Part 20
This yeare after S. Lukes daie, the king assembled a great number of the nobilitie at London, and thither came the bishop of Bologna la grasse from the pope, bringing with him a ring, with the which he inuested Edmund the kings sonne king of Sicill and Naples. About the same time, the burgesse of Darbie obteined of the king for a summe of monie to haue the iustices itinerants to hold their assises at Darbie for the countie of Darbie, and likewise the shiriffes to kéepe their tournies there, and not at Nothingham, as before they had béene accustomed for both the shires. But now to returne to the bishops.
[Sidenote: The councell proroged.]
[Sidenote: The K. lieth in wait for mens goods.]
In the meane time, the bishop of Hereford and Ruscand sought to set variance and discord amongst the English prelats, whereby being diuided in parts, and not consenting togither, they should be lesse able to giue true information to the pope, how the verie truth rested. But finallie, bicause the archbishop of Canturburie was in the parts beyond the sea, and for that also the sée of Yorke was vacant, and diuerse bishops were absent, the councell was proroged till the feast of S. Hilarie, and so they departed euerie man to his home in a maruellous doubt what waie were best for them to take, sith they saw themselues in great distresse, if Ruscand did suspend or excommunicate any of them either iustlie or otherwise. For sure they were, that the king as a lion lieng in wait whome he might deuoure (to get monie) after fortie daies were past, if they submitted not themselues, would spoile them of all their goods as forfeited. So that the pope and the king séemed as though the shéepheard and woolfe had béene confederate togither to the destruction of the poore flocke of shéepe, threatning euerie mans vndooing, to their owne inriching: and not ceasing, till with fulnesse they were forced to fall from the flesh, much like bloudsucking horsléeches of whose nature it is notablie noted, that
Non missura priùs carnem, quàm plena cruoris, Quando hæret teneræ mollis hirudo cuti: Sic ignara dolis emungitur ære caterua, Imbelles populi quid nisi præda manent?
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]
[Sidenote: The Lord Gray forsaketh the court.]
Thus by reason of couetous gréedinesse to get monie for the furnishing of the popes warres against Manfred king of Sicill, both the pope and the king of England ran in slander and hatred of the English nation, namelie, of the spiritualtie, so that such as recorded the acts and dooings of that time, spared not to make manifest to the world by their writings, how iniuriouslie they were handled, blaming the practises of the court of Rome in plaine terms, and affirming that the pope had power in those things which worke to edification, and not to destruction. About this season, Iohn lord Grey, being one of the chéefe councellors to the king, a right honourable knight, and for his good demeanor and high valiancie greatly commended of all, withdrew himselfe from the court, either by reason of age that desireth rest, or rather (as was thought) for that he doubted to beare blame for such errors as were dailie committed by them that bare rule about the king, which could not but bring the authors into great infamie at length, and therefore was he loth to be partaker with them of such slander as might haue redounded to him also, if he had still continued and taried amongst them.
[Sidenote: Iewes accused & executed for crucifieng a child at Lincolne named Hugh.]
[Sidenote: Eightéene Iews hanged.]
Also, vpon the two and twentith of Nouember, were brought vnto Westminster a hundred and two Iews from Lincolne, that were accused for the crucifieng of a child in the last summer, in despight of Christes religion. They were vpon their examination sent to the towre. The child which they had so crucified was named Hugh, about an eight yeares of age. They kept him ten daies after they got him into their hands, sending in the meane time vnto diuerse other places of the realme, for other of their nation to be present at the crucifieng of him. The murther came out, by the diligent search made by the mother of the child, who found his bodie in a well, on the backe side of the Iews house, where he was crucified: for she had learned, that hir sonne was lastlie séene plaieng with certeine Iews children of like age to him, before the dore of the same Iew. The Iew that was owner of the house, was apprehended, and being brought before sir Iohn de Lexinton, vpon promise of pardon, confessed the whole matter. For they vsed yearelie (if they could come by their preie) to crucifie one christian child or other. The king vpon knowledge had hereof, would not pardon this Iew that had so confessed the matter, but caused him to be executed at Lincolne, who comming to the place where he should die, opened more matter concerning such as were of counsell and present at the crucifieng of the poore innocent. Wherevpon at length also eightéene of them that were so brought to London, were conuinced, adiudged and hanged, the other remained long in prison.
[Sidenote: 1256.]
[Sidenote: The prolocutors answer to the popes legat.]
[Sidenote: The prelats appeale.]
[Sidenote: Marke the cause of martyrdome.]
When the feast of saint Hilarie was come, the cleargie met againe at London, and fell to intreat of their former businesse, at what time one maister Leonard aliàs Reignold that was chosen prolocutor for all the prelats, amongst other answers made to the legat Ruscand, when the same Ruscand alledged that all churches were the popes; "Truth it is," said Leonard, "to defend, and not to vse and appropriate them to serue his owne turne; as we saie, that all is the princes, meaning that all is his to defend, and not to spoile: and such was the intent of the founders." Ruscand sore offended herewith, said, he would that euerie man should speake afterwards for himselfe, that as well the pope as the king might vnderstand what euerie man said in their businesse and matters. The prelats were striken in a dumpe herewith, for they perceiued how the matter went: they appealed yet against the demands that were made by Ruscand, who would not change a word of that he had written, in which was conteined, that the prelats had acknowledged themselues to haue borrowed of the merchant strangers, no small summes of monie, and the same to be conuerted to the vse of their churches, which was most vntrue as all men well vnderstood: wherevpon the prelats affirmed, and not without reasonable cause, that there was a greater occasion in this cause of martyrdome, than in that of Thomas sometime archbishop of Canturburie.
[Sidenote: The deane of saint Paules sent to Rome on the behalfe of the prelats.]
Ruscand at length, perceiuing their manner, became somewhat more mild, and promised that he would talke with the pope of this matter. But first there was sent to Rome the deane of Pauls in London, and certeine others, as attornies or agents for the whole cleargie of England. These sped so in their suit, that the pope tooke order that if the prelats paid the monie by force of the contriued writings, whereby they stood bound for them, their houses, and churches; then, to ease their burthen, they might reteine in their hands such parcell of tenths as they ought to paie to the king, for furnishing of his wars against the Saracens, amounting to the summe which they should be constreined to paie for the bonds made to the merchants, by the bishop of Hereford (as before is recited.)
[Sidenote: Mens deuotion towards the pope waxeth cold.]
In this season the deuotion, which manie had conceiued of the pope and the church of Rome, began to wax cold, reputing the vertue which he shewed at his entring into the papasie, to be rather a colourable hypocrisie, than otherwise, sith his procéedings answered not to his good beginnings: for as it was manifest, where sutors brought their complaints into the court of Rome, such sped best as gaue most bribes, and the two priors of Winchester, the one expelled, and the other got in by intrusion, could well witnesse the same: and all the world knoweth that the viperous generation of Romanists, reckoning from the ringleader to the simplest shaueling, haue made gaine the scope of their holinesse, and as it is truelie said,
[Sidenote: _Antith. de precl. Christi, &c._]
Quæ libet arripiunt, lucri bonus est odor ex re Qualibet, imponunt, hos scelus omne iuuat: Accipiunt quoduis, si non sonat ære crumena, Siue siligo adsit, sordida siue pecus, &c.
[Sidenote: The b. of Salisburie departeth this life.]
[Sidenote: Suit of court when it was first receiued for a law.]
This yeare died William of Yorke bishop of Salisburie, which had béene brought vp in the court, euen from his youth. This bishop first caused that custome to be receiued for a law, whereby the tenants of euerie lordship are bound to owe their suit to the lords court, of whom they hold their tenements.
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]
[Sidenote: Magnus king of Man.]
In the feast of Easter this yeare, the king adorned Magnus king of Man, with the order of knighthood, and bestowed vpon him great gifts and honors. ¶ The countesse of Warren Auesia or Atesia (as some bookes haue) sister to the king by his mother, departed this life in hir flourishing youth, vnto the great griefe of hir brother, but speciallie of hir husband Iohn earle of Waren that loued hir intierlie. ¶ About the midst of Maie, the Iewes that were in the towre, and in other prisons for the murther of the child at Lincolne, and had béene indited by an inquest vpon the confession of him that had suffered at Lincolne, were now dismissed and set at libertie, to the number of foure and thirtie of them. ¶ In Whitsuntide was holden a great iusts at Blie, where the lord Edward the kings eldest sonne first began to shew proofe of his chiualrie. There were diuerse ouerthrowen and hurt, and amongst other William de Longspée was so brused, that he could neuer after recouer his former strength.
[Sidenote: A proclamation for knighthood.]
[Sidenote: A sore tempest of wind and raine.]
The king caused a proclamation to be set foorth, that all such as might dispend fiftéene pounds in lands, should receiue the order of knighthood; and those that would not or could not, should paie their fines. This yeare, thrée daies after the feast of S. Ciricus, a maruellous sore tempest of wind, raine, haile, and thunder chanced, that did excéeding much hurt. Mill-whéeles by the violence of waters were carried away, and the wind-milles were no lesse tormented with the rage of wind. Arches of bridges, stackes of haie, houses that stood by water sides, and children in cradels were borne awaie, that both woonderfull and no lesse pitifull it was to sée. At Bedford the riuer of Ouse bare downe six houses togither, and did vnspeakeable hurt thereabouts.
[Sidenote: The king of Scots commeth into England.]
[Sidenote: Iohn Mansell feasted the two kings.]
Alexander the third king of Scots with his wife quéene Margaret, came about the beginning of August into England, and found the king at his manor of Woodstoke, where he solaced him a season, and had the lands of the earle of Huntington restored vnto him, which his grandfather king William in his time lost and forfeited. Here he did homage to king Henrie. Upon the daie of the decollation of S. Iohn, the two kings with their quéenes came to London, where they were honorablie receiued, and so conueied vnto Westminster. On the day of S. Augustine the bishop, being the eight and twentith of August, Iohn Mansell the kings chapleine besought the two kings, and other states, to dine with him on the morrow following, which they granted, and so he made a maruellous great dinner. There were seuen hundred messes serued vp, but the multitude of ghests was such, that scarse the same sufficed; his house was not able to receiue them all, and therefore he caused tents and booths to be set vp for them. The like dinner had not béene made by any chapleine before that time. All those that came were worthilie receiued, feasted and interteined, in such sort, as euerie man was satisfied.
[Sidenote: Orders deuised for the appearance of shiriffes.]
[Sidenote: The shiriffes fined.]
[Sidenote: The king of Scots returneth into his countrie.]
About foure daies before the feast of S. Edward, K. Henrie came into the excheker himselfe, & there deuised order for the appearance of shiriffes, and bringing in of their accompts. At the same time also, there was fiue marks set on euerie shiriffes head for a fine, bicause they had not distreined euerie person that might dispend 15 pounds land, to receiue the order of knighthood, as was to the same shiriffes commanded. The king of Scots, after he had remained a while with the king of England, returned backe into Scotland, and left his wife behind with hir mother till she should be brought to bed, for she was as then great with child.
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 41.]
[Sidenote: Richard earle of Cornewall elected emperour.]
[Sidenote: 1257.]
[Sidenote: The great treasure of Richard king of Almaine.]
In the 41 yeare of the reigne of king Henrie, his brother Richard earle of Cornewall was elected emperour, by one part of the Coruosters: and diuerse lords of Almaine comming ouer into this land (vpon the daie of the innocents in Christmasse) presented vnto him letters from the archbishop of Colen, and other great lords of Almaine, testifieng their consents in the choosing of him to be emperour, and withall, that it might stand with his pleasure to accept that honor. Finallie, vpon good deliberation had in the matter, he consented therevnto: whervpon the lords that came with the message, being right glad of their answer, returned with all spéed to signifie the same vnto those from whom they had béene sent. The treasure of this earle Richard now elected king of Almaine, was estéemed to amount vnto such a summe, that he might dispend euerie day a hundred marks, for the terme of ten yeares togither, not reckoning at all the reuenues which dailie accrewed to him of his rents in Almaine and England.
[Sidenote: The Welshmen choose them a gouernour, and rebell against the king.]
In this meane time the vnquiet Welshmen, after the death of their prince Dauid, chose in his stéed one Leolin, that was son to the same Griffin that brake his necke as he would haue escaped out of the towre of London; and herewith they began a new rebellion, either driuing out such Englishmen as laie there in garisons within the castels and fortresses, or else entring into the same by some traitorous practise, they slue those which they found within them, to the great displeasure of their souereigne lord Edward the kings eldest sonne, who coueting to be reuenged of their rebellious enterprises, could not bring his purpose to passe, by reason of the vnseasonable weather and continuall raine which fell that winter, so raising the waters & setting the marishes on flouds, that he could not passe with his armie.
[Sidenote: The king wanteth monie.]
[Sidenote: Sir Geffrey de Langlies hard dealing, cause of the Welshmens rebellion.]
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]
[Sidenote: The number of the Welsh enemies.]
[Sidenote: The Welshmen diuide their power into two parts.]
Moreouer, his father the king wanted monie and treasure to furnish him withall, howbeit prince Edward borrowed of his vncle erle Richard four thousand marks towards the maintenance of that war. The rebellion of the Welshmen speciallie rose by the hard dealing of sir Geffrey de Langlie knight, the kings collector amongst them, who handled them so streightlie, that in defense of their countrie, lawes, and liberties (as they pretended) they put on armour. They tooke and destroied the lands and possessions which were great and large, of Griffin Brunet, being fled for safegard of his life vnto the king of England. There were of those Welsh rebels at the point of twentie thousand men, and of them ten thousand were horssemen, the which perceiuing the season to make for their purpose, defended themselues so manfullie, that they droue backe prince Edward and his armie, & so continuing the wars, did much hurt to the English marishes. Their power so increased, that at length they diuided the same in two equall parts, the better to recouer vittels, and in either armie there were estéemed thirtie thousand armed men, after the maner of their countrie, of the which there were fiue hundred men of armes in either host, with barded horsses all couered in iron. Thus being of such puissance, they did much mischéefe to the Englishmen that inhabited on the marshes, neither were the lords marchers able to resist them, although the earle of Glocester aided the same lords all that he might.
[Sidenote: _Nic. Treuet._]
[Sidenote: Stephan Bauzan, aliàs Baucan.]
[Sidenote: Englishmen ouerthrowne.]
[Sidenote: Northwales and Southwales ioined togither in league.]
King Henrie being hereof aduertised, sent with all spéed Stephan Bauzan, a man skilful in feats of warre, with a great number of soldiers into Wales, against the rebels who comming into that countrie, and entring into the lands of a Welsh lord named Rise Vaughan, was intrapt by such ambushments as his enimies laid for him, and thereby was slaine with the more part of his armie. This ouerthrowe chanced by the treason of Griffin de Brunet, who at that present reuolting from the English side to his countrimen, instructed them in all things, how they might vanquish their enimies. At that time, Northwales and Southwales ioined in league and fréendlie amitie togither, which commonlie was not séene in those daies, they being for the more part at variance, the one rather séeking still how to indamage the other: but now in defense of their liberties (as they pretended) they agréed in one.
[Sidenote: The king passeth himselfe in person into Wales.]
[Sidenote: The lord Mortimer the kings lieutenant in Wales.]
[Sidenote: _Polydor._]
The king sore mooued herewith, determined to go himselfe into Wales, that he might take worthie punishment of those his aduersaries, that could neuer be sufficientlie chastised. Wherevpon raising a great power, he hasted foorth, and comming into Wales, put the rebels in such feare, that they withdrew to their accustomed places of refuge, I meane the woods and mareshes. The king would faine haue had them foorth, that he might haue punished them according to their deserts, and therefore to bring his purpose the better to passe, he sent for an armie of soldiers into Ireland, and tarried for their comming at the castell of Brecknoke, but the yeare was farre spent yer his people could be gathered, so that by the aduise of his lords he strengthened certeine castels, and so returned for that yeare into England, leauing the lord Roger Mortimer his lieutenant in Wales, to resist the rebels. But now let vs speake of other dooings which chanced in the meane while that the warres thus continued and lasted betwixt England and Wales.
[Sidenote: A legat from Rome.]
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]
[Sidenote: A new order of Friers.]
Yée shall vnderstand, that in the Lent season, the archbishop of Messina came as legat from the pope hither into England, with letters of procuration, to demand and receiue, and also with power, to punish such as should denie and séeme to resist, and so being here arriued with a great traine of seruants and horses, he sent foorth his commandements in writing to euerie prelat, to prouide him monie by way of proxie so that of the house of S. Albons, and of the celles that belonged therevnto, he had one and twentie marks, and when the moonks of S. Albons came to visit him in his house, they could not be permitted to depart, but were kept as prisoners, till they had satisfied his couetous demand: for whereas they alledged that they had not brought any monie with them, he asked them whie they were such beggers, and further said, "Send yée then to some merchant, that will lend you monie," and so it was doone: for otherwise they might not haue libertie to depart. This archbishop was of the order of the Friers preachers, in whome (saith Matthew Paris) we had hoped to haue found more abundant humilitie. About the same time, there appeared at London a new order of Friers, not knowen till those daies, hauing yet the popes autentike bulles, which they openlie shewed, so that there séemed a confusion of manie orders, as the same Matthew Paris recordeth, and bicause they were apparelled in sackecloth, they were called sacked Friers.
[Sidenote: A parlement.]
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]
About the middest of Lent, there was a great parlement holden, to the which the maisters of the Vniuersitie of Oxford were summoned, that peace might be concluded betwixt them and the bishop of Lincolne, which had them in suit about their liberties. There came to the same parlement, the earle of Glocester, and sir Iohn Mansell, latelie returned out of Almaine, where they had béene on ambassage from Richard the elect king of Almaine. Thither came also the same elect king of Almaine, and almost all the Nobilitie of the realme, so that scarse might the citie of London receiue the number that repaired to that parlement. The king of Almaine meant to take his leaue at that time of the lords and péeres of the realme, purposing shortlie after, to take his iournie towards Almaine, and to ordeine the bishop of London gouernor of all his lands and possessions within England.
[Sidenote: The lord Edmund the kings sonne.]
[Sidenote: A subsidie demanded.]
[Sidenote: The offer of ye spiritualtie.]
In this parlement, the lord Edmund the kings yoonger sonne was shewed as king of Naples and Sicill, for the obteining of the possession of which dominions and kingdoms, his father king Henrie demanded no small subsidie and aid of monie, both of the temporaltie and also of the spiritualtie, but namlie, he required to haue the tenths of spirituall mens liuings for the terme of fiue yeares, according to the new taxations without any deductions to be allowed except necessarie expenses: also, the fruits for one yeare of benefices that chanced to fall void within the said terme of fiue yeare. Moreouer, sundrie other duties he required to haue of the spirituall men, sore to their gréeuance, and speciallie, bicause they knew that such tyrannie first tooke beginning from the pope. In the end (though loth they were to consent) yet conditionallie that the king would confirme the liberties conteined in the great charter, and obserue the same throughlie, now after it had béene so manie times brought out and redéemed, they offered to giue him towards his instant necessitie two and fiftie thousand marks, to the irrecouerable danger of impouerishing the church. And yet, as it is said, the king refused the gift, as that which he thought not to be sufficient.