what he was could confide in him yea he was reputed so Unfaithful and Inconstant that he was not only a Scandal to his own Person but to the whole Kingdom and all Strangers that knew him 26. Though the Lands Tenements 8 8 Ibm. n. 43. Goods and Chattels of all Free-men by the Laws of the Land ought not to be seized without Forfeiture yet the said King intending to enervate those Laws in the Presence of many Lords and others of the Community of the Kingdom he often said and affirmed That the Life of every Subject his Lands Tenements Goods and Chattels were his to be disposed as he pleased without Forfeiture which was altogether against the Laws and Customs of his Kingdom 27. Although it had been made a 9 9 Ibm. n. 44. Law which had hitherto been confirmed That no Free-man might be taken c. nor any ways destroyed nor that the King should proceed against him but by lawful Trial of his Peers or the Law of the Land yet according to the Will Command and Appointment of the said King very many of his Lieges being maliciously accused for having spoken publickly or privately Words that might tend to the Scandal and Disgrace of the King's Person were taken imprisoned and brought before the Constable and Marshal in the Court Military where being accused they could not be admitted to give any other Answer than Not Guilty and could defend themselves no otherwise than by their Bodies their Accusers being young Men Iusty and sound whereas they were old impotent lame and infirm from whence not only the Destruction of Lords and Great Men but of singular Persons of the Community of the Kingdom very likely might have followed When therefore the said King willingly contravened this Law it was no doubt but he incurred Perjury 28. Altho the People of 1 1 Ibm. n. 45. England by virtue of their Ligeance were sufficiently bound to their King and if they offended in any manner he might Correct and Punish them by the Laws and Customs of the Kingdom yet the said King desiring to supplant and too much oppress his People that he might more freely execute and be able to follow the Fancy of his foolish and unlawful Will he sent his Letters into all Counties of his Kingdom That all his Lieges as well Spiritual as Temporal should take certain Oaths in general which were too burthensome to them and which very likely might cause the final Destruction of his People and that under their Letters and Seals they should confirm these Oaths Which Command the People obeyed lest they should incur his Indignation and for fear of Death 29. When the Parties 2 2 Ibm. n. 46. contending in the Ecclesiastick Court in Causes merely Ecclesiastick and Spiritual indeavoured to procure Prohibitions to hinder Process in the same from the Chancellor of England who out of Justice refused to grant them yet the same King often granted them under his Signet wickedly infringing the Church Liberties granted in Magna Charta which he had Sworn to Preserve damnably incurring Perjury and the Sentence of Excommunication Pronounced by the Holy Fathers against the Violators of Church Liberties 30. The said King in Parlement 3 3 Ib. n. 48. compassed about with Armed Men without Reasonable Cause or Legal Process contrary to the Laws of the Kingdom Banished Thomas Arundel Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and his Spiritual Father being then absent by his Contrivance 31. Upon perusal of the said 4 4 Ib. n. 48. Kings Will under his Great Seal Privy Seal and Signet there was in it this Clause Also we Will That the Debts of our House Chamber and Wardrobe being paid for which we allow Twenty thousand Pounds and the Leprose and Chaplanes we appointed to be maintained at Westminster and Bermondsey for which we allow Five or six thousand Marks The Residue of our Gold shall remain to our Successor upon Condition he Approves Ratifies Confirms Holds and causeth to be Holden and Observed all Laws Statutes Ordinances and Judgments made had or done in the Parlement held at Westminster on the 17th of September in the 21st of our Reign and continued or adjourned to Shrewsbury and all things done at Coventry on the 16th of September in the 22d of our Reign as also what was done at Westminster on the 18th of March in the same year by Authority of the same Parlement But if he shall Refuse to do these things then we Will that Thomas Duke of Surrey Edward Duke of Aumarle John Duke of Excester and William le Scrop Earl of Wiltshire my Debts c. as aforesaid being paid shall have the said Residue for the Defence of the Statutes Ordinances Judgments and Stabiliments aforesaid to the utmost of their Power yea to Death if it be necessary Upon all which things we burthen their Consciences as they will Answer it at the Day of Judgment By which Article it appears evidently That the same King endeavoured pertinaciously to maintain those Statutes and Ordinances which were Erroneous Wicked and Repugnant to all Law and Reason not only in his Life but after he was Dead neither regarding the Danger of his Soul or the utmost Destruction of his Kingdom or Liege People 32. In the Eleventh year of the said 5 5 Ib. n. 49. King Richard at his Mannor of Langley in the presence of the Dukes of Lancaster and York and many other Lords desiring as it seemed That his Uncle the Duke of Glocester there also present might Trust and have Confidence in him of his own accord Sware upon the Venerable Sacrament of the Lords Body placed upon the Altar That he would pardon unto him all things which were said to be committed against his Person and that he should never receive any Damage for them yet afterwards the said King notwithstanding this Oath caused the Duke for those Offences horribly and cruelly to be Murdred damnably incurring the Guilt of Perjury 33. After a Knight of the Shire 6 6 Ib. n. 50. who had a Vote in Parlement impeached the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury publickly before the King and all the States of the Kingdom upon certain Defects committed against the King with little Truth as 't was said Altho he offered presently to answer what was objected against him and desired to be admitted by the King so to do sufficiently trusting as he said to demonstrate his Innocency yet the same King contriving by all the Ways and Means he could to oppress and reduce to nothing the State of the Arch-Bishop as the Event shewed kindly spake to and earnestly desired him that he would say nothing then but expect a more fit time That day being past for five days and more together the King deceived him advising and perswading him not to come to Parlement but to remain at his own House promising that in his absence he should not receive injury but the said King in that Parlement Banished the Arch-Bishop during his
to the Precept he had recovered Seisin by the Jugment of the Guardians When John King of Scotland disseised him again of the same Lands and Tenements and that he might not further prosecute his Right imprison'd him and caused an unjust Judgment to be given against him in Contempt of the King of England and Superior Lord of Scotland and to his own great Damage The King of Scots 5 Ibm. f. 158. The King of Scots appears appeared before the King and his Council in his Parliament after Michaelmas and denied all Contempt of the Lord his King and said he had not Day to Answer the said Magdulph who Replied He had that very Day appointed him to Answer by the King 's 6 Ibm. fol. 154 155. the Writ it self The Particulars of the Pleadings on both sides Writ delivered to him by the Sheriff of Northumberland at Strivelin on the morrow after St. Peter in Bonds that is the 2d of August which sufficiently appeared by the Return of the Sheriff and the King of Scots being asked whether he had the Writ delivered to him by the Sheriff confessed it and was then urged to answer 7 Ibm. f 158. when He said he was King of Scotland and that he dare not Answer to Magdulph ' s Complaint or any thing that concerned his Kingdom without the Advice of his Subjects sine Consilio * These Probi homines could not be the Common or Ordinary People proborum hominum Regni sui and Magdulph demanded Judgment against him as saying nothing 8 Ibm. f. 159. Then he was told by the King he was his Liege-Man and did unto him Homage and Fealty for the Kingdom of Scotland and was ordered to come thither to answer or say why he would not or ought not to answer before him and he said as before The K. of Scots dare not Answer without advice of his People That he Could not nor Dare answer to any thing that concerned his Kingdom without consulting his People inconsultis probis hominibus Regni sui Vpon this he was told he might require another Day he answered He would require none It was then agreed That the Principal Plea belonged to the King and that he made no Defence against Magdulph 9 Ibm. and because he would not require Day or shew Cause why he ought not to Answer in Elusion of the King's Jurisdiction and Superiority it was Judged a Contempt and Disobedience to him and that Three of his Principal Castles of Scotland should be Seized into his Hands and so remain till he had given Satisfaction for his Contempt and Disobedience But before the Pronounciation of the Sentence he came before the King and his Council and made Supplication to the King with his own Mouth ore suo proprio and Delivered it unto him with his own hand in Writing in 1 Ibm. f. 159 160. He Petitions K. Edward for leave to advise with them and for longer time French to this purpose Sire jeo suy vostre home du Royalme de Escoce c. Sir I am your Man of the Realm of Scotland and pray you for what I am come hither for which concerns the People of my Kingdom as well as my self That you would forbear me while I speak with them that I may not be surprized for want of Advice for that those that are with me will not nor ought to advise me without others of the Realm and when I have advice from them I will answer at your first Parlement after Easter and will behave my self towards you as I ought to do The King advising hereupon at the Instance of the Great Men of his Council and with the Consent of Magdulph granted his Prayer and gave King Edward grants his Request him Day until his Parlement after Easter on the Morrow of the Holy Trinity This is what is to be found in Ryley's Parliament Pleas about this Case and now we return to the Record again Which 2 Rot. de Superioritate Regis Angliae c. ut supra The K. at War with France and Wales Parlement at St. Edmunds-Bury A. D. 1295. 23 Ed. 1. tells us That on that Day the Parlement ceased or was not holden Parliamentum cessavit sive non tenebatur for that the King was Engaged in War lately raised against him in divers Countreys as with the King of France in Gascony and with the Welsh in Wales Yet the suit between the King of Scots and Magdulph which had begun before the Justices of the King's-Bench in Parlement was Continued and Prorogued Loquela c. Continuata fuit Prorogata To the Parlement next to be holden which was afterwards Summoned to be at St. Edmunds-Bury on the Feast of St. Martin in Winter that is November 11. which was in the 23d Year of King Edward and in the Year from the * The Publick Notary that Drew up this Record always begins the Year at Christmas Nativity of the Lord 1295. The King of England 3 Ibm. Magdulph prosecutes his Plea in that Parlement The King of Scots appears not but sends his Excuse was at St. Edmunds-Bury that day and there held his Parlement where Magdulph strenuously prosecuted his Plea But the King of Scots instead of appearing in Person sent the Abbot of Abirbrothok with other Noblemen of that Kingdom to King Edward with Letters to Excuse him that neither then or before he appeared in his Court in the Parliaments by passed at the Day given or appointed him Quod nec tunc nec prius juxta quod Diem habuerat ad Curiam suam in praeteritis Parliamentis accesserat Excusavit pretending certain Causes of Excuse that he could not come in his own Person This Abbot 4 Ibm. The Abbot and others that came to Excuse the K of Scots Demand Satisfaction for Injuries done them The Answer to their Demands and those that came with him brought not only an Excuse but a Quarrel and Demanded of King Edward Satisfaction for many and great Injuries Oppressions and Grievances sustained by the Scots from his Subjects To whom after deliberation this Answer was given That the King of England for certain Causes was coming toward the North parts and that the King of Scots should then have sufficient Recompence to his own Content for all Injuries could be proved done to the Scots by his Subjects of England and then appointed him a Day in the same Parlement by the Continuation and Prorogation of the Justices representing his Person against Magdulph the First Day of March next following The King of Scots summoned to appear at a Parlement at Newcastle at Newcastle upon Tyne Then expecting his being there enjoyn the Abbot and those with him to give Notice to their King he should then Personally appear to Treat with the King of England about the Premisses and other Things touching the State and Tranquility of both Kingdoms and their Inhabitants While the King was
and Defend all the Clergy in their Bayliwics their Tenements Lands Goods Rents and all their Possessions not permitting them to receive any Injury or Molestation in their Persons or otherwise though they had not his Protection Witness the King at St. Pauls London 31st of July in the 25th of his Reign It ought not to be omitted here That notwithstanding the Mortal Enmity and War between the two Kings of England and The King of France Remonstrates against the Pope's Bull prohibiting Taxes France yet King Philip the 4th Published a sharp Remonstrance against the Pope's Bull which caused this Trouble and Contention between the King and Clergy in this Nation in which he strenuously asserted the Rights of his Crown and the Liberties of the Gallican Church which were the very same with those of England The Archbishop of Rhemes with the Suffragans and Abbots of his The Clergy of France join with him Province seconded their King's Remonstrance with a Supplication to the Pope to recal his Bull lest it might break the Peace and Vnity of the Gallican Church and Kingdom as being very Injurious and Grievous to the King and Temporal Nobility and as bringing Scandals nay perhaps Ruine and Destruction to the Nation whereupon Pope Boniface the 8th sent an Explanatory Bull to The Pope explains his Bull for the ease of the King Nobility c. King Philip by which he Declared That his former Bull extended not to voluntary Grants and Aids made by the Clergy nor to Cases of Necessity when Taxes and Contributions were necessary for the Defence of the Kingdom then they might be Raised without consulting the Pope That the King and his Successors provided they were Twenty years of Age might be Judges of the Necessity if not of that Age then their Council and Lastly He Declared that by this Bull or Constitution it was not intended to take away or diminish any Rights Liberties Franchises or Customs of the King Kingdom Dukes Earls Barons or Temporal Nobility whereof they were in Possession before he Emitted that Bull. The Remonstrance Supplication and last Bull Dated at Orvieto or the Old City July 22. in the Third year of his Pontificate A. D. 1297. are to be found in Peter Pithous Proofs of the Liberties of the Gallican Church Printed 1639. Chap. Sect. or Numb 8 9 10. Fol. 1085 1088 1089. By reason of the Clergies Denial to Grant the King a Seasonable and Timely Aid to carry on his Wars he was forced upon Vnwarrantable Courses against the Laws of the Realm 2 Knighton Col. .249 N 60. The K. forced upon Unwarrantable courses to raise Money by Raising the Custom upon Wool from a Noble to Forty Shillings the Sack and ordering the Owners should sell their Wool within a Month at certain Places assigned or they should be forfeited For the Victualling his Army and Ships he took Wheat Oates Malt Salt-Fish and Flesh as Pork Beef Mutton without paying for them as well from Lay-men as the Clergy by which Oppressions the People were very much Grieved and Disturbed being hereby prepared to follow the Dictates of any Projectors against the King It cannot be thought but by this time the Archbishop and his Friends the Constable and Marshal and their Friends understood one another and carried on a joint Design The Causes of the Controversie but just now only mentioned between the King Constable and Marshal and the Reasons of their Refusing to do their Duty their withdrawing from his Presence and from Court with their Denial to return when sent to will best appear from the King's Declaration upon Record sent to all the Sheriffs in England WHereas the King 3 3 Append N. 31. The King's Declaration of the Causes of the Constable and Marshal's refusing to do their Duty and retiring from Court always desiring the Peace Quiet and good Estate of his People and Kingdom after his Voyage which he is now making c. All occasions by which the said Peace and Quiet may be Disturbed shall be wholly taken away But because at this time there may be such Reports raised amongst the People that may cause them to behave themselves otherwise toward their Sovereign Lord then they ought especially since the Earl of Hereford and Earl Marshal have lately withdrawn themselves from him or for other Matters hereupon for that he would have the Affairs of his Realm Vniform and Quiet he makes known and would that all should know the Truth of what follows Lately when a great Part of the Men of Arms of England some upon Request others by Summons of the King came to London the King willing to provide for their Discharge the settling of their Expences and that they might know what they were to do sent to the said Earls as Constable and Marshal of England to come to him for that purpose The Earl of Hereford came and Monfieur John Segrave to Excuse the Earl Marshal that by reason of Sickness he could not come and therefore had sent him in his stead Presently by their assent they were ordered to make Proclamation in the City of London That all those that were come thither either by Summons or Request should on the Morrow appear before the Constable and Marshal to know and be * * This was the proper Business of these two great Officers and without this Ordering and Enrolment the Men at Arms were not assigned the Quantity of their Service Enrolled in what manner and how many of them would serve the King in that Voyage beyond Sea They told the King they would perform the Order as they had received it in Writing But the same day toward Night the Earls sent the King a Message in Writing by Sir John Esturnis Knight in this Form For that Dear Sir You commanded the Marshal by the Constable and by order in Writing that he should cause it to be published in the City That all such as were come by your Summons or Request should be on the Morrow by One of the Clock before the Constable and Marshal at St. Pauls and that they should Enroll so many Horse of one and the other and then to inform you of it Your Constable and Marshal do pray you to Command some other of your Houshold to do it And for that Sir you know well that tho' some are come upon Request and not Summons yet if they do this they should enter upon their Office and do Service Wherefore they pray you to Command others Vpon receipt of this Message and Counsel taken thereupon the King thinking they might have done it unadvisedly sent Monfieur Geofrey de Genevill Monsieur Thomas de Berkeley Monfieur John Tregâ—z Constable of the Tower and Guardian of London Roger Brabazon and Monsieur William de Bereford to advise them Better and that they might so order things as they might not turn to the Prejudice of the King nor their own Estate and if they would not be otherwise advised then
Remembrances and Monuments they could find to his loss 2000 l. They also burnt part of the Gates of his Castles and Houses and took the Irons out of the Windows and Leads off the Houses c. and carried them away to the damage of 2000 l. and then names Ten Castles in Wales and the Marches which they took and destroyed and with the same Force and Power they stayed in his Lands totally to destroy them about 15 days in which time they forced the greatest part of all the Country to Swear to be of their Party and those that would not they imprisoned put to ransom and burnt their Houses and Goods and in the same time they robbed and plundered him of all the Moveables in and upon his Mannors 60 large Working Mares with Colts and Foals of two years 160 Heifers 400 Oxen 500 Cowes with their Breed for two years 10000 Sheep 400 Hogs and all other necessary things found upon them as Carts Ploughs Vessels all these they took drove and carried away without leaving any thing from his Mannors Lands and Towns in Wales which were 24 in number to his damage of 2000 l. They burnt his Granges and destroyed his Crop upon the Ground to his damage of 2000 l. and the Debts which were owing him there by force and cruelty they made his Debtors pay unto them to the value of near 3000 l. with Fee-Farm Rents and other Customs which amounted to near 1000 l. And from Wales with the same Power and Force they came into England upon his Castles Towns and Mannors there and cut up his Woods Vnchaced his Chaces Disparked his Parks pulled down his Houses robbed and rifled as much as they could any where find to his damage of 10000 l. and then seized upon his Friends and his People whereof some they put to ransom some they rifled and some they imprisoned to the great grievance of them and then by the same Cruelties and Hardships they made the greatest part of the People against their wills to be of their Party and Sworn to them And also with their Force and Power they came to the Parlement at Westminster and there upon false Accusations without calling the said Hugh to Answer against all manner of Right and Reason and against the Law of the Land Erroneously Awarded him to be Disherited and Exiled England wherefore he prays the King as he is bound by Right of his Crown and by the Oath he made at his Coronation to maintain all People in their Rights That he would please to cause to be brought before him the Process of the Award made against him that it may be Examined and that the said Hugh may be received to shew the Errors in it and if there shall be any found he would please to Repeal and Redress them and to do further according to Right and Reason and the said Hugh afterward shall be ready to stand to Right and to answer every Complaint and Accusation according to Reason And he sheweth the Errors of the said Process For that the The Errors of the Award Great Men who pursued and destroyed him prayed Pardon of the King for all those things which might be Judged Felonies or Trespasses in that Pursuit which they made by their own Authority by which wrongfully they made themselves Judges of him where they could not or ought not to be Judges also Error in that the said Hugh was not called into Court or to answer where the Award was made also Error in that the Award was made without the Assent of the Prelates who were Peers in Parlement Item Error in that there was no Record of their Pursuit or the Causes contained in the Award also Error in that the Award was made against the Form of the Great Charter wherein is contained That no Man shall be forejudged nor in other manner destroyed unless by Judgment of his Peers or by the Law of the Land with Request to the King to take notice that the Great Men were summoned to come duely to the Parlement but did not when they came with Horse and Arms and all their Force Whereupon the said Hugh came and rendred himself Prisoner to the King praying he would receive him into his Protection to prosecute his Complaint and that Right might be done him in these Matters and the King received him as he ought to do sicome faire devioms and caused his Petition to be carried to the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury the Bishops and other Prelates and the Clergy of the Province of Canterbury then being in a Provincial Council at London charging them by the Faith they ought him to advise about the Petition and let him know their thoughts concerning it and when they had well Advised concerning it they answered That it seemed to them that the Process and Award of the Exile and Disinheritance of Hugh the Son and Father were Erroneous and Wrongfully made wherefore they agreed and unanimously assented as Peers of the Land and prayed as Peers Spiritual That the Award which was made wickedly and wrongfully against God and all manner of Right contre Dieu tote manere de droit might be by the King repealed and annulled for ever and said further That they nor none of them ever assented to the Award but that every one of them at the time when the Award was made in Writing made Protestation That they could not or would assent to it for many Causes and the Earl of Kent the King's Brother the Earls of Richmond Pembroke and Arondel before the King and Prelates said the Award was wrongful and against Law and Right and prayed him with the Prelates and as they had done before to null and make void the Award and the Earls affirmed That for fear of the Force which the Great Men suddenly brought to the Parlement to make the Award which was to them unknown and unexpected they gave their Assent to it and also advised the King to suffer it to pass for which Offence and Mistake they prayed his Pardon And then afterwards another Petition was delivered to the King on behalf of 3 Ibm. Claus 15 Ed. II. ut supra Hugh Spensâ—r the Father's Petition to the King Hugh the Father setting forth That the same Great Men before named and their Adherents and Confederates with Force and Arms on the Day of St. Barnaby in the 14th Year of the King came to his Mannor of Fastern in Wiltshire and Twelve others in that Shire Six in the County of Glocester Four in Dorsetshire Five in Hampshire Two in Berkshire Six in Oxfordshire Three in Buckinghamshire Four in Surrey One in Cambridgeshire Two in Huntingtonshire Five in Leicestershire One in Yorkshire One in Lincolnshire Five in Cheshire and Five in Warwickshire in all 63 Mannors there named where they made the same Havock committed the same Spoils Devastations and Destructions upon his Houses and Lands they had done upon his Sons and used his Debtors Tenants Friends and People as
those of his Son except that the loss of his Goods moveable and immoveable in and upon his Mannors and Lands were greater as namely two Crops of Corn one in the Barns or Granges the other upon the Ground 28000 Sheep 1000 Oxen and Heifers 1200 Cows with their Breed for two Years 40 Mares with their Breed for two Years 560 Cart-Horses 2000 Hogs 400 Kids 40 Ton of Wine 600 Bacons 80 Carcasses of Beef 600 Muttons in the Larder and 10 Tons of Cyder Armour for 200 Men and other Warlike Engines and Provisions with the Destruction of his Houses to his Damage 30000 l. And at the same time they entred the Abby of Langley in Wiltshire broke up his Coffers and carried away 1000 l. in Silver also his Charters Evidence and Bonds Cups of Gold and Silver and other Silver Vessels and Jewels to his Damage of 10000 l. And at the same time with Force and Arms entred the King's Castle of Marlborough where he was the Constable and took his Goods there found 36 Sacks of Wooll 6 Pair of rich Vestments a Library a Golden Chalice for the Sacrament one Cross of Gold another of Ivory and Ebony and other Ornaments belonging to the Chapel Cloths of Gold Carpets Coverings and many other things and his whole Wardrobe entirely to his Damage of 5000 l. Excepting these Differences of Losses the Petition is the same with his Sons verbatim and The Petition of the Spensers brought into Parlement the Errours assigned in the Process and Award are the very same his rendring himself Prisoner to the King and his Reception into the King's Protection the same and expressed in the same Words And then it follows by the King Et nous apres a nostre Parlement summons a Everwyk as treis semeins de Pasch en an nostre Regne Quinzisme feisems devant nous le Proces del dit Aegard a la suite les ditz Hugh le Fitz Hugh le Pere en cestes Paroles A 15 Edw. II. The Writ of Summons to this Parlement bears Date March 14 1321. Easter-day was April 11. 1â—22 l Honeur de Dieu Seinte Eglise c. And we afterwards at our Parlement at York three Weeks after Easter in the 15th Year of our Reign caused to come before us the Process of the Award at the Petition of the said Hugh the Son and Hugh the Father in these Words To the Honor of God and Holy Church c. the whole Award being cited in this Record After which Recital it follows a quen Parlement c. At which Parlement at York the said Hugh the Son and Hugh the Father being brought before us in Court prosecuting their Complaints and praying us to do them Right and the said Hugh the Son for himself shewed and alledged the Errors in the Process as abovesaid and also Hugh the Father alledged the same Errors and prayed severally and jointly That as the Award was made erroneously and wrongfully against the Laws and Usages of the Realm and against common Right and Reason that we would annull and defeat the said Award and that they might be remitted and reconciled to our Faith and to such Estate as they had and were in before the Award And hereupon hearing the The Process against them examined in Parlement Reasons of the said Hugh and Hugh we caused the Process to be examined in full Parlement in the presence of the Prelates Earls Barons Knights of Counties and the People that were come by reason of the Parlement en presence des Prelates Countes Barons Chivalers des Countes le People estoit venutz pur Encheson du dit Parlement And we found the said Award was made Reasons why the Award ought to be made void without calling them to Answer and without the Assent of the Prelates which are Peers of the Realm in Parlement and against the Great Charter of the Franchises of England which says no Freeman shall be Banished or other way Destroyed but by lawful Judgment of his Peers or the Law of the Land and for that they were not called in Court to make Answer and for these Errors and for that the Causes in the said Award were not duly proved pur ceo que les Causes contenues en la dit Agard ne furent pas duement approvets And further having regard to that that we caused the Parlement at Westminster to be summoned in due manner and commanded by our Writs the said Great Men who made the Award not to make Assemblies and Alliances or come with armed Men yet they came with all their Force to that Parlement notwithstanding our Command And when they came to London in that manner they held their Councils and Assemblies at London without coming to us at Westminster according to Summons and then we sent to them to come to the Parlement at Westminster as they ought yet they would not come nor let us know their Mind nor the cause of the Award tho' we had begun and held the Parlement for 15 Days and more and caused to come before us the Prelates and some Earls and Barons Knights of Counties and others which came for the Commons of the Realm avioms fait venir devant nous Prelates aucunes Countes Barones Chivalers des Countes autres que vindrent pur la Commune du Royalm and caused it to be published That those that had Petitions to promote should deliver them And after Proclamation thus made no Petition was delivered or Complaint made against the said Hugh and Hugh until they came as aforesaid And the Contrivance of the said Award they wholly concealed and kept from us unto the very Hour they came to Westminster with Force and Arms and made their Award against Reason as a thing treated and agreed on amongst themselves on their own Authority in our absence and encroached upon the Royal Power Jurisdiction and Conusance of Process and Judgment of those things which belong to our Royal Dignity wherefore we could not at that time stop the said Award nor do right to the said Hugh and Hugh as it belonged to us And further taking notice that those Great Men after the Award made prayed our Pardon and Release for Confederating themselves by Oath Writing or in other manner without our Leave in pursuing them and Trouping with Banners of ours and their own Arms displayed and taking and possessing Castles Towns Mannors Lands Tenements Goods and Chattels and also taking and imprisoning People of our Allegiance and others and some they wounded and some they killed and many other things they did in order to destroy the said Hugh and Hugh in England Wales and other where of which some might be called Trespasses and others Felonies also it appeared those Great Men were Enemies to and hated them at the time of the Award and before wherefore they ought not to be their Judges in their own Prosecution of them nor have Record ne
to the Prior and Convent against him which he desired might be read Which was done by order of the Prior and the Contents of them published in the English Tongue Against and makes his Defence which the Arch-Bishop in every Point defended his Innocence and then admonished the People to pray for the King Queen and their Children and to those that should do so devoutly and also pray for the State of Holy Church being penitent and sorry for their Sins he granted Forty Days Indulgence from Purgatory And the next Day being the Chair of St. Peter at Antioch or the 22d of that Month 9 Ibm. the Abbot of St. Augustines in Canterbury to whom and his Convent the like Letters had been sent published The Abbot of S. Augustines published them to the Disadvantage of the A. Bp. them to the People expounding them in Hatred to the Arch-Bishop in odium Archiepiscopi that so the People might have an ill Opinion of him The very same Complaints against this Arch-Bishop the King 1 Rot. Rom. 14 Ed. III. M. 4. The King sent to the Pope to remove him out of the Kingdom sent to the Pope tho' in somewhat smoother Language in some parts of the Epistle and requests he might be by him removed out of the Kingdom for preserving the Peace of it and preventing other Dangers that might be feared to ensue if he staid there Dat. apud Langele 14 die Martii The Arch-Bishop wrote an Answer to the King's Letter which bears this Title 2 Hist Sacr. vol. â— f. 27. The A. Bp.'s Answer to the King's Letter which he cal's a famous Libel Excusatio Archiepiscopi ad famosum Libellum The Excuse or Answer of the Arch-Bishop to the slanderous Libel addressing himself by way of Preface to the King telling him There were two things by which the World was Governed the Holy Pontifical Authority and the Royal Ordained Power of which the Charge of the Priests was the greatest and highest inasmuch as they were in the last Judgment to give an account of Kings Wherefore he ought to know that they depend upon the Judgment of Priests who might not be directed by their Wills for who could doubt but Christ's Priests were to be thought the Fathers and Masters of Kings Princes and all faithful People 3 Ibm. Reverendo Domino suo Edwardo Dei gratia c. Duo sunt quibus principaliter regitur iste Mundus Sacra Pontificalis Autoritas Regalis Ordinata Potestas in quibus est pondus tanto gravius sublimus Sacerdotum quanto de Regibus illi in divino reddituri sunt examine rationem Et ideo scire debet Regia celsitudo ex illorum vos dependere judicio non illos ad vestram posse dirigi voluntatem Quis enim dubitat Sacerdotes Christi Regum Principum omniumque fidelium Patres Magistros censeri And he proceeds to inform him that many Bishops had 4 Ibm. f. 28. Excommunicated Kings and Emperors and also to inform him what Good Kings were to do and how to behave themselves toward Bishops and what Reverence Honour and Respect was due to them And he complains that the Honour due to him in regard of his Dignity and as he was his Father was turned into Disgrace Devotion into Reviling and Reverence into Contempt sed proh dolor c. Honor nobis exhibendus conversus est in Opprobium Devotio in Blasphemiam Reverentia in Contemptum whilst his Epistles sealed with the Royal Seal but more truly slanderous Libels 5 Ibm. dum Epistolas vestras Regio sigillo Signatas quin verius Libellos famosos dictated and written by his Enemies containing many Crimes falsly imputed to him were sent to the Bishops of his Province Deans Abbots Priors their Convents and Chapters to be published to his and would to God not to the injury of him too in nostram utinam non in divinam injuriam By which unthought of that he might not say detestable Fact Royal Power presumed to Judge the Lord God in his Servants and Priests and he seemed to condemn him his Spiritual Father and greatest Peer of the Land against the Order of God Human Law and natural Reason not called not convicted by Record and unheard to the Danger of his Soul and as an ill Example to the manifest Prejudice of all the Peers of England At last making great Profession of his Affection to him and the great Services he had done him he comes to his Answer here following That 6 Ibm. f. 29. whereas he accused him That when the Kingdom of France was devolved to him by Right of Succession he importuned him to make a League with the Almain to recover his Rights and was only to find expert Soldiers and he would find Money which failing you were you say forced to contract great Debts upon Usury 7 Ibm. To this he said That in the beginning of his Government when he was Bishop of Winchester it was known by whose Counsel he was Governed That when the Kingdom had devolved to him by Hereditary Right and so judged in the Parlement at Northampton the two Bishops of * Adam Orlâ—ton Worcester Coventry and Litchfield were sent into France to Claim that Kingdom in your Name and to hinder the Coronation of Philip de Valois which Embassie was the greatest occasion of the War We at that time were not employed in any of your Affairs but were hated at Court for what cause God knows Afterwards when it pleased your Majesty to call me with others of your Privy Council to transact the Publick Affairs we considering the Danger of Mens Souls Bodies and Goods by a devouring War endeavoured with all our Power to make Peace between the Two Kingdoms but 8 Ibm. f. 30. after all Endeavours for Peace proved insuccessful and Philip had made War upon you then in a Parlement at Westminster called for that Purpose seeing the Obstinacy of Philip it was agreed you should League with the Germans or Almains and others As for the Payment of the Expences of this War there were Agreements made with certain Merchants in a Council at Stamford which are to be found in Chancery which if observed together with other Subsidies granted both by Clergy and Laity and the great Customs of Wooll not only in our own but in the Opinion of all the Council had been sufficient for the whole War if well managed 9 Ibm. And your Majesty knows well that these Agreements were not broken or changed by us nor did the Subsidies come to our hands because after your first Passage we staid not in this Kingdom but with the Reverend Fathers the Cardinals and Bishop of Durham went into France to treat of Peace often going backward and forward from and to your self then in Brabant and afterward when there was no hopes of Peace staid some time with you there and were made Partakers of your Necessities and with
Roy That he may by Award of this present Parlement be restored to his former Estate and Degree to the great Profit of the Kingdom The King 3 Ibm. Ro. The King grants their Prayerâ— willeth at the Prayer of several Prelates and Lords of Parlement d'aucuns Prelates Seigneurs de Parlement and also at the Prayer of the Commons In the last Day of the Parlement when the Petitions of the Commons had been read and answered the Speaker Sir Thomas 4 Ibm. n. 87. The Speaker prays That the Judgments against all such who had been Impeached last Parlement might be reversed Hungerford said before the Prelates Lords and Commons That whereas many People as well Men as Women had been Impeached in the last Parlement without due Process and were Judged in certain Peynes and foreclosed of the commune Liberty which every Loyal Subject ought to enjoy and therefore prayed it would please his Majesty to restore them to their former Estates Dignities and all other things notwithstanding those Judgments The King presently demanded If their Request was made for all that were impeached And he answered Their Request was all It was then told them They must declare distinctly in Writing for whom and why they Petitioned And presently the same Day Seven Bills i. e. Petitions were delivered to the Clerk of the Parlement whereof the first Two do here follow To our most 5 Ibm. n. 88. The same Prayer for the impeached Persons in particular Dread and Noble Lord our Lord the King pray the Commons of your Realm That whereas your Liege Rich. Lyon by hasty Process was adjudged to the Tower of London during your Majesty's Pleasure That it would please your Gracious Lordship que ple a vostre Graciouse Seigneurie to Grant him your Favour to be restored to the Law his Goods Lands and Tenements for according to Law no cause of Forfeiture could be found in him To their 6 Ibm. n. 89. most Dread and Gracious Lord the King and his Sage Council in this present Parlement his Commons make Supplication supplient ses Comunes That whereas Alice Perrers by untrue Suggestion and undue Process was in the last Parlement foreclosed of the Common Liberty which every Loyal Liege of the King as well Men as Women ought freely to enjoy unless they be convict of a Crime or evil Deed for which they are to forfeit it they would please for the Love of God and right Justice to have Consideration That the said Alice was never present in Parlement nor otherwise duly admitted to answer any thing for which she was Judged and for this cause to repeal the Judgment if any were and cause her to be restored entirely to her former Estate the said Judgment or any Prohibition made against the said Alice in the same Parlement notwithstanding The other Five Bills or Petitions were according to this Form for five other Persons namely John de Leycester Adam de Bury Walter Sporier John Peachy of London and William Ellys of Yarmouth But there was not nor could be any Answer made to them The Parlement ended 7 Ibm. n. 95. because the Parlement ended the same Day before any thing could be done in them Sitting this Parlement the 8 Claus 51 Edw. III. M. 16. King was informed the French were gotten to Sea and had done much hurt upon the Coasts wherefore he endeavoured to prolong the Truce To which purpose on the 20th of 9 Rot. Fran. 51 Ed. III. M. 7. Feb. he appointed several Commissioners to Treat with the Commissioners of the King of France before the Pope's Legates but nothing was done in the matter the Legates only propounded a Match between Richard Prince of Wales and Mary the King of France his Daughter And afterwards there The Truce continued was another Meeting of Commissioners at Monstreul without other effect than continuing the Truce until the first of May next following as was before noted out of Holinshed Mezeray 1 Fol. 394. says King Edward was now much desirous of Peace and was willing to relinquish many Articles of the Treaty of Bretigny but was prevented by Death On the 26th of April another 2 Rot. Fran. 51 Ed III. M. 3. Commission was made to the Bishop of St. Davids John Bishop of Hereford and others by which Power was given them to Treat at Monstreul with the French Commissioners and to compose all Differences Wars and Contentions But by reason of Jealousie and Suspicion the Commissioners had one of another they never met This Year John 3 Wals f. 191 192. Knighton col 2647. n. 10. Wyclif was convented before the Arch-Bishop of Canterbury and Bishop of London for his Opinions contrary to the Opinions of those Times at the Black-Friers London where were present John Duke of Lancaster and the Lord Percy How Wycliff behaved himself at this time See the lâ—tter end of Church Affairs in this Reign The Citizens of London their Rage against John Duke of Lancaster The Duke gave the Bishop of London some harsh words which gave the Citizens such Disturbance that they in a great Tumult would have murdered him and pulled down or set fire to his House called the Savoy had not the Bishop interposed and kept them from doing it To save himself he left his Dinner and gat privately away to Kemington near Lambeth where the Prince was with his Mother So that not finding him they only in the Streets reversed his Arms as if he had been a Traitor For 4 Holinsh f. 412. n. 30. Hypod. Nâ—â—str f. 53. n. 40. King Edward's Death this the present Major and Aldermen were put out of their Places and others put in by the Duke's Power who then in the King's Weakness and Infirmities was his Assistant and Viceroy and had Directed all the Affairs of the Nation for some time of which Infirmities and Sickness daily encreasing 5 Wals Hist f. 192. n. 30. Hypod. Neustr f. 531. n. 50. he Died at his House of Shene June 21. 1377. having Reigned 50 Years 4 Months and 28 Days Church-Affairs THE old Controversie was still continued inter Regnum Sacerdotium between the Secular and Ecclesiastic Governments or between the King and Pope concerning the Regalia in Church Matters and concerning the Clergy In the 4th of his Reign the King 1 Append. n. 97. wrote to the Pope which was John XXII concerning the Treasury of York having been given by Provision to a Cardinal against the Rights of his Crown and Prerogative and to the inestimable Damage of the Kingdom that he would revoke his Provision and supplicates him to direct the Cardinal not to contend against William de Maza his Clerk that was in Possession of it by his Presentation about such a Novelty and Vsurpation it being his and always had been the Right of his Progenitors in the Vacancy of the Arch-Bishoprick and to strengthen that Right vouches a Precedent in the