Part 18

This yeare died sir Nicholas Samford knight, a man of great reputation and valiancie. Also on the twentith day of October, the countesse of Winchester daughter to the earle of Hereford departed this life at Grobie, a manour place belonging to hir husband the earle of Winchester, a little besides Leicester, and was buried at Braklie. The said earle shortlie after married an other wife in hope of issue. For neither by this his last wife, neither by his first that was daughter to the lord Alane de Galowaie had he any children. Also the same yeare, that noble ladie Margaret countesse of Lisle surnamed Riuers, somtime wife to Fouks de Brent, departed out of this world, about the second day of October. In the seauen and thirtith yeare of king Henries reigne, one of the popes notaries called Albert came into England to offer vnto Richard earle of Cornewall the kings brother, the kingdoms of Naples and Sicill. But the earle supposing it not to stand with his honour, to depriue his nephue Henrie, sonne to the emperor Frederike the second, by his wife the empresse Isabell that was sister to the said erle, refused to take that honour vpon him.

About the same time, that is to say, on the octaues of saint Martin, Boniface the archbishop of Canturburie arriued in England, comming from the court of Rome, where he had béene long resident. ¶ At the same time there chanced a great occasion of strife betwixt the said archbishop, and the bishop of Winchester. For where maister Eustace de Lin, officiall to the said archbishop had first excommunicated, and after for his contumacie caused to be attached a préest which by authoritie of the elect of Winchester as diocesane there, was entred into possession of an hospitall in Southwarke, as gouernour thereof, by the name of prior, without consent of the officiall: who pretended title as patrone in his maisters name. The said elect of Winchester caused a riotous sort of persons after the maner of warre to séeke reuenge hereof, the which after manie outrages doone, came to Lambeth, and there by violence tooke the said Eustace out of his owne house, and led him to Farnham, where he was kept as prisoner.

The archbishop thus serued at his first comming ouer, and taking the same but for a homlie welcome, was maruellouslie offended, and comming to London accompanied with the bishops of Chichester and Hereford, in the church of saint Marie bowe, being reuested in pontificalibus, pronounced all those accurssed, which were authours or fauourers of such a rash and presumptuous déed, and further commanded all the bishops within his prouince, by vertue of their obedience, to denounce the same in their churches euerie sundaie and holie day. The bishop of Winchester on the other part, sent commandement to the deane of Southwarke, to resist the archbishop to his face, and to denounce his cursse to be void, vaine, and of no force, but deuised of a craftie purpose and wicked meaning. The archbishop continuing in his conceiued displeasure, went to Oxenford, and there on the morrow after saint Nicholas day, renewed the same cursse in solemne wise before all the learned men, students, and scholers of the Vniuersitie.

[Sidenote: 1253.]

[Sidenote: The archb. of Canturburie and the bishop of Winchester made fréends.]

[Sidenote: William de Valence, and Iohn de Warren.]

[Sidenote: The value of spirituall liuings in strangers hands.]

Howbeit, at length the matter was taken vp betwixt them, for the king in his brothers cause, and the quéene for hir vncle the archbishop, tooke some paine to agrée them: and so in the octaues of the Epiphanie they were made fréends, and those absolued that were excommunicated, in which number William de Valence, and Iohn de Warren were thought to be conteined, as those that should be present in vsing the force against the officiall (as before ye haue heard.) By inquirie taken about this time by the diligence of the bishop of Lincolne, it was found that the yéerlie profits and reuenues of spirituall promotions and liuings resting in strangers hands preferred by the popes prouisions, amounted to the summe of thréescore and ten thousand marks, which was more by two third parts, than the kings reuenues belonging to his crowne.

[Sidenote: The new moone appeared before hir time.]

The earle of Glocester and the lord William de Valence went ouer into France in most triumphant manner, to conclude a marriage betwixt the sonne of the said earle of Glocester, and the daughter of the lord Guie of Engolesme. Which marriage the king had motioned for the affection which he bare towards the aduancement of his linage, by the mothers side. Whereat bicause they were strangers, the English nobilitie somewhat repined. And whereas like lustie yoong gentlemen they attempted a iusts and tornie to shew some proofe of their valiant stomachs, they were well beaten by the Frenchmen, that disdained to sée yoong men so presumptuous, to prouoke old accustomed warriours to the triall of such martiall enterprises. About the beginning of Lent, the new moone was séene foure daies before shée ought to haue appeared by hir due and common course.

[Sidenote: Running at the quintine.]

[Sidenote: The Londoners called Barons.]

The king by a shift got of the Londoners 1000 marks. For as it happened about the same time the youthfull citizens (for an exercise and triall of their actiuitie) had set foorth a game to run at the quintine, and whosoeuer did best, should haue a peacocke which they had prepared for a prise. Certeine of the kings seruants, bicause the court laie then at Westminster, came (as it were in spite of the citizens) to the game, and giuing reprochfull names to the Londoners (which for the dignitie of the citie and ancient priuileges which they ought to haue inioied were called barons) the said Londoners not able to beare so to be misused, fell vpon the kings seruants, and bet them shrewdlie, so that vpon complaint, the king caused the citizens to fine for their rash dooings. Wherein the Londoners followed the counsell of him that in a case of strife, said

Tu ne cede malis sed contra audentior ito, Audaces fortuna iuuat.

[Sidenote: The earle of Leicester resigneth his gouernment of Gascoigne.]

[Sidenote: The Rioll, S. Million, townes in Gascoignes.]

[Sidenote: Knights to be made.]

Moreouer, about the same time, the king vpon displeasure conceiued against the earle of Leicester, had caused him to resigne his office of the wardenship of Gascoigne: and bicause the earle had it by patent, the king not able to find any iust cause of forfeiture, agréed to paie vnto him for the resignation no small portion of monie. And whereas the Gascoignes had charged the earle with too much streict handling of them, whereby they were occasioned to raise tumults, the matter was now nothing at all amended. For after the earle had resigned, they continued still in rebellion, so that the Rioll with S. Millions and other places were taken by the aduersaries out of the kings hands, and great slaughter of people made in those parts: wherefore the king minding to go thither, caused musters to be taken, and men put in a redinesse according to the custome, that he might vnderstand what number of able men furnished for the warre were to be had. He also tooke order that euerie man that might dispend yéerlie fiftéene pounds in lands should be made knight.

[Sidenote: An ordinance against robbers.]

[Sidenote: The cause yt mooued the Gascoignes to rebellion.]

Moreouer, for the better preseruation of peace and quietnesse amongst his people, he appointed watch to be kept by night in cities and borough townes. And further by the aduise of the Sauoisines, which were about him, he ordeined that if any man chanced to be robbed, or by any meanes damnified by any théefe or robber, he to whom the kéeping of that countrie chéefelie apperteined where the robberie was doone, should competentlie restore the losse: and this was after the usage of Sauoy, but was thought more hard to be obserued here, than in those parts, where are not so manie bypaths and starting corners to shift out of the waie. ¶ The Gascoignes continued in their seditious dooings, and namelie Gaston de Bierne, who renouncing his dutie and obedience to the king of England ioined himselfe to the king of Spaine, through his helpe to be the stronger & more able to annoie the English subiects. The euill intreating vsed towards the Gascoignes which brought hither wines, in that the same were oftentimes taken from them by the kings officers, and other, without readie monie allowed for the sale, gaue occasion to them to grudge and repine against the king.

[Sidenote: A parlement.]

[Sidenote: A tenth granted of the spiritualtie. Escuage granted.]

[Sidenote: _Magna charta._]

In the quindene of Easter a parlement began at London, in which all the states being assembled, the matter was mooued for aiding the king with some reléefe of monie towards the iournie which he ment to make into the holie land: and so at length it was agréed that a tenth part of all the reuenues belonging to the church was granted to him for thrée yeares space, and that escuage should be leuied for that yeare, after thrée markes of euerie knights fée, and the king on the other part promised faithfullie to obserue and mainteine the grant of the great charter, and all the articles conteined within the same. For further assurance whereof, on the third day of Maie, in the great hall at Westminster, in the presence and by the assent of the king and the earles of Norfolke, Hereford, Oxford, Warwike, and other Noble men, by the archbishop of Canturburie as primate, and by the bishops of London, Elie, Lincolne, Worcester, Norwich, Hereford, Salisburie, Durham, Excester, Carliell, Bath, Rochester, and S. Dauies, reuested and apparelled in pontificalibus, with tapers, according to the maner, the sentence of excommunication was pronounced against all transgressors of the liberties of the church, and of the ancient liberties and customes of the realme of England, and namelie those which are conteined in the great charter, and in the charter of forrest.

[Sidenote: Godlie counsell no doubt.]

Whilest the sentence was in reading the king held his hand vpon his breast with glad and chéerefull countenance, and when in the end they threw awaie their extinct and smoking tapers, saieng, "So let them be extinguished and sinke into the pit of hell which run into the dangers of this sentence;" the king said, "So helpe me God, as I shall obserue and kéepe all these things, euen as I am a christian man, as I am a knight, and as I am a king crowned and annointed." But afterward when he through other counsell brake his promise therein, he was aduised by some to giue a portion of that monie which he got at this time, to the Pope, that he might of him be absolued.

[Sidenote: The king purposeth to go himselfe into Gascoigne.]

Immediatlie after the breaking vp of the parlement, that is to saie, about the first of Iune, the king being earnestlie called vpon by messengers sent from the Gascoignes to prouide in time for the defense and safegard of that countrie, sith otherwise he stood in danger to loose it, with all spéed he resolued to go thither; and therevpon caused summons to be giuen to all those that held of him by knights seruice, to prepare to be at Portesmouth, with horsse and armour in the octaues of the Trinitie. Herewith he made great prouision of ships, the which being assembled, and the armie likewise come togither, through lacke of conuenient wind he was inforced to stay a long time, to his great gréefe and no lesse charges.

[Sidenote: He taketh the sea.]

[Sidenote: He arriueth at Burdeaux.]

[Sidenote: Ambassadors sent into Spaine.]

Finallie, on the 6 of August he tooke the sea, leauing his brother the earle of Cornewall, and the quéene in charge with gouernance of the realme, and of his sonne the lord Edward. There departed with him from Portesmouth thrée hundred sailes of great ships, besides a number of other smaller vessels. And thus accompanied, he tooke his course to Gascoigne, & about our ladie day named hir Assumption, he arriued at Burdeaux, where he was of the citizens honorablie receiued. Immediatlie after his arriuall there, he caused the towne of the Rioll to be compassed about with a strong siege, within the which a great number of rebels were inclosed, which valiantlie defended the place in hope of rescue, which Gaston de Bierne that was fled to the king of Spaine had promised to procure for them. But the king of England to preuent them in that point, sent the bishop of Bath, and his trustie chapleine sir Iohn Mansell vnto the said king of Spaine, to conclude fréendship and aliance with him, so that the lord Edward his eldest sonne might marrie the king of Spaine his daughter.

[Sidenote: A marriage concluded betwixt the K. of Englands sonne & the K. of Spaines daughter.]

[Sidenote: A dearth in the kings campe.]

After long treatie, by the diligence of the said ambassadors, a full conclusion followed of their motion. And whereas the king of England had giuen and assigned the dominion of Gascoigne to his said sonne the lord Edward, the king of Spaine in the instrument that conteined the couenants of the marriage, resigned and quite claimed all the right and title within Gascoigne which he had or might haue by the gift of king Henrie the second, and by confirmation of the kings, Richard and Iohn. In this meane while, the townes and castels which the rebels held, were won and deliuered into the kings hands, and herewith followed a great dearth in the kings armie, so that a hen was sold for six pence sterling, a pound weight in bread was at two pence or thrée pence, a gallon of wine at two shillings, a coome of foure bushels of wheat at twentie shillings, so that a knight with his esquire, and coistrell with his two horsses, might scarse be competentlie found for two shillings in siluer. Wherefore the king to relieue his people there with him on that side the sea, sent the prior of Newbourgh with other into England, to cause prouision of vittels and other necessaries to be conueied and brought vnto him into Gascoigne, and so there was a great quantitie of graine and powdred flesh taken vp and sent awaie with all conuenient spéed.

[Sidenote: The Gascoigns begin to humble themselues.]

The earle of Leicester came to the king, bringing with him out of France where he had remained for a time a faire companie of souldiers and men of warre to the kings aid, and was verie courteouslie receiued. The Gascoignes then perceiued the kings power to increase, and saw how not onelie the castels wherein they trusted to haue refuge were woone and gotten out of their hands by the king of England, but also that their vines (wherein chéeflie consisted their hope of sustentation) were burned vp and destroied, they began to humble themselues, and so by little and little returned to their due obedience, after that the authors of their seditious tumults were either apprehended, or chased out of the countrie.

[Sidenote: The bishop of Chichester Richard Witz and Grosted b. of Lincolne depart this life.]

[Sidenote: The praise of Grosted.]

This yeare died Richard Witz the bishop of Chichester, a man of great vertue and singular knowledge. Also that famous clearke Robert Grosted bishop of Lincolne departed this life on the day of S. Denise in the night, at his manor of Bugdon, whose learning coupled with vertue and vprightnesse of life wan to him perpetuall commendation. He was a manifest blamer of pope and king, a reproouer of prelats, a corrector of moonks, a director of préests, an instructor of clearkes, a susteinor of scholers, a preacher to the people, a persecutor of incontinent liuers, a diligent searcher of the scriptures, a contemnor and a verie mallet of such strangers as sought preferment in this realme by the popes prouisions: in housekéeping liberall, in corporall refection plentifull, and in ministring spirituall food, deuout and godlie affected: in his bishoplike office diligent, reuerend, and neuer wearied: a singular example of a bishop, speciallie in those daies, and at whose life our reformed bishops may fetch light to abandon their darkenesse, and to amend that which is amisse in them, sith

[Sidenote: _Leo papa._]

Validiora sunt exempla quàm præcepta, Et pleniùs docemur vita quàm verbo.

[Sidenote: The L. Wil. Vescie departeth this life.]

[Sidenote: Great wet.]

[Sidenote: Great drout.]

[Sidenote: An. Reg. 38.]

[Sidenote: The ladie Katherin the kings daughter borne.]

Moreouer there died in Gascoigne, William de Vescie a baron of great fame in the north parts. Also in the spring and summer of this yeare was a great drought, and in the haruest season fell such wet, that great floods by the rising of the riuers, and ouerflowing their banks, did much hurt in sundrie places of the realme. Againe in the later end of haruest about Michaelmasse, there was eftsoones such a drought, that men could get no grinding at the milles, but were constreined to go in some places a daies iournie off, to haue their corne groond. In the eight and thirtith yeare of king Henries reigne, the quéene was deliuered of a daughter which was called Katherin, bicause the same was borne on saint Katherins daie.

[Sidenote: Winter thunder.]

[Sidenote: 1254.]

[Sidenote: The quéenes liberalitie towards the K. A strang sight in the aire.]

[Sidenote: Redborne.]

[Sidenote: A death of shéepe.]

On S. Lucies daie, there fell a great snowe, and withall a winters thunder, for a token of some euill to follow. The king to settle the state of the countrie of Gascoigne in better order, tarried there all the winter, and repared certeine decaied townes and castels. The quéene kept hir Christmasse at London, where she laie in child-bed, and was purified on the euen of the Epiphanie, making a roiall feast, at the which manie great lords were present, as the archbishop of Canturburie, the bishop of Elie, the earls of Cornewall and Glocester, and manie other. She sent ouer at the same time to hir husband for a new yéers gift the summe of fiue hundred marks of hir owne reuenues, towards the maintenance of his warres. On the euen of the Circumcision of our Lord, in the night season, whilest the aire was most cleare and bright with shining starres, the moone being eight daies old, there appeared in the element the perfect forme and likenesse of a mightie great ship, which was first séene of certeine moonks of saint Albons, who remaining at saint Amphibalus, were got vp to behold by the starres, if it were time for them to go to mattens; but perceiuing that strange sight, they called vp such of their acquaintance as lodged néere at hand, to view the same. At length it séemed as the bourds and ioints thereof had gone in sunder, and so it vanished awaie. There followed a maruellous sore later end of a winter, through cold and ouersharpe weather, which continued till the feast of S. Gregorie in March next insuing. Also there chanced the same yeare a great murren and death of shéepe and déere, so that of whole flocks and heards scarse the one halfe escaped.

[Sidenote: The king demandeth a subsidie.]

Whilest the king remained still in Gascoigne, he sent for his wife quéene Elenor, with his eldest sonne Edward, but bicause he could not make an end of all his businesse that winter, he continued there the summer also. And forsomuch as he stood in néed of monie, to haue some reasonable pretense to demand a subsidie, in the beginning of March, he sent to his brother Richard the earle of Cornewall (which was come ouer before chéefelie for that purpose) certeine instructions, to declare how there was like to follow great warre, by means of Alfonse the tenth of that name king of Castile, who manaced verie shortlie to inuade the confines of Gascoigne perteining to the English dominion, and therefore he required of his faithfull subiects some aid of monie, wherby he might be able to resist his aduersarie the said K. of Castile. Earle Richard did what he could to persuade the people to this paiment, but he cast his net in vaine before the face of the feathered foule, as the old prouerbe saith,

Apparens rete fugêre volucria quæq;.

For though he set forth the matter to the vttermost in the presence of the Nobles and other estates, yet would they not heare of anie paiment to be made, as those that smelled out the feined fetch and forged tale of the kings néed. For they had intelligence that there was an agréement concluded betwixt him and the king of Spaine. And for the same cause the quéene and the lord Edward were gone ouer, that the king of Spaine might haue a sight of him, as he had required, when the couenants of the marriage were accorded.

[Sidenote: The king offended with them that refused to helpe him with monie.]

[Sidenote: Edward the kings sonne is sent to the K. of Castile.]

The states of the realme were twise assembled at London about the grant of this paiment, but all in vaine; so that they were constreined to passe it ouer with silence, and to surceasse in the matter to their great gréefe, and namelie the earle of Cornewall, who had taken great paines therein. Yet for that he would not returne with emptie hand, he leuied by rigorous means a great summe of the Iewes (of whom a maine multitude inhabited at that season in London) and therewith returning to his brother king Henrie, shewed him how he had sped. The king was not a little offended with them that thus had denied to helpe him with monie, insomuch that vpon euerie light occasion, he was readie to reuenge his displeasure towards them, in taking awaie such grants of priuileges and liberties as before he had made. But now to auoid suspicion of his feined pretense of war betwixt him and king Alfonse, he sent his sonne Edward into Castile vnto the same Alfonse, vnder a color to compound with him for peace, wheras the verie occasion of his going thither, was to purchase him the ladie Elenor to wife, that was sister to the said king Alfonse.

[Sidenote: He marrieth the ladie Elenor daughter to K. Alfonse.]

[Sidenote: _Ran. Higd._]

[Sidenote: _Polydor._]

[Sidenote: Edward the kings sonne created prince of Wales, and earle of Chester.]

[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]

[Sidenote: Edmund the kings yoonger sonne created duke of Lancaster.]

At his comming to the court of Spaine, he was verie honorablie receiued of the king, and in the end, vpon conference had of his message, obteined his suit, so that king Alfonse was content to bestow vpon him his daughter in marriage, with the countie of Pontieu in France, which she held in right of hir mother quéene Ione, the second wife of Ferdinando the king of Castile, father vnto this king Alfonse, which Ione was the onelie daughter and heire of Simon earle of Pontieu, and had issue by hir husband the said Ferdinando two sonnes, Ferdinando and Lewes, with one daughter; to wit, the foresaid Elenor, the which by reason hir brethren died yoong, was heire to hir mother. The lord Edward hauing dispatched his businesse according to his desire, returned with a ioifull hart to his father, and declared to him what he had doone. His father most glad thereof, for an augmentation of honour, created him prince of Wales and earle of Chester, and appointed him to be his deputie and generall lieutenant both in Guien and in Ireland, and gaue to him the townes of Bristow, Stamford and Grantham. Hereof came it, that euer after the kings eldest sonne was made immediatlie vpon his birth prince of Wales and earle of Chester. He created also his other sonne named Edmund earle of Lancaster.

[Sidenote: Ships of a strange mold.]