should be sworne to haue the same before the feast of S. Hilarie, and to
be true vnto king Henrie Fitz-empres, in defense of whome and of his
realme they should kéepe with them such armour and weapon, according to
his precept and commandement thereof had and made. And no man being
furnished with such armour, should sell, pledge, or otherwise alien the
same, neither may his lord by any means take the same from him, either
by waie of forfeiture, by destresse or pledge, nor by any other means:
and when any man died, hauing such armour, he shall leaue it to his
heire, and if his heire be not of lawfull age to weare it into the
field, then he that hath the custodie of his bodie shall haue the
armour, and find an able man to weare it for him, till he come to age.
If any burgesse of any good towne haue more armour than he ought to haue
by this statute, he shall sell it or giue it to some man that may weare
it in the kings seruice. [Sidenote: Jewes might haue no armour.] No Jew
might haue armour by this statute: but those that had anie, were
appointed to sell the same to such as were inhabitants within the
realme, for no man might sell or transport anie armour ouer the sea,
without the kings licence. For the better execution of which ordinance,
it was ordeined, that inquests should be taken by sufficient iurors,
what they were that were able to haue armour by their abilitie in lands
and goods. Also the K. would, that none should be sworne to haue armour,
except he were a frée man of birth and bloud.
[Sidenote: _Matt Paris._] The same yeare, the king being at Waltham,
assigned an aid to the maintenance of the christian souldiers in the
holie land, that is to wit, 42. thousand marks of siluer, and fiue
hundred marks of gold. [Sidenote: The decesse of Hugh earle of Chester.
_Ran. Higd._] Hugh Bosun otherwise called Keuelocke the sonne of Ranulfe
the second of that name earle of Chester, died this yeare, and was
buried at Léeke. He left behind him issue by his wife, the countesse
Beatrice daughter of Richard Lacie lord iustice of England, a sonne
named Ranulfe, who succéeded him, being the first erle of Chester, &
third of that name after the conquest. Besides this Ranulfe he had foure
daughters by his said wife; to wit, Maud married to Dauid earle of
Angus, Huntington and Galloway; Mabell coupled with William Daubignie
earle of Arundell, Agnes married to William Ferrers earle of Derbie, and
Hauise ioined with Robert Quincie earle of Lincolne.
[Sidenote: The archbish. of Yorke deceasseth.] The 21. of Nouember,
Roger archbishop of Yorke died, who (when he perceiued himselfe in
danger of death by force of that his last sicknesse) deliuered great
summes of monie vnto certeine bishops and other graue personages to be
distributed amongst poore people: but after his death, the king called
for the monie, and seized it to his vse, alleadging a sentence giuen by
the same archbishop in his life time, that no ecclesiasticall person
might giue any thing by will, except he deuised the same whilest he was
in perfect health: yet the bishop of Durham would not depart with foure
hundred marks which he had receiued to destribute amongst the poore,
alledging that he dealt the same awaie before the archbishops death, and
therefore he that would haue it againe, must go gather it vp of them to
whom he had distributed it, which he himselfe would in no wise doo. But
the king tooke no small displeasure with this vndiscréet answer,
insomuch that he seized the castell of Durham into his hands, and sought
means to disquiet the said bishop by diuerse maner of waies.
[Sidenote: 1182.] The king held his Christmasse this yeare at
Winchester, [Sidenote: The K. passeth ouer into Normandie.] and
afterwards sailed ouer into Normandie, bicause he heard that the king
his sonne was gone to his brother in law king Philip, and began to
practise eftsoones new trouble, which was true indéed: [Sidenote: The K.
& his sonne eftsoones reconciled.] but yet at length he came backe, and
was reconciled to his father, and tooke an oth, that from thenceforth he
would neuer swarue from him, nor demand more for his maintenance but an
hundred pounds Aniouin by the daie, and ten pounds a day of the same
monie for his wife. His father granted this, and also couenanted, that
within the tearme of one yeare he would giue him the seruices of an
hundred knights. Neuerthelesse all this did little amend the matter, for
though he set a new copie of countenance therevpon, yet he reteined his
old peruerse purpose in his discontented mind, hauing learned that
Qui nescit fingere nescit regere.
After this, king Henrie the father as a mediator betwixt the king of
France, and the earle of Flanders touching controuersies betwixt them
did so much in the matter, that he set them at one for that time.
[Sidenote: _Rog. Houed._] About the same season, king Henrie the father
sent William de Mandeuille earle of Albemarle, and other ambassadors
vnto the emperour Frederike, [Sidenote: The duke of Saxonie.] to intreat
for his sonne in law the duke of Saxonie, that he might be againe
restored into his fauor, which could not be obteined: for he was
alreadie condemned to exile, but yet thus much to pleasure the king of
England the emperour granted, that so manie as went with him out of
their countrie, might returne againe at their pleasure, and that his
wife the dutches Maud the K. of Englands daughter, should inioy hir
dowrie, and be at libertie, whether she would remaine vpon it, or follow
hir husband into exile, therefore when the daie came that he must depart
out of his countrie, he set forward with his wife and children, and a
great number of the Nobles of his countrie, and finallie came into
Normandie, where he was right ioifullie receiued of his father in law
king Henrie.
Shortlie after his comming thither, he gaue licence to the Noble men
that were come thither with him, to returne home, and then he himselfe
went into Spaine to visit the bodie of S. James the apostle. [Sidenote:
The duchesse of Saxonie deliuered of a sonne. Ranulfe Poer slaine.] His
wife being great with child, remained with hir father in Normandie, and
at Argenton she was deliuered of a sonne. This yeare the Welshmen slue
Ranulfe Poer shirife of Glocestershire. [Sidenote: An. Reg. 29. 1183.]
King Henrie held his Christmasse at Caen, with his thrée sons, Henrie
the king, Richard earle of Poictow, and Geffrey earle of Britaine. There
was also Henrie duke of Saxonie, with his wife and their children,
besides the archbishops of Canturburie and Dublin, with other bishops
earles and barons in great number.
Here would king Henrie the father, that his son the king should receiue
homage of his brethren Richard earle of Poictow, and Geffrey earle of
Britaine. The earle of Britaine did not staie at the matter, but the
earle of Poictow refused, alledging that it was not conuenient so long
as their father liued, to acknowledge any superioritie to their brother:
for as the fathers inheritance was due to the eldest sonne, so he
claimed the lands which he held due to him in right of his mother.
[Sidenote: _Wil. Paruus._] This deniall so much offended his brother the
king, that afterwards when Richard would haue doone homage, he would not
receiue it, [Sidenote: _Polydor._] whervpon Richard departed from the
court in great displeasure, & comming into Poictow, began to fortifie
his castels & townes, that he might be in readinesse to stand vpon his
safegard, if his father or brethren should come to pursue him. King
Henrie the sonne followed him, set on by the earles and barons of
Poictow, which for the sharpe and cruell gouernement of earle Richard,
hated him mortallie. [Sidenote: _Ger. Dor._] Againe on the other side,
the fauourable courtesie, séemelie personage, and other noble qualities
which they saw in the yoong king, [Sidenote: _Rog. Houed._ War betwixt
the brethren.] moued them to take part with him against Richard, and
shortlie after their brother Geffrey came with a great armie in aid of
his brother the king, in so much that earle Richard not knowing how to
shift off the present danger, sent to his father for aid, who being
verie sorie in his mind to sée such vnnaturall dealing among his sonnes,
gathered an armie and set forward.
He had a little before trauelled to set them at one, in somuch that
where earle Richard held a castell named Clareualx, which after the
fathers deceasse ought to remaine vnto king Henrie the son, vpon his
complaint thereof made, the father did so much with the earle, that he
surrendered it into his fathers hands. [Sidenote: The father séeketh to
appease the quarell betwixt his sonnes.] Immediatlie after all the three
sonnes came to Angers, and there sware to be obedient vnto their fathers
will, and to serue him against all men: whervpon he appointed them a
daie to meet at Mirabell, where the barons of Guien should also be, vnto
whom king Henrie the sonne had sworne to aid them against earle Richard.
Herewith was earle Geffrey sent vnto them to persuade them to peace and
quietnesse, and to come vnto Mirabell according to king Henrie the
fathers appointment: [Sidenote: Earle Geffrey dealeth vnfaithfullie.]
but in stéed of persuading them to peace (contrarie to his oth so
oftentimes receiued) he procured them to pursue the warre both against
his father and his brother earle Richard: and no maruell, for
Malè sarta gratia nunquam benè coalescit.
King Henrie the sonne remaining with his father, shewed outwardlie that
he wished for peace, but his meaning was all contrarie, and so obtained
licence of his father to go vnto Limoges, that he might labour to reduce
both his brother Geffrey, and the barons of Guien vnto quietnesse. But
such dissembling was put in practise by king Henrie, that when the
father followed with an armie, and came vnto Limoges, in stéed of
receiuing him with honor, as it had béene their duties to haue doone,
they shot at him, and pearsed through his vppermost armor, so that both
he and his sonne Richard were constreined to depart. Howbeit afterwards
he entered that citie, and comming foorth of it againe to talke with his
sonnes, those within Limoges eftsoones rebelled, so that certeine of
them within, shot the horsse whereon king Henrie the father rode into
the head. And if it had so chanced, that the horsse in casting vp his
head had not receiued the blow, the arrow had light in the kings brest,
to the great danger & perill of his person. Neither did his sonnes the
king and his brother Geffrey go about to sée such an heinous attempt
punished, but rather séemed to like well of it, and to mainteine those
most malicious enimies of their souereigne lord and father, for they
ioined with them against him, although king Henrie the sonne made
countenance to be willing to reconcile his brother and the barons of
Guien to his father by waie of some agréement: [Sidenote: The disloiall
dissembling of the yoong king.] but his double dealing was too manifest,
although indeed he abused his fathers patience for a while, who was
desirous of nothing more than to win his sonnes by some courteous
meanes, and therefore diuerse times offered to pardon all offenses
committed by his enimies, at the suit of his sonne the king, who in déed
offered himselfe now and then as an intreatour, but that was onelie to
win time that his brother with such Brabanders and other souldiers as he
had with him in aid, beside the forces of the barons of Guien, might
worke the more mischéefe against their father and their brother earle
Richard, in wasting and destroieng their countries that stood stedfast
on their side.
In the meane time Richard the archbishop of Canturburie, and diuerse
other bishops and abbats both of England and Normandie assembled
togither at Caen, and in the abbeie church of S. Stephan pronounced the
sentence of excommunication against all those that did hinder and
impeach their purpose, which was to haue peace and concord concluded
betwixt the king and his sonnes, the same sonnes onlie out of the said
sentence excepted.
Diuerse shiftes were made by king Henrie the sonne, and his brother
earle Geffrey also to get monie for the paiment of their souldiers, as
spoiling of shrines, and such like. But at length when things framed not
to their purpose, and that the harme which they could doo against their
father was much lesse than they wished, if power had béene answerable to
their willes, [Sidenote: King Henrie the sonne falleth sicke.] king
Henrie the sonne through indignation and displeasure (as some write)
fell into a gréeuous sicknesse in a village called Mertell, not farre
from Limoges, where his father laie at siege.
At the first he was taken with an extreame feuer, and after followed a
sore flixe. Now perceiuing himselfe in danger of death, and that the
physicians had giuen him ouer, [Sidenote: He sendeth to his father.] he
sent to his father (better late than neuer) confessing his trespasse
committed against him, and required of all fatherlie loue to come & sée
him once before he died. But for that the father thought not good to
commit himselfe into the hands of such vngratious persons as were about
his sonne, he sent his ring vnto him in token of his blessing, and as it
were a pledge to signifie that he had forgiuen him his vnnaturall doings
against him. The son receiuing it with great humilitie, kissed it, and
so ended his life in the presence of the archbishop of Burdeaux and
others, on the day of saint Barnabie the apostle. He died (as some
write) verie penitent and sorowfull.
[Sidenote: His repentance before his death.] And whereas in his life
time he had vowed to make a iourneie into the holie land against Gods
enimies, and taken vpon him the crosse for that intent, he deliuered it
vnto his familiar freend William Marshall to go thither with it in his
stead. Moreouer when he perceiued present death at hand, he first
confessed his sinnes secretlie, and after openly before sundrie bishops
and men of religion, and receiued absolution in most humble wise.
[Sidenote: A strange kind of superstitious deuotion, if this report of
our author be true.] After this, he caused his fine clothes to be taken
from him, and therewith a heare cloth to be put vpon him, and after
tieng a cord about his necke, he said vnto the bishops and other that
stood by him; "I deliuer my selfe an vnworthie and greeuous sinner vnto
you the ministers of God by this cord, beséeching our Lord Jesus Christ,
which pardoned the théefe confessing his faults on the crosse, that
through your praiers and for his great mercies sake it may please him to
be mercifull vnto my soule;" wherevnto they all answered, "Amen."
[Sidenote: He is drawne out of his bed, a thing vnlike to be true.] Then
he said vnto them, "Draw me out of this bed with this cord, and laie me
on that bed strawed with ashes" (which he had of purpose prepared) and
as he commanded so they did: and they laid at his feet and at his head
two great square stones. Thus being prepared to die, he willed his bodie
after his deceasse to be conueied into Normandie, and buried at Rouen.
[Sidenote: His death.] And so after he had receiued the sacrament of the
bodie and bloud of our Lord, he departed this life as afore is said,
about the 28. yeare of his age.
[Sidenote: _N. Triuet._] His bodie after his death was conueied towards
Rouen, there to be buried accordinglie as he had willed: but when those
that had charge to conueie it thither were come vnto the citie of Mauns,
the bishop there and the cleargie would not suffer them to go any
further with it, but committed it to buriall in honourable wise within
the church of saint Julian. Whereof when the citizens of Rouen were
aduertised, they were sore offended with that dooing, and streightwaies
sent vnto them of Mauns, requiring to haue the corps deliuered,
threatening otherwise with manie earnest oths to fetch it from them by
force. Wherefore king Henrie, to set order in this matter, commanded
that the corps of his sonne the king should be deliuered vnto them of
Rouen to be buried in their citie, as he himselfe had willed before his
death. [Sidenote: The bodie of the yong king lastlie buried at Rouen.]
And so it was taken vp and conueied to Rouen, where it was eftsoones
buried in the church of our ladie.
¶ Thus ended this yoong king in his floorishing youth, to whome through
his owne iust deserts long life was iustlie denied, sith he delighted to
begin his gouernement with vnlawfull attempts, as an other Absolon
against his owne naturall father, seeking by wrongfull violence to pull
the scepter out of his hand. He is not put in the number of kings,
bicause he remained for the more part vnder the gouernance of his
father, so that he rather bare the name of king as appointed to reigne,
than that he may be said to haue reigned in déed. So that héere by the
waie a notable obseruation dooth occurre and offer it selfe to be noted
of vs; namelie, that euen princes children, though borne to great
excellencie, and in high degree of dignitie, are to consider with
themselues, that notwithstanding their statelie titles of souereigntie,
they haue a dutie to discharge vnto their parents, which if it be
neglected, and that in place thereof disobedience is substituted, God
himselfe (when politike lawes prouide not to punish such offenses) will
take the cause in hand, & will powre vengeance vpon such vngratious
children. For he will be true of his word both in blessing and curssing,
in blessing the dutifull child with long life and happie daies, and in
curssing the obstinate and froward with short life and vnfortunate
daies, according to the tenure of his law. If this man had liued in the
old Romans time, when aged persons were so reuerenced and honoured (much
more parents) he had beene cut off in the prime of his disobedience, and
present death had beene inflicted vpon him as a due and deserued reward;
which Iuuenal noteth excellentlie well in these words,
[Sidenote: Iuuen. sat 13.]
Credebant hoc grande nefas, & morte piandum,
Si iuuenis vetulo non assurrexerat, & si
Barbato cuicunq; puer, licèt ipse videret
Plura domi farra, & maioris glandis aceruos,
Tam venerabile erat præcedere quattuor annis,
Primáq; par adeò sacræ lanugo senectæ.
[Sidenote: Limoges rendred to king Henrie.] King Henrie (after his sonne
the king was thus dead) inforced his power more earnestlie than before
to winne the citie and castell of Limoges which he had besieged, and at
length had them both surrendered into his hands, with all other castels
and places of strength kept by his enimies in those parts, of the which
some he furnished with garisons, and some he caused to be laied flat
with the ground.
There rose about the same time occasion of strife and variance betwixt
King Henrie and the French king, about the enioieng of the countrie
lieng vpon Gisors, [Sidenote: Veulquesine.] called Veulquesine, on this
side the riuer of Hept, which was giuen vnto king Henrie the sonne, in
consideration of the marriage betwixt him and queene Margaret the French
kings sister. For the French king now after the death of his brother in
law king Henrie the sonne, required to haue the same restored vnto the
crowne of France: but king Henrie was not willing to part with it.
[Sidenote: The kings of England and France talke togither.] At length
they met betwixt Trie and Gisors to talke of the matter, where they
agréed that quéene Margaret the widow of the late deceased king Henrie
the son, should receiue yearelie[12] during hir life 1750 pounds of
Aniouin monie at Paris, of king Henrie the father and his heires; in
consideration whereof she should release and quit claime all hir right
to those lands that were demanded, as Veulquesine and others. Shortlie
after, Geffrey erle of Britaine came to his father, and submitting
himselfe, was reconciled to him, and also to his brother Richard earle
of Poictow. [Sidenote: An. Reg. 30.] Also I find that king Henrie at an
enteruiew had betwixt him and the French king at their accustomed place
of meeting betwixt Trie and Gisors on saint Nicholas day, did his homage
to the same French king for the lands which he held of him on that side
the sea, which to doo till then he had refused. The same yeare king
Henrie held his Christmas at the citie of Mauns.
[Sidenote: 1184.] When the king had set the French king and the earle of
Flanders at agréement for the controuersie that chanced betwixt them
about the lands of Vermendois, he passed through the earle of Flanders
countrie, and comming to Wisand, tooke ship and sailed ouer into
England, landing at Douer the tenth day of June, with his daughter the
dutches of Saxonie, [Sidenote: The duchesse of Saxonie deliuered of a
sonne.] who was afterwards deliuered of a sonne at Winchester, and hir
husband the duke of Saxonie came also this yeare into England, and was
ioifullie receiued and honourable interteined of the king his father in
law.
[Sidenote: The archbish. of Colen.] And whereas the archbishop of Colen
came ouer into England this yeare to visit the toome of Thomas late
archbishop of Canturburie, the king trauelled to make an agréement
betwixt him and the Saxonish duke touching a certeine variance depending
betwixt them, wherin the king did so much, that the archbishop forgaue
all iniuries past, and so they were made fréends. [Sidenote: Hugh
Nouant.] Also by the counsell of the same archbishop the king sent Hugh
Nouant archdeacon of Liseux and others, ambassadours from him vnto pope
Lucius, that by his helpe there might be made some waie to obteine a
pardon for the said duke, and licence for him to returne into his
countrie. Those that were sent demeaned themselues so discréetly in
dooing their message, that the emperour comming where the pope then was,
that is to say, at Verona in Italie, at the earnest suit of the said
pope was contented to release all his euill will which he bare towards
the duke, [Sidenote: The duke of Saxonie pardoned and reuoked out of
exile.] pardoned him for all things past, and licenced him now at length
to returne home into his countrie, his condemnation of exile being
cléerlie reuoked.
[Sidenote: Death of Noble men.] There died this yeare sundrie honorable
personages, as Simon earle of Huntington son to Simon earle of
Northampton, after whose decease the king gaue his earledome vnto his
brother Dauid, or (as Radulfus de Diceto saith) bicause the said Simon
died without issue, the king gaue the earledome of Huntington vnto
William king of Scots sonne to earle Henrie that was sonne to king
Dauid. Also the earle of Warwike died this yeare, and Thomas Fitz
Bernard lord chéefe iustice of the forests, which roome Alaine de Neuill
had inioied before him. Now after the death of this Thomas Fitz
Bernard, [Sidenote: The gouernement of the forests diuided.] the king
diuided his forests into sundrie quarters, and to euerie quarter he
appointed foure iustices, two of the spiritualtie, and two knights of
the temporaltie, beside two generall wardens that were of his owne
seruants, to be as surueiers aboue all other foresters of vert and
venison, whose office was to sée that no disorder nor spoile were
committed within any grounds of warren contrarie to the assises of
forests. Diuerse prelates died this yeare also, as foure bishops, to
wit, Gerald surnamed la Pucelle bishop of Chester, Walran bishop of
Rochester, Joceline of Salisburie, and Bartholomew of Excester.