yoonger brother) bicause he was begot in lawful bed on the sister of king Henrie. The whole countrie of Wales was maruellouslie in trouble about their quarels. At length, a daie of méeting was appointed betwixt them, to grow by waie of talke vnto some quiet end; and Griffin meaning no deceit, came in peaceable wise with Richard bishop of Bangor and others to the place assigned, where they should haue met. But Dauid by a traine tooke Griffin, and committed him to prison, wherevpon afterwards, the yeare insuing, by continuall plaint and earnest sute of the bishop of Bangor, king Henrie entred Wales with an armie, and constreined Dauid to submit himselfe, and to deliuer the said Griffin into his hands, and further also to put in suerties to appeare at London, there to receiue such order in the kings courts, as to him by law should be orderlie awarded. Griffin ap Maddocke and diuerse other great lords of Wales ioined with the king in this iournie against Dauid, as in the next yeare ye shall further heare.
[Sidenote: King Henrie aided the pope with monie against the emperour.]
About the same time, there was great strife and contention still remaining betwixt the emperour Frederike and pope Innocent the fourth that succéeded Celestine the fourth, in somuch that sore and mortall warre followed. But king Henrie by the procurement of the legat Otho, aided the pope with monie, though he was somewhat loth to doo it, bicause the said emperour had married his sister. Indéed, the emperour wrote to the king to staie his hand, but the diligence of that legat was such in furthering his masters businesse, that the monie was gone ouer yer the emperours letters came. At this time also, Edmund the archbishop of Canturburie greatlie disalowed the often exactions and subsidies which the legat caused dailie to be leuied of the English clergie. Howbeit, in hope to haue his purpose the rather against the moonks of Canturburie, with whom he was at variance, he first granted to the legats request made on the popes behalfe in a synod holden at Reading, for the hauing of the fift part of spirituall mens reuenues, and so by his example others were inforced to doo the like.
[Sidenote: Complaint to the king of the collections made for the pope.]
[Sidenote: The answer of the king.]
Furthermore he gaue eight hundred marks to the pope, but whether of his owne frée will, or by constreint, I cannot saie; but now vtterlie misliking all things doone by the legat contrarie to his mind, after he had doone and said what he could for redresse, and when he saw no hope at hand for anie reformation either in the king or legat, who estéemed not his words, as a man not longer able to sée his countrie so spoiled, he went ouer into France, and got him vnto Pontney, there to remaine in voluntarie exile, after the example of his predecessour Thomas Becket, whose dooings he did follow in verie manie things. Verelie the collections of monie, which the pope in these daies by his legats gathered here in this realme, were great and sundrie, so that (as it appeareth by historiographers of this time) the cleargie and other found themselues sore grieued, and repined not a little against such couetous dealings and vnmeasurable exactions, in so much that they spake to the king of it, and said; "Right famous prince, whie suffer you England to be made a prey and desolation to all the passers by, as a vineyard without an hedge, common to the waifaring man, and to be destroied of the bores of the field, sith you haue a sufficient priuilege that no such exactions should be made in this kingdome. And suerlie he is not worthie of a priuilege which abuseth the same being granted." The king answered those that went thus about to persuade him, that "he neither would nor durst gainsaie the pope in any thing:" and so the people were brought into miserable despaire.
[Sidenote: _Polydor._]
[Sidenote: The causes that mooued archbishop Edmund to depart the realme.]
[Sidenote: _Matth. West._]
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]
[Sidenote: _Polydor._]
There be that write how that there were other occasions of the archbishops departure out of the relme of the which this should be one; when he saw religion not to be regarded, and that préests were had in no honor, neither that it laie in his power to reforme the matter, sith the king gaue no eare to his admonitions, he determined to absent himselfe till the king (warned by some mishap) should repent him of his errours, and amend his misdooings. Other ioine an other cause herevnto, which was this; whereas the king by the insample of other kings (begun by William Rufus) vsed to kéepe bishops sées, and other such spirituall possessions in his hands, during the vacation, till a conuenient person were to the same preferred, the archbishop Edmund, for that he saw long delaies made oftentimes yer any could be admitted to the roome of those that were deceassed, or by any other means depriued, he was in hand with the king, that the archbishop of Canturburie might haue power onlie to prouide for successors in such roomes as chanced to be vacant, aboue the tearme of six moneths, which thing the king for a certeine summe of monie granted: but afterward perceiuing what hinderance he susteined thereby, he reuoked that grant, so much to the displeasure of the archbishop, that he thought good no longer to continue in the realme.
[Sidenote: The death of Edmund archbishop of Canturburie surnamed of Pontney.]
At his comming to Pontney, he so séemed to despise all worldlie pompe and honor, giuing himselfe wholie to diuine contemplation, to fasting and praier, that the former opinion, which men had conceiued of his vertues, was maruellouslie confirmed. At length being sore vexed with sicknesse, supposing that he might recouer helth by changing of aire and place, he caused himselfe to be conueied into an other house of religion, named Soisie, two daies iournie from Pontney, where finallie he died the sixtéenth of Nouember, and his bodie was brought againe to Pontney, and there buried, where also through sundrie miracles shewed (as they say) at his graue, he was reputed a saint, and at length canonized by pope Innocent the fourth. He was borne at Abingdon, beside Oxenford, and thereby some named him saint Edmund of Abingdon, and some of S. Edmund of Pontney, after the place where he was inshrined. The sée of Canturburie was void more than thrée yeares after his decease, till at length by the kings commandement, the moonks of Canturburie elected one Boniface of Sauoie vncle to quéene Elianor, being the 45 archbishop which ruled that church.
[Sidenote: A Charterhouse moonke apprehended.]
¶ There was this yeare a certeine person of honest conuersation, and sober, representing in habit one of the Carthusian moonks, taken at Cambridge, being accused for that he refused to come to the church to heare diuine seruice, and vpon his examination, bicause he answered otherwise than was thought conuenient, he was committed to secret prison, and shortlie after sent vp to the legat to be of him examined. This man openlie protested, that Gregorie was not the true pope, nor head of the church, but that there was another head of the church, and that the church was defiled, so that no seruice ought to be said therein, except the same were newlie dedicated, and the vessels and vestments againe hallowed and consecrated; The diuell (said he) is losed, & the pope is an heretike, for Gregorie, which nameth himselfe pope, hath polluted the church.
Herevpon (in the presence and audience of the abbat of Euesham, maister Nic. de Fernham, and diuerse other worshipfull personages) the legat said vnto him being thus out of the waie; "Is not power granted to our souereigne lord the pope from aboue, both to lose and bind soules, sith he executeth the roome of S. Peter vpon earth:" Now when all men looked to heare what answer he would make, beléeuing his iudgement to depend vpon the same, he said by waie of interrogation, and not by way of assertion; "How can I beléeue, that vnto a person spotted with simonie and vsurie, and happlie wrapt in more gréeuous sins, such power should be granted as was granted vnto holie Peter, who immediatlie followed the lord, as soone as he was made his apostle, and followed him not onelie in bodilie footsteps, but in cléerenesse of vertues." At which word the legat blushed, & said to some of the standers by; "A man ought not to chide with a foole, nor gape ouer an ouen."
[Sidenote: Iustices itinerants. William de Yorke, Robert Lexinton iustices.]
[Sidenote: The earle of Cornewall goeth into the holy land.]
[Sidenote: The earle of Leicester goeth thither also.]
[Sidenote: The earle of Albemarle.]
In this season the king sent his iustices itinerants in circuit about the land, the which vnder pretext of iustice punished manie persons, and so leuied great summes of monie to the kings vse. Sir William of Yorke prouost of Beuerley was assigned to visit the south parts, and sir Robert de Lexinton the north parts. Also Richard earle of Cornewall the kings brother, with a nauie of ships sailed into Syria, where in the warres against the Saracens, he greatlie aduanced the part of the christians. There went ouer with him the earle of Salisburie William Long espée, and William Basset, Iohn Beauchampe, Geffrey de Lucie, Iohn Neuill, Geffrey Beauchampe, Peter de Breuse, and William Furniuall. The erle of Montford also went ouer the same time: but where the earle of Cornewall tooke the sea at Marsiles, the earle of Leicester passed through Italie, and tooke the water at Brandize, and with him went these persons of name, Thomas de Furniuall, with his brother Gerard de Furniuall, Hugh Wake, Almerike de S. Aumond, Wischard Ledet, Punchard de Dewin, and William de Dewin that were brethren, Gerard Pesmes, Fouke de Baugie, and Peter de Chauntenaie. Shortlie after also, Iohn earle of Albemarle, William Fortis, and Peter de Mallow a Poictouin, men for their valiancie greatlie renowned, went thither, leading with them a great number of christian souldiors.
[Sidenote: The dedication of the church of S. Paule in London.]
[Sidenote: The death of Isabell the countesse of Cornewall.]
[Sidenote: The lord Iohn Fitz Robert.]
[Sidenote: A comet. A battell betwixt fishes.]
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]
[Sidenote: The kings manour at Mortlake.]
[Sidenote: A great wind.]
In this yeare and vpon the day of S. Remigius, was the church of S. Paule in the citie of London dedicated by Roger bishop of that citie, the king and a great number of bishops and other Noble men being present, which were feasted the same day by the said bishop Roger and the canons. Moreouer, there died the same yeare the countesse Isabell, wife to Richard earle of Cornewall, and two earles, William earle Warren, and Iohn earle of Lincolne, also the lord Iohn Fitz Robert, one of the chéefe barons in all the north parts of the realme. ¶ Also in Februarie there appeared a comet or blasing starre verie dreadfull to behold, for the space of thirtie daies togither. Moreouer, on the coast of England there was a great battell amongst the fishes of the sea, so that there were eleauen whales or thirlepooles cast on land, beside other huge and monstruous fishes, which appeared to be dead of some hurts; and one of those mightie fishes, comming into the Thames aliue, was pursued by the fishers, and could scarse passe through the arches of London bridge. At length with darts and other such weapons, they slue him before the kings manour at Mortlake, whither they followed him. There was also a great sound heard this yeare in sundrie parts of England at one selfe time, as if it had béene the noise of some mightie mountaine that had fallen into the sea. And vpon the seuenth of Maie there chanced a great boisterous wind that sore troubled the skie.
[Sidenote: An oth receiued.]
[Sidenote: The seneshall of Aquitaine.]
This yeare the king caused the citizens of London, and the gardians of the cinque ports, and manie other to receiue an oth to be true and faithfull to his sonne prince Edward. The friers preachers and minors, and other men of the church that were diuines, absolued such as had taken on them the crosse, receiuing of them so much monie as would suffice to haue borne their charges in that iournie, and this not without slander redounding to the church. The same meanes to get monie was practised also by the legat Otho, hauing authoritie therto of the pope. The same yeare the seneshall of Aquitaine came ouer to the king, and let him know, that if timelie prouision were not had, all those countries on the further side of the sea wold be lost. No other incident chanced the same yeare neither in warre abroad, nor in the state of gouernement of the common-wealth at home, whereof any great accompt is to be made, but that the legat Otho got great summes of monie diuerse waies, of religious men to the popes behoofe: wherevpon certeine abbats made complaints to the king, but in place of comfort they receiued discomfort, & after knowledge thereof giuen to the legat, he was more extreame with them than he was before.
[Sidenote: Peter Rosso.]
[Sidenote: Peter de Supino got a vintiesme, that is the 20 part of préests benefices.]
Shortlie after one of the popes familiars and kinsman named master Peter Rosso came from Rome, taking England in his waie to go into Scotland, and vsed in both such diligence in the popes cause, that he got a fiftéenth granted here, which he spéedilie gathered. About the same time one Peter de Supino was sent into Ireland, and there likewise he got a vintiesme, bringing from these the summe of 115 marks, and aboue. But the collection which Peter Rosso got out of the Scotish confines doubled that summe, as was thought. In his returne also from thence, visiting the houses of religion, and searching the consciences of religious persons, by new shifts he craftilie got yet more monie to the popes vse, causing them to sweare to kéepe this mysterie secret, as it were some priuitie of confession for the space of one halfe yeare, whereby he turned the harts of manie men from the loue of the church of Rome, wounding them with great gréefe and remorse of conscience to sée this pillage.
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 25. 1241.]
[Sidenote: Boniface de Sauoie elected archb. of Canturburie.]
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]
In the 25 yeare of his reigne, king Henrie kept his Christmasse at Westminster, at which time the legat was sent for to returne vnto Rome, and after he had béene honorablie feasted of the king, on the 4 daie of Christmasse he departed from London towards the sea side, after he had remained here aboue thrée yeares. Peter of Sauoie that was uncle to the quéene came into England, and was honorablie receiued and interteined of king Henrie, who had giuen to him the earledome of Richmont. His sonne Boniface was this yeare also elected archbishop of Canturburie, a tall gentleman and of a goodlie personage, but neither so learned nor otherwise méet for that roome. But such was the kings pleasure, who in fauour of the quéene, to whom he was coosen germane sought to aduance him, and getting the popes fauour in that behalfe, procured the monks & bishops to grant their consents, although much against their minds, if they might haue had their owne wils.
[Sidenote: The earle of Cornewall an intercessor for a peace to be had betwixt the pope and the emperour.]
[Sidenote: He returneth into England.]