of his demeanor, and that there was great likeliehood of some commotion
to insue, if spéedie remedie were not in time prouided. Wherevpon being
then in Sicile, [Sidenote: Walter the archbishop of Rouen sent into
England.] he sent Walter the archbishop of Rouen into England with
commission, to ioine in administration of the kingdome with his
chancellor the said bishop of Elie. But the archbishop comming into
England was so slenderlie interteined of the chancellour, [Sidenote: He
is little regarded of the lord chancellor.] and in effect so litle
regarded, that notwithstanding his commission and instructions brought
from the king, he could not be permitted to beare any rule. But the
chancellour deteining the same wholie in his hands, ordered all things
at his pleasure, without making the archbish. of Rouen, or any other of
counsel with him, except such as it pleased him to admit for the seruing
of his owne turne.
¶ He certeinelie beléeued (as manie other did) that king Richard would
neuer returne with life into England againe, which caused him to attempt
so manie vnlawfull enterprises, and therefore he got into his hands all
the castels and fortresses belonging to the crowne, and furnished them
with garisons of souldiers, as he thought necessarie, depriuing such
capteins of their roomes as he suspected not to fauour his procéedings.
One Gerard de Camuille had bought of the king the kéeping of the castell
of Lincolne, vnto whome also the sheriffewike of the shire was committed
for a time, but the lord chancellour, perceiuing that he bare more good
will vnto earle John the kings brother than to him (which John he most
suspected) he tooke from him the shiriffewike, & demanded also to haue
the castell of Lincolne deliuered into his hands, which Gerard refused
to deliuer, and perceiuing that the chancellor would practise to haue it
by force, he fled vnto earle John, requiring him of competent aid and
succour.
The chancellor on the other part, perceiuing what hatred diuerse of the
Nobles bare him, thought good to prouide for his owne suertie the best
that he could, and therefore sent for a power of men from beyond the
sea: but bicause he thought it too long to staie till they arriued, he
came to Lincolne with such power as he could make, [Sidenote: The lord
chancellor besiegeth the castell of Lincolne.] and besieged the castell.
Erle John the kings brother aduertised hereof, raised such numbers of
men as he might make of his freends, seruants and tenants, [Sidenote:
Earle John winneth the castels of Notingham and Tickhill.] and with
small a doo wan the castels of Notingham and Tickhill within two daies
space. This doone, he sent to the lord chancellour, commanding him
either to breake vp his siege, or else to prepare for battell. The
chancellour considering with himselfe that there was small trust to be
put in diuerse of those lords that were with him, bearing good will to
[Sidenote: The chancellor raiseth his siege with dishonour.] earle John,
and but hollow harts towards him, raised his siege and departed with
dishonour.
Not long after, one of his hornes was broken off by the death of pope
Clement, whereby his power legantine ceased: wherewith being somewhat
abashed, [Sidenote: The lord chancellor and earle John are agréed.] he
came to a communication with earle John, and vpon certeine conditions
made peace with him. Shortlie after the souldiers which he had sent for,
arriued in England, [Sidenote: The chancellor breaketh the agréement.]
and then he began to go from the agréement made with earle John,
affirming that he would either driue the same earle out of England, or
else should earle John doo the like to him: for it was not of sufficient
largenesse to hold them both. Howbeit, shortlie after, [Sidenote: The
lord chancellor and earle John make another agréement.] a peace was
eftsoones concluded betwixt them with condition, that if it chanced king
Richard to depart this life before his returne into England, not leauing
any issue of his bodie begotten, that then the chancellour renouncing
the ordinance made by king Richard (who had instituted his nephue Arthur
duke of Britaine to be his heire and successour) should consent to admit
earle John for king of England, contrarie to the said ordinance.
But in the meane time it was agréed, that earle John should deliuer vp
the castels of Notingham and Tickhill, Notingham to the hands of William
Marshall, and Tickhill to the hands of William Wendenall, they to kéepe
the same vnto the vse and behoofe of king Richard, that vpon his returne
he might doo with them as should please him: prouided that if it so
chanced, that he should die before he could returne from his voiage, or
that the chancellour went from the agréement now taken, then immediatlie
should the foresaid castels of Notingham and Tickhill be restored vnto
earle John.
Moreouer, the other castels of such honours as were assigned to earle
John by the king his brother, were committed vnto the custodie of
certeine persons of great trust and loialtie, as the castell of
Wallingford to the archbishop of Rouen, the castell of Bristow to the
bishop of Lincolne, the castell of the Peake to the bishop of Couentrie,
the castell of Bolesofres vnto Richard de Peake (or if he refused, then
should the bishop of Couentrie haue it in kéeping) the castell Eie was
committed to Walter Fitz Robert, the castell of Herford to Roger Bigot,
and to Richard Reuell the castell of Excester and Launston. These
persons to whom these castels were thus committed to be kept, receiued
also an oth, that they should faithfullie kéepe them to the kings
behoofe, and if he chanced to die, before he should returne, then the
same should be deliuered vnto earle Johns hands. [Sidenote: Castels
deliuered in trust to the keeping of certeine persons.] Also there were
three castels that perteined to the crowne, deliuered likewise in trust,
as the castell of Windsor vnto the earle of Arundell, the castell of
Winchester vnto Gilbert de Lacie, and the castell of Northampton vnto
Simon de Pateshull.
It was also agréed, that bishops, abbats, earles, and barons, valuasors,
and freeholders should not be disseised of their lands, goods or
chattels, otherwise than by order of the iustices or officers of the
king, so that they should be iudged in the kings courts according to the
lawfull customes and ordinances of the realme, and likewise that earle
John should cause the same orders to be obserued through all his lands.
Prouided that if any man attempted to doo otherwise vpon support or
maintenance of earle John, he should stand to be reformed by the
archbishop of Rouen if he chanced then to be in England, and by the
kings iustices, and by those that had sworne to obserue this peace: and
also earle John himselfe at their request should see such reformation to
be had.
Moreouer, it was agréed that all those castels that had bin built or
begun to be builded since the kings passage ouer towards his iournie,
should be razed, and no new made or fortified till his returne, except
in manours perteining to the kings demaine, if need required, or by his
speciall commandement, either by letters, or sufficient messengerrs.
That the shiriffewike of Lincolne, which the lord chancellour had
assigned vnto William de Stuteuille should be restored to Gerard de
Camuille, who had a daie appointed him to appéere in the kings court, to
heare what might be laid against him: and if such matter could be
prooued, for the which he ought to loose the said shiriffewike and the
castell of Lincolne, then he should depart from them by the iudgement of
the court, or else not. Neither should earle John mainteine him against
the iudgement of that court, nor should receiue any outlawes, or such as
were notoriouslie knowen for enimies to the king, and so named, nor
should suffer them to be receiued within the precinct of his liberties.
To hold, mainteine and obserue this peace, the said earle and
chancellour sware in the hand of the archbishop of Rouen with seuen
barons on either part. On the part of earle John these were the names of
them that receiued the oth: Stephan Ridell his chancellour, William de
la Mare, Robert de la Mare, Philip de Turechester, William de Kahennes,
Gilbert Basset & William de Montacute. On the chancellours part, the
earles of Arundell and Salisburie, earle Roger Bigot, and the earle of
Clare, with Walter Fitz Robert, William de Breuse, and Roger Fitz
Ramfrey. These things were concluded in this sort, the authoritie and
commandement of the king yet in all things saued and reserued: but so,
that if before his returne he should signifie his pleasure to the
contrarie of the ordinances aboue mentioned, then should the castels of
Notingham and Tickhill be restored vnto earle John, notwithstanding what
soeuer the king should command touching the same. [Sidenote: An. Reg.
3.] [Sidenote: _Matth. West._ _Polydor._] Thus was the peace concluded
eftsoones betwixt earle John and the chancellour.
[Sidenote: Geffrey the archbishop of Yorke. _Rog. Houed._] In this meane
while, Geffrey the elect archbishop of Yorke, after long suit and manie
delaies contriued, speciallie by the chancellour, obteined his pall,
being consecrated by the archbishop of Towrs, by virtue of his buls
obteined from pope Celestine. The chancellour aduertised herof, and
vnderstanding that he meant to come shortlie into England to be
installed, was in a great chafe, bicause that during the time of the
vacation, he had vsed the reuenues of that see at his pleasure, and
therefore now to forego them he was nothing contented. [Sidenote:
_Matth. Paris._] Herevpon he wrote his letters vnto Matthew de Clare
shiriffe of Kent in this forme.
The lord chancellours letters to the shiriffe of Kent.
Præcipimus tibi quòd si Eboracen. Electus ad aliquem portum in
balliua tua applicuerit, aut aliquis nunciorum eius, eum retineri
facias, donec mandatum nostrum indè receperis. Et similiter
præcipimus, quòd omnes literas papæ aut magni alicuius viri quæ
illic venerint, facias retineri. The English whereof is thus.
"We command you that if the elect of Yorke shall arriue at any
port or hauen within your bailiwicke, or any messenger of his,
that you cause them to be arested and kept, till you haue
commandement from vs therein. And we command you likewise, to
stay, attach, and keepe all letters that come from the pope, or
any other great man."
[Sidenote: _Polydor._ The death of the archbishop of Canturbury. _Io.
Textor._] Likewise, whereas Baldwine archbishop of Canturburie, hauing
taken his iournie into the holie land, and arriuing there before the
king, chanced to depart this life at Tyrus, the last yeere, vpon the
feast daie of S. Edmund, the chancellour found meanes to keepe that sée
also vacant, that he might receiue the profits thereof, during the
vacation, and find meanes to be prepared to it in the end. But as
touching the sée of Yorke, although he had (as before is said) made his
hand of the reuenues belonging to the same from time to time at his
pleasure, yet now after that he heard how Geffrey had receiued the pall,
he made hauocke, wasting & spoiling all that would yeeld him anie monie,
without respect of right or wrong. Moreouer, he caused the hauens to be
watched, with commandement giuen to the townes on the sea coast, that
they should not suffer the archbishop Geffrey to take land. [Sidenote:
The archbishop arriued and is committed to ward.] At length yet he
arriued at Douer, where he was by the aforesaid Matthew de Clare first
staied, and after taken out of the abbeie by the chancellours
commandement, and committed to prison within the castell, where a Noble
man that had maried the chancellors sister was capteine.
The newes of whose imprisonment was anon bruted through the realme,
wherewith the Nobles fretted, and the commons curssed: finallie all men
detested such tyrannie in the chancellour. But namelie the kings brother
earle John stormed at the matter, and with all spéed assembled an armie
out of those places where he bare rule, increasing the number with a
power of Welshmen. There came to him the bishop of Winchester, with
manie earles and barons, also the bishop of Bath and Chester, which
latelie before had béene chéefe fauourers of the chancellour in all his
dooings: but now that the world was changed, they shewed themselues the
most earnest enimies he had, as well in words as déeds.
In an assemblie of all the bishops of England, all those were
excommunicate in solemne wise, with candels light, and other such
ceremonies, which had either giuen commandement, or were present as
partakers, to pull out of the church the archbishop of Yorke, or his
people by violence, and had imprisoned them in maner (as before yée haue
heard:) but this was after the archbishop was set at libertie, as shuld
appeare by Matthew Paris, for the chancellour repenting himselfe (though
now too late) of his cruell dealing against the archbishop of Yorke,
wherewith he had kindled such a brand against him, commanded the said
archbishop (namelie at the instant sute of the bishop of London, or
rather at the commandement of earle John, as Houeden saith) to be set at
libertie. But the displeasure once kindled in the hearts of the Nobles,
could not so easilie[8] be quenched with his deliuerie, as it was
spéedilie set on fire by his imprisonment, so that they being now in
armour, purposed to abate the pride of the chancellour, and to deliuer
the common-wealth, of such an vglie tyrant. [Sidenote: _R. Houed._ The
chancellour summoned to appeare.] And to begin, they summoned, and
assigned him a peremptorie day to appeare at Reading, to make answer
vnto such iniuaries as he had doone against the archbishop of Yorke, and
the bishop of Durham, sithens the departure of his souereigne lord the
king.
At which day there came to Reading earle John, and the archbishop of
Rouen, with manie other bishops, earles, and barons, abiding there all
that day, to sée if the chancellour would appeare or no; but he came
not: wherevpon they prepared to march foorth towards London, and
therewithall set forward in like maner. He on the other side being a man
of a great courage, had gathered an armie of such strangers and other
his fréends as he could make, and therewith went foorth, and encamped
néere to Windsor, there to abide his aduersaries, and to giue them
battell, if they came forward and would abide it. But when they
approched, and he perceiued also how diuerse of his freends shranke from
him, and went to his enimies, he durst not attempt the hazard of a
field, [Sidenote: The chauncellour retireth to London.] but fled backe
to London, and there withdrew into the tower, with all his host, bicause
he durst not commit himselfe to the doubtfull fellowship of the
citizens. Through his great pride and statelie port which he mainteined,
as partlie yée haue heard, he had procured to himselfe no small hatred
amongst all degrees of men, and namelie such as by the kings appointment
ought to haue beene parteners with him in gouernement of the realme sore
repined at his presumptuous proceedings, for that he disdained (as it
séemed) to vse their aduise, or to ioine them with him in the
administration of things, so that now in time of his trouble he wist not
in whome he might put his trust.
After he was thus retired into the tower of London, earle John, the
archbishop of Rouen, and the other bishops, earles, and barons
associated togither against him, followed him at the héeles, entered the
citie, and besieged the tower on ech side. On the morrow after, being
the fourth day after the octaues of saint Michaell, they came togither
into Paules church-yard, [Sidenote: A declaration made against the lord
chancellour.] where they publikelie declared the iniurious wrongs doone
and practised by the chancellour; namelie against the archbishop of
Yorke, and the bishop of Durham. Those also that had béene appointed as
associats with him, accused him, in that he had taken vpon him to rule
and gouerne all things after his owne will, not vouchsafing to haue
their aduise or councell in such sort as had béene conuenient.
The archbishop of Rouen and William Marshall earle of Pembroke shewed
there before all the people the kings letters which he had sent from
Messina, [Sidenote: The tenor of this letter shall héereafter appeare.]
appointing that they should be associats with him in gouernment of the
kingdome; and that without the counsell and aduice of them and others
assigned thereto, he should not meddle with the rule of the land, and
that if he should doo any thing to the hinderance of the common-wealth,
or séeke to meddle with the affaires of the realme, without their good
aduise, that then he should be deposed. Héerevpon it seemed good to
earle John, and to all the bishops, earles and barons of the realme, and
to the citizens of London, there assembled, that the said chancellour
should be deposed, and so they proceeded, and deposed him in déed,
appointing the archbishop of Rouen in his place, who would not take vpon
him to doo anie thing touching the rule of the land, without consent of
his associats assigned to him, and the barons or the eschecker.
The same day, earle John, and the archbishop of Rouen, and other of the
kings iustices, [Sidenote: The citizens of London.] granted to the
citizens of London the priuilege of their communaltie; and the said
earle and archbishop, and in maner all the bishops, erls and barons of
the realme sware to mainteine the said priuilege firme and stable, so
long as should please their souereigne lord. And the citizens of London
sware to be true, and to doo their faithfull seruice vnto king Richard
and his heirs, and if he chanced to die without issue, then to receiue
earle John the brother of king Richard for their king and souereigne
lord, and therevpon sware fealtie to him against all men, sauing that
which they owed vnto his brother king Richard.
The chancellour perceiuing the multitude to be such which he had with
him in the tower, [Sidenote: The chancellour yéeldeth vp the tower.] as
the place was not able to hold them any long time, after he had remained
within it one night, he came foorth vnto earle John, and to the other
that were thus entred the citie, and now readie to besiege him, of whome
he got licence for them that were inclosed within the tower, to depart
without damage, and therewith deliuered vp the tower into the hands of
the archbishop of Rouen, with the castell of Windsor, and certeine other
castels, which he held within the realme, but not all: notwithstanding
he couenanted to make deliuerie of the residue, which yet remained in
the hands of them whome he had appointed to the kéeping of the same. And
for assurance of that couenant to be performed before he departed the
realme, he deliuered his brethren, and one that was his chamberleine, to
remaine with the lords as hostages.
This doone, he hasted to Canturburie, where he promised to receiue the
crosse of a pilgrime to go into the holie land, and to render vp the
crosse of his legatship, which he had vsurped a yeare and a halfe after
the death of pope Clement, to the preiudice of the church of Rome, and
to the detriment and great hinderance of the English church. For there
was not any church within the realme, which had not béene put to fine
and ransome by that crosse, nor any ecclesiasticall person went frée,
[Sidenote: The print of the legats crosse.] but the print of the crosse
appeared in him and his purse. From Canturburie he got him to Douer to
his brother in law, and finallie séeking means to passe ouer into
France, and doubting to be discouered, he apparelled himselfe in womans
raiment, [Sidenote: The bishop of Elie late lord chancellor disguiseth
himselfe in womans apparell.] & got a web of cloth on his arme, as
though he had beene some housewifelie woman of the countrie: but by the
vntowardlie folding and vncunning handling of his cloth (or rather by a
lewd fisherman that tooke him for an harlot) he was suspected and
searched so narrowlie, [Sidenote: He is bewraied.] that by his priuie
members he was prooued to be a man, and at length knowne, attached, and
committed to prison, after he had beene reprochfullie handled by them
that found him, and by the wiues of the towne, in such vnséemlie
apparell.
Earle John would haue had him punished, and put to some open reproofe
for his passed tyrannicall dooings; [Sidenote: Earle John not y^e
bishops fréend.] but the bishops, and other of the barons, for reuerence
of his order, procured his deliuerance, with licence to passe ouer into
Normandie where he was borne. Thus was the bishop of Elie a man full of
pride and couetousnesse ouerthrowne with shame, and receiued for his hie
climing a reprochfull downefall: for none are more subiect to ruine and
rebuke, than such as be aloft and supereminent ouer others, as the poet
noteth well saieng:
[Sidenote: _Ouid. lib. 1. de. rem. am._]
Summa petit liuor, perflant altissima venti,
Summa petunt dextra fulmina missa Iouis.
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._] In time he was deposed from his office of
being chancellour, and not without warrant, for in verie déed, king
Richard hauing receiued aduertisements from the lords and peeres of the
realme, of the chancellours presumptuous and hautie demeanour, with
wrongs offered to diuerse persons, wrote to them againe as followeth.
A letter of king Richard directed to the States of the land for the
deposing of the bishop of Elie from his office of lord chancellour.
Richard king of England sendeth greeting to William Marshall, to
Gilbert Fitz Peter, and Henrie Berdulfe, and to William Brewer,
peeres. If it so chance that our chancellour hath not faithfullie
handled the affaires and businesse of our realme (committed vnto
him) by the aduise and counsell of you, and others to whome we
haue also assigned the charge of gouernement of the same realme:
we command you, that according to your disposition in all things
to be doone concerning the gouernement thereof, you order and
dispose as well for eschetes, as all other things, &c.
By force of this commission, the lords were the bolder to procéed
against him as ye haue heard. Now after his comming into the parties
beyond the seas, [Sidenote: The bishop of Elie complaineth of his wrongs
receiued.] he ceassed not with letters and messengers to present his
complaint to the pope of Rome, and to king Richard of the iniuries
receiued at the hands of earle John and his complices. [Sidenote: The
popes letters vnto the archbishope and bishops of England.] Herevpon
pope Celestine wrote in déed to all the archbishops and bishops that
were within the realme of England, in behalfe of the said bishop of
Elie, declaring, that for so much as the king of England was gone into
the holie land to warre against the enimies of our faith, leauing his
kingdome vnder the protection of the apostolike see, he could not but
haue speciall regard to see that the state, rights and honour thereof
were preserued from all danger of decaie.
[Sidenote: Note how the pope defendeth his chaplins.] Wherefore,
vnderstanding that there had beene certeine attempts made by John erle
of Mortaigne and others, both against the king and the bishop of Elie,
that was not onelie legat of the apostolike sée, but also gouernour of
the land appointed by the king, which attempt sounded greatlie to the
reproch of the church of Rome, and danger of damage to insue to king
Richard, if remedie were not the sooner found: therefore he commanded
them by the vertue of their obedience, to excōmunicat the earle of
Mortaigne, or any other that was knowne to haue laid any violent hands
vpon the said bishop of Elie, or deteined him as captiue, or inforced
him to any oth, or else had changed the state of rule in the kingdome of
England to other forme, than king Richard had ordeined at his setting
forward towards the holie land: and that not onelie all the
councellours, authors, aiders and complices of those that had committed
such outrage, but also their lands should stand interdicted, so that no
diuine seruice should be vsed within the precinct of the same, except
penance and christning of infants. This to remaine till the said bishop
& kingdome were restored into the former estate: and that the parties
excommunicated should present themselues with letters from the bishops
vnto the apostolike see to be absolued, etc.