daie, the like thing appeared againe with lesse feare and woonder to the
people (than before) being now better accustomed to the like sight
againe. And now the same daie and selfe houre that the king arriued at
Sandwich, being the second houre of that daie, whilest the sunne shone
verie bright and cleare, there appeared a most brightsome and
vnaccustomed clearnesse, not farre distant from the sunne, as it were to
the length and breadth of a mans personage, hauing a red shining
brightnesse withall, like to the rainbow, which strange sight when manie
beheld, there were that prognosticated the king alreadie to be arriued.
[Sidenote: _R. Houed._ Diuerse sieges held at one time.] In this meane
while the bishop of Durham with a great armie besieged the castell of
Tickhill; and earle Dauid brother to the king of Scots, with Ranulfe
earle of Chester, and earle Ferrers, besieged the castell of Notingham,
whilest at the same present the archbishop of Canturburie with a great
power besieged Marleburgh castell, the which within a few daies was
rendred into his hands, the liues and lims of them within saued. Also
the castell of Lancaster was deliuered to him, the which the same
archbishops brother had in kéeping vnder earle John, [Sidenote: S.
Michaels mount.] and likewise the abbeie of S. Michaels mount in
Cornwall, the which abbeie Henrie de la Pomerey chasing out the moonks,
had fortified against the king, and hearing newes of the kings returne
home, died (as it was thought) for méere gréefe and feare. These three
places were surrendered to the archbishop before the kings returne, but
Tickhill & Notingham held out.
King Richard being returned into England, and vnderstanding both how the
French king made warre against him in Normandie, and that the state of
England was not a little disquieted, by the practise of his brother
earle John and his complices, speciallie by reason that diuerse castels
were defended by such as he had placed in them, he thought good with all
speed to cut off such occasions as might bréed a[12] further mischéefe.
[Sidenote: The king goeth to Notingham and winneth the castel. _Rog.
Houed._] Wherevpon he first went to Notingham, and within thrée daies
after his comming thither (which was on the daie of the Annunciation of
our ladie) he constreined them that kept the castell there in his
brothers name, to yeeld themselues simplie vnto his mercie, after they
had abidden diuerse assaults, by the which euen the first daie the vtter
gates were burnt, and certeine defenses destroied, which they had made
before the same.
The cheefe of them that were within this castell to defend it were
these, William de Vendeuall conestable there, Roger de Mountbegun, Rafe
Murdach, Philip de Worceter and Ranulfe de Worceter, brethren. The morow
after the surrender was made, the king went to Clipstone, [Sidenote: The
forest of Shirewood.] and rode into the forrest of Shirewood, where he
had neuer béene before, the view whereof pleased him greatlie. The
castell of Tickhill was likewise at the same time yéelded vnto the
bishop of Durham, who receiued it to the kings vse, and them that kept
it as prisoners, without anie composition, but standing simplie to the
K. mercie. For although those that had these castels in keeping, were
sufficientlie prouided of all necessarie things for defense, yet the
sudden comming of the king (whom they thought verelie would neuer haue
returned) put them in such feare, that they wist not what to make of the
matter, and so (as men amazed) they yéelded without anie further
exception. [Sidenote: The castel of Tickhill yéelded. _Rog. Houed._] The
bishop of Durham bringing those prisoners with him which had yéelded vp
this castell of Tickhill, came to the king the 27 daie of March, the
verie daie before that Notingham castell was giuen ouer.
[Sidenote: Strife betwixt y^e archbishops for carieng of their crosses.]
Moreouer, this is to be remembred, that during the siege of Notingham,
contention arose betwixt the two archbishops of Canturburie and Yorke,
about the carriage of their crosses. For Hubert archbishop of
Canturburie comming thither, had his crosse borne before him; the
archbishop of Yorke (hauing no crosse there at all) was verie sore
offended, that anie other should go with crosse borne before him in his
diocesse, and therfore complained hereof to the king. But the
archbishop of Canturburie mainteined that he had not doone anie thing
but that which was lawfull for him to doo, and therevpon made his
appeale to Rome, that the pope might haue the hearing and iudging of
that controuersie betwixt them.
In the meane time, after the king had got the castells of Notingham and
Tickhill into his hands (as ye haue heard) he called a parlement at
Notingham, where the quéene mother sat on the right hand of him, and the
archbishops of Canturburie & Yorke on the left, with other bishops,
earles and barons according to their places. [Sidenote: Officers
discharged.] On the first daie of their session was Gerard de Camuille
discharged of the office which he had borne of shiriffe of Lincolne, and
dispossessed both of the castell & countie. And so likewise was Hugh
Bardolfe of the castell and countie of Yorke, and of the castell of
Scarbourgh, and of the custodie and kéeping of the countrie of
Westmerland, the which offices being now in the kings hands, [Sidenote:
Lieutenantships set on sale.] he set them on sale to him that would giue
most. Hereof it came to passe, that where the lord chancellour offered
to giue fiftéene hundred markes before hand, for the counties of Yorke,
Lincolne and Northampton, and an hundred markes of increase of rent for
euerie of the same counties, [Sidenote: The archbishop of Yorks offer.]
Geffrey archbishop of Yorke offered to the king thrée thousand markes
aforehand, onelie for the countie of Yorke, and an hundred markes
yearelie of increase, and so had the same committed to his regiment.
[Sidenote: The bishop of Chester.] Moreouer in this parlement, the king
demanded iudgement against his brother John, and Hugh Nouant the bishop
of Couentrie and Chester, for such traitorous and most disloiall
attempts as they had made against him and his countries, and iudgement
was giuen that both the said earle and bishop should haue summons giuen
them peremptorilie to appeare, and if within fortie daies after, they
came not to answer such plaints as might be laid against them, then
should earle John forfeit all that he had within the realme, and the
bishop should stand to the iudgement of the bishops, in that he was a
bishop, and to the temporall lords in that he had béene the kings
shiriffe.
[Sidenote: A subsidie.] In this parlement also, in the kalends of
Aprill, the king procured a subsidie to be granted to him, to wit, two
shillings of euerie plough land through England, which maner of subsidie
by an old name is called Teemen toll, or Theyme toll. He also commanded
that euerie man should make for him the third part of knights seruice,
accordinglie as euerie fée might beare, to furnish him foorth into
Normandie. He demanded of the moonks Cisteaux, all their wooles for the
same yeare. But bicause that seemed an ouer greeuous burthen vnto them,
they fined with him, as after shall appeare. The fourth day of this
parlement, by the kings permission manie greeuous complaints were
exhibited against the archbishop of Yorke, [Sidenote: The archbishop of
Yorke accused.] for extortion and other vniust vexations, which he had
practised: but he passed so little thereof, that he made no answer vnto
their billes.
[Sidenote: Gerard de Camuille charged with felonie and treason.]
Moreouer through the procurement of the lord chancellour, Gerard de
Camuille was arreigned for receiuing théeues, and robbers, which had
robbed certeine merchants of their goods, that were going to the faire
of Stamfort; also they appealed him of treason for refusing to stand to
his triall by order of the kings lawes at commandement of the kings
iustices, bearing himselfe to be earle Johns man, and aiding the same
earle against the king. But all these accusations he flatlie denied, and
so his aduersaries put in pledges to follow their suit, and he put in
the like to defend himselfe by one of his fréeholders.
[Sidenote: The king of Scots commeth to sée the king of England.] The
same daie king Richard receiued the king of Scots at Clipstone, comming
now to visit him, and to reioise with him for his safe returne home
after so long a iournie, and so manie passed perils. After they had
spent the time a certeine space in ioy and mirth, the fourth of Aprill
at their being togither at Malton, the king of Scots required of king
Richard to haue restored to him the counties of Northumberland,
Cumberland and Westmerland, with the countie of Lancaster also, the
which in right of his predecessors belonged to him (as he alledged.)
[Sidenote: A parlement.] King Richard assembling a parlement of the
Nobles of his realme at Northampton, about sixtéene daies after that the
Scotish king had made this request, gaue him answer that by no means he
might as then satisfie his petition: for if he should so doo, his
aduersaries in France would report that he did it for feare, and not for
any loue or hartie fréendship. [Sidenote: A grant made to the king of
Scots what allowance he should haue when he came to England.] But yet
king Richard in the presence of his mother quéene Elianor, and the lords
spirituall and temporall of his realme togither at that present
assembled, granted and by his déed confirmed vnto the said king of
Scots, and to his heires for euer, that whensoeuer he or any of them
should come by summons of the king of England vnto his court, the bishop
of Durham, and the shiriffe of Northumberland should receiue him at the
water of Twéed, and safe conduct him vnto the water of These, and there
should the archbishop of Yorke, and the shiriffe of Yorke be readie to
receiue him of them, and from thence giue their attendance vpon him vnto
the borders of the next shire.
It was also granted to the said king, that he should be attended from
shire to shire by prelats and shiriffes, till he came to the kings
court, also from the time that the king of Scotland should enter this
realme of England, he should haue dailie out of the kings pursse for his
liuerie an hundred shillings, and after he came to the court, he should
haue an allowance dailie for his liuerie, so long as he there remained,
thirtie shillings and twelue manchet wastels, twelue manchet simnels,
foure gallons of the best wine, and eight gallons of houshold wine, two
pound of pepper, foure pound of cumin, two stone of wax, or else foure
links, and fortie great and long colpons of such candels as are serued
before the king, and foure and twentie colpons of other candels that
serue for the houshold. And when he should returne into his countrie
againe, then should he be conueied with the bishops and shiriffes from
countie to countie, till he come to the water of Twéed, hauing an
hundred shillings a day of liuerie, &c: as is before appointed. The
charter of this grant was deliuered vnto William king of Scots in the
towne of Northampton, in Easter wéeke, by the hands of William bishop of
Elie lord chancellour, in the yeare of our lord 1194, and in the fift
yeare of king Richard his reigne.
[Sidenote: A councell holden at Winchester.] After this, on the fiftéenth
day of Aprill, king Richard hauing the said king of Scots in his
companie came to Winchester, where he called a councell, and there in
open assemblie he highlie commended all those of the Nobilitie, that in
his absence had shewed themselues faithfull, and resisted his brother,
and such other his complices, which had as disloiall persons rebelled
against him. Here he also proclaimed his said brother, and all those
that tooke his part, traitours to the crowne, and tooke order for the
punishment of them, that (being of their faction) could by any means be
apprehended.
Furthermore, to put awaie as it were the reproofe of his captiuitie and
imprisonment (by the reuiuing of his noblenesse, which he had in high
estimation.
---- pretio nam dignior omni est
Nobilitas, hæc non emitur nec venditur auro)
[Sidenote: The king crowned anew.] he caused himselfe to be eftsoones
crowned by the archbishop Hubert, on the 18 of Aprill, at Winchester,
and so shewed himselfe as a new crowned king (in hope of good successe
and better lucke to follow) in the presence of the said king of Scots,
[Sidenote: _R. Houed._ The king of Scots beareth one of the swords
before the king of England.] who bare one of the thrée swords before
him, going in the middle betwixt two earles, that is to saie, Hamelin
earle of Warren going on his right hand, and Ranulfe earle of Chester on
his left. The canapie vnder the which he went was borne vp also by foure
earles, Norffolke, Lislewight, Salisburie, and Ferrers. The bishop of
Elie lord chancellour went on the right hand of the king, and the bishop
of London on the left. [Sidenote: The citizens of London.] At dinner
also the citizens of London serued him in the butterie by reason of two
hundred marks which they had giuen the king that they might so doo,
notwithstanding the claime and challenge made by the citizens of
Winchester, the which serued him in the kitchin.
The archbishop of Yorke was commanded that he should not be present at
the coronation, least some tumult might arise about the hauing of his
crosse borne afore him, to the displeasure of the archbishop of
Canturburie, who stood in it, that no prelat within his prouince ought
to haue any crosse borne before him, himselfe excepted.
[Sidenote: A parlement called.] After this, he called a parlement, by
vertue whereof he reuoked backe and resumed into his hands all patents,
annuities, fées, and other grants (before his voiage into the holie
land) by him made, or otherwise granted or alienated. And bicause it
shuld not seeme that he vsed a méere violent extortion herein, he
treated with euerie one of them in most courteous wise, bearing them in
hand, that he knew well they ment not to let foorth their monie to him
vpon vsurie, but would be contented with such reasonable gaine and
profit, as had béene raised to their vse in time of his absence of those
things which they held of him by assignation in way of lone, so that now
the same might be restored to him againe, sith he ment not to sell them,
but to let them foorth as it were to farme for the time, as all men
might well vnderstand, considering that he could not mainteine the port
of a king without receipt of those profits which he had so let foorth.
With these gentle words therefore mixed with some dreadfull allegations,
he brought them all into such perplexitie, [Sidenote: The bold courage
of the bishop of Lincolne.] that not one of them durst withstand his
request, nor alledge that he had wrong doone to him, except Hugh the
bishop of Lincolne, who sticked not to saie, that the king in this
demand did them and the rest open iniurie. [Sidenote: The bishop of
Durham lost his earledome.] The bishop of Durham lost his earledome, and
was constreined to content himselfe with his old bishoprike, and to
leaue the dignitie of an earle, or at the leastwise the possessions
which he had bought of the king before his setting forward into the
holie land.
Thus the king recouered those things for the which he had receiued great
summes of monie, without making any recompense, where the most part of
the occupiers had not receiued scarselie a third part of the principall
which they had laid foorth. For no sufficiencie of grant, patent, or
other writing to any of them before made, did any thing auaile them.
[Sidenote: K. Richards practises. The moonks Cisteaux.] Moreouer, where
he had borrowed a great summe of monie of the merchants of the staple,
he wrought a feat with the moonks of the Cisteaux order to discharge
that debt. He told these moonks that being constreined with vrgent
necessitie, he had borowed that monie of the merchants beyond the sea,
vpon confidence of their good beneuolence, and therefore he required
them to extend their liberallitie so farre toward him, as to deliuer so
much wooll in value, as should discharge that debt. To be short, the
moonks being ouercome with the kings words, threatning kindnesse vpon
them, fulfilled his request. Moreouer not satisfied herewith, he leuied
a taske throughout the realme, exacting of euerie hide of land two
shillings, according to the grant made to him at Notingham: and the same
was generallie gathered, as well of the spirituall mens lands as of the
temporall.
[Sidenote: _Rog. Houed._ The king of Scots maketh suit for
Northumberland.] The king of Scots vnderstanding that the bishop of
Durham had giuen ouer and resigned the earledome of Northumberland into
the kings hands, thought good once againe to assaie if he might compasse
his desire, and herewith he began his former suit afresh, offering to
king Richard fiftéene thousand markes of siluer for the whole earledome
of Northumberland with the appurtenances, as his father earle Henrie did
hold the same before. The king taking counsell in the matter, agreed
that he should haue it for that monie, excepting the castels: but the
king of Scots would haue castels and all, or else he would not bargaine.
Finallie, after he had sundrie times mooued this suit for the hauing of
the lands vnto which he pretended a title, and could get nothing of king
Richard but faire words, putting him as it were in hope to obteine that
he required at his next returne out of France, vpon the 22 daie of
Aprill being fridaie, he tooke leaue of the king, and returned towards
his countrie, not verie ioifull, in that he could not obteine his suit.
King Richard in this meane while caused all those prisoners that were
taken in the castels of Notingham, Tickhill, Marleburgh, Lancaster[13],
and S. Michaels mount, which were of any wealth to be put in prison,
[Sidenote: Mainprise.] that they might fine for their ransoms. The
residue he suffered to depart vpon suerties, that were bound for them
in an hundredth marks a peece, to be forth comming when they should be
called.
Now the king (after he had gathered a great portion of monie, and
ordeined diuerse things for the behoofe of the common-wealth, thereby to
satisfie the harts of the people) prepared himselfe to saile into
Normandie. [Sidenote: _Rog. Houed._] But first he reconciled the
archbishop of Yorke, and the bishop of Elie lord chancellour, aswell for
the apprehension & imprisoning of the archbishop at Douer, as for the
dishonourable expulsion of the chancellour out of England, in such wise
that the chancellour should vpon reasonable summons giuen to him by the
archbishop, sware with the hands of an hundred préests with him, that he
neither commanded nor willed that the archbishop should be apprehended.
The controuersie betwixt the two archbishops about the bearing of their
crosses, the king would not meddle withall, for (as he said) that
perteined to the pope. Yet the archbishop of Canturburie complained to
king Richard of the iniurie doone to him at that present by the
archbishop of Yorke, presuming within his prouince to haue his crosse
borne before him. At length when the kings prouision was once readie for
his voiage into Normandie, he came to Douer, and hearing that the French
king had besieged the towne of Vernueil, and that the same was in danger
to be taken, he tooke the sea togither with his mother quéene Elianor on
the ninth daie of Maie, [Sidenote: The king transporteth ouer into
France.] and transporting ouer into Normandie, arriued at Harfléet with
an hundred great ships fraught with men, horsses and armour.
The French king hearing of king Richards arriuall, and that he was
comming with a great power to the succour of them within Vernueil, and
was alreadie incamped néere to the towne of the Eagle, [Sidenote: The
French king raiseth his siege from Vernueil.] he plucked vp his tents in
the night before Witsundaie, and leauing the siege, departed from
thence, and tooke a certeine small fortresse by the waie as he marched,
wherein he left a few souldiers to keepe it to his vse. King Richard
herewith entring into the French dominions, sent three bands of
souldiers towards Vale de Ruell, and went himselfe vnto Loches, and
besieging that castell wan it within a short time. [Sidenote: _N.
Triuet._] The Normans also recouered the citie of Eureux out of the
French mens hands, but those that were sent vnto Ruell, and had besieged
the castell there an eight daies without any gaine, hearing that the
French king was comming towards them, departed thence, & came backe to
the kings campe, wherevpon the French king comming to Ruell raced it to
the ground, bicause his enimie should not at anie time in winning it
nestle there to the further damage of the countrie.
[Sidenote: _Rog. Houed._] About the same time, Robert earle of Leicester
issuing foorth of Rouen in hope to worke some feat to the damage of the
Frenchmen, as he rode somewhat vnaduisedlie in the lands of Hugh
Gourney, [Sidenote: The earle of Leicester taken prisoner.] fell within
danger of his enimies, who tooke him prisoner, and a few other that were
in his companie. The French king after this came with his armie into the
coasts of Touraine; and marched neere Vandosme, and there incamped,
whereof king Richard being aduertised, drew néere to Vandosme, meaning
to assaile the French king in his campe, who hauing knowledge thereof
dislodged with his armie earlie in the morning, and fled awaie (to his
great dishonour) in all hast possible. The king of England with his
people following in chase of the Frenchmen slue manie, and tooke a great
number of prisoners, amongst whome was the French kings chéefe
treasurer. Also the Englishmen tooke manie wagons and sumpters laden
with crossebowes, armour, plate, apparell, and the furniture of the
French kings chapell. This chanced about 37 daies after his fléeing in
the night from Vernueil, of which two flights of the French king (in
manner as ye haue heard) we find these verses written:
Gallia fugisti bis, & hoc sub rege Philippo,
Nec sunt sub modio facta pudenda tuo.
Vernolium sumit testem fuga prima, secunda
Vindocinum, noctem prima, secunda diem.
Nocte fugam primam rapuisti, manè secundam,
Prima nictus vitio, víq; secunda fuit.
France, twice thou fledst, while Philip reign'd,
the world dooth know thy shame,
For Vernueil witnesse beares of th' one,
next Vandosme knowes the same.
The first by night, the next by day,
thy heart and force doo showe,
That first through feare, and next by force,
was wrought thine ouerthrowe.
[Sidenote: Geffrey de Rancon. The earle of Engolesme. The king of Nauars
brother.] In this meane while certeine rebels in Guien, as the lord
Geffrey de Rancin[14] or Rancon, and the earle of Engolesme with their
complices, vpon confidence of the French kings assistance, sore
disquieted the countrie. Howbeit, the sonne of the king of Nauarre, and
brother to Berengaria the quéene of England, entring into Guien with an
armie, wasted the lands of both those rebels, till he was called home by
reason of his fathers death which chanced about the same time.
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 6.] Shortlie after Geffrey Rancin died, and king
Richard comming into his countrie, wan the strong castell of Tailleburge
by surrender, which apperteined to the same Geffrey with others, and
then going against the other rebels, [Sidenote: Engolesme woone.] he wan
the citie of Engolesme from him by force of assault. All which time the
French king stirred not, by reason that there was some communication in
hand for a truce to be taken betwixt him and king Richard, which by
mediation of certeine bishops was shortlie after concluded, to endure
for twelue moneths. [Sidenote: _Polydor._ _Wil. Paruus._] The bishop of
Elie was chéefe commissioner for the king of England, and this truce was
accorded about Lammas, and serued to little purpose, except to giue
libertie to either prince to breath a little, [Sidenote: _Polydor._] and
in the meane time to prouide themselues of men, munition, ships & monie,
that immediatlie after the terme was expired, they might with greater
force returne to the field againe, for they had not onelie a like desire
to follow the warres, but also vsed a like meane and practise to leuie
monie.