it was ingaged Raymond refuses it and stands to his possession as of a thing absolutely sold or forfeited but being too weake to contend with a King of France fell to an accord and married his sister Constans widdow of Eustace sonne to King Stephen and so continues the possession Now King Henry hauing married this Elionor and with her was to haue all the Rights shee had tenders likewise as the King of France had done in the same case the summe formerly disbursed vpon the morgage of that Earledome And with all makes ready his sword to recouer it and first combines in league and amity with such whose Territories bordred vpon it as with Raymond Earle of Barcelona who had married the daughter and heire of the King of Arragon a man of great Estate in those parts intertayning him with conference of a match betweene his second sonne Richard and his daughter with couenant that Richard should haue the inheritance of the Dutchy of Aquitaine and the Earledome of Poictou Besides hee takes into his protection William Lord of Trancheuille possessing likewise many great Signories in the Countrey and one who held himselfe much wronged in his Estate by the Earle of Tholouse These ay des prepared he leauies an Army and goes in person to besiege the Citie of Tholouse and takes along with him Malcolin King of Scots who comming to his 1159. Anno. Reg. 5. Court to doe him homage for the Earledome of Huntingdon and to make claime for those other peeces taken from his Crowne was entertayned with so many faire words and promises of King Henry as drew him along to this warre The Earle of Tholouse vnderstanding the intentions of the King of England craues ayde of his brother in Law the King of France who likewise with a strong Army comes downe in person to succour Tholouse and was there before the King of England could arriue with his forces whereupon seeing himselfe preuented and in disaduantage King Henry fell to spoyling the Countrey and takes in Cahors in Quercy where he places a strong Garrison to bridle the Tholousains and so returnes into Normandy gaue the order of Knight hood to King Malcolin at Tours augments his forces and enters the Countrey of Beauuoisin where he destroyes many Castles and commits great spoyles And to adde more anoyance to the King of France he obtained of the Earle de Auranches the two strong Castles Rochfort and Monfort which furnished with Garrisons impeached the passage twixt Orleance and Paris in so much as the warre and weather grew hote betwixt these two great Princes and much effusion of bloud was like to follow but that a mediation of peace was made and in the end concluded With a match betweene the young Prince Henry not seuen yeares of age and the 1160. Anno. Reg. 6. Lady Margaret eldest daughter to the King of France scarce three weake linkes to hold in so mighty Princes The yong Lady was deliuered rather as an Ostage then a Bride to Robert de Newburge to be kept till her yeares would permit her to liue with her Husband In the meane time notwithstanding many ruptures hapned betweene the Parents The first whereof Prince Henry contracted to Margaret daughter to the King of France grew vpon the King of Englands getting into his owne hand the Castle of Gisors with two other Castles vpon the Riuer Eata in the confines of Normandy deliuered vp before the due time By three Knights Templars to whom they were committed in trust till the marriage were consummated And this cost some bloud the Knights Templars are persecuted by the King of France and the King of England receiues them But now the aduantage of power lying all on this side and the King seeing himselfe at large and how much he was abroad beganne to be more at home and to The King seekes to abate the power of the Clergy the cause therof looke to the Prerogatiues of his Crowne which as he was informed grew much infringed by the Clergy which since the time of Henry the first Were thought to haue inlarged their iurisdiction beyond their vocation and himselfe had found their power in the election of King Stephen with whom they made their owne conditions with all aduantages for themselues whereby they depriued his Mother and her issue of their succession to the Crowne And though afterwards by their mediation the peace twixt him and Stephen was concluded and his succession ratified yet for that might he thanke his Sword the Iustice of his cause and strong party in the Kingdome What they did therein shewed him rather their power then their affection and rather put him in mind of what they had done against him at first then layed any obligation on him for what they did afterward And his owne example seeing them apt to surprise all aduantages for their owne aduancement made him doubt how they might deale with his Posterity if they found occasion and therefore is he easily drawne to abate their power in what he could To this motion of the Kings dislike the Lay Nobility emulous of the others authority layed more waights alledging how the immunities of the Clergie tooke vp so much Complaints against the Clergie from the Royalty as his execution of Iustice could haue no generall passage in the Kingdome the Church held their Dominion apart and free from any other authority then their owne and being exempt from Secular punishments many enormious acts were committed by Clergie-men without any redresse to be had and it was notified to the King that since the beginning of his Raigne There had beene aboue a hundreth Man-slaughters committed within the Realme of England by Priests and men within Orders Now had the King a little before vpon the death of Theobald Arch-bishop of Canterbury 1161. Anno. Reg. 7. preferred Thomas Becket a creature and seruant of his owne to that Sea A man whom first from being Arch-deacon of Canterbury he made his Chancelor and finding him Diligent Trusty and Wise imployes him in all his greatest businesses of the State by which tryall of his seruice and sidelity he might expect to haue him euer the Thomas Becket preferred to the Sea of Canterbury readier to aduance his affaires vpon all occasions And besides to shew how much he respected his worth and integrity he commits vnto him the education of the Prince a charge of the greatest consequence in a Kingdome which shall be euer sure to find their Kings as they are bred At the beginning of this mans promotion this reformation of Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction is set vpon a worke in regard of that time of deuotion of great difficultie the Bishops hauing from the beginning of Christianitie first vnder the Saxon Kings principally swaded the State and though at the entrance of the Norman they were much abriged of their former liberties they held themselues if not content yet quiet For albeit they had not that power in temporall businesses as
appertayning thereunto The King of France answeres that the Kingdome of England neuer was nor is or euer shal be the patrimonie of Saint Peter and that King Iohn was neuer lawfull King thereof and if hee were he had forfeited the same by the murther of Arthur forwhich he was condemned in his Court neither could he giue away the Kingdome without the consent of the Barons who are bound to defend the same And if the Pope would maintaine this error it would bee a pernicious example to all Kingdomes Herewith the Popes Agent departs vnsatisfied Louys hauing first dispatched Commission Quater Vigint Coggis to Rome to declare his right iustifie his vndertaking sets forth from Calice with 600 ships and 80 other vessell and Lands with his Army at Sandwich King Iohn attends him at Douer with purpose to incounter him at his landing but vpon notice Louys lands in Kent 21 of May. of his great powre and distrusting the faith of his mercinaries hauing committed the keeping of the Castle of Douer to Hubert de Burg forsakes the field and with it himselfe retyres first to Winchester after to Glocester and leaues all to the will of his enemy Louys who after he had obtayned the submission of all Kent except the Castle of Douer which he neuer could get he comes to London where he is ioyfully receiued of the Barons and vpon his Oath taken to restore their Lawes and recouer their rights hath homage and fealty done him as their Soueraigne Lord thither came likewise the Earles Warrein Arundle Salisbury William Mareschall the yonger with many other forsaking King Iohn and rendred themselues vnto him Guallo the Popes Agent notwithstanding the sword was out in all the way of his passage got to Glocester shewes King Iohn the Popes care of him and in solemne manner The little effect the Popes Exmunication wrought pronounces the sentence of Excommunication against Louys and all that tooke part with him which though it brought him some comfort for the time yet it tooke little or nothing from the enemy neither could it so confirme his mercinaries but that most of them left him and either returned home into their Countries with such spoyles as they had or betooke themselues to this new commer King Iohn was not yet so forsaken but that he had powre enough remayning to infest though not incounter his enemies and faith he found abroad amongst many of his Ministers that well defended their charge Douer Castle with a small company holds out against all the force that Louys could bring against it Windsor Castle garded but with 60 men could not be won with all the powre of the Barons some other peeces as Nottingham and Lincoln Castles made very resolute resistance But nothing is effected saue the ruine of the Country The most-yeelding and fertill parts of the Kingdome as about Glocester the marches of Wales Lincolnshire Cambridgshire Norfolke Suffolke Essex Kent and all about London are the Stages of this warre and here they act their mischiefes which continued all that Sommer And about the later end of October a burning feuer makes an end of this fiery King which tooke him vpon an extreme griefe conceiued for the losse of his carriages sunke in the Sands passing the Washes betweene Lin and Boston and was augmented by a surfeit of Peaches new Ale taken at the Abbay of Swineshead from whence in The death of King Iohn great weakenesse he is conuayed to Newarke where after he had receiued the Eucharist and taken order for the succession of his sonne Henry hee departs this life hauing raigned 18 yeares fiue monthes and foure daies The Abbot of Crockeston a man skilfull in physique and at that time the Kings Physition disbowelled his body who no doubt would haue giuen notice to the world had his Maister as it was in after ages vainely bruted beene poysoned by a Monke of Mat. Par. Swinshead Abbay but the Writers of those times report no such matter Howsoeuer his death takes not away the reproch of his life nor the infamy that followes him whereunto ill Princes are as subiect as their euill Subiects and cannot escape the brute ofa clamarous Pen. witnesse this Disticque Anglia sicut adhuc sordet foetore Iohannis Sordida foedatur foedante Iohanne Gehenna He had issue by his wife Isabel daughter to Aymer Earle of Angolesme two sonnes Henry and Richard also three daughters Ioane Eleanor and Isabel. Henry succeeded him in the Kingdome Richard was Earle of Cornewall and Crowned His issue King of the Romans and had issue Henry and Iohn that died without issue also Edmond Iohn speed Earle of Cornewall and others Ioane the eldest daughter married to Alexander the second King of Scots died without issue Elianor the second daughter married to Simon Earle of Leicester had issue Henry Symon Almaricke Guy Richard and Elianor Henry slaine without issue Simon Earle of Bigorre and Ancestor to a Famely of the Mountfords in France Almarick first a Priest after a Knight Guy Earle of Angleria in Italy and Progenitor of the Mountfords in Tuscaine and of the Earles of the Campo Bacchi in the Kingdome of Naples Richard remayning priuily in England and changing his name from Mountford to Wellesborne was Ancester of the Wellesbornes in England Elianor borne in England brought vp in France married into Wales to Prince Lewin ap Griffith Isabel their youngest daughter married to the Emperour Frederic the 2 had issue Henry appointed to be King of Sicile and Margaret wife of Albert Landgraue Thurine She died in child-bed after she had beene Empresse sixe yeares He had also two naturall sonnes Geffrey Fitz Roy that transported souldiers into France when Hubert forbad his father to goe thither Richard that married the daughter and Heire of Fulbert de Douer who built Childham Castle had issue by her of which some famelies of good esteeme are descended Likewise one naturall Daughter Ioane married to Lewin Prince of Wales The end of the Life and Raigne of King Iohn The Life and Raigne of Henry the third THE death of King Iohn though it much altered yet it ended not the miserable businesses of the Kingdome for Louys notwithstanding held 1216. Anno. Reg. 1. his hopes and his party though much shaken by the sodaine Coronation of Henry eldest sonne to King Iohn solemnized in a great Assemblie of State at Glocester the 28 of October and committed to the tutelage of the great Marshall William Earle of Pembrooke the maine Pillar of the father and now the preseruer of the Crowne to his sonne a man eminent both in courage Henry the 3 Crowned at Glocester and Councell who with Guallo the Popes Legat the Bishops of Winchester Bathe and Worcester worke all meanes to draw the Barons and as many of powre as they could to their new and naturall King from this excommunicate stranger and his adherents And bred great fluctuation in the mindes of most of
of this Kingdome which could not but be likesome to the State in generall and all preferments and dignities conser'd on his to be either by vacancies or displacing others which must needs breed very feeling grieuances in particular And yet wee finde no great men thrust out of their roomes but such as put themselues out by reuolting after his establishment and their fealtie giuen as appeares by the controuersie betweene Warren the Norman and Sherburn of Sherburn Castle in Norfolke which castle though the King had giuen to Warren yet when Sherburn alledged How hee neuer bare Armes against him Cambden Nors that hee was his subiect as well as the other and held his Lands by that Law which he had established amongst all his subiects the King gaue iudgement against Warren and commanded that Sherburn should hold his Land in peace So that it seemes hee contented himselfe and his for the time onely with what he found here ready and with filling vp their places who were slaine in the battell or fled as many were with the sonnes of Harald out of the Kingdome Such Gentlemen as he could not presently preferre M. S. and had a purpose to aduance hee dispersed abroad into Abbeys there to liue till places fell out for them and 24 he sent to the Abby of Eley whereby he not onely lessened the multitude of attendants and suitors at Court eased that eye-sore of strangers but also had them a watch ouer the Clergie who then were of great and eminent power in the Kingdome and might preuaile with the people But the English Nobility incompatible of these new concurrents found notwithstanding 1067. Anno. Reg. 2. such a disproportion of grace and darkning of their dignities by the interposition of so many as must needs lessen their splendour that many of the chiefest doubting to be more impayred in honour and estate conspired together and fled some into Scotland and some into Denmarke to trie if by ayde from abroad they might The English Nobility forsake the kingdome recouer themselues and their lost fortunes againe at home Amongst which the chiefe was Edgar Atheling termed Englands Dearling which shewed the peoples zeale to his bloud who with his mother Agatha and his two sisters Magaret and Christin intending to retire into Hungarie their natiue Country were driuen by tempest on the coast of Scotland where they were in all Hospitable manner entertained by Malcolin the third whose former suffrings in his exile had taught him to compassionate others like distresses and whom it concerned now to looke to his owne his neighbours house being thus on fire and to foster a pattie against so daungerous an in-commer that was like to thrust them all out of doore Which induced him not onely to entertaine this Prince dispossest of his right but to enter league with him for the publique safetie And to inchaine it the stronger hee takes to wife Margaret the The King of Scots enters league with the English Nobility and marries Edgars sister sister of Edgar a Ladie indued withall blessed vertues by whom the bloud of our auncient Kings was preserued and conioyned with the Norman in Henry the second and so became English againe Vnto Edgar in Scotland repaired the Earles Edwin and Morchar Hereward Gospatric Siward with others and shortly after Stigand and Aldred Arch-bishops with diuers of the Clergie who in the third yeare of this Kings raigne raised very great commotions in the North beyond Humber and wrought most egarly 1068. Anno. Reg. 3. to recouer their lost Country but being now to late and the occasion not taken before the settling of the gouernment whilst it was new and branling they preuailed nothing but gaue aduantage to the Conquerour to make himselfe more then hee was For all conspiracies of subiects if they succeed not aduance the soueraigntie and nothing gaue roote to the Norman planting here more then the petty reuolts made by discattred troupes in seuerall parts begunne without order and followed without resolution whereas nothing could be done for a generall recouery but by a generall sulleuation of the people for which all wary preuention was vsed and they had waites enough laide on to hold them downe And though these Lords imbroiled themselues and held him doing in the North yet hee hauing all the South parts setled vnder his domination with well practized and prepared forces there could bee little hope of good whilst all their great estates furnisht the Normans both in state and meanes to ruine them The Earledome and all the Lands which Edwin held in See the Charter in the Appendix Yorkeshire were giuen to Alain Earle of Brittaine kinsman to the Conqueror The Arch-bishopricke of Canterburie confer'd on Lanfranc Abbot of Caen. That of Yorke on Thomas his Chaplaine and all the rest both of the Clergie and others which were out had their places within supplied by Normans And after King William had appeased a Commotion in the West which the sonnes of Harald with forces out of Ireland had raised also repressed the rebellions of Excester and Oxford he takes his iourney in person Northward with all expedition least the enemy there should grow to high in heart and opinion vpon the great slaughter of his people made at Yorke and the defeiture of his Brother and Leiuetenant Robert Earle of Mortaigne slaine with seuen hundreth Normans at Durham where at his first comming he so wrought that he either discomfeited or corrupted the Generals of the Danicque forces newly arriued to ayde the Lords sent by Swaine King of Denmarke vnder the conduct of his two sonnes Harald and Knute with a Nauie of three hundreth saile and after sets vpon the Army of the Lords weakened both in strength and hope by this departure of their Confederates and puts them to flight Which done he vtterly wasted and laide desolate all that goodly Countrey betweene Yorke and Durham the space of 60. miles as it might be no more a succour to the enemy And the like course he used on all the Coasts where any aptlandings lay for inuasions and so returnes to London Most of the Lords after this defeit came in vpon publique faith giuen them and were conducted to Barkehamsted by the Abbot Fredricke where vpon their submission and Oath of Allegeance re-taken they had their pardon and restitution of grace graunted by the King who it seemes was so willing to acquiet them that againe he takes his personall Oath before the Arch-bishop Lanfrancke and the Lords To obserue See the Appendix the Auntient Lawes of the Realme established by his Noble Predecessors the Kings of England and especially those of Edward the Confessor Whereupon these stormy dispositions held calme a while But long it was not ere many of these Lords whether vpon intelligence of new 1074. Anno. Reg. 8. hopes from Prince Edgar who was still in Scotland or growne desperate with new displeasures at home finding small performance of promises made rupture
of a thousand saile and was aided with sixe hundreth more by Robert le Frison Earle of Flanders whose daughter he had married But the winds held so contrary for two yeares together as vtterly quasht that enterprize and freed the King and his successors for euer after from future molestation that way But this businesse put the State to an infinit charge the King entertayning all that time besides his Normans Hugh brother to the King of France with many companies 1078. Anno. Reg. 12. of French Finding the English in respect of many great families allied to the Danes to incline rather to that Nation then the Norman and had experience of the great and neere intelligence continually passing betweene them And these were all the warres he had within the Kingdome sauing in An. Regni 13. he subdued Wales and brought the kings there to doe him homage His warres abroad 1079. Anno. Reg. 13 were all about his Dominions in France first raised by his owne sonne Robert left Lieuftenant gouernor of the Dutchie of Normandy and the Countie of Mayne who in his fathers absence tasting the glorie of commaund grew to assume the absolute The Kings of wales doe homage to King william rule of the Prouince causing the Barons there to do him homage as Duke not as Lieutenant leagues him with the King of France who working vpon the easinesse of his youth and ambition was glad to apprehend that occasion to disioynt his estate who was growen too great for him And the profusse largesse and disorderlie expence whereto Robert was addicted is nourished by all waies possible as the meanes to imbrake him in those difficulties of still getting mony that could not but needs yeeld continuall occasion to intertain both his own discontent theirs from whom his supplies must be raised And though thereby he purchased him the title of Courtois yet he lost the Robert of Normandy titled Courtois opinion of good gouernment and constrayned the estates of Normandie to complaine to his father of the great concussion and violent exactions he vsed amongst them The King vnderstanding the fire thus kindled in his owne house that had set others all in combustion hasts with forces into Normandie to haue surprized his sonne who aduertised of his comming furnisht with two thousand men at Armes by the King of France lay in ambush where he should passe sets vpon him defeited most of his people and in the pursuite happened to incounter with himselfe whom hee vnhorsed and wounded in the arme with his Launce but perceiuing by his voice it was his father he hasted to remounte him humbly crauing pardon for his offence which the father seeing in what case he was granted howsoeuer he gaue and vpon his submission tooke him with him to Rouen whence after cured of his hurt hee returned with his sonne William likewise wounded in the fight into England Long was it not ere he was againe inform'd of his sonnes remutyning and how hee exacted vpon the Normans vsurpt the intire gouernment and vrged his fathers promise 1080. Anno. Reg. 14. thereof made him before the King of France vpon his Conquest of England which caused his litle stay heere but to make preparations for his returne into those parts whether in passing he was driuen on the Coast of Spaine but at length ariuing at Burdeaux with his great preparations his sonne Robert came in and submitted himselfe Robert rebels against his father the second time whom he now tooke with him into England to frame him to a better obedience imploying him in the hard and necessitous warres of Scotland the late peace being betweene the two Kings againe broken and after sent him backe 1081. Anno. Reg. 15. and his young sonne Henry with the association of charge and like power but of more trust to the gouernment of Normandie After the two Princes had beene there a while they went to visite the King of France at Constance where feasting certaine dayes vpon an after dinner Henry wanne 1082. Anno. Reg. 16. so much at chesse of Louis the Kings eldest sonne as hee growing into choller called him the sonne of a Bastard and threw the Chesse in his face Henry takes vp the Chesse-bord and strake Louis with that force as drew bloud and had killed him had not his brother Robert come in the meane time and interposed himselfe Whereupon Louis and Henry sonnes of the Kings of France and England they suddenly tooke horse and with much adoe they recouered Pontoise from the Kings people that pursued them This quarrell arising vpon the in-ter-meeting of these Princes a thing that seldome breeds good bloud amongst them re-enkindled a heate of more rancor in the fathers and beganne the first warre betweene the English and French For presently the King of France complots againe with Robert impatient of a partner cnters Normandie and takes the Citie of Vernon The King of England inuades France subdues the Country of Zaintonge and Poictou and returnes to 1026. Anno. Reg. 20 Rouen where the third time his sonne Robert is reconciled vnto him which much disappoints and vexes the King of France who thereupon summons the King of England to doe him homage for the Kingdome of England which he refused to doe saying Hce held it of none but God and his sword For the Dutchie of Normandie hee offers him homage but that would not satisfie the King of France whom nothing would but what King William denies to do homage for England to the King of France he could not haue the Maistery and seekes to make any occasion the motiue of his quarrell and againe inuades his territories but with more losse then profit In the end they conclude a certaine crazie peace which held no longer then King William had recouered a sicknesse whereinto through his late trauaile age and corpulencie he was falne at which time the King of France then yong and lustie ieasting at his great belly wherof he said he lay in at Rouen so irritated him as being recouered he gathers al 1087. Anno. Reg. 21. his best forces enters France in the chiefest timeof their fruits making spoile of all in his way till hee came euen before Paris where the King of France then was to whom he sends to shew him of his vp-sitting and from thence marched to the Citie of Mants which he vtterly sackt and in the distruction thereof gate his owne by the straine of his horse among the breaches and was thence conueyed sicke to Ronen and so ended all his warres Now for his gouernment in peace and the course hee held in establishing the His gouernment in peace Kingdome thus gotten first after he had represt the conspiracies in the North and well quieted all other parts of the State which now being absolutely his hee would haue to bee ruled by his owne Law hee beganne to gouerne all by the Customes of Normandie Whereupon the agreeued Lords and
and take in all the Country about Roger de Bigod made himselfe strong in Northfolke Hugh de Grandemenill about Leicester Roger de Mongomerie Earle of Shrewsbury with a power of Welshmen and other there about sets out accom panied with William Bishop of Durham Bernard de Newmarch Roger Lacie and Raulfe Mortimer all Normans and assaile the Citie of Worcester making themselues strong in those parts Odon himselfe fortifies the Castle of Rochester makes good all the coast of Kent sollicites Robert to vse what speed he could to come with all his power out of Normandie which had hee done in time and not giuen his brother so large oportunitie of preuention he had carried the Kingdome but his delay yeelds the King time to confirme his friends vnder-worke his enemies and The King vnderworkes his enemies by rereleeuing the doleances and granting former freedoms to the English make himselfe strong with the English which he did by granting relaxation of tribute with other relieuements of their doleances and restoring them to their former freedom of hunting in all his woods and forests a thing they much esteemed whereby hee made them so strongly his as hee soone brake the necke of all the Norman conspiracies they being egar to reuenge them of that Nation and here they learned first to beate their Conquerors hauing the faire aduantage of this action which cut the throates of many of them Mongomerie being wonne fromhis complices and the seuerall conspirators in other 1088. Anno. Reg. 2. parts represt the King comes with an Army into Kent where the head of the faction say and first wonne the Castle of Tunbridge and that of Pemsey which Odon was forced to yeeld and promise to cause those which defended that of Rochester which were Eustace Earle of Bologne and the Earle of Mortaigne to render likewise the same But being brought thither to effect the businesse they within receiuing him detayned him as hee pretended prisoner and held out stoutly against the King vpon a false intelligence giuen of the ariuall of Duke Rohert at Southampton but in the end they were forced to quit the place and retire into France and Odon to abiure England And to keepe off the like danger from hence he transports his forces into Normandie there to waste and weaken his brother at home So as might hold him from any future attempts abroad for euer after Where first he obtaines Saint Valery and after Albemarle with the whole Countrey of Eu Fescampe the Abathie of mount Saint Michel Cherburge and other places Robert seekes ayde of Philip King of France who who comes downe with an Army into Normandy but ouercome with the power of money wherewith King William assayled him did him little good and so retired Whereupon Duke Robert in the end was driuen to a dishonorable peace concluded Duke Robert driuen to peace at Caen with these Articles First that King William should hold the County of Eu Fescampe and all other places which he had bought and were deliuered vnto him by William 1089. Anno. Reg. 3. Earle of Eu and Stephen Earle of Aumal sisters sonne to William the first Secondly He should aide the Duke to recouer all other peeces which belonged to his Father and were vsurped from the Duchy Thirdly that such Normans as had lost their estates in England by taking part with the Duke should be restored thereunto Fourthly that the suruiuer of either of them should succeed in the Dominions both of England and Normandy After this peace made by the mediation of the King of France whilst William had a strong Army in the field 1091. Anno. Reg. 4. Duke Robert requested his aide against their brother Henry who still kept him in the fort of mount Michel vpon his guard holding it best for his safety For beeing a Prince that could not subsist of himselfe as an earthen vessell set amongst iron pots he was euery way in danger to be crusht and seeing he had lost both his brothers by doing the one a kindnesse if he should haue tooke to either their turne being serued his owne might be in hazard and so betooke him to this defence Forty dayes the two Princes layde siege to this Castle And one day as the King was alone on the shore there fallies out of the Fort a Company of horse whereof three ranne at him so violently and all strooke his horse together with their Launces as they brake pectorall girses and all that the horse slips away and leaues the King and the saddle on the ground the King takes vp the saddle with both hands and therewith defends himselfe The Kings vndaunted valor till rescue came and being blamed by some of his people for putting himselfe thus in perill of his life to saue his saddle answered It would haue angred him the Bretons The King and his two brethren agreed should haue bragged they had wonne the saddle from vnder him and how great an indignity it was for a King to suffer inferiours to force any thing from him In the end Henry grew to extreame want of drinke and water although he had all 1092. Anno. Reg. 5. other prouision sufficient within his Fort and sends to Duke Robert that he might haue his necessity supplied The Duke sends him a Tunue of Wine and graunts him truce for a day to furnish him with water Wherewith William being displeased Duke Robert told him It was hard to deny a brother meate and drinke which craued it and that if he perisht they had not a brother Wherewith William likewise relenting they sent for Henry and an agreement is made That he should hold in morgage the Countrey of Constantine till the money was paide and a day appointed to receiue it at Rouen Which accord King William the rather wrought to draw as much from Robert as he might whom by this voyage he not onely had wasted but possest himselfe of a safe and continuall landing place with a part of his Duchy and caused him to put from him and banish out of Normandy Edgar Etheling whom Robert held his Pensioner and as a stone in his hand vpon all occasions to threaten William with anothers right if his owne preuailed not And besides he wrought so as either through promise of mony or some farther ratification to be made here he brought his brother Robert with him ouer into England and tooke him along in an expedition against Malcolm who had incroched vpon his Territories during his absence Which businesse being determined without battell Robert soone after returnes much discontented into Normandy and as it seemes without money to satisfie his brother Henry Who repairing to Rouan Duke Robert commits his brother Henry to prison at his day appointed in stead of receiuing it was committed to prison and before he could be released forced to renounce the Countrey of Constantine and sweare neuer to claime any thing in Normandy Henry complaines of this grosse iniustice to Philip
King of France who gaue him a faire entertainement in his Court Where he remained not long but that a Knight of 1093. Anno. Reg. 6. Normandy named Hachard vndertaking to put him into a Fort maugre his brother Robert within the Duchy conueyed him disguised out of the Court and wrought so as the Castle of Dampfront was deliuered vnto him whereby shortly after he got all the Countrey of Passays about it and a good part of Constantine by the secret aide of King William Richard de Riuteres and Roger de Manneuile Duke Robert leuies forces and eagerly wrought to recouer Dampfront but finding how Henry was vnderset inueighes against the perfidie of his brother of England in so much as the flame of rankor burst out againe more then euer And ouer passes King William with a great Army but rather to terrifie then do any great matter as a Prince that did more contend then warre and would be great with the sword yet seldome desired to vse it if he could get to his ends by any other meanes seeking rather to buy his peace then winne it Many skirmishes interpassed with surprisements of Castles but in the end a treaty of peace was propounded wherein to make his conditions what he would King William seemes hard to be wrought and makes the more shew of force sending ouer into England for an Army of thirty thousand men which being brought to the shore ready to be shipped an offer was made to be proclaimed by his Lieftenant that giuing ten shillings a man whosoeuer would might depart home to his dwelling Whereby was raised so much as discharged his expence and serued to see the King of France vnder-hand for his forbearing aide to Duke Robert who seeing himselfe left by the French must needes make his peace as the other would haue it Now for his affaires at home the vncertaine warres with Wales and Scotland gaue him more businesse then honour Being driuen in the one to incounter with mountaines in stead of men to the great losse and disaduantage of his people and in the other with as many necessities Wales he sought to subdue Scotland so to restraine as it might not hurt him For the last after much broyle both Kings seeming more willing to haue peace then to seeke it are brought to an enteruiew Malcolin vpon publicke faith and safe-conduit came to Glocester where vpon the haughtinesse of King William looking to be satisfied in all his demaunds and the vnyeeldingnesse of King Malcolin standing vpon his regality within his owne though content to be ordered for the confines according to the iudgement of the Primate of both Kingdomes nothing 1084. Anno. Reg. 7. was effected but a greater disdaine and rankor in Malcolin seeing himselfe dispised and scarce looked on by the King of England So that vpon his returne armed with rage he raises an Army enters Northumberland which foure times before he had depopulated and now the fifth seeking vtterly to destroy it and to haue gone farther The King of Scots his son Edward slaine causes Queene Margaret to dy with griefe Roger Houeden was with his eldest sonne Edward slaine rather by the fraude then power of Robert Mowbray Earle of that County The griefe of whose deaths gaue Margaret that blessed Queene hers After whom the State elected Dufnald brother to Malcolin and chased out all the English which attended the Queene and were harbored or preferred by Malcolin King William to set the line right and to haue a King there which should be beholding to his power aides Edgar the second sonne to Malcolin who had serued him in his wars to obtaine the Crowne due vnto him in right of succession by whose meanes Dufnald was expeld and the State receiued Edgar but killed all the aide he brought with him out of England and capitulated that he should neuer more entertaine English or Norman in his seruice This businesse setled Wales strugling for liberty and reuenge gaue new occasion of 1085. Anno. Reg. 8. worke whither he went in person with purpose to depopulate the Countrey but they retiring into the Mountaines and the Isle of Anglesey auoided the present furie But afterward Hugh Earle of Shrewsbury and Hugh Earle of Chester surprising the Isle their chiefest retreit committed there barbarous examples of cruelty by exoecations and miserable dismembring the people which immanity was there suddenly auenged on the Earle of Shrewsbury with a double death first shot into the eye and then tumbling ouer-boord into the sea to the sport and scorne of his enemy the King of Norway who either by chance or of purpose comming vpon that coast from taking in the Orchades encountred with him and that force he had at sea These were the remote businesses when a conspiracy brake out within the body of the Kingdome complotted by Robert Mowbray Earle of Northumberland William d'Ou and many others who are sayd to haue sought the destruction of the King and the aduancement of Stephen Earle of Albemare his Aunts sonne to the Crowne which gaue the King more trouble then danger for by the speedy and maine prosecution of the businesse wherein hee vsed the best strength of England it was soone ended with the confusion of the vndertakers But it wrought an ill effect in his nature by hardening the same to an extreme rigor for after the feare was past his wrath and cruelty were not but which is hideous in a Prince they grew to bee numbred amongst incurable diseases The Earle was committed to the Castle of Windsor William d' Ou at a Councell at Salisbury being ouercome in Duell the course of triall had his eyes put out and his priuie members cut off William de Alueric his Sewer a man of goodly personage and allyed vnto him was condemned to be hanged though both in his confession to Osmond the Bishop there and to all the people as hee passed to his execution hee left a cleere opinion of his innocency and the wrong hee had by the King But now whilst these fractures heere at home the vnrepairable breaches abroad were such as could giue the King no longer assurednesse of quiet then the attempters would and that all the Christian world was out either at discord amongst themselues or in faction by the schisme of the Church Pope Viban assembling a generall Councell at Cleirmont in Auergne to compose the affaires of Christendome exhorted all the Princes thereof to ioyne themselues in action for the recouery of the Holy Land out of the hands of infidels Which motion by the zealous negotiation of Peter the Hermit of Amiens tooke so generally meeting with the disposition of an actiue and religious world as turn'd all that flame which had else consumed each other at home vpon vnknowne Nations that vndid them abroad Such and so great grew the heate of this action made by the perswasion of the Iustice thereof with the state and glory it would bring on earth and the assurednesse of heauen
Informers small transgressions made great penalties These were his courses for raysing moneys wherein he failed not of fit Ministers to execute his will among whom was chiefe Ranulph Bishop of Durham whom he had corrupted with other Bishops to counterpoise This Raunlph gaue a thousand pounds for his Bishopricke and was the Kings Chancellour Profusion euer in want the Clergie awe the Layety and countenance his proceedings All which meanes he exhausted either in his buildings which were the new Castle vpon Tine the Citty of Carleil Westminster-Hall and the walles of the Tower of London or else in his prodigall gifts to strangers Twice he appeased the King of France with money and his Profusion was such as put him euermore into extreme wants This one Act shewes both his violence and magnanimity As he was one day hunting a Messenger comes in all haste out of Normandy and tels him how the Citty of Mans was surprised by Hely Conte de la Flesche who by his Wife pretended right therunto and was aided by Fouques d' Angiers the antient enemy to the Dukes of Normandy and that the Castle which held out valiantly for him was without present succour to be rendered He sends backe the Messenger instantly wils him to make all the speed he could to signifie to his people in the Castle that he would be there within eight daies if Fortune hindred him not And sodainely he askes of his people about him which way Mans lay and a Norman being by shewed him Presently he turnes his Horse towards that Coast and in great haste rides on when some aduised him to stay for fit prouisons and people for his iourney hee said They who loue mee will follow me And comming to imbarke at Dartmouth the Maister told him the weather was rough and there was no passing without eminent danger Tush said he set forward I neuer yet heard of King that was drowned By breake of day he arriued at Harfleu sends for his Captaines and men of warre to attend him all at Mans whither hee came at the day appointed Conte de la Flesche hauing more right than power after many skirmishes was taken by a stratagem and brought prisoner to Rouen where more inraged then dismaide with his fortune he let fall these words that had hee not beene taken with a wile hee would haue left the King but little Land on that side the sea and were hee againe at libertie they should not so easily take him Which being reported the King sent for him Set him at libertie gaue him a faire Horse bad him goe his waie and doe his worst Which act ouercame the Conte more then his taking and a quiet end was made betweene them That he affected things of cost euen in the smallest matters is shewed in the report of his finding fault with his seruant which brought him a new paire of hose whereof he demanding the price was told how they cost threc shillings wherewith being angrie he asked his seruant if that were a fit price of a paire of hose for a King and willed him to goe presently and to buy those of a marke which being brought him though they were farre worse yet he liked them much better in regard they were said to haue cost more An example of the Weare of the time the humor of the Prince and the deceipt of the seruant The King returnes into England with great iollity as euer bringing home better fortune out of Normandy then from any his Northerne expeditions Feasts his Nobilitie with all Magnificence in his new Hall lately finished at Westminster wherewith he found much fault for being built too little saying It was fitter for a Chamber then a Hallfor a King of England and takes a plot for one farre more spacious to be added vnto it And in this gayetie of State when hee had got aboue all his businesses betakes him wholly to the pleasure of peace and being hunting with his Brother Henry in the New Forrest Walter Terell a Norman and his kinsman shooting at a Deere whether mistaking his marke or not is vncertaine strake him to the heart And so fell this fierce King in the 43 yere of his age when he had raigned nie 12 yeres A Prince who for the first two yeares of his raigne whilst held in by the graue counsell of Lanfrance and his owne feares bare himselfe most worthily and had beene absolute for State had hee not after sought to bee absolute in power which meeting with an exorbitant will makes both Prince and people miserable The end of the Life and Raigne of William the second The Life and Raigne of Henry the first HHNRY the yongest sonne of William the first being at hand and 1100 Anno. Reg. 1. borne in England which made much for him was elected and crowned within foure dayes after his Brothers death it being giuen out that Robert who should haue succeeded William was chosen King of Ierusalem and not like to giue ouer that Kingdome for this Wherefore to settle Henry in the possession of the Crowne all expedition possible was vsed least the report of Roberts returning from the Holy warres being now in Apulia comming home might be noysed abroad to stagger the State which seemed generally willing to accept of Henry The first actions of his gouernment tended all to bayte the people and sugar their subiection as his predecessor vpon the like interposition had done but with more moderation and aduisednesse this being a Prince better rectified in iudgement and of a Nature more alayed both by his sufferings hauing sighed with other men vnder the hand of oppression that taught him patience also by hauing somewhat of the Booke which got him opinion the Title of Beauclarke First to fasten the Clergy Hee furnishes with fit men all those Vacancies which his Brother had kept emptie recals Anselme home to his Bishopricke of Canterbury and restores them to all whatsoeuer priuiledges had beene infringed by his Predecessor And for the Layetie Hee not onely pleased them in their releeuements but in their passion by punishing the chiefe Ministers of their exactions which euermore eases the The ministers of exactions punished spleene of the people glad to discharge their Princes of the euills done them knowing how they cannot worke without hands and lay them on their Officers who haue the actiue power where themselues haue but the passiue and commonly turne as they are mooued Ralph Bishop of Durham chiefe Counsellor to the late King a man risen by subtlety Ralph Bishop of Durham committed to prison of his Tongue from infimous condition to the highest employments was committed to a streight and loathsome prison being famed to haue put his Maister into all these courses of exaction and irregularities and remaines amongst the examples of perpetuall ignominie All dissolute persons are expelled the Court the people cased of their impositions and restored to their lights in the night which after the Couerfeu Bell were
mutinous Earles and by their instigation was set into that flame as he raised all his vtmost forces to be reuenged on his brother The King touched in Conscience with the fowlenesse of a fraternall war which the world would take he being the mightier to proceed out of his designes stood douotfull what to doe when Pope Paschall by his Letters written with that eloquence saith Malmesburie wherein hee was quicke perswaded him That herein hee should not make a ciuill Warre but doe a Noble and memorable benefit vnto his Countrey Whereby paide for remitting the Inuestitures hee held himselfe countenanced in this businesse Whereon now he sets with more alacrity and resolution And after many difficulties and losse of diuers worthy men in a mighty battaile neere the Castle of Tenechbray his England wins Normandic enemies with much adoe were all defeated Whereby England won Normandy and on the same day by Computation wherein forty yeares before Normandy ouer-came England such are the turnings in the affaires of men And here Robert who stood in a faire possibility of two Crownes came to bee depriued 1106. Anno. Reg. 7. of his Dutchy and all hee had brought prisoner into England and committed to the Castle of Cardiffe Where to adde to his misery hee had the misfortune of a long life suruiuing after he lost himselfe 26 yeares whereof the most part he saw not hauing his eyes put out whereby he was onely left to his thoughts a punishment barbarously Robert Duke of Normandy is imprisoned by King Hen. inflicted on him for attempting an escape He was a Prince that gaue out to the world very few notes of his ill but many of his Noblenesse and valour especially in his great voyage wherein hee had the second command and was in election to haue beene the first preferred to the Crowne of Ierusalem and missed it hardly Onely the disobedience in his youth shewed to his Father which yet might proceed from a rough hand borne ouer him and the animation of others rather then his owne Nature sets a staine vpon him and then his profusion which some would haue liberality shewed his impotency and put him into those courses that ouerthrew him All the Reuenues of his Dutchy which should serue for his maintenance hee sold or engaged and was vpon passing the City of Roan vnto the Cittizens which made him held vnfit for the gouernment and gaue occasion to his Brother to quarrell with him And thus came Henry sreed from this feare and absolute Duke of Normandy had King Henry Duke of Normandy many yeares of quiet gathered great Treasure entertained good intelligence with the Neighbour Princes Scotland by his Match and doing their Princes good hee held from doing him hurt clearing them from vsurpations Wales though vnder his Title yet not subiection gaue him some exercise of action which he ordered with great wisdome First he planted within the body of that Countrey a Colony of Flemings who at that time much pestred this Kingdome being admitted heere in the raigne of King William the first marrying their Country woman and vsing their helpe in the action of England where they dayly encreased in such sort as gaue great displeasure to the people But by this meanes both that grieuance was eased and the vse of them made profitable to the State for being so great a number and a strong people they made roome for themselues and held it in that sort as they kept the Welch all about them in verie good awe Besides the King tooke for Ostages the chiefe mens sonnes of the Country and hereby quieted it For France hee stood secure so long as Phillip the first liued who wholly giuen ouer to his ease and Luxury was not for other attempts out of that course but his sonne he was to looke vnto whensoeuer he came to that Crowne With the Earle of Flanders he had some debate but it was onely in words and vpon 1107. Anno. Reg. 8. this occasion King William the first in retribution of the good his father in law Baldouin the fift had done by ayding him in the action of England gaue him yearely three hundred markes and likewise continued it to his sonne after him Now Robert Earle of Flaunders of a collaterall line returning empty from the Holy warres and finding this summe paide out of England to his Predecessors demaunds the same of King Henrie as his due who not easie to part with money sends him word that it was not the custome of the Kings of England to pay tribute If they gaue pensions they were temporary and according to desert Which answere so much displeased the Earle that though himselfe liued not to shew his hatred yet his Sonne did and ayded afterward William the sonne of Robert Curtoys in his attempts for recouery of the Dutchy of Normandy against King Henry Thus stood this King in the first part of his raigne in the other hee had more to doe abroad then at home where hee had by his excellent wisdome so setled the gouernment as it held a steady course without interruption all his time But now Lewis le Grosse succeeding his father Philip the first gaue him warning to looke to his State of Normandy and for that he would not attend a quarrell he makes one taking occasion about the City of Gisors scituate on the Riuer Epre in the confines of Normandy King Henry quarrels with the King of France whilst Louys was trauailed with a stubborne Nobility presuming vpon their Franchises within their owne Signories whereof there were many at that time about Paris as the Contes of Crecy Pissaux Dammartin Champaigne and others who by example and emulation would bee absolute Lords without awe of a Maister putting themselues vnder the protection of Henry wo being neere to assist them fostred those humors which in sicke bodies most shew themselues But after Louys by yeares gathering strength dissolued that compact and made his meanes the more by their confiscations Now to entertaine these two great Princes in worke the quarrell betweene the Pope and the Emperour ministred fresh occasion The Emperor Henry the fift hauing 1108. Anno. Reg. 9. by the Popes instigation banded against his Father Henry the fourth who associated him in the Empire and held him prisoner in that distresse as hee died toucht afterwards with remorse of this act and reproach of the State for abandoning the rights of the Empire leauies sixty thousand foote and thirty thousand horse for Italy constraines the Pope and his Coledge to acknowledge the rights of the Empire in that forme as Leo the fourth had done to Otho the second and before that The Popes Oath to the Emperour Adrian to Charlemaigne according to the Decree of the Counsell of Rome and made him take his Oath of fidelity betweene his hands as to the true and lawfull Emperour The Pope so soone as Henry was departed home assembles a Counsell nullifies this acknowledgement as done by
The inheritance left him by his predecessors was sufficient to maintaine his estate at home and he desired not to thrust himselfe into other mens possessions abroad But his sonne Robert was of another mind and had a mighty estate both in England and Normandy Was a man of great direction in councell and euer vsed in all the weighty affaires of the State His The example of frugallitie in great men doth much good in a Kingdome frugallity both in apparell and diet was of such example being a man of eminent note as did much good to the Kingdome in those dayes But in the end he fell into disgrace the fate of Court and eminency opposed against the King and died berest of his estate Besides these this King was serued with a potent and martiall Nobility whom his spirit led to affect those great designes of his in France for the preseruation of his state in Normandy Whither in the 32. yeare of his raigne he makes his last voyage to dye there and in his passage thither happened an exceeding great Ecclips of the Sunne King Henries death which was taken to fore-signifie his death for that it followed shortly after in the thirty fiue yeare of his raigne He was of a gracefull personage quick-eyed browne haire a different complexion His personage from his brothers and of a close compacted temperament wherein dwelt a mind of a more solide constitution with better ordered affections He had in his youth some taste of learning but onely as if to set his stomake not to ouer-charge it therewith But this put many of his subiects into the fashion of the Booke and diuers learned men flourished in his time He had by Maude his wife the daughter of Malcolin the third King of Scotland none His issue other children but Maude and William of whom any certaine mention is made but he is said to haue had of children illigitimate seuen sonnes and as many daughters which shewes vs his incontinencie two of which sonnes of most especiall note Robert and Raynold were Earles the one of Glocester a great Champion and defender of his Sister Maude the Empresse the other Earle of Cornwall and Baron of Castle-combe His daughters were all married to Princes and Noble men of France and England from whom discended many worthy families as diuers writers report The end of the Life and Raigne of Henry the first The Life and Raigne of King Stephen THE Line Masculine of the Norman extinct and onely a daughter left 1135. Anno. Reg. 1. and she married to a French-man Stephen Earle of Bologne and Mortagne sonne of Stephen Earle of Blois and of Adela daughter to William the first was notwithstanding the former oath taken for Maud elected by the State and inuested in the Crowne of England within thirty daies after the death of Henry Vpon what reasons of Councell wee must gather out of the circumstances of the courses held in that time Some imagine The state refused Maude for not being then the custome of any other Kingdome Reasons why Maude was not crowned Christian whose Kings are annoynted to admit women to inherit the Crowne and therefore they might pretend to bee freed from their oath as being vnlawfull But Roger Bishop of Salisbury one of the principall men then in councell yeelded another reason for the discharge of this oath which was That seeing the late King had married his daughter out of the Realme and without the consent thereof they might lawfully refuse her And so was Stephen hauing no Title at all but as one of the bloud by meere election aduanced to the Crowne For if hee should claime any right in the Succession as being the sonne of Adela then must Theobald Earle of Blois his elder brother haue beene preferred before him and Henry Fitz Empresse if they refused the mother was neerer in bloud to the right Stem then either But they had other reasons that ruled that time Stephen was a man and of great possessions both in England and France had one Reasons why Stephen Earle of Bollogne was crowned King brother Earle of Blois a Prince of great estate another Bishop of Winchester the Popes Legat in England of power eminent was popular for his affability goodly personage and actiuenesse and therefore acceptable to the Nobility who at that time were altogether guided by the Clergy and they by the working of the Bishop of Winchester induced to make choyce of him hauing an opinion that by preferring one whose Title was least would make his obligation the more to them and so they might stand better secured of their liberties then vnder such a one as might presume of an hereditary succession And to be the more sure thereof before his admittance to the Crowne he takes a priuate oath before the Bishop of Canterbury To confirme the ancient liberties of the Church and had his brother to vndertake betwixt God and him for the performance thereof But being now in possession of the Kingdome and all the Treasure his Vncle had King Stephen possesses the Treasure of Hen. 2. in many yeares gathered which amounted to one hundred thousand pounds of exquisite siluer besides plate and iewels of inestimable value After the funerals performed at Reading hee assembles a Parliament at Oxford wherein hee restored to the Clergie all their His first Parliament at Oxford former liberties and freed the Layetie from their tributes exactions or whatsoeuer grieuances opprest them confirming the same by his Charter which faithfully to obserue hee tooke a publique oath before all the Assembly where likewise the Bishops swore fealty vnto him but with this condition So long as hee obserued the Tenour of this Charter And now as one that was to make good the hold he had gotten with power and his sword prepares for all assaults which hee was sure to haue come vpon him And first graunts licence to all that would to build Castles vpon their owne Lands thereby to fortifie the Realme and breake the force of any ouer-running inuasion that should maister the field Which in setled times might bee of good effect but in a season of distraction and part-takings very dangerous And being to subsist by friends hee makes all he could Creates new Lords giues to many great possessions and hauing a fullpurse spares for no cost to buy loue and fidelitie a purchase very vncertaine when there may bee other conueyances made of more strength to carry it Two waies hee was to looke for blowes from Scotland on one side and France on the other Scotland wanted no instigators Dauid their King mooued both by Nature and his oath to his Neece turnes head vpon him Stephen was presently there with the show of a strong Army and appeased him with the restitution of Cumberland and his sonne Henry Prince of Scotland with the Earledome of Huntingdon which with that of Northumberland as the Scortish writers say was to discend vnto him by the right
notwithstanding himselfe graunted the same in his agreement with Stephen alledging They were of the Demaynes of the Crowne and could not be alieâ—ed Onely he suffered him to inioy such lands as his father King Stephen held in England in the time of Henry the first Then goes he Northward and recouers the Citty of Carlile seizes all Cumberland into his hands and after takes the Towne of New-castle with the Castle of Bamberge and so resumed all Northumberland which his Mother the Empresse had before granted to Dauid King of Scets her Vnkle Grand-father to Malcolin who now reigned as being not in his Mothers power nor his to giue away any part of the Kingdome Notwithstanding he was content Malcolin should inioy the Earledome of Huntingdon which King Stephen had giuen to Henry Prince of Scotland father to Malcolin as being a peece in the heart of England whereof he could make no vse but at the Kings pleasure and besides was a meanes to hold him his Homager and to performe those seruices belonging to that Earledome And the same course tooke he with the Alienations and vsurpations formerly made of the Demaines of the Duchy of Normandy and forced Theobald Earle of Blois to resigne into his hands two Castles and Petroch Earle of Perch other two These reuocations whereby so many were indamaged in their estates and Grants both of his Predecessors and his owne vtterly nullified might seeme to be an act of great iniustice and in a new Gouernment of little safety But in regard the Common-wealth had thereby a benefit and but few though great interessed it passed as a worke vniuersally necessary seeing his Maintenance otherwise must be made vp out of publicke taxations which would turne to a generall grieuance But the resuming of the Earledome of Aniou The King resumes the Earledome of Aniou out of his brother Geffryes hands contrary to his Oath cannot but be held a strayne beyond conscience and good nature For his father Geffrey Plantagenet desirous to leaue some estate to his second sonne Geffrey ordained by his Testament That when Henry had recouered the Kingdome of England the other should haue the County of Aniou and in the meane time put Geffrey in possession of the Castles and Townes of Chinon Lodun and Mirabel whereby he might both haue maintenance for his estate and a readier meanes to come to the rest when occasion serued And least his sonne Henry should not performe this Will he got certaine Bishops and other Nobles to sweare that they would not suffer his body to be interred till Henry who was then absent had sworne to fulfill his Testament Henry rather then to suffer his Fathers body to lye vnburied With great vnwillingnesse takes this oath But afterward being inuested in the Crowne of England and Geffrey seazing vpon the Earledome of Aniou he passes ouer into France and not onely takes from him the Earledome but also those three Townes he had in possession alledging It was no reason a forced Oath vpon such an occasion should bind him to forgoe the inheritance of his Birth-right being all the Patrimony that was to discend vnto him from his Father and though he had recouered the Kingdome of England that was not his Fathers worke but by an other right And although he held his brother deere vnto him yet hauing Children of his owne he was to prouide that what was his should discend to them But yet was content to allowe his brother an honorable pension of a thousand pounds English and two thousand pounds of Aniouin money yearely for the maintenance of his estate and obtained of Pope Adrian the seuenth an English man borne a dispensation for his Oath made in this case 1156. Anno. Reg. 2. And now the first occasion that put him here into action of warre was the rebellion of the Welsh who according to their vsuall manner euer attempted some thing in the beginning of the Raigne of new Princes as if to try their spirits and their owne fortunes Against whom hee goes so prepared as if hee ment to goe through with his worke Wherein at first he had much to doe passing a streight among the Mountaines His first expedition into Wales where he lost with many of his men Eustace Fitz Iohn and Robert Curcy eminent persons and himselfe noysed to be slaine so much discouraged that part of the Army which had not passed the Streights as Henry an Earle of Essex threw downe the Kings Standard which he bare by inheritance and fled but soone the King made it knowne hee was aliue discomfited his enemies and brought them to seeke their peace with submission The Earle of Essex was after accused by Robert de Monfort The punishment of Corwardize for this misdeed had the Combat was ouercome pardoned yet of life but condemned to be shorne a Monke put into the Abbay of Reading and had his Lands seised into the Kings hands It was now the fourth yeare of the raigne of this King when all his affaires were in 1158. Anno. Reg. 4. prosperous course his State increasing his Queene fruitefull and had borne him three sonnes in England Henry Richard and Geffrey his eldst sonne William to whom hee had caused the Kingdom to take an Oath of fealty died shortly after his comming to the Crowne so that now the same Oath is tendred to Henry and all is secure and well on this side The King of France who would gladly haue impeached the mighty current of this Kings fortune was held in and fettered with his owne necessities his iourney to the Holy Land had all exhausted his Treasure and since his comming home the Pope had exacted great summes of him for dispensing with his second marriage which was with Constantia daughter to Alphonso King of Galicia a feeble alliance and farre off so that all concurred to increase the greatnesse of this King of England who The resignation of Nants to the King of England hauing now almost surrounded France by possessing first all Normandie with a great footing in Brittaine by the resignation of Nants with the Country there about which Conan the Duke was forced lately to make vnto him then the Earledome of Maine Poictou Touraine Aniou with the Dutchy of Guien he also laies claime to the rich Earledome of Tholouse vpon this Title William Duke of Aquitaine granfather to Queene Elioner married the daughter and King Henries claime to the Earldome of Tholouse heire of the Earle of Tholouse and going to the holy warres ingaged that Earldome to Raymond Earle of Saint Gayles and neuer returned to redeeme it William his sonne father to Queene Elionor either through want of meanes or neglect delayed likewise the redemption thereof so that the Earle of Saint Gyles continuning in possession whilst hee liued left it to his sonne Raymond of whom King Louys of France hauing married Elionor the daughter and heire of the last William demanded the restitution with tender of the summe for which
doe but so long as you shewed him fatherly Grace hee would loue you as a Father reuerence and cherish the Church as his Mother And humbly obay your sacred Decrees sauing his owne Dignity and that of his Kingdome and if of late hee hath not respected you with any reuerence the cause was that hauing with all his affection and all his powre stood to you in your necessitie hee was not answered worthily to his deserts vpon his recourse to you by his Ambassadours but in euery petition had the repulse And for hindring any which are willing to visit your Holinesse hee answeres hee will not nor hath hitherto done But for Appeales by the ancient custome of the Kingdome Hee chalenges that honour and cumber to himselfe that no Clergie man for any ciuill cause shall goe out of the Land till hee hath tried whether hee may obtaine his right by his Royall Authority and Iustice at home which if hee cannot hee may without any hinderance when hee will make his Appeale Wherein if any way hee doth preiudice Your Honour hee offers by the helpe of God to correct it as it shall bee ordred by the Councell of the whole Church of his Kingdome And for the Emperour though hee knew him a Scismatique hee neuer vnderstood hee was excommunicate But if hee bee by vs informed thereof or hath entred vnlawfull league with him or any other hee promises likewise to redresse the same by the sayd Ecclesiasticall Councell of his Kingdome And for our Father the Lord of Canterbury hee sayth that hee neuer expelled him out of his Kingdome but as hee went out of his owne accord so that at his pleasure it was free for him to returne to his Church in peace prouided that his Maiestie might bee satisfied concerning those complaints of his and haue him to obserue his Royall Dignity And if it can bee proued that any Church or Churchman hath beene opprest by the King or any of his hee is ready to make full satisfaction as shall bee thought fit by the whole Councell of the Church of his Kingdome This say they wee haue receiued in answere from our Lord the King and wish wee could haue had it fully according to your desire but these things wee thought good to notifie to your Highnesse that your Discretion may perceiue what is like to bee the conclusion of this businesse The King stands vpon the iustification of his owne cause ready to obey the Councell and iudgement of the Church of England Whereupon wee thought good to beseech your Highnesse that you would moderate for a time that zeale which by the fire of the deuine Spirit is worthily inkindled to reuenge any iniury done to the Church of God and forbeare to pronounce any sentence of interdiction or that last iudgement of abscision whereby inumerable Churches may bee miserably subuerted and both the King and an infinite number of people with him irreuocably which God forbid auerted from your obedience Then they tell him That better it were to haue a member bad then cut off abscision brought desperation a skilfull Chirurgion might recouer an infected part and how it were filter to imploy meanes to heale the wound then by cutting off a most noble part of the Church of God to bring more disturbance to the same that hath to much alreadie Though the King were stiffe they ought not dispare of the grace of God that a Kings stomacke was then to bee wonne when hee had wonne and might not blush to yeelde when hee had ouercome Patience and Meekenesse must pacifie him c. And inconclusion wee speake foolishly say they but yet withall Charitie if it come to passe that the Lord of Canterbury loose both his goods and liue besides in perpetuall exile and England which God forbid fall away from your obedience were it not better to forbeare for a time then with such zeale of seuerity to foster vp a party what if persecution cannot seperate many of vs from you yet will not there want knees to bow to Baall and receiue the Pall of Canterbury at the hands of an Idoll without choyce of religion or Iustice neither will there want suppliers of our Chayres that will obey him with all deuotion and already many deuoure these hopes wishing that scandalls may come and streight waies bee made crooked Thus much out of their letters which are the best peeces of History in the world and shew vs more of the inside of affaires then any relations else And by this wee truely see what barres kept these two mighty powers back from their wills and yet how lowde they threaten and both a feard of each other But the King of England stood safe ynough and was like to haue his businesses runne in a strong and intire course when by casting to make things safer then fast he layes open a way both to disioynt his owne power and imbroyle his people with diuision which was by the association of his sonne Henry in the gouernment an act without example in this Kingdome and strange that a Parliament an assembly of the State Prince Henry crowned King conuoked for the same businesse would in so wise times consent to communicate the Crowne and make the Common-wealth a Monster with two heads But it seemes the 1170. Anno. Reg. 16. strong desire of the King was such for the loue he bare his sonne as he would not bee denied in this motion nor hold it a sufficient Security to haue twice before caused all the Kingdome to take an Oath of Fealty vnto him to haue designed vnlesse he were Crowned King as he was with all vsuall solemnities the 14 day of Iune 1170. by Roger Archbishop of Yorke and had homage done vnto him that day by the King of Scots Dauid his brother and all the Nobility of England But now with what reseruations this was done wee are not particularly informed whether there was an equall participation of rule or onely but of Title and that the Father notwithstanding this Act was to haue the especiall manage of the Gouernment and the Sonne though a King yet a Sonne with a limited powre Howsoeuer this young King shewed shortly after That a Crowne was no State to bee made ouer in trust and layd much griefe and repentance vpon his Fathers forwardnesse What mooued the King with this precipitation to be before hand with his Graue may be deemed the iealosie he had apprehended by his Mothers example who for all the Oath of Fealtie sooften taken for her succession was yet put by it through the working of the Clergie and now considering in what termes hee stood with them and that although he had wonne some few Bishops vnto him was sure they loued him not and what they might worke with the people if himselfe should faile made him ouer doe his worke The King of France vnderstanding that his daughter was not Crowned with her husband which by reason of her tender age was deferred tooke it
ill and threatnes King Henry the Father with warre if it were not presently done which causes him to make more haste backe againe into Normandy leauing the young King in England to satisfie or preuent this quarreling Prince And whilst he remained there meanes was made that the Archbishop of Canterbury who had beene now sixe yeares in exile was brought to haue conference with the King by the mediation of the King of France Theobald Earle of Bloys and diuers great Bishops which the King of England was the more willing to accept in regard hee saw this breach with the Church might much preiudice his temporall businesses whensoeuer they should breake out and how the Archbishop continually was working the Pope and all the great Prelates of the Christian world against him which How much such a party as swayed the Empire of Soules might doe in a time of zeale against a ruler of bodies was to bee considered And therefore discends he from the higth of his will to his necessity and they meete at Montmiriall before the King of France where the Archbishop kneeling at the feete of his Soueraigne Lord the King of England sayd Beckets submission to the King Hee would commit the whole cause in controuersie to his Royall Order Gods honour onely reserued The King who had beene often vsed to that reseruation grew into some choller and sayd to the King of France and the rest What soeuer displeaseth this man hee would haue to be against Gods honour and so by that shift will challeng to himselfe all that belongs to mee But because you shall not thinke mee to goe about to resist Gods honour and him in what shall bee The Kings offer to Becket fit looke what the greatest and most Holy of all his Predecessors haue done to the meanest of mine let him doe the same to mee and it shall suffice Which answere being beyond expectation so reasonable turn'd the opinion of all the company to the Kings cause in so much as the King of France sayd to the Archbishop Will you bee greater then Saints better than Saint Peter what can you stand vpon I see it is your fault if your peace bee not made The Archbishop replied to this effect That as the authority of Kings had their beginning by Beckets reply Degrees so had that of the Church which being now by the prouidence of God come to that Estate it was they were not to follow the example of any that had beene faint or yeelding in their places The Church had risen and increased out of many violent oppressions and they were now to hold what it had gotten Our Fathers sayd hee suffred all manner of afflictions because they would not forsake the name of Christ and shall I to be reconciled to any mans fauour liuing derogate any thing from his honour This hauty reply of a subiect to so yeelding an offer of his Soueraigne so much distasted the hearers as they held the maintenance of his cause rather to proceed from obstinacy then zeale and with that impression the conference for that time brake vp But after this were many other meetings and much debate about the businesse And the King of France at whose charge lay the Archbishop all this while came to another conference with them vpon the Confines of Normandie Where the King of England tooke the Archbishop apart and had long speech with him twice they alighted from their horses twice remounted and twice the King held the Archbishops bridell and so againe they part prepared for an attonement but not concluding any In the end by mediation The King and Becket accorded of the Archbishop of Rouen the matter is quietly ended before the Earle of Bloys at Amboys And thereupon Henry the father writes to Henry the sonne being then in England in this wise Know yee that Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury hath made peace with me to my will and therefore I charge you that hee and all his haue peace and that you cause to bee restored vnto him and to all such as for him went out of England all their substances in as full and honourable manner as they held it three monethes before their going c. And thus by this letter we see in which King the command lay Becket returnes into England The Archbishop returning into England not as one who had sought his peace but inforced it with larger power to his resolution then before Suspends by the Popes Bull the Archbishop of Yorke from all Episcopall Office for Crowning the young King within the Prouince of Canterbury without his leaue and against the Popes commandement and without taking according to the custome the Cautionary Oath for conseruation of the liberties of the Church Hee brought also other letters to suspend in like manner The Bishops of London Salisbury Oxford Chester Rochister Saint Asaph and Landaff for doing seruice at the Coronation and vphoulding the Kings cause against him And by these Letters were they all to remaine suspended till they had satisfied the Archbishop in so much as he thought fit Thus to returne home shewed that hee had the better of the time and came all vntied which so terrified the Bishops that presently hauing no other refuge they repaire to the King in Normandie and shew him this violent proceeding of the Archbishop How since his returne hee was growne so imperious as there was no liuing vnder him Wherewith the King was so much mooued as hee is sayd in extreame passion to haue vttered these words In what a miserable State am I that cannot bee quiet in mine owne Kingdome for one onely Priest is there no man will ridde mee of this trouble Whereupon they report foure Knights Sir Hugh Moruille Sir William Tracy Sir Richard Brittaine and Sir Raynold Fitz Vrs then attending vpon the King and gessing his desire by his words depart presently into England to bee the vnfortunate executioners of the same but by some it seemes rather these foure gentlemen were sent with Commission from the King to deale with the Archbishop in another manner And first to wish him to take his Oath of Fealty to the young King then to restore these Bishops to the execution of their function and thirdly to beare himselfe with more moderation in his place whereby the Church might haue comfort vpon his returne and the Kingdome quietnesse But they finding the Arch-bishop not answering their humor but peremtory vntractable without regarding their Masters message grew into rage first from threatning The murthering of Becket force fell to commit it and that in an execrable manner putting on their armor to make the matter more hideous they entred into the Church whither the Arch-bishop was with-drawn the Monks at Diuine Seruice and there calling him Traytor and furiously reuiling him gaue him many wounds and at length strake out his braines that with his bloud besprinkled the Altar His behauiour in this act of death his courage to
committing rapin and sacrelidge to supply their necessities feed their followers And in the end the young King hauing much strugled in vaine through griefe and vexation of spirit which caused the distemprature of body fell into a burning His death feuer with a fluxe whereof within few dayes he died A Prince of excellent parts who was first cast away by his Fathers indulgence and after by his rigor not suffering him to be what himselfe had made him neither got he so much by his Coronation as to haue a name in the Catalogue of the Kings of England The sorrow of the Father although it be sayd to be great hindred not his reuenge vpon the Barons of Aquitaine whom he now most eagerly persecuted seazed on their Castles and rased to the ground that of Limoges Geffrey vpon his submission is receiued into grace and the yeare after died at Paris Earle Geffreys submission and death hauing in a conflict bene troden vnder horses feete and miserably crushed so that halfe the male issue wherein this King was vnfortunate he saw extinct before him and that by deaths as violent as were their disposition The other two who suruiued him were no lesse miserable in their ends Now the young King of France Phillip the second in whose fate it was to do more then euer his father could effect vpon the death of Henry the sonne requires the deliuery of the Countrey of Vexin which was giuen in dowre with his Sister Margaret but the King of England not apt to let go any thing of what he had in possession was 1184. Anno. Reg. 30. content to pay yearely to the Queene dowager 17050. pounds Aniouin And the more to hold faire with this young King whose spirit he saw grew great and actiue and with whom he was like to haue much to do did homage vnto him for all he held in Fraunce which he neuer did to the Father being the first discent of Maiestie he euer Henry the second doth homage to Phillip King of France made to any secular power And beside tooke his part against Phillip Earle of Flanders who opposed against him and was in those dayes a Prince of mighty power and had euer stood fast vnto King Lewes the father But now Phillip the sonne otherwise led or affectioned quarrels with him and demaunds the Countrey of Vermendois as appertaining to the Crowne of Fraunce and withall vpon allegation of consanguinity repudiates his wife Neece to this Earle of Flanders giuen vnto him by his Fathers choyce a little before his death The Earle followed by Odo Earle of Borgogne the Earles of Champague Hainalt Namur Saint Pol and others warres vpon the King of The Earle of Flanders compels the King of France to compound France and commits great spoyles within his territories so that hee was faine in the end to compound with him to his disaduantage After this the Kings of England and France meete betweene Gisors and Tri where the King of England sweares to deliuer Alise vnto Richard his sonne And the King of France her brother graunts her in dower the Countrey of Velxin which Margueret his other Sister had before But these tyes held them not long together for the yong King of France so wrought with Richard as hee drew him from his Fathers obedience and they liued together in 1185. Anno. Reg. 31. that amitie as on bed and boord is sayd to haue serued them both which so iniealosed the olde King as he called home his sonne and before his Bishops and Nobility caused him to sweare vpon the Euangelists to obserue fealty vnto him against all persons whatsoeuer which hauing done and ready to passe ouer into England hee is informed of the great preparation made by the King of France who gaue out that hee would spoyle and ransacke both Normandie and the rest of the Kings of Englands territories in France vnlesse he would presently deliuer vp his Sister Alice vnto Richard or render Gisors and the Countrey of Velxin into his hands Whereupon the King returnes backe and comes againe to a parle betweene Gisors and Try Where the Archbishop of Tyre sent from the East to call vp ayde for the Holy warre did with that powre of perswation so vrge his message as it let out all the humour of priuate rancor and contention The Kings of England and France accorded and prepare for the holy war betweene these two great Kings altred their whole Councells their pretentions their designes turned them wholly to vndertake in person this laborious action and resolue to leaue their Kingdomes their pleasures and all the things of glorie they had at home to prosecute the same through all the distempratures of climes and difficulties of passages whereunto that voyage was obnoxious so that now no other thing was thought or talked on but onely preparations and furnishments for this businesse And to distinguish their people and followers who all stroue which should bee most forward it was ordred that they who followed the King of England should weare a white Crosse France a red and Flaunders a greene And for a further ingagement in the businesse the King of England writes to the Patriarch of Antioch a most comfortable and pious letter in the end whereof he hath these words Amongst other Princes I and my Sonne reiecting the glory of this world and dispising all the pleasures thereof in proper person with all our strength will God willing visit you shortly Then to rayse money to defray this great enterprise it was ordained by the two Kings their Archbishops Bishops Earles and others in France that all whosoeuer as well Clerke as Lay sauing such as went the voyage should pay the tenth of all their reuenues of that yeare and the tenth of all their Moueables and Chattles as well in gold as filuer And many excellent orders were made for restraynt of licentiousnesse both in apparell and manners as was fitting for the vndertakers of so ciuile and deuout an action The King of England hauing layde this imposition vpon all his Dominions in France comes ouer calls a Councell of his Bishops Abbors Earles Barons both 1186. Anno. Reg. 33. of the Clergie and Layty at Gayntington and by their consents imposes the same taxation vpon his Subiects of England Sub Eleemosinae titulo vitium rapacitatis includens sayth Walsingham and presently sends foorth his Officers into euery Shire to collect the same according as it was done in France But of euery Citie in England he caused a choice to be made of the richest men as in London of two hundred in Yorke a hundred and so according to the proportion of the rest and caused all these at a certaine time and place to appeare before him of whom he tooke the tenth of all their Moueables by the estimation of credible men which knew their Estates such as refused hee imprisoned till they had payde it of which example and exaction we must
Anno Reg. 38. hauing first deposed Simon M. from the gouernment there and makes voyde his Charter by Proclamation Monfort retyres from thence and is offred intertaynment by the French but refuses it Before Winter the King had in some fort appeased the Gascoignes and taken in such Castles as had long held out against him and the late gouernour For they hauing put themselues vnder the protection of the King of Spaine who being so Alliance with the King of Spaine neere a neighbour and the discontents and factions of the country strong caused the King of England with more hast and care to looke to his worke and the rather for that the King of Spaine pretended title to Aquitaine of whom that King Henry might be the more secure he sends to treate with him of a mariage betwixt Prince Edward 1254. Anno. Reg. 38. and his Sister Elionor wherevnto the King of Spaine willingly consents The King of England keeps his Christmas at Burdeux The Queene sends him a New-yeares guift of 500. Markes and the next Sommer with the Prince goes ouer vnto him The marriage is solemnised at Burgos where the king of Spain knights the Prince Prince Ed. marries Elionor sister to the King of Spaine and by his Charter quits his claime to Aquitaine for him and his successors for euer The king of England inuestes the Prince and his Wife therein and besides giues vnto him Ireland Wales Bristow Stanford and Grantham This businesse dispatched the king prepares to returne hauing consumed all whatsoeuer hee could get in this iourny which with the other two hee had before made was reckned to haue cost him 27. hundred thousand pounds and was said to be more then all the Lands he had there should they be sold were worth which when he was told he willed it might not be reuealed in publike to his disgrace Now in regard of danger by sea hee obtaines leaue of the King of France lately returned King Henry comes to Paris with 1000 horse is teasted by the K. of France from Captiuity to passe through his Country and comes to Paris with a 1000 horse besides Sumpters and Carts where he stayes 8 daies is sumptuously feasted and with as great magnificence feasts the King of France This meeting in regard of the two Queens Sisters and their other two Sisters the Countesse of Cornwall and Prouince who were likewise afterward Queenes was made the more triumphant and splendidous The King about Christmas ariues in England and the first that payde for his comming home were the Londoners and the Iewes The Londoners presenting him with He returnes into England fines the Londoners 100 pounds were returned without thanks then being perswaded that plate would be better welcome they bestow 200 pounds in a faire vessell that had some thankes but yet serued not the turne An offence is found about the escaping of a prisoner for which they pay 3000 Marks Now complaines hee of his debts which hee saies to bee 300 thousand Marks and how his owne meanes was deminished by the preferment of the Prince who carried away 15 thousand Marks per annum and mony must be had howsoeuer First he begins to serue his present turne with loanes and borowes great sums of the Earle of Cornwall vpon pawne after the King had wrung what he could from the Iewes he lets them out to farme to this rich Earle to make the best of them Then a Parliament is called in Easter Terme which yeelds nothing but returnes of 1257. Anno. Reg. 41. greeuances and complaints of breach of Charter with requiting their former pretended rights in electing the Iusticiar Chancellor and Treasurer After much debate to no purpose the Parliament is prorogued til Michelmas after whē likewise the Kings motion for money is disappointed by reason of the absence of many Peeres being not as 16. Parliament adiourned was alledged sommoned according to the Tenor of Magna Charta New occasions of charge and dislike arise Thomas Earle of Sauoy the Queenes brother hath warres with the City of Thuren and must be supplied by the King and Queene and his brother Boniface Archbishop of Canterbury The elect Bishop of Toledo brother to the King of Spaine with other great men come ouer lie at the Kings charge and are presented with great gifts Shortly after Elionor the Princes wife ariues with a multitude of Spaniards and she must be met and receiued by the Londoners in sumptuous manner and her Pope Alexander 4. people after many feastings returned home with presents The Pope sends the Bishop of Bononia with a Ring of inuestiture to Edmond the Kings second sonne for the Kingdome of Sicile with the hope of which Kingdome his Predicessor Innocent the 4 Edmond the Kings second sonne is promised the Kingdome of Sicile had before deluded the King himselfe and hee is returned with a great reward Then comes Rustandus with powre to collect the Tenth of England Scotland and Ireland to the vse of the Pope and the King and also to absolue him from his Oath for the Holy Warre so that hee would come to distroy Manfred sonne to the Emperot Frederick now in possession of the Kingdome of Sicile and Apulia And this man likewise hath great guifts bestowed on him besides a rich prebend in Yorke but yet hee obtained not what he came for of the Clergie who protested rather to loose their liues and liuings then to yeeld either to the will of the Pope or the King who they said were as the Shepheard and the Wolfe combined to macerat the flocke The Pope sent likewise to borow of the Earle of Cornwall 500 Marks in regard of his Nephewes preferment to the Kingdom of Sicile but the Earle refused it saying he would not lend his mony to one on whom hee could not distraine So this proiect came to nothing though all meanes were vsed to draw it on Newes was spred that Manfreds forces were vrterly defeated and himselfe either slaine or taken prisoner wherewith the King is so much ioyed as he presently vowes with all speed to make an expedition thither and giues his sonne Edmond no other title but King of Sicile This vaine hope had already by the cunning of the Popes inwrapt him in obligations of a hundred and fifty thousand Markes But shortly after this newes prooues false and the contrarie is notified Manfred is victorious and the Popes powre defeated by those of Apulia who tooke such indignation that the Pope should giue awaie their Country without their consent to an vnknowne Stranger as with all their maine powre they ioyne to establish Manfred who is now found to bee the legitimate sonne of Frederick and confirmed in his right which a strong sword will make howsoeuer The King keepes his Christmas at Winchester where the Merchants of Gascoigne The complaint of the Merchants of Gascoigne hauing their wines taken from them by the Kings Officers without due satisfaction complaine
himselfe to enter into Dover Castle At Canterbury they bring him into the Chapter house where the Earle of Glocester standing forth in the middest calls out the Earle not by the name of King but Richard Earle of Cornewall who in reverent manner comming forth takes his Oath ministred in this manner Heare all men that I Kichard Earle of Cornewall do heere sweare vpon the Holy Evangelists The Oath of the King of Romanes that I shall bee faithfull and dilligent to reforme with you the Kingdome of England hitherto by the Councell of wicked persons overmuch disorded bee an effectuall coadiutor to expell the rebels and disturbers of the same and this Oath will inviolably obserue vnder paine of loosing all the Land I haue in England so helpe mee God In this manner deale the Lords to binde this great Earle vnto them supposing his power to haue beene more then it was which at length they found to be nothing but an Ayrie Title for having consumed all that mighty substance abroad in two yeares which with great frugality had beene many in gathering he returnes in this manner home poore and forsaken by the Germans without any other meanes to trust vnto but onely what he had in England Notwithstanding vpon his returne the King takes heart and seekes all meanes to vindicate his power dispatching first messengers secretly to Rome to be absolued from 1259. Anno. Reg. 44. his inforced Oath then sends into Scotland to the King and the Queene his daughter for aydes to be ready vpon his occasions And to haue the more assurance of the King of France and be freed from forraine businesse he makes an absolute resignation of whatsoever right he had to the Duchy of Normandie and the Earledomes of Aniou King Henry resignes his right to Normandy c. Poictou Tourene and Maine in regard whereof the King of France giues him three hundred thousand pounds some say crownes of Aniouine money and grants him to enioy all Guien beyond the river Garoune all the Country of Xantonge to the river of 1261. An. Reg. 45. Charentè the Countries of Limosin and Quercy for him and his successors doing their Homage and Fealty to the Crowne of France as a Duke of Aquitayne and a Peere of that kingdome The Lords likewise on the other side seeke to strengthen their association and hold in each other to their Oathes and observation of their orders which was hard to do for consisting of manifold dispositions there was daily wauering sometimes Pikes among themselues in so much as the Earle of Leicester the chiefe man that kept the fire of that saction in told the Earle of Glocester finding him staggering that hee cared not to liue with such men whom he found so mutable and vncertaine for said he my Lord of Glocester The Lords combine against the K. as you are more eminent so are you more bound to what you haue vndertaken for the good of the kingdome And as he incensed others so had he those that animated him as Walter Bishop of Worcester and Kobert Bishop of Lincolne who inioyned him vpon remission W. Rishenger of his sinnes to prosecute the cause vnto death affirming how the peace of the Church of England could neuer be established but by the materiall sword But now many being the temptations many are drawne away from their side especially after the sentence giuen against them by the King of France made Arbitor of the quarrell who yet though hee condemned the prouisions of Oxford allowed the 1262. An. Reg. 46. confirmatiō of King Iohns Charter by which distinction he left the matter as he found it for those prouisions as the Lords pretended were grounded vpon that Charter Howsoeuer his sentence much aduantaged the King of England made many to dispence with their Oath and leaue their party Amongst whom was Henry Sonne to the Earle of Cornewall on whom the Prince had bestowed the Honour of Tyckhill who comming to the Earle of Leicester told him hee would not be against his Father the King nor his allyes but said he my Lord I will neuer beare Armes against you and 1263. Anno. Reg. 47. therefore I craue leaue to depart The Earle cheerfully replies my Lord Henry I am not sorry for your departure but for your inconstancie go returne with your armes I feare them not at all About the same time Roger de Clifford Roger de Leiborn Hamo I Strange and many other wonne with gifts depart from the Barons Shortly after Roger de Mortimer of the Kings part breakes into open act of hostility makes spoyle of the lands of the Earle of Leicester who had now combined himselfe with Llewellin Prince of Wales and had sent forces to inuade the lands of Mortimer in The beginning of the warres those parts And here the sword is first drawne in this quarrell about three yeares after the Parlement at Oxford The Prince takes part with Mortimer surprises the Castle of Brecknock with other places of strength which hee deliuers to his custodie The Earle of Leicester recouers the towne and Castle of Glocester constraines the Citizens to pay a thousand pounds for their redemption goes with an Army to Worcester possesses him of the Castle thence to Shrewsbury and so comes about to the Isle of Ely subdues the same and growes very powerfull The King doubting his approch to London being not yet ready for him workes so as a mediation of peace is made and agreed vpon these conditions That all the Castles 1264. Anno. Reg. 48. of the King should be deliuered the keeping of the Barons the Prouisions of Oxford should bee inuiolably obserued All strangers by a certaine time should auoide the Kingdome except such as by a generall consent should be held faithfull and profitable for the same Here was a little pause which seemes was but a breathing for a greater rage The Prince had fortified Windsor Castle victualled and therein placed strangers to defend it and himselfe marches to the towne of Bristow where in a contention between the Cittizens and his people being put to the worse hee seends for the Bishop of Worcester an especiall partaker of the Barons to protect conduct him back When he comes neare Windsor he gets into the Castle which the Earle of Leicester was going to besiege being about Kingston the Prince meets him to treat of peace which the Earle refuses and laies siege to the Castle which was rendred vnto him the strangers turned out sent home into France The King to get time conuokes another Parlement at London wherein hee wonne many Lords to take his part with them the Prince Richard Earle of Cornwall Henry 19 Parlement held at London his sonne William Valence with the rest of his brethren lately returned hee marches to Oxford whither diuerse Lords of Scotland repaire to him as Iohn Comin Iohn Baliol Lord of Galloway Robert Bruce and others with many Barons of the
North Clifford Percy Scottish Lords come to aide the King of England Basset c. From Oxford withall his forces he marches to Northampton where he took prisoners Simon Monfort the younger with 14. other principall men thence to Nottingham making spoyle of such possessions as appertained to the Barons in those parts The Earle of Leicester in the meane time drawes towards London to recouer and make good that part as of chiefest importance and seekes to secure Kent with the Ports Which hastes the King to stop his proceeding succour the Castle of Rochester besieged Successe and authority now growes strong on this side in so much as the Earles of Leicester and Glocester in behalfe of themselues and their party write to the King humbly protesting their loyalty and how they opposed onely against such as were enemies to him and the Kingdome and had belyed them The King returnes answere how themselues were the perturbers of him and his siate enemies to his person and sought his and the Kingdomes destruction and therefore defies them The Prince and the Earle of Cornewall send like wise The Barons mediate a peace their letters of defiance vnto them The Barons notwithstanding doubtfull of their strength or vnwilling to put it to the hazard of a Battaile mediate a peace send the Bishops of London and Worcester with an offer of 30 thousand Markes to the King for damages done in these warres So that the statutes of Oxford might bee obserued which yeeldingnes the other side supposing to argue their debility made them the more neglectiue and securer of their power which commonly brings the weaker side more watchfull of aduantages to haue the better The Earle seeing no other meanes but to put it to a day being a man skilfull in his worke takes his time to be earlier ready then was expected and supplies his want of hands with his wit placing on the side of a hill nere Lewys where this battaile was The battaile of Lewys fought certaine ensignes without men in such sort as they might seeme a farre of to be squadrons of succors to second those he brought to the incounter whom he caused all to weare white-crosses both for their owne notice and the signification of his cause which he would haue to be for Iustice. Here the fortune of the day was his the King the Prince the Earle of Cornewall and his sonne Henry the Earles of Arundell Hereford and all the Scottish Lords are his prisoners The Earle Warrein William de Valence Guy The K. Prince and others taken prisoners de Lusignian the Kings brethren with Hugh Bigod Earle Mareschall saue themselues by flight Fiue thousand are slaine in this defeit which yet was not all the blood and destruction this businesse cost All this yeare and halfe of the other is Simon Monfort in possession of his prisoners the King he carries about with him to countenance his actions till he had gotten in all 1265. An. Reg. 46. the strongest Castles of the Kingdome And now as it vsually falls out in considerations where all must be pleased or else the knot will dissolue debate arises betweene the Earles of Leicester Glocester about their diuidend according to their agreement Leicester as fortune makes men to forget themselues is taxed to doe more for his owne particular then the common good to take to himselfe the benifit and disposition of the Kings Monsort taxed of wrong Castles to vsurpe the redemption of prisoners at his pleasure to prolong the businesse and not to vse the meanes of a parlement to end it His Sonnes also presuming vpon his greatnesse The Earle of Glocester leaues him grow insolent which made Glocester to forsake that side betake him to the Prince who lately escaping out of the Castle of Hereford had gotten a power about him of such as attended the opportunity of a turning fortune and to reuenge the dishonour of one Battaile by another The reuolt of this Earle brought many hands to the Prince whereby many peeces of strength are regained both in England and Wales The Earle of Leicester to stop the proceeding of this mighty growing Prince being now with his Army about Worcester imbattailes in a plaine neere Euesham to encounter him and noting the manner of the approch of his Army said to those about him these men come brauely on they learnt it not of themselues but of me And seeing himselfe likely to be beset and ouer-laid with numbers aduised his friends Hugh Spencer Ralph Basser and others to shift for themselues which when he saw they refused to doe then said he let vs commit our soules to God for our bodies The Earle Monsort slaine are theirs and so vndertaking the mayne waight of the Battaile perished vnder it And with him are slaine his Sonne Henry eleuen other Barons with many thousands of common souldiers At the instant of his death there hapned so terrible a thunder lightning and darknesse as it gaue them as much horror as their hideous work And so ends Monfort this great Earle of Leicester too great for a subiect which had hee not beene he might haue beene numbred amongst the worthiest of his time Howsoeuer the people which honored and followed him in his life would vpon the fame of his miracles haue worshipped him for a Saint after his death but it would not be permitted by Kings And here this Battaile deliuers the Captiue King but yet with the losse of some of his owne as well as his subiects bloud by a wound casually receiued therein and rid him of his Iaylor Monfort whom he hated had long feared more then any man liuing as himselfe confessed vpon this accident passing one day shortly after the Parliament at Oxford vpon Thames there hapned a sodaine clap of thunder wherewith the King was much affrighted and willed presently to be set on shore at the next landing 1266. Anno. Reg. 50. which was at Duresme house where Monfort then lay who seeing the King ariuing hastes downe to meete him and perceiuing him to be troubled at the storme said that hee needed not now to feare the daunger was past No Monfort said the King I feare thee more then I doe all the Thunder and tempest of the World And now the King with the victorious Prince the redeemer of him and the Kingdome repaires to Winchester 18 Parliament held at Winchester where a Parliament is conuoked and all who adhered to Simon Monfort are disinherited and their estates conferred on others at the Kings pleasure The Londoners haue their liberties taken from them Simon and Guy de Monfort Sonnes of the Earle of Leicester with the disinherited Barons and others who escaped the Battaile of Euesham All who tooke part with Monfort disinherited take and defend the Isle of Ely The Castle of Killing worth defended by the seruants of the late Earle although it were in the heart of the Kingdome endured the Seige of
him indured the brunt of the day Whereupon the Prince demanding whether hee accepted not his gift hee answered how these men had deserued the same as well as himselfe and had more neede thereof The Prince pleased with this reply gaue him fiue hundred markes more in the same kinde An example of the worthineste of the time wherein good deseruings went not vnrewarded All things prouidently accommodated after the battaile the Prince with his ptisoners first retyres to Burdeaux and thence passes with great glory into England now Anno Reg. 31. 1336. the Theatre of triumph The French king is lodged at the Sauoy then a goodly pallace of Henry Duke of Lancaster Many prisoners vpon reasonable ransome and many vpon the French kings word vndertaking for them are deliuered and sent home honorably Dauid King of Scots who had remayned prisoner eleuen yeares in England is shortly after by the earnest solicitation of Ioan his wife sister to King Edward set likewise at liberty for the ransome of a hundred thousand markes striulin to be paid in ten yeares The security now had of France gaue way to this Princes liberty Aboue foure yeares the French King remayned prisoner in England in which time were many ouertures and great offers made for his deliuery but nothing effected Charles the Dauphin who managed that kingdome during the captiuity of his father a Prince of great discretion wrought all meanes possible to bring that factious people to yeeld their contribution for ransoming their King but little preuailed The Parliament there called to consult thereof rather augments the misery of the State then prouides remedy Wherein after the Dauphin had grauely deliuered The state of France during their Kings captiuity the desolation and danger they were in being thus depriued of their Head and the necessity of recouering and relieuing the same by their vtmost meanes There was a choyce required of fifty to auoid confusion to bee made out of all the Prouinces to consult of what was propounded according to the instructions they should receiue These fifty after many meetings send for the Dauphin to heare their resolution which was much otherwise then hee expected For instead of ayd and subuention they require reformation in the State And first the Bishop of Laon chosen their Speaker besought him to keepe secret what should be vttered vnto him by the States Theyong Prince answers That it were much preiudiciall to the degree hee held in the Kingdom to take Law of his Fathers Subiects and therefore commuanded them by their Allegeance openly to reueale what they had in their hearts The Bishop there vpon declares the euill managing of the Publique Reuenues demands redresse and Commissioners appointed to call such as were answerable to yeeld their Accounts That all who had managed the Treasurie should bee deposed from their Office That both the Moneys and all the affaires of the State should from thencefoorth be directed by foure Bishops and twelue Burgesses whereof the Citie of Paris should bee chiefe and that without this Councell the Dauphin should doe nothing And in conclusion they instantly require That the King of Nauarre might be set at libertie On which Conditions they would yeeld any reasonable subuention for redeeming their King To these harsh Demands the Daupbin requires time to answer which he so puts off from day to day in hope thereby to separate and dis-vnite their Councels as the the Deputies at length tyred with delay grewe cold and the Assembly brake vp without doing any thing But this left such a poyson as infected the people and specially those of Paris who shortly after presumptuously demand to haue the King of Nauarre deliuered according to the Decree of the Deputies and without delay they so wrought with Pinquigny the Gouernour of Artoys who had the keeping of this Fire-brand as he The King of Naurre set at libertie was deliuered after 19. moneths imprisonment and comes to Paris so accompanied as shewed both of what Spirit and state he was and that he meant to take his tyme of revenge Here is he welcome with the applause of the whole Citie to whom in publique maner with great eloquence he declares the wrongs hee had receiued and besides intimates what right he had to the Crowne of France thereby to imbroyle the affayres of that State which were already too much in combustion This put the businesse of redeeming the captiue King quite out of their mindes for that time and the Dauphin is constrained by an Acte of Abolition to acquit the King of Nauarre and his Complicies of all former offences And seeing the peruersnesse of the Parisians goes to solicite other Cities and Prouinces trauailing from place to place for ayd and succour leauing his brother Phillip Duke of Orleance at Paris to keepe them in the best he could during his absence The Prouince of Languedoc is renowned in their Hystories for being the first that made the largest offer of ayd towards the redemption of their King in the Assembly of the three States at Tholouse wherein they promised to their Gouernour the Conte d' Arminiacque not onely to imploy their Reuenue but their mooueables and euen to sell their wiues Iewels to raise the same Besides to witnesse their publique sorrowe they ordaine that no costly Apparell Feasting Playes or other iollyties shoul be vsed within their Prouince during the time of their Kings captiuitie Champagne by their example doth the like But nothing could moue the Parisians to yeelde any thing The King of Nauarre had wonne them both from their obedience and all humanitie and put them into such flames of rebellion as when the Dauphin came backe to the Citie the Prouost of Marchants assalted his house with three thousand Artificrs in Armes and rushed himselfe vp into his Chamber with certaine of his traine wherewith the Dauphin being amazed the Prouost bids him be content it was resolued it must be so And presently vpon Signall giuen Ian de Couflans and Robert de Cleremont Marshalls of Fraunce and his chiefe Counsellors are slaine in his presence The Dauphen cryes out What meane you Will you set vpon the Blood of France Sir sayd the Prouost Feare you not It is not you wee seeke it is your disloyall seruants who haue euill counsailed you And heere withall hee takes and puts on the Dauphins hat edged with gold and sets his owne which was partie coloured Red and Peach-colour as the Liuerie of the Citie vpon the Dauphins head out he goes adorned with the Hat of a Prince as a signe of his Dictator-ship causing the bodyes of these two noble men to bee trayled along the streets to the Court of the Pallace for all the furious multitude which ran to applaud the murther to gase on This done the Prouost writes in the name of the whole City to all the great Townes soliciting them to ioyne with theirs the principall of the kingdome and take their Liuery as the Dauphin had done
perticular Lords whose Homages were passed ouer to the King of England protested against it Alledging how that the King could not dispose of the Soureigntie of the Kingdome nor alien his Domaine and therefore they would not obey it The French King notwithstanding least King Edward should thinke this but a collusion betweene him and his subiects publishes his Commandement for the obseruation of the Accord and thereof certifies King Edward Besides he had vndertaken a iourney for the Holy warres and desired to settle all things in peace at home before his going And this might be the occasion of his comming and not his loue to the Conntesse of Salisburie as is reported But howsoeuer this King shewed a Strange disposition to returne to the Gaole where he had indured so much affliction and where shortly after his comming The death of King Iohn of France hee ended his life much lamented of the King of England who sole mnly attended his Corps to Douer whence it was conuayed to Saint Denys and entombed with his Ancestors An. 1364. Reg. 38. The debate for the Duchie of Britaigne is about this time determined by the death of Charles de Bloys slaine in a Battaile neere Vannes by Iohn de Monfort and the English Forces led by the Lord Latimer Sir Iohn Chandos and Sir Hugh Cauerley The businesse of Britayne accomdated for a time Iohn de Monfort marries Mary Daughter to King Edward and by his consent doth his homage for the Duchie to Charles now King of France compounding with the widdow of Charles de Bloys for a summe of money and some estate in land And heere we haue some time of rest which the Souldier whom the warre had bred could not well brooke The cast Companies in France though they had no Head yet had strong Bodies and did much mischiefe in many parts of that Kingdom till they were imployed in the Warres of Spaine which fell out shortly after A Company of them passed over into Italie vnder the conduct of Sir Iohn Haucut a great The Italians call him Iohannos de Acuto Warriour who found such entertainement with the Princes there where hee reuiued Militarie discipline that had layne long vnused among them and got such honour and estate by his valour as his fame remaines to this day and his Statue amongst their memorable Princes for action and vertue though hee went but a Taylorout of this Kingdome which in those dayes could haue furnished the whole world with Leaders and expert Militarie men And now heere haue we brought this mightie King to the Fortieth yeere of his Anno Reg. 40. Raigne which had it beene his last wee had left him the most glorious and tryumphant Prince in the world to whom Fortune neuer yet shewed her back neuer was retrograd But now these last ten yeeres present vs with a turning of the Beame a declination from that height of glory with certaine blemishes that age and frailtie brought vpon him This new King of France Charles the fift Intituled The wise recouered great aduantages vpon him hauing in the life time of his Father strugled so with affliction a better Mistresse of wisedome then prosperitie and learned so well to know a Crowne before he had it as now hee manages the same with great temperance and vigilancie and finding the preseruation of that State consisted more in counsell then force which had beene too aduenturously imployed by his Father and Grand-father he workes his fortune by lying still hauing excellent aydes and ministers to execute his designes and labour for him of whom for his warres Guesclin a Brittaine whom hee made Constable of France was of especiall note and first shewed the way how that State was to be recouered The Prince of Wales remayning in his Duchy of Aquitayne with a great Court which required great expences and many military attendants without worke is Anno Reg. 41. 1367. solicited by Peter King of Castile chased out of his kingdome by his bastard brother Henry to ayde him to recouer the same which the Prince vpon great promises of remuneration vndertakes by the consent of his father The cause was better then the person For this Peter sonne to Alphonso 11. King of Castile had cōmitted so tyrannicall outrages as were intollerable to his subiects oppressing and destroying The Prince of wales aides the King of Castile his Nobles to inrich himselfe putting away and after murthering his wife which was daughter to Peter Duke of Burbon sister to the now Queen of France by the instigation of his Concubine Maria de Padilla whom he afterwards married Whereupon the State adhering to his brother Henry who though he were a bastard by his birth was more Legittimate by his vertues then hee who was more a bastard by his vices crowned him King of Spaine at Bargos and forced Peter to fly the kingdome This Peter thus reiected the Prince of Wales with an Army of thirty thousand attended by his brother Iohn Duke of Lancaster and many Lords of England goes to re-inuest in his kingdome Henry is ayded by the French and those floting companies fore-remembred led by Guesclin Constable and Dandrehen Marshall of France hauing besides of Castilians Christians and Sarasins so many as his Army consisted of neere an hundred thousand men Vpon the borders of Castile it came to a Battayle the Prince of Wales hath the victory Henry is put to flight the French Leaders taken prisoners and Peter put into his Throne againe at Bargos The worke done reward for the same is required by the Prince which Peter could not or cared not to prouide but staruing him with delayes inforced him in the end to returne to Burdeaux without mony to pay his Army which was worse without health which he neuer after recouered This successe had this vnfortunate action vndertaken to right an vngratefull Tyrant who afterwarde notwithstanding was The Prince obtaines the victory in Spaine againe dispossessed taken and put to death by his brother Henry It is written that to strengthen himselfe hee combined with a Prince of the Sarazins married his daughter and renounced the Christian faith but it is commonly the reward of euill princes to be made worse then they are The Prince of Wales returning thus out of Spaine charged with more debts then before and destitute of meanes to content his people fals vpon another misfortune The il successe of that iourny as commonly men in these declinations seeking remedies increase maladies imposing a new taxation vpon the Gascoignes of Feuage or Chymney mony so discontented the people as they exclaime against the gouernment of the English and appeale to the King and Court of France for redresse The King of France at the instance of the great Lords and others who were turned ouer by the accord to hold of the Crowne of England sends a Gentleman to the Prince of Wales at Burdeaux with sommons to answere before him and his
did the Dutchie of Normandie and doe him homage for the same which would adde a great glory to that Crowne Then was hee before hand with Pope Alexander to make religion giue reputation and auowment to his pretended right promising likewise to hold it of the Apostolique Sea if hee preuailed in his enterprize Whereupon the Pope sent him a Banner of the Church with an Agnus of Gold and one of the haires of Saint Peter The Emperour Henry 4. sent him a Prince of Almaine with forces but of what name or his number is not remembred so that wee see it was not Normandie alone that subdued England but a collected power out of all France and Flanders with the aydes of other Princes And by these meanes made hee good his vndertaking and within eight monethes was readie furnished with a powerfull Army at Saint Valerie in Normandie whence he transported the same into England in 896 shippes as some write And this was the man and thus made to subdue England And now hauing gotten the great and difficult battaile before remembred at 1066. Anno. Reg. 1. Hastings the foureteenth of October 1066. bee marched without any opposition to London where Edwin and Morchar Earles of Northumberland and Mercland brothers of eminent dignitie and respect in the Kingdome had laboured with all their power to stirre the hearts of the people for the conseruation of the State and establishing Edgar Atheling the next of the Royall issue in his right of the Crowne whereunto other of the Nobilitie had likewise consented had they not seene the Bishops auerse or wauering For as then to the Clergie any King so a Christian was all one they had their Prouince a part deuided from secular domination and of a Prince though a stranger who had taken vp so much of the world before hand vpon credite and fame Reason for the yeelding of the Clergie of his piety and bountie they could not but presume well for their estate and so were content to giue way to the present Fortune The Nobility considering they were so borne and must haue a King not to take him that was of power to make himselfe would shew more of passion then prouidence to be now behind hand to receiue him with more then submission was as if to withstand What moued the Nobles to yeeld which with the distrust of each others faith made them striue run headlong who should be first to pre-occupate the grace of seruitude and intrude them into forvaine subiection The Commons like a strong vessell that might haue beene for good vse was hereby left without a sterne and could not moue but irregularly So that all estates in generall either corrupted with new hopes or transported with feare forsooke themselues and their distressed Countrey Vpon his approach to London the Gates were all set open the Arch-bishop of Canterbury Stigand with other Bishops the Nobility Magistrates and People rendting themselues in all obedience vnto him and he returning plausible protestations of his future Gouernment was on Christmas day then next following Crowned King of England at Westminster by Aldred Arch-bishop of Yorke for that Stigand was not held Canonically inuested in his Sea and yet thought to haue beene a forward mouer of this alteration Heere according to the accustomed forme at his Coronation the Bishops and Barons The Coronation and oath of William 1. of the Realme tooke their oaths to be his true and loyall subiects and he reciprocally being required thereunto by the Arch-bishop of Yorke made his personall oath before the Altar of Saint Peter To defend the Holy Churches of God and the Rectors of the same To gouerne the Vniuersall people subiect vnto him iustly To establish equall Lawes and to see them duely executed Nor did he euer claime any power King Williams submission to the orders of the Kingdome of England by Conquest but as a regular Prince submitted himselfe to the orders of the Kingdome desirous rather to haue his Testamentary title howsoeuer weake to make good his successiou rather then his sword And though the Stile of Conqueror by the flattery of the time was after giuen him he shewed by all the course of his Gouernement he assumed it not introducing none of all those alterations which followed by violence but a milde gathering vpon the disposition of the State and the occasions offered and that by way of reformation And now taking Hostages for his more security and order for the defence and Gouernment of his Kingdome at the opening of the spring next he returnes into Normandy so to settle his affaires there as they might not distract him from his businesse in England that required his whole powers And to leaue here all sure behind him he commits the rule of the Kingdome to his brother the Bishop of Bayeux and to his Cosin Fitz * Or Osborne Auber whom he had made Earle of Hereford taking with him all the chiefe men of England who were likest to be heads King William returnes into Normandy with the chiefe Nobility of England to a reuolt As Edger Atheling the Arch-bishop Stigand lately discontented Edwin and Morchar with many other Bishops and Noble men Besides to vnburthen his charge and dis-impester his Court he tooke backe with him all the French aduenturers and such as were vnnecessary men rewarding them as farre as his treasure would extend and the rest he made vp in faire promises In his absence which was all that whole sommer nothing was here attempted against him but onely that Edric surnamed the Forrester in the County of Hereford called in the Kings of the Welsh to his aide and forraged onely the remote borders of that Country The rest of the Kingdome stood quiet expecting what would become of that new world wherein as yet they found no great alteration their lawes and liberties remaining the same they were before and might hope by this accession of a new Prouince the state of England would be but inlarged in dominion abroad and not impaired in profit at home by reason the Nation was but small and of a plentifull and not ouer-peopled Countrey likely to impester them Hauing disposed his affaires of Normandy he returnes towards winter into King William returnes into England England where he was to satisfie three sorts of men First such Aduenturers with whom hee had not yet cleered Secondly those of his owne people whose merites or neerenesse looked for recompence whereof the number beeing so great many must haue their expectations fed if not satisfied Thirdly the people of this Kingdome by whom he must row subsist For beeing not able with his owne Nation so to impeople the same as to hold and defend it if he should proceed to an extirpation of the naturall inhabitants he was likewise to giue them satisfaction Wherein he had more to do then in his battell at Hastings seeing all remunerations with supplies of money must be raised out of the stocke
alteration though in the best kinde with this change of State And to giue entertainment to deuotion hee did all he could to furnish his Church with the most exquisite ornaments might be procured added a more State and conueniencie to the structure of religious houses and beganne the founding of Hospitals Hauing long struggled with indefatigable labour to hold things in an euen course during the whole raigne of this busie new state-building King and after his death seeing his successor in the Crowne established especially by his meanes to faile his expectation out of the experience of worldly causes deuining of future mischiefes by present courses grew much to lament with his friends the teadiousnesse of life which shortly after hee mildly left which such a sicknesse as neither hindred his speech nor memory a thing he would often desire of God William Fiz Auber as is deliuered was a principall councellor and instument in this action for England wherein hee furnished forty ships at his owne charge A man of great meanes yet of a heart greater and a hand larger then any meanes would well suffice His profuse liberalities to men of armes gaue often sharpe offence to the King who could not indure any such improuident expences Amongst the Lawes hee William Fitz Auber Earle of Hereford made Lawes in his Prouince made which shewes the power these Earles then had in their Prouinces he ordained That in the Countie of Hereford no man of or souldiour should bee fined for anie offence whatsoeuer aboue seuen shillings when in other Countries vpon the least occasion of disobeying their Lords will they were forced to pay 20. or 25. shil But his estate seeming to beare no proportion with his minde enough it was not to be an eminent Earle an especiall Councellor in all the affaires of England and Normandie a chiefe fauorite to so great a Monarch but that larger hopes drew him away designing to marrie Richeld Countesse dowager of Flanders and to haue the gouernment of that Countrie during the non-age of Arnulph her sonne of whom with the King of France he had the tutelarie charge committed by Baldouin the sixth Father to Arnulph whose estate Robert Le Frison his Vncle called by the people to the gouernment vpon the exactions inflicted on them by Richeld had vsurped And against him Fitz Auber opposing was with Arnulph surprized and slaine And this was in the fate of the Conqueror to see most of all these great men who had beene the especiall actors in all his fortunes spent and extinct before him As Beaumont Monfort Harcourte Hugh de Gourney Vicount Neele Hugh de Mortimer Conte de Vannes c. And now himselfe after his being brought sicke to Rouan and there disposing The death of William the first his estate ended also his act in the 74 yeare of his age and the one and twenty of his raigne Three dayes the Corpes of this great Monarch is sayd to haue layne neglected while his seruants attended to imbessill his moueables in the end his yongest sonne Henry had it conueyed to the Abbey of Cane where first at the entry into the Towne they His Corps lay vnburied 3. dayes who carried the Corpes left it alone and ran all to quench a house on fire Afterward brought to be intombed a Gentleman stands sorth and in sterne manner forbids the interment in that place claiming the ground to be his inheritance descended from his His interment hindered Ancestors and taken from him at the building of that Abbey appealing to Row their first founder for Iustice whereupon they were faine to compounded with him for an Annuall rent Such adoe had the body of him after death who had made so much in his life to be brought to the earth and of all he attained had not now a roome to containe him without being purchased at the hand of another men esteeming a liuing Dogge more then a dead Lyon He had a faire issue by Maude his wife foure sonnes and sixe daughters To Robert His issue his eldest he left the Duchy of Normandy to William the third sonne the Kingdome of England to Henry the yongest his treasure with an annuall pension to be payd him by his brothers Richard who was his second sonne and his darling a Prince of great hope was slaine by a Stagge hunting in the new Forrest and began the fatalnesse that followed in that place by the death of William the second there slaine with an arrow and of Richard the sonne of Robert Duke of Normandy who brake his necke His eldest daughter Cicilie became a Nunne Constance married to the Earle of Brittaine Adula to Stephen Earle of Biois who likewise rendred her selfe a Nunne in her age such was then their deuotion and so much were these solitary retires affected by the greatest Ladies of those times Gundred married to William de Warrein the first Earle of Surrey the other two Ela or Adeliza and Margaret died before marriage Now what he was in the circle of himselfe in his owne continent we find him of The description of William the first an euen stature comely personage of good presence riding sitting or standing till his corpulency increasing with age made him somewhat vnwildy of so strong a constitution as he was neuer sickly till a few moneths before his death His strength such as few men could draw his Bow and being about 50. of his age when he subdued this Kingdome it seemes by his continuall actions he felt not the weight of yeares vpon him till his last yeare What was the composition of his mind we see it the fairest drawne in his actions and how his abilities of Nature were answerable to his vndertakings of Fortune as pre-ordained for the great worke he effected And though he might haue some aduantage of the time wherein we often see men preuaile more by the imbecility of others then their owne worth yet let the season of that world be well examined and a iust measure taken of his actiue vertues they will appeare of an exceeding proportion Nor wanted he those incounters and concurrencies of sufficient â—â—â—le Princes to put him to the triall thereof Hauing on one side the French to grapple withall on the other the Dane farre mightier in people and shipping then himselfe strongly sided in this Kingdome as eager to recouer their former footing here as euer and as well or better prepared His deuotion and mercy For his deuotion and mercy the brightest starres in the Spheare of Maiesty they appeare aboue all his other vertues and the due obseruation of the first the Clergie that loued him not confesse the other was seene in the often pardoning and receiuing into grace those who rebelled against him as if he held submission satisfactory for the greatest offence and sought not to defeit men but their enterprises For we find but one Noble man executed in all his Raigne and that was the Earle Waltheof who But
obstinately brake all besides hee was certainely informed that shoe and hers had plotted both against his dignitie and life But God in his mercy contrarie to her desire had turned the businesse so as hee escaped the daunger and his brother was deliuered out of bands And therefore hee from the part of God and the Pope willed them with all their vtmost power to aide the King annointed by the consent of the People and the Sea Apostolique and to Excommunicate all the disturbers of the peace that fauoured the Countesse of Aniou There was in the Councell a Lay Agent for the Empresse who openly charged the Legat That in respect of the faith he had giuen the Empresse to passe no act there preiudiciall to her Honour hauing sworne vnto her neuer to aide his brother with aboue twentie souldiers that her comming into England was vpon his often Letters vnto her and his cause it was that the King was taken and held prisoner This and much more sayd the Agent with great austerity of words wherewith the Legat seemed not to bee mooued at all nor would stoope to reply Both parts thus set at libertie were left to worke for themselues holding the State broken betweene them and no meanes made to interpose any barre to keepe them asunder Their borders lay euery where and then the ingagements of their Partakers who looke all to be sauers or to recouer their stakes when they were lost which makes them neuer giue ouer entertaine the contention But the best was they were rather troubles then warres and cost more labour then bloud Euery one fought with Bucklers and seldome came to the sharpe in the field which would soone haue ended the businesse Some few moneths after these inlargements stood both sides at some rest but not idle casting how to compasse their ends The Empresse at the Vies with her Councell resolues to send ouer her brother into Normandy to solicit her husband the Earle of The Earle of Glocester gets to Normandie Aniou to come to aide her with forces from thence Her brother the better to secure her in his absence setles her in the Castle of Oxford well furnished for all assaults and takes with him the sonnes of the especiall men about her as pledges to hold them to their fidelity Stephen seekes to stop the Earles passage but could not and then layes siege to the Castle of Oxford which held him all the time the Earle was abroad Geffrey Earle of Aniou desirous rather to haue Normandie whereof in this meane time he had attained the most part and in possibility of the rest then to aduenture for England which lay in danger refused to come in person but sends some small aide and his eldest sonne Henry being then but eleuen yeares of age that he might looke vpon England be shewed to the people to try if that would mooue them to a consideration of his right which proned of more effect then an Army The Earle of Glocester safely returning makes towards Oxford to releeue the Empresse The Earles retuine with the Empresses eldest sonne Henry who had secretly conueyed her selfe disguised out at a posterne gate onely with foure persons got ouer the Thames passed a foot to Abington and from thence conuayd to Wallingford where her brother and sonne met her to her more comfort after hard distresses Stephen seeing his enemy thus supplied and like to grow labours to winne friends 1143. Anno. Reg. 8. but money failes which made diuers of his Lords and especially his mercinaries wherof he had many out of Flanders to fall to the rifling of Abbayes which was of dangerous consequence And for Armies there was no meanes onely about Castles with small powers lay all the businesse of these times and they being so many were to small effect but onely to hold them doing which was for many yeares The Earle of Glocester the chiefe pillar of the Empresse within two yeares after his The Earle of Glocester dies last comming out of Normandie died and shortly after Miles Earle of Hereford an especiall man of hers which had vtterly quasht her but that in stead of a brother shee had a sonne grew vp to bee of more estimation with the Nobility and shortly after of ablenesse to vndergoe the trauailes of warre His first expedition at sixteene yeares of age was Northward to combine him with Dauid King of Scots his great Vncle to whom his mother had giuen the Country of Northumberland After him followes Stephen with an Army to Yorke least hee should surprize that Citie and to inter cept him in his returne but according to his vsuall manner and French-like after the first heate of his vndertakings which were quicke and braue hee quailes nothing was effected and both returne without incountring Now to aduance the State and meanes of Henry fortune as if in loue with young Princes presents this occasion Louys the seuenth King of France going in person to the Holy warres and taking with him his wife Elenor the onely daughter and heire of William Duke of Guien grew into such an odious conceipt of her vpon the notice of her lasciuious behauiour in those parts as the first worke hee doth vpon his comming backe hee repudiates and turnes her home with all her great dowrie rather content to loose the mightie estate she brought him then to marry her person With this great Lady matches Henry before he was twenty yeares of age being now Duke of An. 1151. Normandie his father deceased who had recouered it for him and had by her the possession of all those large and rich Countries apertayning to the Dutchy of Guien besides the Earldome of Poictou Whereupon Louys inraged to see him inlarged by this great accession of State who was so neere and like to be so dangerous and eminent a neighbour combines with Stephen and aydes Eustace his sonne whom hee married to his Sister Constance with maine power for the recouery of Normandie wherein hee was first possest But this young Prince furnished now with all this powerfull meanes leaues the management of the affaires of England to his friends defends Normandie wrought so as the King of France did him little hurt and Eustace his competitor returned home into England where shortly after hee died about 18 yeares of his age borne neuer to see out of the calamities of warre and was buried at Feuersham with his mother who deceased a little before and had no other ioy nor glorie of a Crowne but what we see Stephen whilst Duke Henrie was in Normandie recouers what hee could and at length besieges Wallinford which seemes in these times to haue beene a peece of great importance and impregnable and reduced the Defendants to that extremitie as they sent to Duke Henrie for succour who presently thereupon in the middest of Winter ariues in England with 3000 foot and 140 horse Where first to draw the King from Wallingford he layes siege to Malmesbury and had most
of all the great men in the West and from other parts comming in vnto him Stephen now resolued to put it to the tryall of a day brings thither all the power hee could make and far ouer-went his enemy in number but flouds and stormes in an vnseasonable Winter kept the Armies from incountring till the Bishops doubtfull of the successe and seeing how daungerous it was for them and the whole State to haue a young Prince get the maistry by his sword mediated a peace which was after concluded in a Parliament at Winchester vpon these conditions 1 That King Stephen during his naturall life should remaine King of England and Henrie inioy the Dukedome of Normandie as discended vnto him from his mother and bee proclaymed heire apparent to the Kingdome of England as the adopted sonne of King Stephen 2 That the partizans of either should receiue no damage but inioy their Estates according to their ancient Rights and Titles 3 That the King should resume into his hands all such parcels of inheritance belonging Resumptions to the Crowne as had beene aliened by him or vsurped in his time And that all those possessions which by intrusion had beene violently taken from the owners since the dayes of King Henry should bee vestored vnto them who were rightly possessed therein when the said King raigned 4 That all such Castles as had beene built by the permission of Stephen and in his time which were found to be 1117 should be demolished c. There is a Charter of this agreement in our Annals which hath other Articles of reseruation for the Estates of particular persons And first for William the second sonne Vide Append. of Stephen to enioy all the possessions his father held before hee was King of England and many other particulars of especiall note After this pacification and all businesse here setled Duke Henry returnes into Normandy and likewise there concludes a peace with the King of France and for that hee would be sure to haue it buyes it with twenty thousand markes And now King Stephen hauing attained that hee neuer had Peace which yet it seemes he enioyed not a yeare after vses all the best meanes he could to repaire the ruines of the State makes his progresses into most parts of the Kingdome to reforme the mischiefes that had growne vp vnder the sword and after his returne cals a Parliament An. 1154. at London to consult of the best meanes for the publicke good After the Parliament He raigned 18 yeares and 10 moneths he goes to meete the Earle of Flanders at Douer who desired conference with him and hauing dispatcht him fals presently sicke dies within few dayes after and was buried in the Abbey he founded at Feuersham with the vnfortunate Princes A man so continually in motion as we cannot take his dimension but onely in passing and that but on one side which was warre on the other we neuer saw but a glaunce of him which yet for the most part was such as shewed him to bee a very worthy Prince for the Gouernment He kept his word with the State concerning the relieuement of Tributes and neuer had Subsidy that we find But which is more remarkeable hauing his sword continually out and so many defections and rebellions against him He neuer put any great man to death Besides it is noted that notwithstanding all these miseries of warre There were more Abbeys built in his Raigne then in an hundreth yeares before which shewes though the times were bad they were not impious The end of the Life and Raigne of King Stephen The Life and Raigne of Henry the Second And first of the Line of Plantagenet THAT short time of peace before the death of Stephen had so allayed 1154. Anno. Reg. 1. the spirit of contention and prepared the Kingdome wearied and defaced with warre to that disposition of quietnesse as Henry Plantagenet though a French-man borne and at that time out of the Land long detained with contrary winds yet a Prince of so great possessions abroad as might make him feared to be too mighty a maister at home or doubtfull where hee would set his seate whither carry England thither or bring those great States to this was notwithstanding generally admitted without any opposition or capitulation other then the vsuall oath to the Crowne of England which he receiued at the hands of Theobald Arch-bishop of Canterbury the twentieth day of December Anno 1154 about the three and twentieth yeare of his age And though he where a Prince Yong Actiue Pawerfull and had all that might make him high and presuming yet the necessity of his owne affaires were so strong raines to hold him in from all exorbitant courses as made him wary to obserue at first all meanes to get and retaine the loue and good opinion of this Kingdome by a regular and easie Gouernment being sure to haue the King of France perpetually awake for all aduantages both in regard of daily quarrels commune to mighty neighbours as also for matching with her that came out of his bed and brought away those mighty Prouinces from that Crowne whereby he comes now to ouer-match him being thus inuested in this powerfull Kingdome of England Where after hauing made a choice of graue Councellors such as best vnderstood the state thereof he began at a Councell or Parliament held at Wallingford with an Act that both serued his owne turne and much eased the stomakes of his people which was the expulsion of Strangers wherewith Expulsion of Strangers the Land was much pestered by reason of the late warres that had drawne great numbers of them and especially of Flemings and Picards whom King Stephen especially trusted in his greatest actions after he grew doubtfull of the English fidelity and had made their Leader Williamd ' Ipres Earle of Kent who likewise was turned home and his estate seized into the Kings hands Then that he might subsist by his owne meanes without pressure of his subiects Resumption of Crowne Lands whose voluntary seruices and contributions would yeeld him more in measure then if exacted He lookes to the State and ordering of his reuenues reformes the Exchequer and reuokes all such Lands belonging to the Crowne as had any way bene alienated or vsurped And though some of the great Lords stood out for the holding what they had in possession as Hugh de Mortimer for his Castles of Clebury Wigmore and Bridgenorth and Roger Fits Miles Earle of Hereford for the City and Land of Glocester Yet the King tooke them by force as appertaining to the Crowne Besides he resumed the Castle of Skarborough which William Earle of Albemarle held and diuers other Lands and Castles in Yorkeshire possessed by priuate men Hugh Bigot resigned his Castles into the Kings hands And more he tooke from William Earle of Mortaine and Warren base sonne to King Stephen the Castle of Pemsey the City of Norwitch with other Townes and Castles
to the Prince being now their Lord and shew him How they were better to trade with Sarazins and Infidels then thus to be vsed here as they were The Prince addresses him to his father and craues redresse herein but the Officers hauing beene with An ill Office of Officers the K. before to preuent the clamors of the Gascoignes and telling him how they falsely exclayme relying wholly vpon the Princes fauor who tooke vpon him their vniust cause and that there ought to be but one in England to whom the ordring of Iustice appertayned put him into so great a rage with the Prince as he breakes out into these words See now my bloud and mine owne bowells impugne mee behold my sonne as my brother hath done is bent to afflict mee the times of my grandfather Henry the second are againe renued what will become of vs but this passion being allayed by Councell he dissembles the matter and giues order that these iniuries should bee redressed But yet the Prince for more caution amplyfing his trayne rode with 200 horse So easily are iealosies by euill Ministers infused into Kings who are of themselues too apprehensiue in that kinde being a thing that soone turnes the bloud And now to adde to the misery of these times there are new mischiefes committed by the insolence of the Seruants of the Prince who being himselfe young was attended by many youthfull and violent spirits many strangers and men without meanes who wheresoeuer he went made spoyle and tooke for their owne whatsoeuer Insolencies committed by the Princes seruants they could fasten on to the extreame vexation of the subiect And they report how this Prince meeting a young man trauayling on the way caused one of his eares to bee cut off and one of his eyes put out which foule act made many to suspect his disposition and what hee would proue here after And indeed had hee not beene indued with an innated Noblenesse of Nature which with his long experience in trauaile and great actions ouercame the Vices the loosenesse of the time and his owne breeding contracted hee might haue prooued as bad as any other For vnlesse Princes of themselues by instinction from aboue bee not indued with a naturall goodnesse they shall gaine little by their education wherein they are rather shewed what they are then what they should be and are apter to learne to know their greatnesse then themselues being euer soothed in all whatsoeuer they doe These youthfull actions of this Prince with his ryotous trayne which are said to be more rauenous then those which Louys brought out of France with him put out the Welsh of whom he had now the gouernment into open act of rebellion and to make spoyle of the English as his did ofthem whereupon he craues meanes of his father the Queene and his Vncle Richard to suppresse them But all was vented already the Kings treasure was gone ouer the Alpes Earle Richard had lent more then hee could get in and the Earle of Sauoy in his warres had spent that of the Queenes The King is still at his shifts to supply his euerlasting necessities Now he comes himselfe into his Exschequer and with his owne voyce pronounced That euery Shriefe which appeared not yearely in the Octaues of Saint Michel with his money as well of his Farmes as amercements and other dues for the first day should be amerced fiue Markes for the second ten for the third fifteene for the fourth to bee redeemed at the Kings pleasure In like sort that all Cities and Freedoms which answere by their Bayliffes vpon the same default should bee amerced and the fourth day to loose their freedomes Besides euery Shriefe through out England is amerced in fiue Markes for that they did not distraine within their Counties vpon whomsoeuer held 10 pound land per annum and came not to be made knight or freed by the King Then falls he to the examination of measures for Wine and Ale for Bushels and Weights which likewise brought in some small thing and euery yeare commonly hath one quarrell or other to the Londoners and gets some thing of them But now there fell out 2 businesse that intertayned some time and gaue occasion to amuze the world with conceipts of some great aduantage and honor to the Kingd by the Election of Richard Earle of Cornewall to bee King of Romans which was as our The Earle of Cornwall Elected King of the Romans Writers say by the generall consent of all the Electors and by them is he sent for to receiue that Crowne the matter is here debated in Councell Some who thought his presence necessary to sway businesses in the Kingdome were vnwilling and diswade him by example of the miserable distruction of two lately elected to that dignity Henry the Lantgraue of Turing and William Earle of Holland but others and especially the King who was willing to be rid of him as one he had often found too great for a subiect and being a King abroad hee might make vse of him perswades him to take it vpon him which he is easily though seeming otherwise induced to doe But the Germaine Writers who are best witnesses of their owne affaires declare how after the murther of the Earle of Holland the Electors were deuided about the choyce of a successor Some stiffe to vphold their auncient Custome in Electing one of their owne Country which was more naturall Others of a stranger who might better support their declyning State which was more politike Long were the conflicts of their Councells hereupon in the end their voyces who stood for strangers were most but they likewise disagreed among themselues some would haue Richard brother to the King of England others Alphonsus King of Spain both of them not only contending who should haue it but who should giue most to buy it in the end Richard being nerest at Richard Crowned at Aquisgraue hand his mony the redier is preferred by the Bishop of Metz the Bishop of Cologne and the Palsgraue whose voyces he is said to haue bought and afterward is crowned at Aquisgrane Now to confirme himselfe say they in his State he proceeds in all violent and hostile manner according as he was set on against those who opposed his Election and hauing consumed himselfe both by his excessiue guifts in purchasing the suffrages he had and by this prosecution he came to bee dispossessed forsaken and forced to returne into England to his brother Henry then in warre with his Nobles Thus they deliuer it But before the Earle departed out of England the Earle of Glocester and Sir Iohn Mansel were sent into Germany to sound their affections and how they stood disposed towards him They returne well perswaded of the businesse and shortly after the Archbishop of Cologne comes to conduct him ouer on whom the Earle bestowes 500 Markes towards his charges and a rich Miter set with precious stones This Prince the Earle of Cornwall
a Parlement holden at London And. 3 years together the King goes in person with armies into those parts and never returned without destruction and bloud-shed of that afflicted people inso much as it may moue vs to admire how it could be possible that little corner of this Isle being no more fertile and withal so often wasted could breed so many had A remarkeable confideration it bred nothing but men as had beene slaine in battaile within these fifty yeares past and yet still to be able to supply and furnish their fields with such numbers as they did both to maintaine their own quarrels defend their liberties and that poore ground they dwelt vpon which was not worth so much bloud as it cost them deserving to haue had a better peece of earth and a more perspicuous place in the world to haue shewed those acts of magnanimity and courage as they did The reason that moved King Edward with such violence to prosecute the businesse of Scotland was out of a desire so to settle the same as hee might be wholy for the 1336. Anno. Reg. 10. designes hee had vpon France which chiefly he intended and was the sooner put thereinto by the instigation of Robert de Artois who being chased from thence by King Phillip his brother in Law comes over into England and is heere intertained with great honour This Robert a Prince of the bloud of France descended from Robert sonne to Louys the eighth brother to S. Louys had long contention with Maud his Aunt Countesse Robert de Artois discontented with the Fr. King of Burgogne about the Earledome of Artois and presuming vpon his owne power his alliance with King Phillip who had married his sister and the service he had done in advancing him to the Crowne counterfeits a Deed thereby to overthrow his Aunts right which being afterward discovered made it the more and moved the French King to giue iudgement on her side so that the County of Artois was by arrest of Parlement confirmed vpon Maud which so offended Robert as in his rage he openly said Hee would vnmake the King by the same power hee made him Which rash menace vttered before many witnesses so stung the French King as presently he layes to apprehend him but fayling therein causes him to be proclaimed Traitor confiscates Iean Tillet all his estate forbids his subiects whosoever either without or within the Kingdome which held of that Crowne in any sort to receiue him comfort counsell or aide him vpon paine of confiscation of body and goods and withall charges them by any meanes to seise vpon his person and to send him prisoner vnto him Whereupon this chased Prince finding no place on that side safe for him over he Robert de Artois comes into Engl. comes into England is ioyfully entertained by King Edward made of his Councell invested in the Earledome of Richmond and heere is he the Kindle-fire between these two mighty Nations and began such a flame as lasted aboue an hundred yeares after and the smoake thereof much longer First hee discovers to King Edward the secrets of their Councels in France and what meanes had beene vsed for the advarcement of King Phillip whose tytle he now disapproues and prefers that of King Edward as more iust and a declaration is published and sent to the Pope and all the Vid. Apend Neighbour Prince shewing the vsurpation of Phillip de Valois vpon that Crowne Now had King Edward ever since his returne from Amiens prepared to make good his party to oppose the French King and by the assistance of his Father in law William Earle of Haynault combined with the Dukes of Brabant and Geldres the Earle of Iuliers the Archbishop of Cologne Valeran his brother Iohn of Haynault and other Princes of Germany And besides had of late obtained by great gifts of Louys de Bavier the present Emperour to be Vicar Generall of the Empire whereby he was V. Ed. made Vicar generall of the Empire to haue all those Princes confiners vpon France who held of the same to doe him seruice And this grace the Emperour did him the rather for that hee had stood for him against his competitor Fredericke of Austrich with whom the French king tooke part and besides he had married King Edwards wiues sister which might be a motiue to procure him this honour Then seeks hee to gaine and draw in the Flemmings whose Earle though adhering to the French King as his Vassall yet the Cities which ever entertained a kinke of liberty among themselues were easily wonne to take part with King Edward in regard their wealth chiefly grew by the wools of this Kingdome which by a Parlement holden at London Anno Reg. 9. were prohibited to bee The making of cloath introduced in this kingdom transported vnwrought That Clothes should be made here and habitation with all Privileges and Liberties allowed to such Artifieers as would come from other parts to inhabite Besides it was enacted That none should weare other then English Cloath except the King Queene and their Children that no man should weare any facing of silkes or furres but such The first sumptuary Law we finde in our History as could dispend 100 pounds per annum But those ordinances more beneficiall to this Kingdome then these warres will bee were vpon this new entertained correspondence with the people of Flanders soone after neglected but yet the making of cloth K. Ed. winnes Iaques d' Artiuile continued and many come out of Flanders to exercise that trade in England Now there was among the Flemmings one Iaques de Artevile Citizen of Gaunt a Brewer as some say but of more then Beere a man of greatest estimation amongst the people and was as their Tribune or Chiefetaine in their tumults him King Edward gets by great rewards to take his part and thereby had them all ready to assaile the French King vpon any occasion Having thus prepared his party abroad all meanes are devised to raise monyes at Meanes vsed for mony home to supply this busines The Tenth peny of Townes and Boroughes a Fifteenth of others and a Tenth of the Clergie is granted in a Parlement at Northampton All such treasure as was Vid. Apend committed to Churches throughout England for the holy warre is taken cut for the Kings vse in this The next yeare after all the goods of three orders of Monkes Lombards Cluntacques and Cistercences are likewise seised into the Kings hands and the like Subsidie as before granted at Nottingham Honours are likewise bestowed on many Noblemen to encourage Reg. 12. Anno. 1338. them in this entended action Henry of Lancaster the yonger is created Earle of Derby William Mountacute Earle of Salisburie Hugh Audeley Earle of Glocester William Clinton Earle of Huntington William Bohun Earle of Northampton Robert Vfford Earle of Suffolke Prince Edward was likewise at this time created Earle of Chester and Duke of
Earle of Warwick in France to haue a hand in the execution of the Accorde King Iohn is honourably conducted to Calais attending the promised Summe the first gage of his libertie Anno Reg. 35. 1361. The Citie of Paris yeelds one thousand Royals by whose Example other Cities contribute according to their proportions And thus is King Iohn deliuered after hauing remained Prisoner in England neere about fiue yeeres And both Kings depart in kinde manner with all demonstrations of brotherly Loue. King Edward returning with his Crownes calles a Parliament wherein the forme of the Accord was read and allowed of all the Estates and an Oath taken by the Nobles to obserue the same for their partes Heere the King restorees to the Priors Aliens their Houses Lands Tenements which he had taken from them Anno Reg. 12. for the maintenance of his French Warres which now being ended he grants by his Letters Pattents in as free manner as before they helde them A rare Example of a iust King being seldome seene that Princes let go any thing whereon they haue once fastned Now againe was the ioy and glorie that England receiued by their gettings seasoned The second great Pestilence with the sowrenesse of another mortalitie called The second Pestilence whereof dyed many Noble men the chiefe was Henry Duke of Lancaster of the Royall blood a Prince of great note for wisedome and valour who had beene an especiall Actor in all these Warres and a principall Pillar of the Crowne of England whose Daughter and Heyre was a little before marryed to Iohn of Gaunt by dispensation being neere of consanguinitie whereby hee is made Duke of Lancaster And shortly after by the like Dispensation the Prince of Wales marryes the Countesse Anno Reg. 36. of Kent Daughter to Edmond brother to Edward the second And so both are prouided of Matches within the Kingdome The King giues to the Prince of Wales the Duchy of Aquitaine reseruing to himselfe Homage and Fealtie and shortly after sends him ouer with his wife and Court to liue there His sonne Lionell Earle Vlster is sent into Ireland with a regiment of 1500 men to guard his Eatledome against the Irish and was created Duke of Clarence in the next Parliament held at Westminster in Nouember which continued vntill the feast of Saint Brice King Edwards Birth-day and the Fiftith yeare of his age Wherein for a Iubilie hee shewes himselfe extraordinarily gracious to his people freely pardoning many offences releasing prisoners reuoking Exiles c. And vpon petition of the Commons causes Pleas which before were in French to be made in English that the subiect might vnderstand the Lawe by which hee holdes what hee hath and is to know what hee doth A blessed act and worthy so great a King who if hee could thereby haue rendered the same also perspicuous it had beene a work of eternall honour but such is the Fate of Law that in what language soeuer it speakes it neuer speakes plaine but is wrapt vp in such difficulties and mysteries as all professions of profit are as it giues more affliction to the people then it doth remedy Here was also an act passed for Purueiors as there had beene many before in his time that nothing should bee taken vp but for ready money vpon strict punishment For retribution of which relieuements the Parliament granted sixe and twenty shillings eight pence for tranportation Vid. Stat. of euery sacke of woole for three yeares Thus all were pleased sauing the remouing of the Saple from the Townes of England to Calais was some grieuance to those whom it concerned Yet the Kings desire to inrich that Towne being of his owne acquisition and now a member of the Crowne of England might herein be well borne withall And sure this King the most renowmed for Valour and Goodnesse that euer raigned in this kingdome not onely laboured to aduance the State by enlarging the Dominions thereof but to make his people as well good as great by reforming their vices whereunto fortunate and opulent States are euermore subiect as may be noted in the next Parliament held at Westminster Anno Reg. 37. wherein for the publique Good certaine Sumptuary lawes the most necessarie to preuent Ryot that dissoluing sicknesse the feuer Hectique of a State were ordayned both for Apparell Diet appointing euery degree of men from the Shepheard to the Prince the Stuffe Habits they should weare prohibiting the adornements of gold and Siluer Silkes and rich Furres to all except eminent persons Vid. Stat. Whereby forraine superfluities were shut out home-made Cōmodities only vsed The Labourer and Husbandman is appointed but one meale a day and what meates he should eate c. whereby Gluttony Drunkennesse those hideous euils which haue since vtterly disfashioned infeebled the English Nation were auoided So carefull was this frugall King for preseruing the estates of his subiects from Excesse And as prouident was hee for the ordering of his owne committing his treasure to the safest Chest that Religion could keepe lockt For by a certificat Anno Cleargy men Officers to the King Reg. 39. sent to Pope Vrbane concerning Plut alities and the estates of Church-men in England there were found more of the Spirtualty which bare office about this King then any other of Christendome beside As first Simon Langham Archbishop of Canterbury was Chancelor of England William Wickham Archdeacon of Lincolne Keeper of the Priuy Seale Dauid Weller Parson of Somersham Maister of the Rolles Ten beneficed Priests Ciuilians Maisters of Chancery William Mulse Deane of Saint Martins le Grand Chiefe Chamberlayne of the Exchecquer Receiuer and Keeper of the Kings treasure and Iewels William Askby Archdeacon of Northampton Chancelor of the Exchecquar William Dighton Pribendary of Saint Martins Clarke of the Priuy Seale Richard Chesterfield Prebend of Saint Staphans Treasurer of the Kings house Henry Snatch Parson of Oundall Maister of the Kings Ward-robe Iohn Newnham Parson of Fenni-stanton one of the Chamberlaines of the Exchequer and keeper of the Kings Treasurie and Iewels Iohn Rousbie Parson of Harwick Surueior and Comptroler of the Kings works Thomas Britingham Parson of Asbie Treasurer to the King for the parts of Guisnes and the Marches of Calais Iohn Troys Tresurer of Ireland a Priest and beneficed there These men being without those Feminine Ginnes of attraction and consumption deuoted onely to Sanctitie were thought then fittest to be husbands for his profit Shortly after three Kings came to visite the King of England The King of France the King of Scots and the King of Cypres The occasions that mooued the French king might be diuers but it seems the especial wereto free some Hostages that remained heere and to cleare such imputations as were had of him for not obseruing in all points the late Accorde wherewith his Nobles were much discontented and many dissiculties arose among them so that in an Assembly of the States at Paris certaine
know not and thither the Duke himselfe brings Prince Richard of the age of 11. yeeres places him in the Kings Seat and taught him to Iohn Sow demaund a Subsidie Which was two Tenths to be payd in one yeere Or twelue The Prince motions a Subsidie in diuers kinds pence in the pound of all Marchandizes sold for one yeere and one pound of siluer for euery Knights Fee and of euery Fire-house one penie And this Demaund the Duke earnestly vrges Saying one of them ought of necessitie to be granted in regard the Enemie proclayming Warre purposed to inuade the Realme The Knights of the Parliament whom the Duke they sayd had by practise made The Parliament diuided and put by all of the last Assembly except twelue which he could not alter require respite to answere a day is appointed The maior part make choyce of one Hungerford a Creature of the Dukes to deliuer their answere The other would haue Sir Peter Dela Mare to be inlarged and deliuer theirs and also answere to what could be obiected against him before the Lords in Parliament and thereto submit himselfe Then the Duke demaunds ayd of the Bishops They refuse to treate therein without their Brother the Bishop of Winchester prohibited from comming to the Parliament Now there fell out an Accident that besides gaue interruption to this businesse A certaine Divine named Iohn Wicliff depriued by the Arch-bishop of Canterbuie of a benefice in Oxford which hee was found vniustly to holde had heretofore being discontented the humour that commonly breeds Scisme inueighed in his Sermons A dissention about Iohn Wicliffe and other actes in the Schooles against the abuses of Church-men Monkes and other religious orders which were not then so free from scandall but might well be taxed and had by his doctrine there and in London wonne many Disciples vnto him who after were called Lollards professing pouerty going bare-footed and poorely clad in russet which made them as extreames are the more noted and get passage into the opinion of the people apt to imbrace nouelties and vsually beguiled by disguises in regarde they rather belieue then iudge Amongst other his Doctrines he taught that neither King or other Secular Lord could giue any His doctrine thing in Perpetuitie vnto Church-men and that Temporall Lords if they neede might lawfully take the goods of such religious persons to relieue them in their necessities by the example of William Rufus c. A doctrine very pleasing to great men who commonly imbrace Sects either for ambition to get or for iealousie not to lose or for hatred to reuenge This man the Duke of Lancaster and Sir Henry Percy much fauour and cherishe The Duke of Lancaster fauours Wicliffe and why extolling him both for his learning and integrity of life which made him so farre presume as hee daily in one Church or other published his opinions without feare whereupon at length hee is cited to answere before the Archbishop the Bishop of London and others in Paules At the day appointed the Duke of Lancaster and the Lord Marshall goe to conduct him by the way hee is animated by his followers not to feare the Bishops and entring into Paules the presse is so great as hardly any passage could be made whereupon the Marshall vsing some violence thrust in vpon the people which Courtney Bishop of London prohibited him to doe saying The conuention of Wicliffe before the Bishops in Pauls If he had knowne he would haue behaued himselfe so in that place hee should not haue come into the Church The Duke hearing these wordes angerly replyed That the Marshall should execute his authority whether hee would or not When they were come to our Ladies Chappell the Duke and Barons with the Bishops sitting downe Iohn Wicliffe sent for in by the Lord Marshall was by him likewise willed to sit downe in regard hee sayd the man had much to answere and needed a conuenient seat The Bishop of London tolde him it was against all law and reason that hee who was there cited before his Ordinary should sit hereupon contumelious wordes arose betweene the Lord Marshall and the Bishop the Duke takes the Marshals part and sharply reprehended the Bishop the Bishop returnes the like to the Duke who in great rage seeing hee could not preuayle swore hee would pull downe the pride of him and all the Bishops of England You trust sayd hee in your Parents but they can profit you nothing I trust not in my Parents said the Bishop nor in any man liuing but in God in whom I ought to trust The Duke as if whispering in his eare tolde him hee had rather pull him out of the Church by the hayre of the head then suffer these indignities which wordes the Londoners ouer-hearing swore with a lowde voyce they would rather lose their liues then suffer their Bishop to bee thus iniuriously vsed and threatened to bee pulled out off The Citizens of London take their Bishops part his owne Church Their fury was the more incensed against the Duke for that the day before in the Parliament whereof hee was president it was required in the Kings name that from thence forth there should bee no more a Mayor of London but a Captaine appoynted for the gouernment of the City and that the Lord Marshall of England should arrest offenders within the Liberties as in other places About this businesse and this wrong offered to their Bishop the Citizens assembling The Citizens in vprore the morrow after to consult amongst themselues it happened the Lord Fitzwater and Guido Brian came into the City which the people seeing furiously ranne vpon them and were like to beate them downe for comming vnsent for at that time The Lord Fitzwater protested hee came for no other end but to offer his setuice to the City being by inheritance their Standard-bearer and was to take iniuries offered to them as to himselfe and therefore willed them to looke to their defence Whereupon they presently take Armes assayle the Marshals Inne breake open the gates brought forth a prisoner in his Gyues and let him at liberty but found not the Lord Marshall who with the Duke that day were to dine with one Iohn de Ypres Thence thus surious multitude ran to assayle the Sauoy which a Knight of the Dukes seeing hastes to the place whsre his Master dyned and acquaintes him with this vp-roare in the Citie The Duke leaps from the Table so hastily that hee hurt The Duke of Lancasier in danger slees to the Princesse both his shinnes in the Fourme and with Sir Henry Percie alone takes boar and away he gets to Kennington neere Lambeth where the Princesse with the young Prince lay to whom he complaines of this Ryot and the violence offered him In the meane time the multitude comming to the Sauoy a priest inquisitiue to know the busines was answered They went to take the Duke and the Lord Mashall and
Cambridge married also at the same time Isabell Anno Reg. 46. 1372. the youngest daughter of King Peter and both shortly after returned into England though without victory yet with wiues Lionell Duke of Clarence a little before marries Violanta the Duke of Millaines daughter in Italy where they feasted him so as shortly after he died The City of Rochell that yet held out for the English had indured a long siege both by Sea and land to relieue which important peece the Earle of Pembroke is sent with forty shippes well manned and victualled and besides furnished with twenty The Earle of Pembrooke taken prisoner by the Spaniards thousand markes to defrey the voyage who incountring the Spanish Armado sent to ayde the French in this siege by Henry now King of Castile after a long and cruell conflict is taken prisoner and his Nauy vtterly destroyed King Edward himselfe though now aged sets forth with a mighty Army to recouer these losses but thereby Anno Reg. 47. D. 1373. lost more the windes with his fortune beeing against him beat him backe hauing spent in this preparation Nine hundred thousand markes Shortly after Iohn Duke of Lancaster passes ouer againe to Calais with another Army which hee leads through France by the way of Auergne where amongst the mountaines he lost many of his people for want of victuals and almost all his horse so that hee came to Burdeaux with a starued and distressed company which after some time hee relieues and made certaine attempts vpon the enemy but effected nothing the date of victories was out all went ill with the English The Duke returnes the next yeare and all Gascoigne reuolts except Burdeaux and Bayon King Edward hath another supply by Parliament a Tenth of the Cleargy and a Fifteenth of the Laytie towardes these warres which now are sought to be ended Another Subsidie granted by Parliamēt by treaty an vnlikely way to doe any good Two yeares are spent therein at Burges and other places with great charge of Commissioners and much debate The French hauing now the aduantage of the time would make their owne conditions they require the Towne of Calais from whence King Edward had now remoued his Staple in regard of the danger of Marchants goods and restitution of great summes of money which were not to bee yeelded So that nothing but temporary Truces were to be gotten to serue present shifts wherein the English and their party had euer the worse And here at home besides the sicknesse of the Prince which grew desperate the State is diseased the Kings age is misled his treasure exhausted and his affaires Anno Reg. 50. 1376. ill managed A Parliament to cure these euils is called at Westminster the Kings wants are opened and supplyes required the whole body of the Assembly weary to beare these continuall burthens in steed of Contributions exhibit Complaints charging the Kings Officers with fraude and humbly craue that the Duke of Lancaster A Parliament at Westminster which was called the good Parliament The Duke of Lancaster with others banished the Court. the Lord Latimer then Lord Chamberlayne Dame Alice Peirce the Kings Concubine and one Sir Richard Sturry might be amoued from Court Their Complaints and desires are so vehemently vrged by their Speaker Sir Peter de La Mare as the King rather then not to be supplyed gaue way vnto them and all these persons are presently put from Court The Prince was held to fauour their proceeding for there seemes to bee no good correspondence betweene him and his brother the Duke of Lancaster who now managed all vnder his aged father and whose ambition might bee dangerous to his young Sonne Richard whom he was like to leaue to his mercie The King in this Parliament being the Fiftieth yeere of his raigne to gratifie his Subiects grants another generall Pardon as another Iubile wherein onely William Another Iubile Wicham Bishop of Winchester is excepted being lately by the procurement of the Duke of Lancaster fallen into the Kings displeasure and forbidden to come to the Parliament But this Iubile was soone turned to sorrow by the death of the Prince The death of the Prince of Wales of Wales which happened in this Parliament time A heauy losse to the State being a Prince of whom we neuer heard any ill neuer receiued other note then of goodnes and the noblest performances that Magnanimitie and Wisedome could euer shew inso much as what praise can bee giuen to Vertue is due vnto him His death changed the face of affayres The late excluded parties returne to Court and their former places This Parliament called the good Parliament now wrought ill effects The Duke of Lancaster returnes with the rest to the Court. S r Peter de la Mare at the suite of Allce Peirce an impudent woman working vpon the Kings impotencies is committed to perpetuall imprisonment at Nottingham An acte without example of former times and did no good in this especially being wrought by such a Subiect This woman presuming vpon the Kings fauour whom The reuenge and behauiour of Alice Pierce she had subdued grew so insolent the common euill of such fortunes that she intermedled with Courtes of Iustice and other Offices where she her selfe would sit to effect her desires which though in all who are so exalted are euer excessiue yet in a woman most immoderate as hauing lesse of discretion and more of greedinesse The Duke of Lancaster is come now to haue the Regencie and to manage all the The Duke of Lancaster gouerns all affayres of the Kingdom and might thereby presume farther But King Edward to preuent the mischiefes which by disordering the succession might grow in the Kingdome prouidently setled the same in this Parliament vpon Richard of Burdeaux Richard of Burdoaux created Prince of Wales creating him first Earle of Chester and Corne-wall and then Prince of Wales which made much for his present safetie least Iohn of Lancaster should supplant him as Earle Iohn did his Nephew Arthur in the like case For sure it seemes the Duke had his designe that way bent but this confirmation by the Parliament which hee had offended and shortly after a breach with the Citizens of London put him so by as he durst not now attempt that which his Sonne after effected But yet he behaues himselfe very imperiously in this state he had And first shews his authoritie on the Earle The Earle of March resigns his Office of Marshall which is giuen to Sir Henry Percie of March commanding him ouer to the guarding of Calais and the parts there about Which the Earle refuses and rather yeelds vp his Rodde with the Office of Marshall then obey his commandement therein The Duke takes the Rodde and giues it with the Office to Sir Henry Percie a man most inward with him Shortly after the Parliament is assembled againe at Westminster whether a new or the last prorogued I