Part 21

¶ Truelie it should séeme, that there was a great vntowardlie disposition in the subiects of that time, for the helping of their king with necessarie aid of monie, towards such great charges as he had béene diuers waies occasioned to be at, since his first comming to the crowne. But bicause it was perceiued that he bestowed no small quantitie of his treasure to the aduancing of his kinsfolke and aliance, namelie strangers, and againe defraied great summes in vaine hope to obteine the kingdoms of both the Sicils which the pope offered to him fréelie inough in words, as before yée haue heard, the English subiects conceiued a great misliking of the whole gouernement, and namelie, for that he séemed to be led and ruled by the aduise and counsell of those strangers, who being not throughlie acquainted with the nature of the English people, nor fullie instructed in the lawes and customes of the realme, caused him to doo manie things, that procured both to him and them much ill will as well of the hie states as of the commons, which as occasion serued, they were readie inough to discouer, and therefore they were verie inquisitiue, both to learne what he receiued, and also in what sort he bestowed that which he did receiue and take.

It was therefore knowne, that since he first began to waste his treasure, his charges amounted vnto the summe of 950000 marks, as the bookes of accompts remaining in the hands of the clearks of his closet plainelie witnessed, and yet of all those vaine expenses no great aduantage was growne thereby to the king or realme, but rather disaduantage, as the most part of men then tooke it, and no maruell: for there was such hartburning amongst the nobilitie, one enuieng an others aduancement, & repining at each others dooings, that it was not possible to bring any good drift forward amongst men so far at ods togither. But we will let this passe as a thing manifest inough to them that shall well consider the course of that time, and will returne to the parlement aboue mentioned.

[Sidenote: The archbish. of Cullen and other ambassadors of Almaine.]

Before the end of this solemne assemblie of states, the archbishop of Cullen with a duke, & an other bishop came ouer out of Almaine, vnto their elect king Richard, to whome they did fealtie and homage, as to their souereigne liege lord and gouernor, which thing once doone, he gaue to the said archbishop fiue hundred marks to beare his charges, with a rich miter set with stones, & furnished with plates of beaten gold; which miter when the archbishop had set it vpon his head; "He hath (saith he) giuen a rich gift to me and to my church, and verelie, euen as I haue put this miter on my head, so will I set on his head the crowne of the kingdome of Almaine; he hath mitered me, and I will crowne him." The other lords of Almaine, which at the same time did homage vnto earle Richard, were also presented with great and rich gifts.

[Sidenote: Six archbish. present at London in time of the parlement.]

[Sidenote: The elect K. of Almaine taketh his leaue of the king his brother.]

[Sidenote: He landeth at Dordreigh.]

Héere is further to be noted, that there were present at this parlement six archbishops, Canturburie, Yorke, Dubline, Messina, Tarento and Cullen. The archbishop of Messina was come to the king to set him on dotage for the businesse about the conquest of Naples and Sicill. At the feast of Ester next following, the archbishop of Cullen returned into his countrie, and the third day after Easter, the elect king of Almaine tooke his leaue and departed toward Yarmouth, where he purposed to take the sea, to saile ouer into Almaine, but by reason of contrarie winds he was driuen to remaine there a long time, to his great gréefe and inestimable charges before he could passe ouer; yet finallie, about the latter end of Aprill, he got foorth to the sea, and landed at Dordreigh the first of Maie next insuing.

[Sidenote: A synod.]

[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]

About the same time, the archbishop of Canturburie called a synod of the bishops and abbats inhabiting within his prouince, that inuocating the grace of the Holie-ghost, they might foresée some redresse for reléefe of the English church, now in these late yeares sore disquieted by new oppressions, more gréeuous than had béene accustomed: for the king by counsell, or rather by the whispering of some flatterers and enimies to the realme, was so induced, that he permitted certeine euill customs, as thornie brembles to increase in the fruitfull garden of pleasure, and to choke vp the trées that brought foorth fruit in great plentie. Moreouer in this yeare, king Henrie caused the walles of the citie of London, which were sore decaied and destitute of turrets, to be repared in more séemelie wise than before they had béene, at the common charges of the citie.

[Sidenote: A decrée made by the pope.]

[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]

[Sidenote: The moonks of Durham that were exc[=o]municated are now absolued.]

[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]

There was an ordinance made at Rome by the pope and his cardinals (which verie diligentlie foresaw to aduance their temporall commodities, not much passing for other mens aduantages) that euerie one which should be chosen an exempt abbat, should come to the court of Rome to be there confirmed, and receiue the popes blessing, by which heinous ordinance, religion was laid open to great danger, and the church depriued of temporall prosperitie (as saith Matthew Paris) for by this means (saith he) it was néedfull for religious men, to choose to their gouernour a man not religious, but rather halfe temporall, and such a one as to whome rather Iustinians lawes than Christes which conuerteth soules should be familiar. The moonks of Durham, who onlie with the canons of Gisborne resisted the wicked procéedings of the popes exactors, and stood therefore interdicted a long time, at length, after manie altercations, were absolued. Oh (saith Matth. Paris) if in that their tribulation they might haue had fellows, and in their constant doings aidors, how happilie had the church of England triumphed ouer hir tormentors and oppressors!

You haue heard how Richard earle of Cornewall being elected king of Almaine, sailed thither, where on the Ascension day last, he was crowned king by the archbishop of Cullen, of whom, and diuerse other great princes of Germanie he was holden for their lawfull king and gouernour (as in the Dutch histories you may find more largelie expressed) though other of them had chosen Alfonse king of Castile, the which Alfonse wrote to the king of England, as his confederate and alie, requiring aid of him against the said Richard that was his owne brother, to the which vnreasonable request the king would in no wise consent.

[Sidenote: _Fabian._]

[Sidenote: An information against the lord maior of London.]

[Sidenote: The lord maior and shiriffes of London discharged.]

[Sidenote: The lord maior and shiriffes fined.]

Moreouer, in this fortie one yeare of king Henries reigne, by reason of a roll closed in gréene wax and found in the kings Wardrobe at Windsor, conteining as it were an information against the maior and shiriffes of London, for oppression and wrongs doone to the communaltie of the citie, the king tooke great displeasure, and caused streit inquisition to be made, as well by Fouke Moots, as Ward Moots, & diuerse other means. At length, the maior and shiriffes, with the chamberlaine of the citie, were discharged by Iohn Mansell, one of the kings iustices, afore whom and other the kings councell, the inquisition was taken, and then was the custodie of the citie assigned vnto the constable of the tower, and in place of the shiriffes were appointed Michaell Tonie, and Iohn Audrian. At length, the maior, shiriffes and Aldermen that were accused, perceiuing the kings displeasure towards them, submitted themselues wholie to his mercie, sauing to them and to all other the citizens their liberties & franchises, and so in the excheker chamber at Westminster afore the king, there sitting in iudgement vpon the matter, they were condemned to paie their fines for their offenses committed, and further, euerie of them discharged of his ward and office. Shortlie after was William Fitz Richard by the kings commandement made maior, and Thomas Fitz Thomas, and William Grapisgate shiriffes.

[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]

[Sidenote: The archbish. of Yorke accursed.]

[Sidenote: The constancie of the archbishop of Yorke.]

The archbishop of Yorke was accurssed by the popes commandement through all England, with booke, bell and candle, that by such terror his constancie might be weakened. But the archbishop (saith Matthew Paris) informed by the example of Thomas Becket, and by the example and doctrine of saint Edmund sometime his instructor, and also taught by the faithfulnesse of blessed Robert, late bishop of Lincolne, despaired not of comfort from heauen, in bearing patientlie the popes tyrannie; neither would he bestow the wealthie reuenues of his church vpon Italians, being vnworthie persons and strangers; neither would he obeie and incline to the popes will like a faint-harted person, by leauing and setting apart the rigor of the law, least thereby he might séeme to result from his pastorlike office, and animate the woolfe of Rome to breake into the shéepfold of the church, whose purpose was to sucke the verie bloud quite and cleane out of euerie veine, yea to bite out bowels and all. Which qualitie to rest in him, wofull experience hath taught, and the testimonie of written verities hath shewed, among which this one for the truth thereof is worthie to be reported euen to the praise of the deuiser for his prettie deuise therein comprised, and here set downe as fit for the purpose:

Non pontifex sed potifex, Non potifex sed panifex, Non panifex sed carnifex, Est papa pater pontifex.

[Sidenote: The lord Audelie warreth vpon the Welshmen.]

[Sidenote: Ambassadors sent into France.]

[Sidenote: The marshes of Wales some impouerished.]

About the beginning of the two and fortith yeare of king Henries reigne, the lord Iames Audelie that had béene ouer with the king of Almaine, and was latelie returned home in companie of the lord Henrie, sonne to the said king (who came backe from his father about the feast of saint Michaell last past) vnderstanding how the Welshmen in his absence had burnt, wasted, and destroied his lands, possessions, and castels, which belonged vnto him in the confines of Wales, he meant to be reuenged of those injuries, and inuading them, he slue a great number of them, so reuenging the death of those his fréends, seruants and tenants, whome they before had murthered. The Welshmen were not so discouraged herewith, but that they brake vpon him out of their starting-holes and places of refuge through the marishes, and slaieng their enimies horsses, put them backe to their power, & ceassed not to doo what mischéefe they could, by spoiling, killing, and burning houses and castels where they might come vnto them, and so the realme of England was dailie put to losses & hinderances. For out of Wales, England was accustomed to be furnished with horsses, cattell, and other things, to the great profit of both the countries. About the same time there was an ambassage sent from the king of England to the French king by the bishop of Worcester, the elect of Winchester, the abbat of Westminster, the earle of Leicester, & Hugh Bigod earle Marshall, with Peter de Sauoy, and Robert Walcron. The effect of their message was to require restitution of those countries, lands, cities, and townes which had bene euicted out of the hands of king Iohn and others, apperteining by right of inheritance to the king of England. These lords did their message, but as was thought, they had no towardlie answer, but rather were put off with trifling words & scornefull tawnts, so that they returned shortlie again all of them, the abbat of Westminster onelie excepted, who remained there behind for a fuller answer, not onelie to those requests exhibited on the part of the king of England, but also on the behalfe of the king of Almaine. The marshes towards Wales in this season were brought almost desert, by reason of the continuall wars with the Welshmen, for what with fire & sword, neither building nor liuing creature, nor any other thing was spared, that fire & sword might bring to ruine.

[Sidenote: A great dearth.]

[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]

[Sidenote: 1258.]

[Sidenote: The gréedie dealing of the Londoners to the hurt of the c[=o]mon-welth.]

In this yeare was an excéeding great dearth, in so much that a quarter of wheat was sold at London for foure and twentie shillings, whereas within two or thrée yeares before, a quarter was sold at two shillings. It had béene more déerer, if great store had not come out of Almaine, for in France and in Normandie it likewise failed. But there came fiftie great ships fraught with wheat and barlie, with meale and bread out of Dutchland, by the procurement of Richard king of Almaine, which greatlie reléeued the poore; for proclamation was made, and order taken by the king, that none of the citizens of London should buy any of that graine to laie it vp in store, whereby it might be sold at an higher price vnto the néedie. But though this prouision did much ease, yet the want was great ouer all the realme. For it was certeinelie affirmed, that in thrée shires within the realme, there was not found so much graine of that yeares growth, as came ouer in those fiftie ships. The proclamation was set foorth, to restreine the Londoners from ingrossing vp that graine, and not without cause: for the wealthie citizens were euill spoken of in that season, bicause in time of scarsitie they would either staie such ships as fraught with vittels were comming towards the citie, and send them some other way foorth; or else buy the whole, that they might sell it by retaile at their plesure to the néedie. By means of this great dearth and scarsitie, the common people were constreined to live vpon hearbs & roots, and a great number of the poore people died through famine, which is the most miserable calamitie that can betide mortall men, and was well marked euen of the heathen, but notablie by Ouid, who making a description of famine, setteth hir foorth in most ouglie and irkesome sort, intending thereby the dreadfulnes of that heauie plague, saieng:

[Sidenote: _Ouid. lib. 8. Meta. fab. 11._]

Quæsitámque famem lapidoso vidit in antro, Vnguibus & raris vellentem dentibus herbas, Hirtus erat crinis, caua lumina, pallor in ore, Labra incana situ, scabri rubigine dentes, Dura cutis, per quàm spectari viscera possent, Ossa sub incuruis extabant arida lumbis, Ventris erat pro ventre locus, pendêre putares Pectus & à spinæ tantummodo crate teneri, Auxerat articulos macies, genuúmque tumebat Orbis, & immodico prodibant tubere tali, &c.

[Sidenote: A parlement.]

[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]

[Sidenote: Hurtred, a messenger fr[=o] the pope.]

[Sidenote: The Welshmen spoile Penbrokeshire.]

This yeare after Easter a parlement was holden at London, in the which manie weightie matters were intreated of touching the kings causes, namelie, about the conquest of the realme of Naples, the pope having sent a messenger named Hurtred for the discharge of monie, which the pope had receiued of merchants, as it were to the kings vse, and entred bonds for the paiment thereof. Also, whereas the king was sore disquieted for the warre which the Welshmen made against him, he asked aduise of the states, how he might procéed to séeke his iust reuenge of them, who by reason of their good hap were become verie stout and loftie, and had of late by the expiring of a truce which had béene accorded betwixt them, spoiled and wasted the most part of Penbrokeshire, of which iniurie the earle of Penbroke, namelie William de Valence, sore complained.

[Sidenote: Variance betwixt the earle of Penbroke and others.]

But whereas the king knowing him to be rich, willed him to lay out some great portion of monie, towards the maintenance of his wars, the erle tooke great displeasure therewith, as though the king had made that request by the suggestion and setting on of some of the English lords, in somuch that words passed in displeasant sort betwixt him and the earles of Glocester and Leicester, so far foorth, that the earle of Penbroke called the earle of Leicester traitor, who therewith made towards him, to haue reuenged the iniurie, and so would haue doone indéed, if the king had not béene moderator betwixt them. Finallie at this parlement the lords told the king that they might not aid him with any great summes of monie, except it should redound to their great impouerishment: they told him also, that he had not doone wiselie to enter into couenants, for the purchase of the kingdome of Naples for his sonne, without their consents.

[Sidenote: The archbishop of Yorke depriued of his crosse.]

[Sidenote: Mansuetus the popes Nuncio.]

They also declared to him, what articles it should be good for him to propone vnto the pope, if he would haue him to continue in bearing the charges of the wars against Manfred. But when those articles were afterwards presented to the pope, he allowed them not, & so the matter remained without any certeine assurance of the promises, which had béene and still were from time to time made to set the king on dotage. The archbishop of Yorke had his crosse taken from him by the popes commandement, but the archbishop would not yet bow his knée vnto Baall, to bestow the benefices of his church vpon aliens, and such as were vnworthie persons, as it had béene to cast pearles vnto swine. ¶ There came from the pope as his Nuncio, vnto king Henrie, a frier minor named Mansuetus, furnished with great power and authoritie, in somuch that he tooke vpon him to absolue men for changing their vowes, and to iustifie those that were exc[=o]municated persons, false periured, and such like. Wherevpon, manie of euill disposition presumed to offend: for easinesse to purchase pardon bred boldnesse in manie, howbeit the wise séemed to laugh at such dooings.

[Sidenote: The parlement proroged.]

The parlement still continued, till the sundaie after the Ascension day, with hard hold betwixt the king and the lords, who laid it sore to his charge, that he had not performed the promises which he made touching the obseruing of the liberties conteined in the great charter. They also complained greatlie of his misgouernance, in that he so much aduanced the Poictouins and other strangers, to the impouerishment of himselfe, and the whole realme, and further, mainteined them so far foorth, that they were readie to offer wrong vnto other, vpon presumption of his favour and bearing with them, he hauing by commandement restreined that no processe should passe out of the chancerie against certeine of them that were his coosins, as the earle of Penbroke and others. Finallie, when the lords were in doubt which way to worke for their owne safeties, they caused the parlement to be proroged till the feast of saint Barnabe, then to begin againe at Oxford. In the meane time the lords of the realme, as the earles of Glocester, Leicester, Hereford and Northfolke, with other, did confederate themselues togither, bicause they stood in feare to be intrapped by the kings subtill sleights, and by the craftie wiles of those strangers whom he reteined against them.

[Sidenote: A late growth.]

[Sidenote: A dearth accompanied with a death.]

In the same yeare by the wind, which continuallie certeine months togither kept northerlie, the flours, with other growing things, were so hindered, that scarselie they appeared to anie purpose, till the most part of Iune was past, wherevpon the hope of receiuing the fruits of the earth was quite taken away, & so vpon the great dearth that happened, a sore death and mortalitie followed, for want of necessarie food to susteine the pining bodies of the poore people. They died so thicke, that there were great pits made in churchyards to laie the dead bodies in one vpon an other.

[Sidenote: Seuall archb. of Yorke departeth this life.]

[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]

[Sidenote: The kings halfe brethren.]

About the feast of the Ascension, Seuall the archbishop of Yorke departed this life, who constantlie had resisted the tyrannie of the court of Rome, in defense of his church, suffering in this world manie gréeuous tribulations, but now was remooued from thense vnto the kingdome of heauen, to be crowned with the elect for his good deseruings, as was then certenlie beléeued. About this time a great number of Poictouins were come into England, by reason of their aliance and coosinage to the king, the which by the kings fauour being highlie aduanced, began to wax proud thereof, and to require to be restored vnto such lands and liuings as before time they had possessed: namelie the kings halfe brethren, Athelmare or Odomare, that was a préest, with William, Geffrey and Guie, these were the sonnes of Hugh le Brun earle of Marsh, by his wife quéene Isabell, the mother of king Henrie, and being come into England, they shewed themselues verie loftie & high-minded, partlie, bicause of their coosinage to the king, & partlie by reason of his courteous interteining of them, insomuch that forgetting themselues, they began to despise (vpon a presumptuous pride) the English nobilitie, looking still for preferment of honor aboue all other. And surelie Odomare obteined at the first a great péece of his purpose, being made by the kings gift bishop of Winchester, and by that means bare a stout port, and greatlie holpe and mainteined his other brethren.

[Sidenote: _Insanum parliamentum._]

[Sidenote: The demand of the lords.]

The English barons not well able to suffer such presumption in strangers, who séemed to haue them in derision, complained to the king, in so much that at length, as well for a reformation hereof, as in other things, a parlement was called (as before you haue heard) first at London, and after reiorned to Oxenford, there to be assembled about the feast of saint Barnabe in the moneth of Iune. This (of some writers) is named Insanum parliamentum, that is to say, The mad parlement; for at this parlement (to the which the lords came with great retinues of armed men, for the better safegard of their persons) manie things in the same yeare enacted contrarie to the kings pleasure, and his roiall prerogatiue. For the lords at the first determined to demand the confirmation of the ancient charter of liberties, which his father king Iohn had granted, and he himselfe had so often promised to obserue and mainteine, signifieng plainelie, that they meant to pursue their purpose and intent herein, not sparing either for losse of life, lands or goods, according to that they had mutuallie giuen their faiths by ioining of hands, as the manner in such cases is accustomed. Besides the grant of the great charter, they required other things necessarie for the state of the common-wealth, to be established and enacted.

[Sidenote: Ordinances made.]

[Sidenote: An oth exacted of the king.]