number of men of war left in Normandie to defend the countrie, raised a
power, and comming to Rouen, besieged it verie streitlie. [Sidenote:
_Polydor._] Shortlie after also king Henrie the sonne and Philip earle
of Flanders came thither, meaning to obteine the possession of Normandie
first, and after to go into England. [Sidenote: Rouen besieged by the
Frēch king. _Wil. Paruus._] The citizens of Rouen perceiuing in what
danger they stood, without out faint harts prepared all things
necessarie for defense, and did euerie thing in order, purposing not to
giue ouer their citie for any threats or menaces of their enimies. Now
whilest they within were busie in deuising how to repell the assault,
and to defend themselues, the aduersaries about midnight came forth of
their campe, and approching the walles with their ladders, raised them
vp, and began to scale the citie. But the citizens being aduised
thereof, boldlie got them to the loops and towers, ouerthrew the ladders
of the enimies that were comming vp, and with arrowes, stones and darts
beat them backe, to their great losse and ouerthrow. Howbeit though the
enimies could not preuaile thus to get the citie by this assault, yet
they continued the siege, and suffered not them with it to be in quiet,
but daie and night assailed them by one meanes or other.
[Sidenote: _Rog. Houed._ King Henrie returneth into Normandie.] King
Henrie the father being aduertised héereof, after he had set his
businesse in order, touching the suertie and safe defense of the English
estate, he returned into Normandie and landed at Harfleet on a thursdaie
being the eight daie of August, bringing backe againe with him his
Brabanders, and a thousand Welshmen. In this meane while, king Lewes
continued still his siege before Rouen, constreining them within by all
meanes he could deuise to yeeld vp their citie. At length came the feast
of Saint Laurence, on which daie the French king commanded that no man
should attempt any enterprise against the citizens, granting them truce
for that day, in worship of that saint. This truce was so acceptable a
thing to them within, that they forgetting themselues, without all
respect to the danger wherein the citie stood, threw off their armour,
and gaue themselues to sléepe and rest. Some also fell to banketting and
other pastimes in verie dissolute maner.
¶ But through this their remisse vsage and loose behauiour, and
forgetting that a temporarie truce is no safe warrant of securitie and
peace, they deriued danger and destruction to themselues; which it had
beene their parts prouidentlie to haue preuented, and not through their
carelesnesse to set open a gap of aduantage to their enimies, who
pursued them with professed hostilitie, notwithstanding they reposed
confidence in the truce that was granted. Héerein they are to be
resembled to the cooks of whome Plautus speaketh verie neatlie, saieng,
---- coquos equidem nimis
Demiror, qui tot vtuntur condimentis, eos eo
Condimento non vtier quod præstat omnibus,
Meaning sobrietie: so these delighting more in their dishes, than
mistrusting their enimies, remembred to take the vse of any pleasure
that the conuenientnesse of this present time might proffer; onelie as
cookes among all their sawces doo mind nothing lesse than sobernesse: so
these in the abundance of their ioies, thought nothing of after claps,
which afterwards made them (like fooles) to sing an vnhappie had I wist.
For the Frenchmen, perceiuing this their negligence, required licence of
the French king to giue assault to the citie, declaring in what state
the matter presentlie stood; who not meaning to violate the reuerence of
that day, and his promised faith, with any such vnlawfull attempt,
commanded his men of warre that made the request in no wise to stirre.
[Sidenote: The Frenchmen assault the citie, without commandement of
their king.] Howbeit the souldiers vpon couetousnesse of the spoile,
raised the ladders to that part of the wall which they iudged to be most
without warders, so that some of them mounting aloft, got vp, and were
about to help vp their fellowes.
[Sidenote: Two préests.] Now it happened (as God would haue it) that two
préests being gone vp into the steeple of the cheefe church, to looke
about them for their pleasures, fortuned to sée where the French men
were about to enter the citie, and streightwaies gaue knowledge to the
citizens beneath. Wherevpon the alarum rose, insomuch that with all
spéed the people ran to the place, [Sidenote: The Frenchmen are
repelled.] and with such violence came vpon their enimies which were
entred vpon the walles, that streightwaies they slue manie of them, and
chased the residue out of the ditches, so that they returned with
bleeding wounds to their campe, repenting them of their vnhappie
enterprise, that turned them to such wo and greeuance.
[Sidenote: _Polydor._] The same day a little before night, king Henrie
the father came vnto Rouen, and was receiued into the citie with great
ioy and gladnesse: for he came thither by chance, euen about the time
that the citie had thus like to haue bin surprised & taken at vnwares.
[Sidenote: _Matt. Paris._] ¶ There be that write, how the French king
(immediatlie vpon the arriuall of king Henrie) left his field and
departed, greatlie to his dishonor, burning vp his engines of warre, and
not staieng till his men might haue leisure to charge their wagons with
their armor and other stuffe, which they were glad to leaue behind for a
prey to the English men issuing foorth vpon them. But other declare,
that the French king being nothing abashed of king Henries comming,
continued the siege, in hope to win the citie.
[Sidenote: _R. Houed._ The Welshmens good seruice.] The next day earlie
in the morning (or as other say in the night season) the king did send
foorth a certeine number of Welshmen to passe ouer the riuer of Saine,
which they did, and by force made themselues waie through the French
campe, getting without losse or danger vnto a great wood, and slue that
day of their aduersaries aboue an hundred men. [Sidenote: _Nic.
Triuet._] After this, lieng abroad in the countrie, they skirmished
dailie with the French horssemen, and oft times cut of such prouision of
vittels as came to nourish the campe. The king himselfe on the other
side remaining within the citie, caused his people to issue out at the
gates, and to kéepe the enimies occupied with skirmishes afore the
citie. [Sidenote: _Rog. Houed._] And moreouer, where there was a great
trench cast betwixt the French campe and the walles of the citie, he
caused the same to be filled vp with fagots, stores, and earth. But
although the French men sawe this the kings deed well enough, yet none
of them issued foorth of their tents to hinder the English of their
purpose.
Now king Lewes being sore vexed with his enimies on ech side, and
perceiuing the citie would not be woone within any short time, began to
wax wearie, and to repent himselfe (as afore) for taking in hand so
chargeable and great a warre for another mans quarell. [Sidenote: The
French king maketh an ouerture for peace.] Wherevpon he caused William
bishop of Sens, and Theobald earle of Blois to go to king Henrie, and to
promise vpon forbearance from warre for a time, to find means to
reconcile him and his sonnes, betweene whom vnnaturall variance rested.
Whereof K. Henrie being most desirous, and taking a truce, [Sidenote:
_N. Triuet._ A truce.] appointed to come to Gisors [in the feast of the
natiuitie of our ladie] there to meet king Lewes, that they might talke
of the matter and bring it to some good end.
[Sidenote: The French king leaueth his siege.] The French king, so soone
as he knew that truce was taken, raised his siege, and returning home,
within a few daies after (according to the appointment) came to Gisors,
and there communed with king Henrie: but bicause he could not make any
agréement betwixt him and his sonnes at that time, he appointed another
time to meet about it. King Henrie the father (whilest the truce
continued with the French king) and his sonne Henrie went to Poictou,
where his sonne Richard (whilest his father had beene occupied in other
places) had gotten the most part of the countrie into his possession.
But now hearing of his comming, and that a truce was taken with the
French king and with his brother, he considered with himselfe, that
without their assistance he was not able to withstand his fathers power.
[Sidenote: Richard the kings sonne prepareth to resist his father.]
Howbeit at length choosing rather to trie the matter with force of
armes, than cowardlie to yéeld, he prepared for defense, furnishing
diuerse townes and castels with garisons of men: and assembling togither
all the other power that he was able to make, came into the field, &
pitched his tents not far off from his father. In the meane while, which
way soeuer his father passed, the townes and castels submitted
themselues vnto him, [Sidenote: He beginneth to dispaire of good
successe.] so that Richard began to despaire of the matter, insomuch
that he durst not approch néere his father, but kept aloofe, doubting to
be entrapped.
At length when he had considered his owne state, and weied how
vnthankefullie the French king and his brother had dealt with him,
[Sidenote: _Polydor._] in hauing no consideration of him at such time as
they tooke truce, he determined to alter his purpose, and hauing some
good hope in his fathers clemencie, thought best to trie it, which he
found to be the best waie that he could haue taken. For oftentimes it
chanceth, that latter thoughts are better aduised than the first, as the
old saieng is,
[Greek: Deuterai phrontides sophoterai.]
[Sidenote: The son submitteth himselfe to the father.] Herevpon Richard
laieng armour aside, came of his owne accord vnto his father on the 21.
of September, and asked pardon. His father most courteously receiuing
him, made so much of him as though he had not offended at all. Which
example of courtesie preuailed much to the alluring of his other sons to
come to a reconciliation. For the bringing whereof to speedie effect, he
sent this Richard vnto king Lewes, and to his other sonne Henrie, to
commen with them of peace, at which time earle Richard did so effectuallie
his message, that he brought them both in good forwardnesse to agree to
his fathers purpose, so that there was a daie appointed for them to meet
with their father, betwixt Towres in Touraine and Ambois.
[Sidenote: _Ger. Dor._ The father & sonnes are accorded.] King Henrie
reioising hereat, kept his daie (being the morrow after the feast of S.
Michaell) and there met him both king Lewes, and his two sonnes Henrie
and Geffrey, where finallie the father and the sonnes were accorded; he
promising to receiue them into fauour vpon these conditions.
[Sidenote: The conditions of the agréement.]
1 First the prisoners to be released fréelie without ransome on
both sides, and their offenses, which had taken either the one
part or the other, to be likewise pardoned.
[Sidenote: _R. Houed._]
2 Out of this article were excepted all those which before the
concluding of this peace had alreadie compounded for their
raunsomes, as the king of Scots, the earles of Leicester and
Chester, and Rafe Fulgiers, with their pledges.
3 It was also agréed that all those castels which had beene
builded in time of this warre, should be raced and throwne downe,
and all such cities, townes, castels, countries and places, as
had beene woone by either part during these wars, should be
restored vnto those persons that held the same, and were in
possession of them 15. daies before the departure of the sonnes
from king Henrie the father.
4 That king Henrie the father should assigne to his sons more
large reuenues for maintenance of their estates, with a caution
included, that they should not spend the same riotouslie in any
prodigall sort or maner.
[Sidenote: _R. Houed._]
5 To the king his sonne, he gaue two castels in Normandie, with
an increase of yearelie reuenues, to the summe of 15. thousand
pounds Aniouin.
[Sidenote: Richard.]
6 To his sonne Richard he gaue two houses in Poictou, with the
one halfe of all the reuenues of the countie of Poictou to be
receiued and taken in readie monie.
[Sidenote: Geffrey.]
7 And to his sonne Geffrey he granted in monie, the moietie of
that which he should haue by the mariage of earle Conans
daughter, and after he had maried hir by licence purchased of the
pope, he should enioy all the whole liuings and reuenues that
descended to hir, as in hir fathers writing thereof more at large
was conteined.
8 On the other part, king Henrie the son couenanted to & with the
king his father, that he would performe and confirme all those
gifts, which his father should grant out of his lands, & also all
those gifts of lands which he either had made and assured, or
hereafter should make and assure vnto any of his men for any of
their seruices: [Sidenote: John.] & likewise those gifts which he
had made vnto his sonne John the brother of king Henrie the sonne;
namelie, a thousand pounds in lands by yeare in England of his
demaine and excheats with the appurtenances, and the castell and
countie of Notingham, with the castell of Marlebrough, and the
appurtenances. Also a thousand pounds Aniouin of yearelie reuenues
in Normandie, and two castells there. And in Aniou a thousand
pounds Aniouin, of such lands as belonged to the earle of Aniou,
with one castell in Aniou, and one in Touraine, and another in
Maine.
Thus were the father and sons agréed and made freends, the sonnes
couenanting neuer to withdraw their seruices and bounden dueties from
their father, but to obeie him in all things from that day forward.
Herewith also the peace was renewed betwixt king Henrie and king Lewes,
and for the further confirmation, [Sidenote: A marriage concluded.] a
new aliance was accorded betwixt them, which was, that the ladie Adela
the daughter of king Lewes should be giuen in mariage vnto earle Richard
the sonne of king Henrie, who bicause she was not yet of age able to
marie, she was conueied into England to be vnder the guiding of king
Henrie, till she came to lawfull yeares.
Thus the peace being concluded, king Henrie forgetting all iniuries
passed, [Sidenote: _Wil. Paruus._] brought home his sons in maner
aforesaid, who being well pleased with the agreement, attended their
father into Normandie, where Richard and Geffrey did homage to him,
receiuing their othes of allegiance according to the maner in that case
required. But king Henrie the sonne did no homage, [Sidenote: _R.
Houed._ _Wil. Paruus._ saieth that he did homage also.] for his father
(in respect that he was a king) would not suffer him, and therefore
tooke onelie sureties of him for performance of the couenants on his
part, as was thought expedient.
¶ All this dissention and strife was kindled (no doubt) by the meanes of
certeine sowers of discord, sycophants, parasits, flatterers, clawbacks,
& pickethanks, who had learned their lesson, that
Principibus placuisse viris non vltima laus est,
and thinking by their embossed spéech to tickle the eares and harts of
the yoong princes, who by reason of their yoong yeares and nakednesse of
experience in the course of worldlie maters, sought their owne
aduancement, euen by flinging firie faggots of dissention betweene them,
whose harts naturall affection had vnited. For by the tenor of the
storie (marke it who will) we shall sée that no attempt of the sons
against the father but had originall from the suggestions of euill
disposed persons, who (like eeles that fatten not in faire running
water, but in muddie motes and ponds) sought honour in hurlie burlies, &
reached out long armes to riches by manie a ones impouerishment. This to
be true, the finall euent and issue prooueth; namelie, the mutuall
attonement and reconciliation wouen betweene the father and the sonnes;
their remorse for their vndutifulnes, his louing fauour and
gratiousnesse; their promptnesse to yéeld to conditions of agreement,
his forwardnes to giue consent to couenants required; their readinesse
to do the old king homage, his acceptable admission of their preferred
seruice; with other circumstances to be collected out of the storie, all
which doo prooue that this their disloiall resistance sprang rather by
others incitement, than of their owne seeking. Thus we sée what
alterations happen in the actions of men, and that euill things manie
times (though naturallie bad) doo inferre their contraries, as one
aptlie saith,
Discordia fit charior concordia.
[Sidenote: Willi. king of Scots deliuered out of prison with other.] At
length king Henrie went to Faleise, and there deliuered out of
captiuitie William king of Scotland, Robert earle of Leicester, Hugh
earle of Chester, with diuerse other Noble men which were kept there as
prisoners, putting them to their ransomes, and receiuing of them pledges
with an oth of allegiance. [Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._ Prisoners
released.] This king Henrie the father released for his part the number
of nine hundred 69. knights or men of armes (if yée list so to terme
them) which had beene taken since the beginning of these passed warres.
As for king Henrie the sonne he also set at libertie aboue an hundred,
and that without ransome paieng, according to the articles of the peace
(as before you haue heard.) But yet some (as is alreadie specified) were
excepted out of the benefit of that article, as William king of
Scotland, who being not able to paie his ransome in present monie,
deliuered vp in gage foure of the strongest castels within his realme
into king Henries hands; [Sidenote: Castels deliuered by the K. of
Scots.] namelie, Barwike, Edenbourgh, Roxbourgh, and Sterling, with
condition, that if he brake the peace, and paied not the monie behind
due for his raunsome, king Henrie and his successours should enioy for
euer the same castels. He also couenanted, not to receiue any English
rebels into his realme. [Sidenote: _N. Triuet._ _Matth. Paris._] Other
write that the king of Scots did not onelie become the king of Englands
liegeman at this time, and couenanted to doo homage vnto him for the
realme of Scotland, and all other his lands, but also deliuered the
castels of Barwike, and Roxbourgh to be possessed of the same king of
England and his heires for euer, without any couenant mentioned of
morgage.
Things being setled thus in good order, king Henrie leauing his sonne
Henrie at Rouen, went to Argenton, and there held his Christmasse, and
afterwards, namelie in the feast of the purification of our ladie,
[Sidenote: _Rog. Houed._] both the kings (as well the father as the
sonne) were at Mauns, [Sidenote: 1175.] and vpon their returne from
thence into Normandie, [Sidenote: The kings of England and France méet
at Gisors.] came to a communication with the French king at Gisors, and
then being come backe into Normandie at Bure, the sonne (to put the
father out of all doubt and mistrust of any euill meaning in him) sware
fealtie to him against all persons, and so became his liegeman in the
presence of Rothrod archbishop of Rouen, Henrie bishop of Baieux,
William earle of Mandeuille Richard de Humez his conestable, and manie
other.
After this they kept their easter at Chirebourgh, from whence they came
to Caen, [Sidenote: Philip earle of Flanders.] where they met with
Philip earle of Flanders, who had latelie before taken on him the
crosse, to go to the holie land: where king Henrie the father required
him to release all such couenants as king Henrie the sonne had made vnto
him in time of his last warres, which he fréelie did, and deliuered vp
the writing that he had of the same king concerning those couenants, and
so they confirmed vnto him the yearelie rent which he was woont to
receiue out of England, before the said warres.
[Sidenote: _Polydor._] Finallie, when king Henrie had visited the most
part of the countrie, he came to Harflew, and caused his nauie to be
decked and rigged, that he might saile ouer into England. Whilest he
tarried heere till his ships were readie, he sent letters to his sonne
king Henrie, willing him to repaire vnto him, and meaning that he should
accompanie him into England. [Sidenote: Enuious persons readie to forge
matters of suspicion.] Who at the first was loth to obeie his fathers
will and pleasure herein, bicause some enuious persons about him had put
in his head a doubt, least his father had not altogither forgot his
former grudge, and that he ment at his comming into England to commit
him to prison. Which was a surmize altogither void of likeliehood,
considering that the father, in the whole processe of his actions
betweene himselfe and his sonnes, was so farre from the desire of
inflicting any corporall punishment, or leuieng anie fine vpon them for
their misdemenour, that he alwaies sought meanes of reconcilement and
pacification. And though this Henrie the sonne for his part deserued to
be roughlie dealt withall; yet the father handled him so gentlie with
courteous letters & messages, that shortlie after he came of his owne
accord vnto Harflew, [Sidenote: The two kings the father and the sonne
returne into England.] from whence shortlie after they sailed both
togither ouer into England, landing at Portsmouth on a fridaie being the
ninth of Maie, from thence they tooke their iournie streight to London,
all the waies being full of people that came to see them, and to shew
themselues glad and ioifull of their concord and happie arriuall. At
their comming to the citie they were receiued with great reioising of
the people, beseeching God long to preserue them both in health and
honour.
[Sidenote: William de Breause.] The same yeare William de Breause hauing
got a great number of Welshmen into the castell of Abergauennie, vnder a
colourable pretext of communication, proponed this ordinance to be
receiued of them with a corporall oth; That no traueller by the waie
amongst them should beare any bow, or other vnlawfull weapon. [Sidenote:
The Welshmē not well dealt withall.] Which oth when they refused to
take, bicause they would not stand to that ordinance he condemned them
all to death. This deceit he vsed towards them in reuenge of the death
of his vncle Henrie of Hereford, whom vpon easter euen before, they had
through treason murthered, and were now acquited with the like againe.
[Sidenote: _N. Triuet._ Reignold erle of Cornewall departed this life.]
The same yeare died Reignold earle of Cornwall, bastard sonne to king
Henrie the first without heirs male, by reason whereof the king tooke
into his hands all the inheritance of lands and liuings which he held
within England, Normandie and Wales, except certeine portions which the
daughters of the same earle had by assignement allotted to them. Also
Richard erle of Glocester deceassed this yeare, and his sonne Philip
succeeded him.
[Sidenote: _Matth. West._ A synod held at London.] The same yeare was a
synod of the cleargie kept at Westminster, wherein many things were
decréed for the conseruation of religion. Amongst other things it was
prouided, that those abbeies and churches which were void of gouernours,
and could haue none placed in them by the time of the late ciuill
warres, should now be committed vnto men worthie to enioy the same, for
the reformation of disorders growne and plentifullie sproong vp in time
of the vacations.