Part 3

In the meane while also came the earle of Albemarle, who by the helpe & means of the archbishop of Yorke, and the legat Pandulph, purchased peace at the kings hands, the rather indéed bicause he had faithfullie serued both the king and his father king Iohn in their wars, before that time. All those men of armes & souldiers also, which had submitted themselues and remained as prisoners were pardoned. Which ouer-great clemencie caused other vnrulie persons to attempt the like offense of rebellion shortlie after. At the very selfe same time the Welshmen began to sturre, and vnder their prince and leader Leolin they entered vpon the English marshes, and with great crueltie spoiled and robbed the same, wherevpon it was determined by the councell, that the king (as he was comming toward the castell of Biham) should diuide his armie, and so he did, sending one part thereof against the Welshmen: whervpon Leolin, after he vnderstood that the kings power came toward him, as one not able to resist the same, cast off his armour, and submitted himselfe to his mercie.

[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]

[Sidenote: Reginald de Breuse.]

[Sidenote: Mountgomerie castle built.]

[Sidenote: Escuage paid.]

There be which write, that where prince Leolin had besieged the castell of Buet belonging to Reginald de Breuse, the same Reginald besought the K. to helpe to remooue that siege. The king contented with his request, came with a puissant armie into those parts, and therewith the siege was raised, for the Welshmen (according to their accustomed maner) fled. The king then entring further into the countrie, came to the place where Mountgomerie now standeth, and perceiuing the site of the same to serue well for fortification, he caused a castell to be builded there, to restreine the Welshmen from their accustomed trade of harrieng the countrie. And so after he had foraied those quarters, and taken order for the full accomplishment of that castell, he returned, the Nobles granting to him of euerie knights fée two markes of siluer.

[Sidenote: _Polydor._]

[Sidenote: K. Henrie requireth restitution of his right of the Fr[=e]ch king.]

Things being thus in quiet, the king (who by dailie experience of matters grew to more knowledge from time to time) began now of himselfe to order his affaires for his owne behalfe, namelie touching the estate of his kingdome: and bicause he was minded to assaie the recouerie of those places which his father had lost in France, he ordeined Sauerie de Mauleon to be his lieutenant in Guien, whereof a great part as yet remained in his hands, and moreouer sent ambassadours vnto the French king, requiring of him restitution of those places which he had taken from his father.

[Sidenote: The French kings answer.]

These oratours being come into France, and admitted to the kings presence, receiued answer, that nothing ought to be restored, which by law of armes was rightlie conquered: and other redresse at that time would none be granted. ¶ But a maruell it was to consider here at home, in how short a space the state of the English common-wealth was changed, and from a troubled fourme reduced to a flourishing and prosperous degrée: chiefelie by the diligent héed and carefull prouision of the king himselfe. So much auaileth it to haue him that ruleth, to attend that which belongeth to his office.

[Sidenote: _Matt. Westm._]

[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]

[Sidenote: Marriages concluded.]

[Sidenote: An. Reg. 6 1222.]

[Sidenote: A councell or synod at Oxford.]

[Sidenote: Two dissembling persons apprehended.]

[Sidenote: _Matt. Westm._]

[Sidenote: They are executed.]

[Sidenote: Two women counterfeiting themselues to be, the one our ladie, the other Marie Magdalene.]

[Sidenote: _Ralfe Cog._]

After this, to the intent that whiles he might be occupied in warres abroad, he should not be troubled with ciuill discord at home, he deuised to ioine in affinitie with the Scots, giuing his sister Ione in mariage vnto Alexander the king of Scotland, and Hubert of Burgh on the other side married the sister of the same Alexander called Margaret. These marriages were solemnized at Yorke on the morrow after the feast of S. Iohn Baptist, in the presence of a great number of the Nobles both of England and Scotland. A councell also was holden by the archbishop of Canturburie at Oxford for reformation of the state ecclesiasticall and the religion of moonks. ¶ In which councell two naughtie felowes were presented before him, that of late had béene apprehended, either of them naming himselfe Christ, and preached manie things against such abuses as the cleargie in those daies vsed. Moreouer, to prooue their errour to haue a shew of truth, they shewed certeine tokens and signes of wounds in their bodies, hands and féet, like vnto our sauiour Iesus that was nailed on the crosse. In the end being well apposed, they were found to be but false dissemblers, wherefore by doome of that councell, they were iudged to be nailed vnto a crosse of wood, and so those to whom the execution was assigned, had them foorth to a place called Arborberie, where they nailed them to a crosse, and there left them till they were dead. The one of them was an Hermophrodite, that is to say, both man and woman. Also there were two women condemned, of whom the one had taken vpon hir to be that blessed virgine Marie, and the other fained hir selfe to be Marie Magdalene.

Ralfe Coghshall sheweth this matter otherwise, and saith, that there were two men and two women brought before the archbishop at this councell, of the which one of the men being a deacon, was accused to be an apostata, & for the loue of a woman that was a Iew, he had circumcised himselfe: & being herof conuicted & disgraded, he was committed to the secular power, & so burnt by the seruants of Fouks de Brent. The other being a yoong man, was accused of contemning the sacraments of the church, & that he suffered himselfe to be crucified, hauing the prints of the fiue wounds appearing in his bodie, and counterfeiting himselfe to be Christ, reioised to haue the two women giue out and spread the rumour abroad, that he was Christ in déed, one of the which women being verie aged, was also accused of witcherie, hauing with hir sorcerie and witchcraft brought that yoong man vnto such wicked follie and madnesse. They two being hereof conuicted, were closed vp betwixt two walles, where they remained till they died, the other woman being sister to the yoong man, was pardoned and let go, bicause she had reuealed the diuelish practise of the other.

[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]

[Sidenote: _Matt. Paris._]

[Sidenote: _Matth. West._]

[Sidenote: A bell-wedder some saie.]

This yeare also was the building of the stéeple belonging to the church of S. Paule in London finished. And this yeare also vpon saint James day the citizens of London kept a plaie of defense and wrestling at the hospitall of saint James, against other their neighbours of the suburbes, and the quarters next adioining. In the end whereof it so fortuned, that the Londoners had the vpper hand: and amongst other that were put to the foile, the steward of the abbat of Westminster with his folkes went awaie with the worst, to their great gréefe. Wherevpon the same steward deuised an other game of wrestling to be holden at Westminster on Lammas day next following, and that whosoeuer could get the vpper hand there, should haue a ram for the price, which the steward had prepared.

[Sidenote: A riot committed vnder pretense of wrestling.]

[Sidenote: Robert Serle maior of London.]

[Sidenote: Constantine, a citizen of London procureth the citizens to reuenge their cause by waie of rebellion.]

[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]

At the day appointed, there was a great assemblie, and the steward had got togither out of all parts the best wrestlers that might be heard of, so that there was hard hold betwixt them and the Londoners. But finallie, the steward vpon desire of reuenge, procured them to fall togither by the eares without any iust cause, so that the Londoners were beaten and wounded, and constreined to flée backe to the citie in great disorder. The citizens sore offended to sée their people so misused, rose in tumult, and rang the common bell to gather the more companie to them. Robert Serle maior of the citie would haue pacified the matter, persuading them to let the iniurie passe, till by orderlie plaint they might get redresse, as law and iustice should assigne. But a certeine stout man of the citie named Constantine Fitz Arnulfe, of good authoritie amongst them, aduised the multitude not to harken vnto peace, but to séeke reuenge out of hand (wherein he shewed himselfe so farre from true manhood, that he bewraied himselfe rather to haue had a womans heart,

----quòd vindicta Nemo magis gaudet quàm foemina)

still prosecuting the strife with tooth and naile, and blowing the coles of contention as it were with full bellowes, that the houses belonging to the abbat of Westminster, and namelie the house of his steward might be ouerthrowne and beaten downe flat with the ground.

[Sidenote: The lord chéefe iustice taketh inquisition of the riot.]

[Sidenote: Constantine apprehended.]

[Sidenote: He is executed.]

This lewd counsell was soone receiued and executed by the outragious people, & Constantine himselfe being chéefe leader of them, cried with a lowd voice, Mount ioy mount ioy, God be our aid and our souereigne Lewes. This outragious part comming to the notice of Hubert de Burgh lord chéefe iustice, he gat togither a power of armed men, and came to the citie with the same, and taking inquisition of the chéefe offendors, found Constantine as constant in affirming the déed to be his, as he had before constantlie put it in practise, wherevpon he was apprehended and two other citizens with him. On the next day in the morning Fouks de Brent was appointed to haue them to execution: and so by the Thames he quietlie led them to the place where they should suffer. Now when Constantine had the halter about his necke, he offered fiftéene thousand marks of siluer to haue béene pardoned, but it would not be. There was hanged with him his nephue named also Constantine, and one Geffrey, who made the proclamation deuised by the said Constantine. The crie also which Constantine vsed to the setting forward of his vnlawfull enterprise in the name of Lewes most of all offended the kings fréends, as the lord chéefe iustice and others, who not satisfied with the death of the thrée before remembred persons, but also entring the citie againe with their bands of armed men, apprehended diuerse of those whome they tooke to be culpable, not onelie putting manie of them into prison, but also punishing other of them, as some with losse of a foot, some of an hand, and other of their eie-sight. The king furthermore to reuenge this matter, deposed all the magistrats of the citie, and ordeined new in their roomes. Which caused great hartburning against diuerse of the Nobilitie but chéefelie the lord Hubert and Fouks de Brent, on whome in time they hoped to haue reuenge.

[Sidenote: Great tempest.]

[Sidenote: A generall thunder.]

[Sidenote: Great dearth of corne.]

[Sidenote: An other tempest of thunder.]

[Sidenote: _Polydor._]

[Sidenote: A comet or blasing star.]

[Sidenote: The losse of the citie of Damieta.]

[Sidenote: William de Albenie earle of Arundell departed this life.]

As this broile vexed the citie of London, so in this yeare there chanced great tempest of thunder, lightning and raine, whereby much hurt was doone in diuerse parts of the realme, and at sundrie times, as by throwing downe of stéeples, churches, and other buildings, with the rootwalting of trées, as well in woods as orchards, verie strange to consider, chéefelie on the eight day of Februarie at Grantham in Lincolneshire, where there chanced (beside the thunder) such a stinke and filthie sauour to follow in the church, that the people fled out, for that they were not able to abide it. Likewise in the day of the exaltation of the crosse, a generall thunder happened throughout the realme, and thervpon followed a continuall season of foule weather and wet, till Candelmas next after, which caused a dearth of corne, so as wheat was sold at twelue shillings the quarter. Likewise on the day of saint Andrew an other terrible tempest of thunder happened through the realme, throwing downe and shaking buildings in manie places, in so much that at Pillerdeston in Warwikeshire, in a knights house, the ladie thereof and six other persons were destroied by the same. And a turbarie thereby compassed about with water and marresse was so dried vp, that neither grasse nor mire remained, after which insued an earthquake. Moreouer on the euen of saint Lucie, a mightie wind raged, which did much hurt in sundrie places of the realme. Furthermore, about this time there appeared in England a woonderfull comet or blasing starre. The sea also rose with higher tides and springs than it had béene accustomed to doo. All which woonders were afterward iudged to betoken and signifie the losse which the christians susteined the same yeare in Aegypt, when they were constreined to surrender the citie of Damieta into the Saracens hands, which latelie before (as yée haue heard) they had woone with long and chargeable siege. After the yéelding vp of Damieta, William de Albenie earle of Arundell (whome Ranulfe earle of Chester left behind him in the holie land) with manie souldiers and men of warre (when he returned from thence) came now homewards towards England, and died by the waie.

[Sidenote: An. Reg. 7.]

[Sidenote: Iohn Scot marrieth the daughter of Leolin prince of Wales.]

[Sidenote: 1223.]

[Sidenote: A councell at London.]

[Sidenote: Note the redinesse of this bish. to broch new contention.]

About the same time Iohn the sonne of Dauid earle of Anguish in Scotland, sisters sonne vnto Ranulfe earle of Chester, married the daughter of Leolin prince of Wales, as it were to procure a finall accord betwéene the said Leolin and Ranulfe. After which marriage, king Henrie held his Christmasse at Oxenford, and shortlie after the twelftide came to London: where assembling a councell of his barons, he was earnestlie required by the bishop of Canturburie and other péeres, to confirme the liberties, franchises, and frée customes of the realme, for which the warres in his fathers time had béene mooued: which to denie (as the archbishop séemed to alledge, & shuld haue béene ashamed so to open his mouth, to the disaduantage of his souereigne, but that it is likelie he forgat the old posie, namelie that,

Imago rex est animata Dei.)

he might not with anie reason, sith he had couenanted (and all the baronage with him) to sée the same obserued, by the articles of the peace concluded with Lewes, when the same Lewes departed the realme.

[Sidenote: The answer of William Brewer to the archbishops demand.]

[Sidenote: Ahab accuseth Helias.]

[Sidenote: An inquisition.]

Herevpon William Brewer one of the kings councell, hearing the archbishop so earnest in these matters, told him, that sith these liberties were procured & extorted rather by force than otherwise, of the king being vnder age, they were not to be obserued. Wherevnto the archbishop replied, that if he loued the king, he would be loth to séeke to trouble the quiet state of the realme. The king perceiuing the archbishop to be chafed, & taking the tale himselfe, made a courteous answer, and further aduise had in the matter, sent foorth writs to the shiriffe of euerie countie, commanding them by inquirie of a sufficient iurie impanelled, to make certificat within the quindene of Ester, what were the liberties in times past of his grandfather K. Henrie, vsed within the realme of England.

[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]

[Sidenote: The earle of Penbroke recouereth his castels taken by the prince of Wales.]

[Sidenote: The prince of Wales discomfited.]

[Sidenote: A conspiracie against the lord chiefe iustice.]

The same yeare, whiles William Marshall earle of Penbroke was busie in Ireland in war against Hugh Lacie, Leolin prince (or king) of Wales, as some haue intitled him, tooke by force two castels that belonged to the same earle: whereof when he was aduertised, with all spéed he returned out of Ireland, raised an armie, and recouered the said castels, putting to death all such as he found in the same, to requite Leolin with the like damage as he had shewed him before in his absence. This doone he entered into the land of Leolin, wasting and spoiling the same, whereof when the said Leolin was informed, he assembled an host of Welshmen, and comming into the field gaue battell, but the victorie rested on the earle of Penbroks side: so that there were taken and slaine in this bickering to the number of 9000 Welshmen. There was in this yeare a conspiracie also begun by the earle of Chester, and other Noble men, against Hubert de Burgh lord chiefe iustice of England, by whose counsell (as it was thought) the king was more streict towards the nobilitie and other his subiects, in staieng his grant to confirme the charter of liberties, than otherwise he would haue béene, if the same Hubert and other had not aduised him to the contrarie.

[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]

[Sidenote: The king of Ierusalem commeth into England.]

In this season also Iohn de Bren king of Ierusalem, and the lord great maister of the knights hospitallers came into England, where they were honorablie receiued of king Henrie, and liberally rewarded. The cause of their comming was to require aid of the king for the recouerie of the holie land out of the possession of the Saracens. In like maner about the same time Leolin prince of Northwals, with certeine English lords, as Hugh Lacie and others, vpon an hatred which they bare towards king Henrie for his fathers sake, supposing that so euill a stocke as they tooke him to be, could not bring foorth anie good branch, sought by open warres to bring William Marshall earle of Penbroke and other barons that were faithfull friends to the king vnto their purpose: but the whole countrie rising against them, they were disappointed to their owne confusion, and so they could neuer bring that to passe which they so earnestlie intended.

[Sidenote: The death of the French king.]

[Sidenote: Ambassadors sent into France.]

In this yeare Philip the French king departed this life, and after him succéeded Lewes his sonne, vnto whom king Henrie sent in ambassage the archbishop of Canturburie with thrée other bishops, to require, that (according to his oth made and receiued at his returne out of England) he would restore and deliuer vp to him the dukedome of Normandie, with other such lands and possessions as his father in times past had taken from king Iohn, and still did wrongfullie withhold. K. Lewes answered herevnto, that he held Normandie & the other lands by good right and iust title, as he could well prooue and iustifie, if king Henrie would come to the parlement in France to hear it. And as touching the oth which he had sworne in England, he affirmed that the same was first broken by king Henrie, both in that his men which had béene taken at Lincolne were put to gréeuous ransoms, and also for that their liberties for which the warre first began, were not obserued, but denied to the English subiects, contrarie to that which was concluded at the agréement betwixt them at the same time made.

[Sidenote: An. Reg. 8]

Moreouer, king Henrie sent other ambassadours to Rome, who purchased a bull of the pope, whereby he was adiudged to be of age sufficient to receiue the gouernement of the kingdome of England into his owne hands, thereby to order and dispose all things at his pleasure, & by the aduise of such councellours as he should elect and choose to be about him. Wherevpon after the said ambassadours were returned, all those earles, barons and nobles, which held anie castels, honors, manors or places apperteining to the king, were commanded to deliuer and resigne the same to his vse, which caused much trouble, as after shall appeare. For diuerse Noble men, whose harts were filled with couetousnesse, would not obeie the popes order herein, but sore repined; yet not so much against the king as against the lord Hubert de Burgh, by whose councell the king was most led and ruled. And therefore they did put him in all the blame, as one that should set the king against them, and staie him from suffering them to inioy those liberties, which they from time to time so much laboured to haue had to them granted and confirmed.

[Sidenote: _Polydor._]

[Sidenote: The king giueth a gentle answer to his lords.]

Vpon this occasion therfore, they sued to the king for the restitution of the ancient lawes according to his promise, who to pacifie them for the time, gaue them a gentle answer, assuring them, that he would perfourme all that he had promised, so soone as opportunitie would permit and suffer him so to doo. Howbeit, afterwards by the aduise of certeine old councellours, which had béene of the priuie councell with king Iohn his father, he found a shift to disappoint them of their demands, by requiring them on the other side, to restore vnto him those things which they had in times past receiued of his ancestors. Furthermore, bicause he would the more easilie obteine his purpose, and make the residue afraid to follow a suit so displeasant and irkesome, he thought best to begin with the chiefe authors and first procurers of the said petitions, and to take from them whatsoeuer they held belonging to his crowne.

[Sidenote: 1224.]

[Sidenote: The king demanded restitution of parcels of inheritance belonging to the crowne.]

Herevpon therefore assembling a great power about him, he demanded of Ranulph earle of Chester the restitution of certeine lordships which ancientlie apperteined to the crowne of the realme, which earle not being as then able to resist, readilie obeied the kings pleasure, and resigned them all. By this entrance of the king into the execution of his purpose, diuerse of the rest of the barons were brought into such feare, that they were contented also to doo the like, so that by this meanes the lords being cut short and weakened in power, surceased as then from molesting the king anie further with the demand of other lands or liberties.

The archbishop of Canturburie also threatened them with the dart of excommunication, if they went about to disquiet the realme with anie ciuill commotions, though no man was more desirous to haue that matter go forward than he, as appéered by his diligent trauell therein (hoping as now in short processe of time, and that by courteous meanes, to persuade the king to his purpose) but the king droue him off with faire words, and minded nothing lesse than to alter anie one of the lawes which he knew to be profitable to himselfe and his successours after him. Wherevpon diuerse misliking his dealing herein, withdrew themselues secretlie, some into one place, and some into an other, to the intent they might auoid the dailie sight of such abuses, as they for the most part could not well abide to beare.

[Sidenote: Discord betwixt Sauerie de Mauleon and the earle of Salisburie.]