Part 15
About the middest of Lent, there was a parlement holden at London, wherein diuerse statutes and ordinances were deuised, as penalties for those that offended in other mens parks and warrens: but the chéefest occasion of assembling this parlement, was to take aduise in matters touching the gréefes wherewith the church of England séemed to be oppressed by the pope and the court of Rome. The pope indéed to quiet the English ambassadors, and to put the king and realme in some good hope of reléefe and deliuerance out of such oppressions, as were opened vnto him in the face of the whole councell, did not onelie promise largelie, but also caused diuerse priuileges to be made and deliuered vnto the said ambassadors verie fauorablie, in the behalfe of their request. But yet the same notwithstanding, sith the breaking vp of the said generall councell, and return to the ambassadors, manie things were doone, to the increasing and continuation of the former gréefes, so that they stood in doubt of further oppressions to follow, rather than in hope of the promised redresse. Herevpon they concluded eftsoones to write vnto the pope, and to the cardinals, both in name of the king, of the bishops and prelats, of the earles, barons, and other estates of the temporaltie, and of the abbats and priors. In the meane time, the pope for a while somewhat relented in the point of bestowing benefices here in England, for when any of his fréends or kinsmen was to be preferred to any benefice within this realme, he would sue to the king for his grant and good will, that such a one might be admitted, and not séeme of himselfe to grant it without the kings consent.
[Sidenote: The earle of Sauoy dooth homage to the K. of England.]
[Sidenote: Roger Bigod intitled to the office of earle Marshall.]
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]
[Sidenote: Harold king of Man.]
[Sidenote: Welshmen receiued to the kings peace, vpon their submission.]
The earle of Sauoy in the presence of the archbishop of Canturburie, and the bishop of Hereford and others, did homage to the king of England, acknowledging to hold of him certeine fées, as those of Suse, Auillian, S. Maurice de Chablais, and the castell of Bard, which he might well doo, not preiudicing the right of the empire, sith he held nothing of the same empire, except Aigues and the passages. This yeare, the office of the earle Marshall was giuen to Roger Bigod, earle of Northfolke, in right of his wife the countesse, that was eldest daughter vnto the great earle William Marshall. ¶ Moreouer, in this yeare the king holding his Easter at London, honored Harold king of Man with the order of knighthood. About the same time, diuerse noble men of Wales submitted themselues, and were receiued vnto the kings peace. ¶ On saint Markes day was a great frost and snow, which nipped the leaues of trées and hearbes in such extreame wise, that for the more part they withered and faded awaie.
[Sidenote: A decrée of the pope.]
Furthermore, bicause the pope vnderstood, that diuerse rich beneficed men were of late dead in England intestate, as Robert Hailes the archdeacon of Lincolne, Almerike the archdeacon of Bedford, and Iohn Hotospe archdeacon of Northhampton, he ordeined a decrée, that all such spirituall persons as died intestate, their goods should remaine to the pope. The execution of which decrée he commanded to the friers preachers and minors: but the king would not suffer it to take place, bicause he saw that it should redound to the preiudice of him and his kingdome. Wherein the popes oppression and wrong offered to the dead (by whose deceasse their suruiuing fréends should be benefited) and his cruell couetousnes extending to the verie senseles corpse dooth manifestlie appeare, so that it was verified of him, by waie of comparison,
Carniuorax tumidis vt gaudet hyæna sepulchris, Sic instat putidis ille cadaueribus.
Also, where the pope required a talage of the clergie, the king flatlie forbad it by his letters inhibitorie.
[Sidenote: A proclamation inhibiting monie to be sent to the pope.]
In this meane while, William Powis chapleine, and sir Henrie de Lamere knight, which were sent with the second letters, deuised in the late parlement (as ye haue heard) to be preferred vnto the pope and cardinals, returned againe without obteining anie towardlie answer, but rather (as they declared) they found the pope sharp and rough in spéech, saieng, "The king of England which now kicketh against the church, & beginneth to plaie Frederikes part, hath his counsell, & so likewise haue I, which I intend to follow." Other answer they cold not obteine. Againe, the Englishmen that were sutors in the court of Rome, were strangelie vsed, and could not get anie dispatch in their businesse, but were rather put backe as schismatikes, and with rebukes reuiled. Herevpon the king called a parlement at Winchester, to haue the aduise of his lords in this matter, where how soeuer they agréed, proclamation was immediatlie set forth, and published in euerie shire & countie through the realme, that no man should consent to the popes contribution, nor send anie monie out of the realme to his aid. When the pope heard of this, he wrote verie sharplie to the bishops, commanding them on paine of excommunication and suspension, to satisfie his Nuncio remaining at the new temple in London, before the feast of the Assumption of our ladie. And whereas the king minded to haue stood in the matter through threats of his brother the earle of Cornewall, and of certeine prelats, namelie, the bishop of Worcester (who had authoritie as was said to interdict the land) he yéelded and suffered the pope to haue his will, to the great griefe and discomfort of manie.
[Sidenote: A sore tempest of haile.]
[Sidenote: Isabell the kings mother departeth this life.]
[Sidenote: Roger de Quincie earle of Winchester. Iohn lord Neuill departed this life with diuers other.]
On S. Margarets daie, there fortuned a maruellous sore tempest of haile, raine, thunder and lightning, which being vniuersall through the realme, did much hurt, & continued the space of 16 houres togither without ceassing. This yéere, sundrie noble personages departed this world, as Isabell the kings mother, wife to the earle of March in Poictou. Also, the countesse of Albemarle, the daughter of Alaine of Galloway, and sister to the countesse of Winchester: wherevpon, a great part of Gallowaie that belonged to hir (for that she died without issue) remained to Roger de Quincie earle of Winchester, that married the eldest sister. Moreouer, Iohn lord Neuill died this yeare, which had béene chiefe forrester of England: but he was not onelie put out of that office for certeine transgressions, but also out of the kings fauor before he died, where (at first) none was more estéemed in the court than he. The bishop of Salisburie, named master Robert de Bingham, died also this yeare, and sir Richard de Argenton knight, a right noble personage, which in the holie land had shewed good proofe of his high valiancie, manhood, & prowesse: likewise sir Henrie Bailioll of the north, and diuerse other.
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 31.]
[Sidenote: 1247.]
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]
[Sidenote: Intollerable exactions.]
[Sidenote: Peter de Sauoy earle of Richmond.]
In the beginning of the one and thirtith yeare of king Henries reigne, the pope sent into England to haue the third part of one yeares profit of euerie beneficed man that was resident, and of euerie one not resident the one halfe. The bishop of London should haue séene this aid and collection leuied, but it would not be granted. And in a parlement called this yeare on the morrow after the Purification of our ladie, it was ordenied, that new letters sealed with the common seale of the citie of London should be sent by sufficient messengers, from all the estates of the realme, vnto the pope and cardinals, requiring a moderation to be had in such exactions as were intollerable for the realme to beare. Whilest this parlement yet lasted, there came ouer the lord Peter of Sauoy earle of Richmond, bringing with him certein yoong ladies and damsels, to be bestowed in marriage on such yoong lords and gentlemen as were wards to the king.
[Sidenote: An earthquake.]
[Sidenote: A strange woonder.]
[Sidenote: Continuall raine.]
On S. Valentines euen, a great earthquake happened here in England, and namelie about London, on the Thames side, with the which manie buildings were ouerthrowen. These earthquakes, the seldomer they chance in England, the more dreadfull the same are, and thought to signifie some great alteration. A litle before this earthquake, the sea had ceassed from ebbing and flowing for the space of thrée moneths togither, by a long tract néere to the English shore, to the great maruell of many, for either it flowed not at all, or else so little that it might not be perceiued. And after the earthquake, there followed such a season of foule weather, that the spring séemed to be changed into winter for scarse was there anie daie without raine, till the feast of the translation of S. Benet.
[Sidenote: Acts made to restraine presumptuous authoritie of the spiritualtie.]
[Sidenote: The popes collectors.]
[Sidenote: A shift by forbearing the name of legat.]
There were at this time diuerse ordinances decréed and enacted by waie of prohibition, to restreine the authoritie of spirituall persons, as that no ecclesiasticall iudge should determine in causes of anie temporall man, except touching causes of matrimonie and testaments. They were also prohibited to sue anie actions touching tithes, before anie spirituall iudge, and the writ whereby they were prohibited, was called an Indicauit. Sundrie other such ordinances were deuised, which for bréefenesse we omit. What spéed or answer so euer the messengers had that were sent to Rome with the letters deuised in the late parlement, truth it is, that the pope sent ouer into England such of his agents as gathered no small sums of monie amongst the cleargie, as one Marinus, and an other named Iohannes Anglicus a frier minor, the which were not intituled by the name of legats, to saue the priuileges which the king had, that no legat might come into the realme without his licence. The comming ouer of these men, bicause it was to gather monie, contented not manie mens minds, as well appeared in a parlement called at Oxford about reformation thereof, but yet notwithstanding it was there agréed, that the pope should haue eleuen thousand marks to be leuied amongst them of the spiritualtie, exempt persons and places reserued.
[Sidenote: The emperor of Constantinople commeth into England.]
[Sidenote: A cardinall c[=o]meth into England, receiuing an oth not to preiudice ye realme.]
[Sidenote: The kings halfe brethren came to sée the king.]
[Sidenote: The cardinall maketh shift for monie.]
About the same time, Baldwine naming himselfe emperour of Constantinople, came againe into England, to procure some new aid of the king, towards the recouerie of his empire, out of the which he was expelled by the Gréekes. ¶ Also, there arriued in England a cardinall that was bishop of Sabine, hauing first receiued an oth, that he came not for anie hurt to the king or his realme, for otherwise being a legat he might not be suffered to enter the land: he came this waie to passe ouer into Norwaie, whither he went to crowne and annoint Hacon king of that realme. There arriued here with him the thrée halfe brethren to the king, Guy de Lucignan, William de Valence, & Athelmare a préest, with their sister Alice. All these were begotten by Hugh Brun earle of March, of quéene Isabell the kings mother, and were therefore ioifullie receiued of the king, with faithfull promise, that he would be to them a beneficiall good brother, which his saiengs with effectuall déeds he after fullie performed. The cardinall hauing saluted the king, tooke leaue of him and came to Lin, where he staied at the point of thrée moneths, making such purchase amongst religious men, that what by procuracies and other shifts, he got as was thought, a foure thousand marks towards his charges, and so departed. Edmund Lacie earle of Lincolne, and Richard de Burgh, as then wards to the king, were married vnto two of those yoong ladies of Prouance, which Peter de Sauoy earle of Richmond brought ouer with him, whereat manie of the English nobilitie grudged.
[Sidenote: William de Valence marrieth lord Montch[=e]cies daughter.]
[Sidenote: Gaston de Bierne maketh war against the kings lieutenant.]
[Sidenote: Préests of the prouince of Canturburie suspended.]
[Sidenote: Sir Fouke de Newcastell the kings coosen by his mother departeth this life.]
Also, about the thirtéenth of August, the ladie Ione daughter to the lord Guarine de Montchencie, was married vnto William de Valence the kings halfe brother. The same ladie was heire to hir fathers lands, by the death of hir brother the sonne of the said lord Guarine. Sir William de Bueles knight a Norman borne, was made seneshall of Gascoigne about this season, and was sore vexed with wars by Gaston the sonne of the countesse of Bierne and others, which Gaston shewed himselfe verie vnthankefull, for the king had giuen both to him and to his mother (a woman of a monstrous stature) verie large interteinement to serue him in his wars at his last being in that countrie (as before ye haue heard.) The archbishop of Canturburie suspended the préests of his prouince, bicause they would not consent (according to the grant which he had purchased of the pope) that he should haue the first fruits for one yeare, of euerie benefice that chanced to be vacant within the same prouince. The earles of Cornewall and Penbroke got much monie by waie of a collection, towards the reliefe of the warres in the holie land, hauing purchased of the pope certeine buls of indulgence for the same. Sir Fouke de Newcastell a valiant knight, and coosen germane to the king on the mothers side died at London, during the time of the parlement.
[Sidenote: Pardon granted by bishops.]
On the thirtéenth of October was a portion of the holie bloud of Christ (as it was then supposed) shewed in most reuerent wise in a solemne procession, for the king comming to the church of S. Paule in London, receiued there the same bloud conteined in a christalline glasse, the which he bare vnder a canopie supported with four staues, through the stréets, vnto the abbeie church of Westminster. His armes were also supported by two lords as aids to him all the waie as he went. The masters of the Templers and Hospitallers had sent this relike to the king. To describe the whole course and order of the procession and feast kept that daie, would require a speciall treatise. But this is not to be forgotten, that the same daie the bishop of Norwich preached before the king in commendation of that relike, pronouncing six years and one hundred and sixtéene daies of pardon, granted by the bishops there present, to all that came to reuerence it.
[Sidenote: Knights made.]
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 32.]
[Sidenote: The earle of Winchester besieged in Galloway by his owne tenants.]
Also the same daie and in the same church, the king made his halfe brother William de Valence, and diuerse other yoong bachelors, knights. Vnto the said William de Valence, for his further aduancement and maintenance, he gaue the castell of Hertford, and the honor therto belonging, with great treasure: & to the elder brother Guy de Lucignan, which about the same time returned into France, he gaue verie great and honorable gifts, lading his sumpters with plate and treasure of sterling monie, which in those daies in all countries was verie much estéemed. The earle of Winchester remaining in Gallowaie, where he had faire possessions in right of his wife, was besieged of his owne tenants, within a castell wherein he lodged, and being in danger either to die through famine, or else at the discretion of the enimies, he burst forth, and making way with his sword, escaped, and comming to the king of Scots, complained of the iniurie doone to him by his people, wherevpon the king tooke such order, that the rebels were punished, and the earle set in quiet possession of his lands againe.
[Sidenote: William earle Ferrers departeth this life.]
[Sidenote: 1248.]
[Sidenote: The countesse of Prouance commeth into England.]
[Sidenote: A parlement.]
Toward the latter end of Nouember, William earle Ferrers & of Derbie departed this life, a man of great yeares and long troubled with the gout, a iust man and a peaceable. The same moneth the countesse his wife died also, a woman of yeares, vertue and fame like to hir husband: Thomas Becket the archbishop of Canturburie did minister the priests office at their marriage. Their eldest sonne William succéeded his father in the earledome, a good man and a discréet, but vexed with the gout verie pitifullie, hauing that disease also as it were, by inheritance from his father. There died likewise other of the nobilitie, as Richard de Burgh, and William Fitz Ham. Beatrice the countesse of Prouance mother to the quéene and Thomas de Sauoy late earle of Flanders, came into England to visit the king and quéene and were honorablie receiued, and at their departure backe towards home, richlie rewarded. This yeare in the octaues of the Purification, a parlement was holden at London, where all the nobilitie of the realme in manner was present. There were nine bishops, as the archbishop of Yorke, with the bishops of Winchester, Lincolne, Norwich, Worcester, Chichester, Elie, Rochester and Carlell, with the earles of Cornewall, Leicester, Winchester, Hereford, Northfolke, Oxford, Lincolne, Ferrers, and Warwike, with Peter de Sauoy earle of Richmond, besides lords and barons. The archbishop of Canturburie was at the court of Rome, & the bishop of Duresme was letted by sicknesse.
[Sidenote: A subsidie demanded.]
[Sidenote: _Polydor._]
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]
[Sidenote: The king charged for his immoderate inriching of strangers.]
[Sidenote: The parlem[=e]t proroged.]
In this parlement king Henrie earnestlie required a subsidie, in reliefe of the great charges which he had diuerse waies susteined, wherevpon he was streightwaies by the péeres of the realme noted both of couetousnesse, vnthankfulnesse, and breach of promise, bicause he neuer ceassed gathering of monie, without regard had to his people: and where he had promised manie things, as that he would not be burdenous vnto them, and such like; he had performed verie little of those his gaie promises. Manie misdemeanors, and wrongfull dooings, to the gréeuance of his people were opened and laid before him, as cherishing and inriching of strangers, & vsing his prerogatiues too largelie, to the great decaie & hinderance of the common-wealth. The king abashed herewith, and supposing that the confession of his fault should make amends, & aswage the displesure which his Nobles and other had conceiued at his misgouernance, to content them all with one answer, he promised that he would reforme all that was amisse, and so quieting the minds of his barons, the parlement was proroged till the quindene of the natiuitie of S. Iohn Baptist. Wherein his prudence and wisedome was to be commended, but his patience deserueth excéeding great praise, whereby he shewed himselfe princelike-minded, in that he could tollerate the exprobation and casting of his faults in his face, euen by such as should rather haue concealed than disclosed them: wheras it had stood with his roialtie to haue giuen them the counterchecke, and in angrie mood to haue tamed their malapertnese: but that he prouidentlie considered that
----parit ira furorem, Turpia verba furor, verbis ex turpibus exit Rixa, ex hac oritur vulnus, de vulnere lethum: ----patientia virtus, Qua quicúnq; caret, careat probitate necesse est. Qui nil ferre potest, hominum commercia vitet.
[Sidenote: An ordinance for monie.]
[Sidenote: Inquirie made for washers & clippers of monie.]
About the same time, by reason that the sterling monie was generallie so clipped, that the inscription was cut off for the most part euen to the inner circle, a proclamation was set foorth, that no péeces thereof should passe from one to an other, nor be receiued as currant and lawfull monie, except the same were of iust weight and fashion. Herewith also inquirie was made for those that had so defaced it, and sundrie Iewes bankers, and cloth-merchants of Flanders were found giltie. Also, the French king caused serch to be made within his realme for the same offendors, and such as were found giltie, were hanged, so that he was more seuere in punishing those falsifiers of the king of Englands coine, than the king of England was himselfe.
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]
[Sidenote: The parlem[=e]t dissolued.]
[Sidenote: The king driuen to sell his plate.]
The parlement began againe at the day appointed, but nothing to accompt of was then concluded, but rather a displeasure kindled betwixt the king and his barons, for that they looked for a reformation in his dooings, and he for monie out of their coffers, which would not be granted, and so that parlement brake vp. The king herevpon for want of monie, was driuen to so hard a shift, that he was constreined to sell his plate and iewels (which the Londoners bought) so much to his hinderance, that diuers péeces (the workemanship whereof was more woorth than the value of the stuffe) were sold notwithstanding after the rate as they weied.
[Sidenote: S. Edwards faire at Westminster.]
This yeare, the king caused a faire to be kept at Westminster at saint Edwards tide, to indure for fiftéene daies, and to the end that the same should be the more haunted with all manner of people, he commanded by proclamation, that all other faires, as Elie, and such like holden in that season, should not be kept, nor that any wares should be shewed within the citie of London, either in shop or without, but that such as would sell, should come for that time vnto Westminster: which was doone, not without great trouble and paines to the citizens, which had not roome there, but in booths and tents, to their great disquieting and disease, for want of necessarie prouision, being turmoiled too pitifullie in mire and dirt, through occasion of raine that fell in that vnseasonable time of the yeare. The bishop of Elie complained sore of the wrong doone to him by suspending his faire at Elie aforesaid.
[Sidenote: Sir Richard Sward deceasseth.]
[Sidenote: Death of bishops.]
[Sidenote: An eclipse.]
[Sidenote: Newcastell burnt by casuall fire.]
[Sidenote: The archb. of Cant. curseth.]
Sir Richard Sward died this yeare, after he had laien a long time vexed with the palsie, which sir Richard had in his daies béene a right worthie and famous knight. There died also the bishops of Bath and saint Dauids. In the first day of Iune, the moone immediatlie vpon the setting of the sunne, was almost wholie eclipsed, so that little of hir might appeare. The towne of Newcastell vpon Tine was almost whollie consumed with fire, togither with the bridge there. The archbishop of Canturburie remaining still with the pope by his procurator the deane of Beauueis, denounced all them accurssed which went about to impeach him of receiuing the first fruits of benefices that voided, which he had by the popes grant, the king and quéene, with their children, and the kings brother the earle of Cornewall onelie excepted out of that cursse.
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 33.]
[Sidenote: An erthquake.]
[Sidenote: 1249.]