war, whom we haue generallie in this part of our booke named Brabanders,
we find them written in old copies diuerslie, as Brebazones, Brebanceni,
and Brebationes, the which for so much as I haue found them by the
learned translated Brabanders, and that the French word somewhat
yeeldeth thereto, I haue likewise so named them: wherein whether I haue
erred or not, I must submit mine opinion to the learned & skilfull
searchers of such points of antiquities. For to confesse in plaine truth
mine ignorance, or rather vnresolued doubt herein, I can not satisfie my
selfe with any thing that I haue read, whereby to assure my coniecture
what to make of them, although verelie it may be, and the likelihood is
great, that the Brabanders in those daies for their trained skill and
vsuall practise in warlike feats, wan themselues a name, whereby not
onelie those that were naturallie borne in Brabant, but such also as
serued amongst them, or else vsed the same warlike furniture, order,
trade and discipline, which was in vse among them, passed in that age
vnder the name of Brabanders. Or else I must thinke, that by reason of
some od kind of habit or other speciall cause, a certeine sort of
souldiers purchased to themselues the priuilege of that name, so to be
called Brabanceni or Brebationes (whether ye will) as hath chanced to
the Lansquenetz and Reisters in our time, and likewise to the companions
Arminaes and Escorchers in the daies of our forefathers, and as in all
ages likewise it hath fortuned amongst men of warre. Which if it so
chanced to these Brabanceni, I know not then what countriemen to make
them: for as I remember, Marchades that was a chiefe leader of such
souldiers as were knowne by that name (as after ye shall heare) is
reported by some authors to be a Prouancois.
It should séeme also that they were called by other names, as the Routs
(in Latine Ruptarij) which name whether it came of a French word, as ye
would say some vnrulie and headstrong companie, or of the Dutch word
Rutters, that signifieth a rider, I cannot say. But it may suffice for
the course of the historie to vnderstand that they were a kind of hired
souldiers, in those daies highlie estéemed, and no lesse feared, in so
much that against them and others there was an article conteined among
the decrées of the Laterane councell holden at Rome, [Sidenote: _Wil.
Paruus. lib. 3. cap. 3._] in the yeare 1179, whereby all those were to
be denounced accursed, which did hire, mainteine or any way nourish
those Brebationes, Aragonois, Nauarrois, Basques and Coterelles, which
did so much hurt in the christian world in those daies.
But to returne where we left to earle Richard, beside the aboue
mentioned victorie against those Brabanders, if we shall so take them;
he also vanquished Hamerike vicount of Limoges, and William earle of
Angolesme, with the vicounts of Ventadore and Cambanais, who attempted
rebellion against him, whome earle Richard subdued, and tooke prisoners,
with diuerse castels and strong holds which they had fortified.
[Sidenote: The departure of the legat foorth of the Realme.] About the
feast of Peter and Paule, the legat departed out of the realme, of whom
we find that as he granted to the king some liberties against the
priuileges which the cleargie pretended to haue a right vnto: so he
obteined of the king certeine grants in fauour of them and their order,
as thus.
[Sidenote: Liberties obteined for churchmen.]
1 First, that for no offense, crime or transgression any
spirituall person should be brought before a temporall iudge
personallie, except for hunting, or for some laie fee, or that
for which some temporall seruice was due to be yéelded, either to
the king, or some other that was cheefe lord thereof.
2 Secondlie, that no archbishops see, nor bishops sée, nor any
abbaie should be kept in the kings hands more than one yeare,
except vpon some euident cause or necessitie constreining.
3 Thirdlie, that such as slue any spirituall person, and were of
such offense conuicted, either by euidence or confession before
the iustice of the realme in presence of the bishop, should be
punished as the temporall law in such cases required.
4 Fourthlie, that spirituall men should not be compelled to fight
in lists for the triall of any matter or cause whatsoeuer.
[Sidenote: _N. Triuet._] It should appeare by Nicholas Triuet, that the
archbishop of Canturburie procured the bishops of Winchester, Elie, and
Norwich, thrée prelats highlie at that present in the kings fauour, to
further these grants; namelie, that such as slue any préest or
spirituall person might haue the law for it: where before, there was no
punishment for a season vsed against such offendors but onelie
excommunication. But now to leaue preests, we will passe to other
matters.
[Sidenote: The yoong K. beginneth new practises against his father.]
In this meane time, king Henrie the sonne remaining in Normandie, began
to deuise new practises how to remooue his father from the gouernment
and to take it to himselfe; but one of his seruants named Adam de
Cherehedune being of his secret counsell, aduertised king Henrie the
father thereof, for the which his maister king Henrie the sonne
(Cereus in vitium flecti, monitoribus asper)
put him to great shame and rebuke, causing him to be stripped naked, and
whipped round about the streets of the citie of Poictiers, where he then
was vpon his returne from his brother earle Richard, with whome he had
beene to aid him against his enimies. [Sidenote: _R. Houed._] King
Henrie the father perceiuing the naughtie mind of his sonne, and that he
ceassed not from his wilfull maliciousnesse, thought to dissemble all
things, sith he saw no hope of amendment in him: but yet to be prouided
against his wicked attempts, he furnished all his fortresses both in
England & in Normandie with strong garisons of men, and all necessarie
munition.
About this time, the sea rose on such a heigth, that manie men were
drowned thereby. Also a great snow fell this yeare, which by reason of
the hard frost that chanced therewith, continued long without wasting
away, so that fishes both in the sea and fresh water died through
sharpenesse and vehemencie of that frost, neither could husbandmen till
the ground. A sore eclipse of the sunne chanced also the sixt ides of
Januarie. The monasterie of Westwood or Lesnos was begun to be founded
by Richard de Lucie Lord chéefe iustice. The same yeare also at
Woodstocke the king made his sonne the lord Geffrey knight.
[Sidenote: _Rog. Houed._] [Sidenote: 1177.] In the yeare 1177. king
Henrie held his Christmas at Northampton, with his two sonnes Geffrey
and John, his other two sonnes the yoong king Henrie, and Richard earle
of Poictou, were in the parts beyond the seas, as the king in Normandie,
and the earle in Gascoigne, [Sidenote: The citie of Aques or Aigues.]
where he besieged the citie of Aques, which the vicount of Aques and the
earle of Bigorre had fortified against him, but he wan it within ten
daies after his comming thither. Within the like terme also he wan the
citie of Baion, which Arnold Berthram had fortified against him, and
cōming to the vttermost frontiers of that countrie adioining to Spaine,
he tooke a castell called saint Piero which he destroied, and
constreined the Basques and Nauarrois to receiue an oth, that from
thencefoorth they should suffer passengers quietlie to come and go
through their countrie, and that they should liue in quiet and keepe
peace one with an other, and so he reformed the state of that countrie,
and caused them to renounce manie euill customes which they before that
time had vnlawfullie vsed.
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 23.] [Sidenote: _Polydor._ Geoffrey the kings base
sonne made bishop of Lincolne.] Moreouer, king Henrie, to auoid further
slander, placed for bishop in the see of Lincolne a bastard son which he
had named Geffrey, after he had kept that bishoprike in his hands so
long till he had almost cleerelie destroied it. And his sonne that was
now made bishop to helpe the matter for his part, made hauocke in
wasting and spending in riotous manner the goods of that church, and in
the end forsooke his miter, and left the sée againe in the kings hands
to make his best of it.
Furthermore, the king in times past made a vow to build a new monasterie
in satisfaction of his offenses committed against Thomas the archbishop
of Canturburie: wherefore he required of the bishops and other
spirituall fathers, to haue some place by them assigned, where he might
begin that foundation. But whilest they should haue taken aduise herein,
he secretlie practised with the cardinals, and with diuerse other
bishops, that he might remoue the secular canons out of the colledge at
Waltham, and place therein regular canons, so to saue monie in his
cofers, planting in another mans vineyard. Howbeit, bicause it should
not be thought he did this of such a couetous meaning, he promised to
giue great possessions to that house, which he after but slenderlie
performed, though vpon licence obteined at the bishops hands, [Sidenote:
Préests displaced, & canons regular put in their roomes.] he displaced
the preests, and brought their roomes the canons as it were by waie of
exchange.
[Sidenote: _R. Houed._ Nunnes of Amesburie.] The same yeare also he
thrust the nunnes of Amesburie out of their house, bicause of their
incontinent liuing, in abusing their bodies greatlie to their reproch,
and bestowed them in other monasteries to be kept in more streightlie.
And their house was committed vnto the abbesse and couent of
Founteuered, who sent ouer certeine of their number to furnish the house
of Amesburie, wherein they were placed by the archbishop of Canturburie,
in the presence of the king and a great number of others.
[Sidenote: Philip earle of Flanders.] Philip earle of Flanders by
sending ouer ambassadours to king Henrie, promised that he would not
bestow his two néeces, daughters to his brother Matthew earle of
Bullongne, without consent of the same king: but shortlie after he
forgot his promise, & married the elder of them to the duke of Zaringes,
& the yoonger to Henrie duke of Louaine.
[Sidenote: John de Curcie.] John de Curcie lord cheefe iustice of
Ireland discomfiting a power of Irishmen, [Sidenote: The citie of Dun
taken. Roderike K. of Ulnestre vanquished.] wan the citie of Dun in
Ulnestre, where the bodies of S. Patrike and S. Colme confessors, and S.
Brigit the virgin are buried, for the taking of which citie, Roderike
king of Ulnestre being sore offended, raised a mightie host, and comming
into the field, fought with the lord cheefe iustice, and in the end
receiued & tooke the ouerthrow at his hands, although the lord cheefe
iustice at that encounter lost no small number of his men. Amongst
prisoners that were taken, the bishop of Dun was one, whom yet the lord
chéefe iustice released and set at libertie, in respect of a request and
suit made to him by a cardinall the popes legat that was there in
Ireland at that time.
[Sidenote: Viuiano a cardinall.] This cardinals name was Viuiano,
intituled the cardinall of S. Stephan in Mount Celio; he was sent from
the pope the yeare before, and comming into England, though without
licence, was pardoned vpon knowledging his fault for his entring without
the kings leaue first obteined, and so permitted to go into Scotland,
whither (as also into other the northwest regions) he was sent as legat,
authorised from the pope. Now when he had ended his businesse in
Scotland, he passed ouer into Man, and there held his Christmasse with
Euthred king of Man, and after the feast of the Epiphanie, sailed from
thence into Ireland, [Sidenote: _Wil. Paruus._] and chanced (the same
time that the Englishmen inuaded that countrie) to be in the citie of
Dun, where he was receiued of the king & bishops of that land with great
reuerence.
The inuasion then of the Englishmen being signified to them of the
countrie aforehand they asked counsell of the legat what he thought best
to be doone in that matter; who streightwaies told them, that they ought
to fight in defense of their countrie, and at their setting forward, he
gaue them his benediction in waie of their good speed. But they comming
(as ye haue heard) to encounter with the Englishmen, were put to flight,
and beaten backe into the citie, which was herewith also woone by the
Englishmen, so that the Romane legat was glad to get him into the church
for his more safegard, and like a wise fellow had prouided afore hand
for such haps if they chanced, hauing there with him the king of
Englands letters directed to the capteins in Ireland in the legats
fauour, so that by the assistance and authoritie of the same, he went to
Dublin, [Sidenote: The legat holdeth a councell at Dublin.] and there
(in the name of the pope and the king of England) held a councell.
But when he began to practise, after the manner of legats in those
daies, somewhat largelie for his owne aduantage, in the churches of that
simple rude countrie, the English capteins commanded him either to
depart, or else to go foorth to the wars with them: whervpon he returned
into Scotland, hauing his bags well stuffed with Irish gold, for the
which it seemed he greatlie thirsted.
¶ Where we haue to note the drift of the pope and all popelings to be
far otherwise than they pretend. For who (vnlesse he will be wilfullie
ignorant) knoweth not, that he and his neuer attempt any thing, but the
same beareth the hew and colour of holinesse and honestie? Hereto tend
the sendings out of his legats and cardinals to make pacifications, to
redresse disorders, to appease tumults, & I wot not what infinit
enormities (for he must haue his ore in euerie mans bote, his spoone in
euerie mans dish, and his fingers in euerie mans pursse) but the end and
scope of all his doings consisteth in this; namelie, to set himselfe
aboue all souereigntie, to purchase and assure to himselfe an absolute
and supereminent iurisdiction, to rob Christian kingdomes, to impouerish
churches, chapels, and religious places. Our chronicles are full of
these his pranks, and here we haue one practised by a lim of his, who
(as you sée) verie impudentlie and licentiouslie preied vpon the
church-goods, and conuerted the same to his owne profit and commoditie:
which he had if not trembled, yet blushed to doo, considering that the
goods of the church are the treasurie of Christ (or at leastwise ought
to be) and that none ought to alienate or change the propertie of such
goods, as the canon law hath prouided. Besides, the wretch ought to haue
remembred that which euen the verie pagans did not forget; namelie,
[Sidenote: _Prop. lib._]
Haud vllas portabis opes Acherontis ad vndas,
Nudus ad infernas stulte vehere rates.
But now to the dooings of John de Curcie, and of those Englishmen that
were with him, who did not onelie defend such places as they had woone
out of the Irishmens hands against those kings and their powers, but
also inlarged dailie more and more their frontiers, and wan the towne of
Armach (wherein is the metropolitane see of all that land) with the
whole prouince thereto belonging.
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._ _Polydor._] About the same time came
ambassadours vnto king Henrie from Alfonse king of Castile and Garsias
king of Nauarre, to aduertise him, that in a controuersie risen betwixt
the said two kings touching the possession of certeine grounds néere
vnto the confines of their realms, they had chosen him for iudge by
compromise, promising vpon their oths to stand vnto & abide his order
and decrée therein. [Sidenote: _R. Houed._] Therefore they required him
to end the matter, by his authoritie, sith they had wholie put it to his
iudgement. [Sidenote: _Polydor._] Furthermore, either king had sent a
most able and valiant knight furnished with horsse and armour readie in
their princes cause to fight the combat, if king Henrie should happilie
commit the triall of their quarrell vnto the iudgement of battell. King
Henrie gladlie accepted their request, so that thervpon calling his
councellors togither, he consulted with them of the thing, and hearing
euerie mans opinion, at length he gaue iudgement so with the one, that
the other was contented to be agreeable therevnto.
Within a while after, Philip earle of Flanders came ouer into England to
doo his deuotions at the toome of Thomas archbishop of Canturburie, of
whome the most part of men then had conceiued an opinion of such
holinesse, that they reputed him for a saint. The king met him there,
and verie fréendlie enterteined him, and bicause he was appointed
shortlie after to go ouer into the holie land to war against Gods
enimies, the king gaue him fiue hundred marks in reward, and licenced
William Mandeuile earle of Essex to go in that iourneie with other
lords, knights and men of warre of sundrie nations that were of his
dominions.
The king then returning vnto London, tooke order for the establishing of
things touching the suertie of the realme, and his owne estate.
[Sidenote: _R. Houed._] And first he appointed the custodie of such
castels as were of most importance by their situation, vnto the kéeping
of certeine worthie capteins. To sir William de Stuteuille he assigned
the custodie of Rockesburgh castell, to sir Roger de Stuteuille the
castell of Edenburgh, to sir William Neuille the castell of Norham, to
sir Geffrie Neuille the castell of Berwike, and to the archbishop of
Yorke he deliuered the castell of Scarborough, [Sidenote: Durham tower.]
and sir Roger Coniers he made capteine of the tower of Durham, which he
had taken from the bishop, bicause he had shewed himselfe an vnstedfast
man in the time of the ciuill warre, and therefore to haue the kings
fauour againe, he gaue to him two thousand marks, with condition that
his castels might stand, [Sidenote: Henrie de Pudsey] and that his sonne
Henrie de Putsey aliàs Pudsey, might enioy one of the kings manor places
called Wighton.
[Sidenote: A parlement at Oxford.] After this, the king went to
Oxenford, and there held a parlement, [Sidenote: John the kings sonne
created king of Ireland. _Polydor._ It rained blood.] at the which he
created his sonne John king of Ireland, hauing a grant and confirmation
thereto from pope Alexander. About the same time it rained bloud in the
Ile of Wight, by the space of two daies togither, so that linen clothes
that hoong on the hedges were coloured therewith: which vnvsed woonder
caused the people, as the manner is, to suspect some euill of the said
Johns gouernement.
Moreouer, to this parlement holden at Oxenford, all the chéefe rulers
and gouernours of Southwales and Northwales repaired, [Sidenote: _R.
Houed._] and became the king of Englands liege men, swearing fealtie to
him against all men. Héerevpon he gaue unto Rice ap Griffin[11] prince of
Southwales the land of Merionith, and to Dauid ap Owen he gaue the lands
of Ellesmare. Also at the same time he gaue and confirmed vnto Hugh
Lacie (as before is said) the land of Meth in Ireland with the
appurtenances, for the seruice of an hundred knights or men of armes, to
hold of him and of his sonne John by a charter which he made thereof.
Also he diuided there the lands and possessions of Ireland with the
seruices to his subiects, as well of England as Ireland, appointing some
to hold by seruice to find fortie knights or men of armes, and some
thirtie, and so foorth.
Vnto two Irish lords he granted the kingdome of Corke for the seruice of
fortie knights, and to other three lords he gaue the kingdome of
Limerike for the seruice of the like number of knights to be held of him
& his sonne John, reseruing to himselfe & to his heires the citie of
Limerike with one cantred. [Sidenote: William Fitz Adelme. Robert de
Poer. Hugh Lacie.] To William Fitz Adeline his sewer, he gaue the citie
of Wesseford with the appurtenances and seruices: and to Robert de Poer
his marshall, he gaue the citie of Waterford; and to Hugh Lacie, he
committed the safe keeping of the citie of Diueline. And these persons,
to whome such gifts and assignations were made, receiued othes of
fealtie to beare their allegiance vnto him and to his sonne for those
lands and possessions in Ireland, in maner and forme as was requisite.
The cardinall Viuian hauing dispatched his businesse in Ireland, came
backe into England, and by the kings safe conduct returned againe into
Scotland, where in a councell holden at Edenburgh, he suspended the
bishop of Whiterne, bicause he did refuse to come to that councell: but
the bishop made no account of that suspension, hauing a defense good
inough by the bishop of Yorke, whose suffragane he was.
After the king had dissolued and broken vp his parlement at Oxenford, he
came to Marleborrough, [Sidenote: Philip de Breause.] and there granted
vnto Philip de Breause all the kingdome of Limerike for the seruice of
fortie knights: for Hubert and William the brethren of Reignold earle of
Cornewall, and John de la Pumeray their nephue, refused the gift
thereof, bicause it was not as yet conquered. For the king thereof,
surnamed Monoculus, that is, with one eie, who had held that kingdome of
the king of England, being latelie slaine, one of his kinsemen got
possession of that kingdome, and held it without acknowledging any
subiection to king Henrie, nor would obeie his officers, bicause of the
losses and damages which they did practise against the Irish people,
without occasion (as they alleadged) by reason whereof the king of Corke
also rebelled against the king of England and his people, [Sidenote:
_Matth. Paris._] and so that realme was full of trouble.
[Sidenote: _Polychr._] The same season, quéene Margaret the wife of king
Henrie the sonne was deliuered of a man child which liued not past thrée
daies. [Sidenote: Jewes in England.] In that time there was also through
all England a great multitude of Jewes, and bicause they had no place
appointed them were to burie those that died, but onelie at London, they
were constrained to bring all their dead corpses thither from all parts
of the realme. To ease them therfore of that inconuenience, they
obteined of king Henrie a grant, to haue a place assigned them in euerie
quarter where they dwelled, to burie their dead bodies. The same yeare
was the bodie of S. Amphibulus the martyr, who was instructor to saint
Albone found, not farre from the towne of S. Albones, and there in the
monasterie of that towne buried with great and solemne ceremonies.
In the meane time, king Henrie passed ouer into Normandie, hearing that
the old grudge betwixt him & king Lewes began to be renewed vpon this
occasion, that whereas king Henrie had receiued the French kings
daughter Alice, promised in mariage vnto his sonne Richard, to remaine
in England with him, till she were able to companie with hir husband,
king Henrie being of a dissolute life, and giuen much to the pleasure of
the bodie (a vice which was grafted in the bone and therefore like to
sticke fast in the flesh, for as it is said,
Quod noua testa capit inueterata sapit)
at least wise (as the French king suspected) began to fantasie the yoong
ladie, and by such wanton talke and companie-keeping as he vsed with
hir, he was thought to haue brought hir to consent to his fleshlie lust,
which was the cause wherefore he would not suffer his sonne to marrie
hir, [Sidenote: _R. Houed._] being not of ripe yeares nor viripotent or
mariable. Wherefore the French king imagining (vpon consideration of the
other kings former loose life) what an inconuenience & infamie might
redound to him and his, bethought himselfe that
Turpe senex miles turpe senilis amor,
and therefore déemed iustlie that such a vile reproch wrought against
him in his bloud, was in no wise to be suffered, but rather preuented,
resisted & withstood. Herevpon he complained to the pope, who for
redresse thereof, sent one Peter a préest, & cardinall intituled of
saint Grisogone as legat from him into France, with commission to put
Normandie and all the lands that belonged to king Henrie vnder
inderdiction, if he would not suffer the mariage to be solemnized
without delaie betwixt his sonne Richard and Alice the French kings
daughter. [Sidenote: The kings méet at Yurie.] The king aduertised
hereof, came to a communication with the French king at Yurie, vpon the
21. of September, and there offered to cause the mariage to be
solemnised out of hand, if the French king would giue in marriage with
his daughter the citie of Burges, with all the appurtenances as it was
accorded, and also vnto his sonne king Henrie the countrie of
Veulgesine, that is to say, all the land betwixt Gisors and Pussie, as
he had likewise couenanted.
But bicause the French king refused so to doo, king Henrie would not
suffer his sonne Richard to marrie his daughter Alice: howbeit at this
entervew of the two princes, by the helpe of the cardinall, and other
Noble men on both sides, they agreed to be freends, and that if they
could not take order betwixt them, to end all matters touching the
controuersies depending betwixt them for the lands in Auuergne and
Berrie, and for the fée of Chateau Raoul; then should the matter be put
to twelue persons, six on the one side, and six on the other,
authorising them to compound and finish that controuersie and all other
which might rise betwixt them. For the French king these were named, the
bishops of Claremount, Neuers, and Trois; and three barons, erle
Theobald, Robert, and Peter de Courtneie, the kings bretheren. For the
king of England were named the bishops of Mauns, Peregort, and Naunts;
with three barons also, Maurice de Croume, William Maigot and Peter de
Mountrabell.