vnderstanding the truth of the whole circumstance, should send to king
Richard, commanding him by force of the canons of the church to deliuer
his sons the bishop and archdeacon out of their captiuitie. To whom the
king sent their armour with this message written in Latine, [Sidenote:
_Genes. 37._] "Vide an tunica filij tui sit an non," that is, "See
whether these are the garments of thy sonnes or not:" alluding to the
saieng of those that caried Josephs coate to Jacob. Which when the pope
saw, he said: "Naie by S. Peter, it is neither the apparell of my
sonnes, nor yet of my brethren: but rather they are the vestures of the
children of Mars:" and so he left them still to be ransomed at the kings
pleasure. The bishop thus séeing no hope to be deliuered without some
agréement had betwixt the two kings, became now through irkesomenesse of
his bonds, an earnest mediatour for peace, whereas before he had beene
an extreme stirrer vp of war. Such a schoolemaister is imprisonment, &
plucker downe of loftie courages. But to proceed.
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 8.] About the same time the archbishop of Rouen put
all the countrie of Normandie vnder sentence of interdiction, [Sidenote:
Normandie interdicted by y^e archbishop of Rouen.] bicause king Richard
had begun to fortifie a castell at Lisle Dandelie, vpon a péece of
ground which the archbishop claimed to apperteine vnto his sée. The
matter was brought before the pope, who perceiuing the intent of king
Richard was not otherwise grounded vpon any couetous purpose to defraud
the church of hir right, but onelie to build a fortresse in such place
as was most expedient for defense of the countrie about, to preserue it
from inuasion of the enimies; he counselled the archbishop not to stand
against the king in it, but to exchange with him for some other lands:
which was doone, and the interdiction by the pope released. [Sidenote:
The bishop of Elie departed this life.] The bishop of Elie lord
chancellour, being sent about this businesse towards Rome, departed this
life by the way at Poictiers, in Januarie.
But the bishops of Durham & Lisieux that were sent with him, passed
forward, and comming to Rome, informed the pope of the matter, who tooke
order with the bishops (as before is mentioned.) The king gaue to the
church in Rouen in recompense, his milles which he had in Rouen, so that
the said church should paie the almes of old time appointed to be giuen
for the same. He gaue to the said church likewise the towne of Diepe,
and the towne of Bussels, so that the church should likewise paie the
almes assigned foorth of the same, being the summe of 372 pounds of
Aniouine monie: also the manour of Louers, and the forrest of Alermound
with the deere and the appurtenances. But now to other dooings.
About the same time, or not long before, whereas there had beene long
contention betwixt the kings of England, and the earles of S. Giles for
the earldome of Tholouse, [Sidenote: _Rog. Houed._ The king and the
earle of Tholouse agréed.] king Richard by way of aliance fell now at an
appointment with the earle Raimond that held those lands; for whereas
the countesse Constance wife to the said Raimond earle of Tholouse and
aunt to king Philip was now departed this life, king Richard concluded a
mariage betweene the said earle and his sister Joane quéene of Sicile,
sometime wife to William king of Sicile, so that being thus ioined in
aliance with the said earle of Tholouse on the one side, [Sidenote:
_Matt. Paris._ The earle of Flanders alied with K. Richard. _Iacob.
Meir._ _Les annales de France._] he procured a league also with Baldwine
earle of Flanders on the other, vnto whom he gaue fiue thousand markes
in reward, vpon condition, that he should couenant not to grow to any
agréement with the French king without his consent. Likewise Reginold
the earle of Bolongne, that was sonne to earle of Chateau Marline, alied
himselfe with them against the French king, and so did Baldwine earle of
Guines with diuerse other.
Thus King Richard by such aliance hauing his part greatlie strengthened,
prepared himselfe to the warre more earnestlie than before, and tooke
order with the earle of Flanders, that they should inuade the French
dominions in two seuerall quarters both at one time, as the earle by
Flanders, & he himselfe by Normandie, according to the appointment
betwixt them deuised. [Sidenote: _Iacob. Meir._ _Wil. Paruus._ Towns won
by the earle of Flanders.] The earle preparing an armie, first wan the
towne of Dowaie, and then besieged saint Omers, and wan it after fiue
weekes siege: wherevpon they of Aire yeelded to him; shortlie after he
entred into Artois, & besieged the citie of Arras.
At the same time king Richard marching towards Gisors, wan in his waie
the castell of Corselles, & destroied it; [Sidenote: Gisors besieged.]
that doone, he came to Gisors, and besieged the towne, wasting all the
countrie round about him where he came. The French king being thus
troubled with the inuasion of his enimies in two seuerall places at one
present time, sent certeine bands of his souldiors towards Arras to
kéepe the earle of Flanders plaie, whilest he himselfe went against king
Richard: and comming vnto Gisors, found it streictlie besieged of the
same king, so that he wist not well how to enter the towne. But yet at
length faigning to giue battell to king Richard (who vpon desire to
receiue it, came abroad into the field) the French king rushed foorth
with all his whole force to make towards the towne, [Sidenote: The
French king entreth into Gisors.] & so got into it, though not without
great losse and damage of his people.
King Richard not meaning to breake vp his siege from before the towne,
(notwithstanding the French king had entred it) staied a certeine time
of purpose to win it, knowing the gaine to be the greater, and his name
more famous, if he might atchiue his purpose, now that his aduersarie
was within it, but when he saw it would not be, [Sidenote: K. Richard
raiseth his siege.] he raised his siege, and departed towards Cleremont,
spoiling all the countrie by his forrais as he went, so that he wan
great pillage, wherewith his souldiers were loden and made verie rich.
[Sidenote: Hugh de Cheaumount taken prisoner.] It chanced, that in a
skirmish Hugh de Chaumount was taken prisoner, one that was of the
French kings priuie councell; and king Richard appointed him to the
kéeping of Robert Ros, who charged one of his seruants named William de
Spinie with the custodie of him. But the said Hugh corrupting his kéeper
the foresaid William with rewards, (whereof it is said,
[Sidenote: _Ouid. in 3. Art. am. ep. 16._]
---- acceptissima semper
Munera sunt, author quæ pretiosa facit)
escaped out of the castell of Bonneuille, where he was within ward, to
the great displeasure of king Richard, [Sidenote: Robert Rosse put to
his fine for an escape.] who caused Robert Ros to paie for a fine, the
summe of twelue hundred marks, which the prisoner should haue paied for
his ransome: and further, commanded William de Spinie to be hanged for
his disloiall dealing.
King Philip, after that the king of England was remooued from Gisors (as
before yée haue heard) assembled a great host, and with banner
displaied, [Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._] entred into Normandie, and wasted
the countrie from Newburge to Beaumont le Rogier, and that doone,
returned into France, licencing his men to returne vnto their homes.
[Sidenote: _Nic. Treuet._ The French kings request for a combat.] About
the same time, he sent vnto king Richard, requiring him to appoint fiue
champions, and he would appoint other fiue for his part, which might
fight in lists, for triall of all matters in controuersie betwixt them,
so to auoid the shedding of more giltlesse bloud. [Sidenote: K. Richards
answer.] King Richard accepted the offer, with condition, that either
king might be of the number, that is, the French king one of the fiue
vpon the French part; & K. Richard one of the fiue vpon the English
part. But this condition would not be granted. [Sidenote: 1197.]
Herevpon when shortlie after it was signified to king Richard, that
ships vsed to come out of England to saint Valerie with victuals,
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._] which were sold and conueied awaie vnto the
French K and other his enimies, he rode to saint Valeries, and set the
towne on fire, [Sidenote: Ships burnt, and mariners hanged.] and such
ships of England as he found there he also burnt, and hanged the
mariners by the necke, diuiding the graine and other victuals which were
found in the same ships amongst his owne souldiors.
[Sidenote: _Les annales de France._] About the same time he got the
fauour of them of Champaigne and of the Britons, and William Crespine
also was constreined to deliuer vnto him the castell of Auge, but the
French king recouered it by siege, whilest king Richard entring into
Aluergne wan diuerse castels there, to the number of ten out of king
Philips hands. [Sidenote: An. Reg. 9.] In the meane time the earle of
Flanders made sore war against the French king for his part, and
training the same king within streits, so that he was almost inclosed on
ech side, he constreined him to agrée to such composition as pleased the
same earle to appoint, but afterwards the French king refused to stand
to the couenants of that agréement, and so the warre continued betwixt
them as before.
[Sidenote: _R. Houed._ One yeare & 4 moneths saith _Wil. Paruus._] At
length king Richard and the French king concluded vpon an abstinence of
warre to indure from the feast of S. Hilarie for one whole yere,
purposing in the meane time to make a finall peace and agréement. In
which season Baldwine earle of Flanders came into England to doo his
deuotions vnto the shrine where Thomas the archbishop laie buried at
Canturburie. [Sidenote: Griffin king of Wales departed this life.] The
same yeare also somewhat before this time, Rise ap Griffin king of Wales
departed this life, after whose death there fell discord betwixt his
sonnes for the succession, till the archbishop Hubert went to the
marshes of that countrie and made an agréement betwixt them. Not long
after, Roger the brother of Robert earle of Leicester, elected bishop of
saint Andrews in Scotland, receiued the order of préesthood, and was
consecrated bishop by the hands of the bishop of Aberdine.
[Sidenote: Weights and measures.] This yeare it was ordeined that
measures of all manner of graine should conteine one quantitie
throughout the realme, that is to saie, one resonable horsselode, and
that the measures of wine and ale with all maner of liquors should be of
one iust quantie according to the diuersitie of the liquor: also that
weights should be of like rate throughout the relme, and that cloth
should conteine two yards in breadth within the lists, of perfect
goodnesse throughout, as well in the middest as by the sides, and that
one manner of yard should be vsed through the relme. It was also
ordeined that no merchants within the realme should hang any red or
blacke clothes before their windowes, nor set vp any pentises or other
thing whereby to darken the light from those that came to buy their
cloth, so as they might be deceiued in choosing thereof.
Also it was enacted that there should be foure or six substantiall
honest men chosen in euerie towne, and likewise in shires, with the head
officers of cities and boroughes, which had a corporation, to see that
the assises aforesaid were truelie kept, and that if anie were found to
be offending in the premisses, to cause their bodies to be attached and
commited to prison, and their goods to be seized to the kings vse: and
if those that were chosen to haue regard thereto, were tried to be
negligent, so that by others, and not by them any offenders chanced to
be conuicted before the iustices, then should the regarders be put to
their fines, for the negligent looking to their offices.
[Sidenote: 1198.] King Richard held his Christmasse this yeare at Roan,
and Hubert the archbishop of Canturburie legat of the apostolike sée,
named lord chéefe Justice of England, was about the same time in the
marshes of Wales at Hereford, and there receiued into his hands the
castels of Hereford, Bridgenorth and Ludlow, remoouing those that had
the same in kéeping, and appointing others in their roomes. Afterwards
comming by Couentrie, [Sidenote: Moonks placed againe in the church of
Couentrie.] he placed the moonks againe in the cathedrall church of that
citie, by commandement of pope Celestine, and chased out the secular
canons, which the bishop Hugh Nouant had brought into the same church
when he remooued the moonks.
[Sidenote: Messengers from the stats of Germanie.] In the Christmasse
wéeke also there came messengers to Rouen from the archbishops of Cullen
and Mentz, and from other states of the empire, which declared vnto king
Richard, that all the princes of Germanie were appointed to assemble at
Cullen, the two & twentith of Februarie, about the choosing of a new
emperour, in place of the late deceassed Henrie: and therefore they
commanded him by force of the oth and league in which he was bound to
the emperour and empire, that all excuse of deniall or occasions to the
contrarie ceasing and set apart, he should make his repaire vnto Cullen
at the aforesaid day, to helpe them in choosing of some worthie
personage that might and was able to haue the empire. King Richard
doubting to put himselfe in danger, bicause he had not discharged all
the debts due for his ransome, staied at home, but yet he sent diuerse
noble men thither, and did so much in fauour of his nephue Otho, that by
the helpe of the foresaid two archbishops of Cullen and Mentz, the same
Otho was elected emperour. But of this matter more shall be said
hereafter.
[Sidenote: Three hundred knights of men of armes to be found.] Moreouer,
about the same time king Richard required by the archbishop of
Canturburie his chéefe iustice, an aid of 300 knights to be found by his
subiects of England, to remaine with him in his seruice for one whole
yeare, or else that they would giue him so much monie, as might serue to
reteine that number after the rate of thrée shillings a daie of English
monie for euerie knight. [Sidenote: The bishop of Lincolne.] Whereas all
other were contented to be contributors herein, onelie Hugh bishop of
Lincolne refused, and spake sore against the archbishop that moued the
matter. But how soeuer that request tooke place, king Richard (as we
find) leuied this yeare a subsidie of fiue shillings of euerie hide of
land within the realme, two commissioners, that is to say, one of the
spiritualtie, & a knight of the temporaltie, being appointed as
commissioners in euerie shire, with the assistance of the shiriffe, and
others, to sée the same assessed & rated after an hundred acres of land
to the hide of land, according to the custome.
[Sidenote: The moonks of Christes church send to the pope, complaining
of their archbishop.] The same yeare also the moonks of the house of the
holie Trinitie, otherwise called Christes church in Canturburie,
exhibited their complaint vnto pope Innocent, that their archbishop
Hubert (contrarie to his order and dignitie) exercised the office of
high iustice, and sate in iudgement of bloud, being so incumbred in
temporall matters, that he could not haue time to discharge his office
touching spirituall causes: [Sidenote: The pope sendeth to the king.]
wherevpon the pope sent vnto king Richard, admonishing him not to suffer
the said archbishop to be any longer troubled with temporall affaires,
but to discharge him thereof, and not to admit any spirituall person
from thencefoorth vnto any temporall administration.
He further prohibited by vertue of their obedience, all manner of
prelats and men of the church, that they should not presume rashlie to
take vpon them any maner of secular function or office. Whervpon the
archbishop was discharged of his office of chéefe iustice, and Geffrey
Fitz Peter succéeded in gouernement of the realme in his stéed.
¶ Geruasius Dorobernensis saith, that the archbishop resigned that
office of his owne accord, and that not till after his returne from the
marshes of Wales, where he had ouerthrowne the Welshmen, and slaine fiue
thousand of them. Which victorie other ascribe vnto Geffrey Fitz Peter,
which Geffrey (as the said Dorobernensis saith) succeeded the archbishop
in the office of lord cheefe iustice, but not vntill August, in the
tenth yeare of the kings reigne.
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 10.] In this yeare, immediatlie vpon the expiring of
the truce which was taken till haruest might be ended, the warre betwixt
the two kings of England & France began eftsoones to be pursued with
like earnestnesse as before: wherevpon manie encounters chanced betwixt
the parties, with taking of townes and fortresses, as commonlie in such
cases it happeneth. Twise the French king was put to the worsse, once in
September betwixt Gamages and Vernon, where he was driuen to saue
himselfe by flight, loosing twentie knights, and thréescore seruitors or
yomen, which were taken, besides those that were slaine: and againe, in
the same moneth on Michaelmasse euen betwixt Curseilles and Gisors, at
what time he came to succour Curseilles, bringing with him 400 knights,
besides seruitors, and a great multitude of commons. But the castell was
woone before he could approch it.
King Richard being aduertised of his comming, hasted foorth to méet him,
and giuing the onset vpon him, forced him to flée vnto Gisors, where at
the entring of the bridge there was such preasse, that the bridge brake,
so that amongst other, [Sidenote: King Philip almost drowned.] the king
himselfe with his horsse and all fell into the riuer of Geth, and with
much adoo was releeued, and got out of the water, no small number of
right hardie and valiant gentlemen being taken at the same time, which
put themselues forward to staie the Englishmen, till the king was
recouered out of the present danger. To conclude, there were taken to
the number of an hundred knights, [Sidenote: Seuen score saith _R.
Houed._ _Matth. Paris._ _R. Houed._] and two hundred barded horsses,
besides seruitors on horssebacke, and footmen with crossebowes. Amongst
other prisoners these are named, Matthew de Montmorancie, Gales de
Ports, Iollen de Bray, and manie other also innumerable. King Richard
hauing got this victorie, wrote letters thereof vnto the archbishops,
bishops, abbats, earles and barons of his realme, that they might praise
God for his good successe.
¶ A notable example to all princes that haue the conquest ouer their
enimies, to referre the happie getting thereof to God, and to giue
praise vnto him who giueth victorie vnto whom it pleaseth him. Which the
Psalmograph saw verie well, and therefore ascribed all the issue of his
prosperous affaires to God, as may well be noted by his words, saieng
expresselie,
[Sidenote: _Eob. Hess. in Psal. 144._]
---- ab illo
Munior, hic instar turris & arcis erat,
Dura manus in bella meas qui format & armat,
Ad fera qui digitos instruit arma meos.
Now will we staie the proceedings of the king of France at this time,
and make no further relation thereof for a while, till we haue touched
other things that happened in England at the same season. And first ye
shall vnderstand, that Hugh Bardolfe, Roger Arundell, and Geffrey
Hachet, to whom as iustices, the counties of Lincolne, Notingham, Yorke,
Derbie, Northumberland, Westmerland, Cumberland, and Lancaster were
appointed for circuits, held not onelie plées of assises, and of the
crowne, [Sidenote: Inquisitions taken.] but also tooke inquisitions of
escheats, and forfaitures of all maner of transgressions, and of
donations of benefices, of marriages of widowes and maids, and other
such like things as apperteined to the king, whereby any aduantages grew
to his vse, the which for tediousnesse we passe ouer. These things were
streightlie looked vnto, not without the disquieting of manie.
Herewith came an other trouble in the necke of this former, to diuerse
persons within the realme, through inquiries taken by the iustices of
the forrests: for Hugh Neuille, Hugh Waley, and Heruisius Neuill,
appointed iustices itinerants in that case, were commanded by the king
to call before them archbishops, bishops, earles, barons, knights, and
fréeholders, with the reeue, and foure of the substantiall men of euerie
towne or village, to heare and take knowledge of the kings commandement,
[Sidenote: Ordinances of forrests.] touching the ordinances of forrests,
the which were verie straight in sundrie points, so that whereas before
those that offended in killing of the kings deere were punished by the
purse, now they should loose their eies and genitals, as the lawe was in
the daies of king Henrie his grandfather: and those that offended in
cutting downe woods or bushes, or in digging and deluing vp of turues
and clods, or by any other maner of waie made waste and distruction in
woods or grasse, or spoile of venison, within the precinct of the
forrests, contrarie to order, they should be put to their fines.
[Sidenote: Préests to be arrested offending in forrests.] He gaue
commandement also, that it should be lawful to the forresters to take
and put vnder arrest, as well préests and those of the cleargie, as
temporall men, being found offendors in forrest grounds and chases.
Manie other ordinances were decréed touching the preseruation of
forrests, and the kings prerogatiue, aduantages and profits rising and
growing by the same, as well for sauing of his woods and wasts, as in
pannage and agistements, greatlie to the restraint of them that might
vsurpe or incroch vpon the grounds within the compasse of his forrests.
Ye haue heard before, how the moonks of Canturburie did send to exhibit
a complaint to the pope, for that their archbishop tooke vpon him to
deale in exercise of matters belonging to a temporall man, [Sidenote:
_Ger. Dor._] and not to such a one as had rule ouer the spiritualtie:
but this was not the cause that did gréeue them so much, as that he went
forward with the erection of that church at Lameth, which his
predecessor archbishop Baldwine had first begun at Haketon, now called
S. Stephans (as before ye haue heard) and after was driuen through the
importunate suit of the moonks to leaue off, and race that which he had
there begun, to obeie the popes pleasure: [Sidenote: The church of
Lameth.] and after laid a new foundation at Lameth.
The moonks of Canturburie therefore still fearing least that church
should greatlie preiudice such rights and liberties, as they pretended,
namlie in the election of their archbishop, would neuer rest, but still
complained and followed their suit in most obstinate maner in the court
of Rome, as well in the daies of the said Baldwine, as now against
Hubert, (when he tooke in hand to continue the worke according to the
purpose of his predecessour the said Baldwine, which was to haue
instituted a colledge there, and to haue placed secular canons in the
same) and such was the earnest trauell of the moonks herein, that in the
end now after the deceasse of pope Celestine, they found such fauour at
the hands of pope Innocent his successor, that the same Innocent
directed his letters of cōmandement to the archbishop, and other bishops
of this land, [Sidenote: The pope cōmandeth the church of Lameth to be
raced.] to destroie and race the same foundation, as a péece of worke
derogatorie to the sée of Canturburie, and verie preiudiciall to the
estate of holie church.
The archbishop at the first trusted to be borne out by the king (who was
highlie offended with the moonks for their presumptuous dealing) and
therefore refused to obeie the popes commandement. The king in deed
stomached the matter so highlie, that he sent letters vnto the moonks by
no worsse messengers than by Geffrey Fitz Peter, and Hugh Fitz Bardolfe
his iustices, signifieng to them not onelie his high displeasure for
their presumptuous proceedings in their suit without his consent, but
also commanding them to surceasse, and not to procéed further in the
matter by virtue of any such the popes letters, which they had purchased
contrarie to the honour and dignitie of his crowne and realme. Moreouer,
he wrote to the bishops, commanding them to appeale; and to the
archbishop, forbidding him in any wise to breake downe the church which
he had so builded at Lameth.