of Buet belonging to Reginald de Breuse, the same Reginald besought
the K. to helpe to remooue that siege. The king contented with his
request, came with a puissant armie into those parts, and therewith
the siege was raised, for the Welshmen (according to their accustomed
maner) fled. The king then entring further into the countrie, came to
the place where Mountgomerie now standeth, and perceiuing the site of
the same to serue well for fortification, he caused a castell to be
builded there, to restreine the Welshmen from their accustomed trade of
harrieng the countrie. And so after he had foraied those quarters, and
taken order for the full accomplishment of that castell, he returned,
the Nobles granting to him of euerie knights fée two markes of siluer.
[Sidenote: _Polydor._]
[Sidenote: K. Henrie requireth restitution of his right of the Fr[=e]ch
king.]
Things being thus in quiet, the king (who by dailie experience of
matters grew to more knowledge from time to time) began now of himselfe
to order his affaires for his owne behalfe, namelie touching the estate
of his kingdome: and bicause he was minded to assaie the recouerie of
those places which his father had lost in France, he ordeined Sauerie
de Mauleon to be his lieutenant in Guien, whereof a great part as yet
remained in his hands, and moreouer sent ambassadours vnto the French
king, requiring of him restitution of those places which he had taken
from his father.
[Sidenote: The French kings answer.]
These oratours being come into France, and admitted to the kings
presence, receiued answer, that nothing ought to be restored, which
by law of armes was rightlie conquered: and other redresse at that
time would none be granted. ¶ But a maruell it was to consider here
at home, in how short a space the state of the English common-wealth
was changed, and from a troubled fourme reduced to a flourishing
and prosperous degrée: chiefelie by the diligent héed and carefull
prouision of the king himselfe. So much auaileth it to haue him that
ruleth, to attend that which belongeth to his office.
[Sidenote: _Matt. Westm._]
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]
[Sidenote: Marriages concluded.]
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 6 1222.]
[Sidenote: A councell or synod at Oxford.]
[Sidenote: Two dissembling persons apprehended.]
[Sidenote: _Matt. Westm._]
[Sidenote: They are executed.]
[Sidenote: Two women counterfeiting themselues to be, the one our
ladie, the other Marie Magdalene.]
[Sidenote: _Ralfe Cog._]
After this, to the intent that whiles he might be occupied in warres
abroad, he should not be troubled with ciuill discord at home, he
deuised to ioine in affinitie with the Scots, giuing his sister Ione
in mariage vnto Alexander the king of Scotland, and Hubert of Burgh
on the other side married the sister of the same Alexander called
Margaret. These marriages were solemnized at Yorke on the morrow after
the feast of S. Iohn Baptist, in the presence of a great number of the
Nobles both of England and Scotland. A councell also was holden by
the archbishop of Canturburie at Oxford for reformation of the state
ecclesiasticall and the religion of moonks. ¶ In which councell two
naughtie felowes were presented before him, that of late had béene
apprehended, either of them naming himselfe Christ, and preached
manie things against such abuses as the cleargie in those daies vsed.
Moreouer, to prooue their errour to haue a shew of truth, they shewed
certeine tokens and signes of wounds in their bodies, hands and féet,
like vnto our sauiour Iesus that was nailed on the crosse. In the
end being well apposed, they were found to be but false dissemblers,
wherefore by doome of that councell, they were iudged to be nailed vnto
a crosse of wood, and so those to whom the execution was assigned, had
them foorth to a place called Arborberie, where they nailed them to a
crosse, and there left them till they were dead. The one of them was an
Hermophrodite, that is to say, both man and woman. Also there were two
women condemned, of whom the one had taken vpon hir to be that blessed
virgine Marie, and the other fained hir selfe to be Marie Magdalene.
Ralfe Coghshall sheweth this matter otherwise, and saith, that there
were two men and two women brought before the archbishop at this
councell, of the which one of the men being a deacon, was accused
to be an apostata, & for the loue of a woman that was a Iew, he had
circumcised himselfe: & being herof conuicted & disgraded, he was
committed to the secular power, & so burnt by the seruants of Fouks
de Brent. The other being a yoong man, was accused of contemning the
sacraments of the church, & that he suffered himselfe to be crucified,
hauing the prints of the fiue wounds appearing in his bodie, and
counterfeiting himselfe to be Christ, reioised to haue the two women
giue out and spread the rumour abroad, that he was Christ in déed, one
of the which women being verie aged, was also accused of witcherie,
hauing with hir sorcerie and witchcraft brought that yoong man vnto
such wicked follie and madnesse. They two being hereof conuicted, were
closed vp betwixt two walles, where they remained till they died, the
other woman being sister to the yoong man, was pardoned and let go,
bicause she had reuealed the diuelish practise of the other.
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]
[Sidenote: _Matt. Paris._]
[Sidenote: _Matth. West._]
[Sidenote: A bell-wedder some saie.]
This yeare also was the building of the stéeple belonging to the church
of S. Paule in London finished. And this yeare also vpon saint James
day the citizens of London kept a plaie of defense and wrestling at
the hospitall of saint James, against other their neighbours of the
suburbes, and the quarters next adioining. In the end whereof it so
fortuned, that the Londoners had the vpper hand: and amongst other that
were put to the foile, the steward of the abbat of Westminster with
his folkes went awaie with the worst, to their great gréefe. Wherevpon
the same steward deuised an other game of wrestling to be holden at
Westminster on Lammas day next following, and that whosoeuer could
get the vpper hand there, should haue a ram for the price, which the
steward had prepared.
[Sidenote: A riot committed vnder pretense of wrestling.]
[Sidenote: Robert Serle maior of London.]
[Sidenote: Constantine, a citizen of London procureth the citizens to
reuenge their cause by waie of rebellion.]
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]
At the day appointed, there was a great assemblie, and the steward had
got togither out of all parts the best wrestlers that might be heard
of, so that there was hard hold betwixt them and the Londoners. But
finallie, the steward vpon desire of reuenge, procured them to fall
togither by the eares without any iust cause, so that the Londoners
were beaten and wounded, and constreined to flée backe to the citie
in great disorder. The citizens sore offended to sée their people so
misused, rose in tumult, and rang the common bell to gather the more
companie to them. Robert Serle maior of the citie would haue pacified
the matter, persuading them to let the iniurie passe, till by orderlie
plaint they might get redresse, as law and iustice should assigne. But
a certeine stout man of the citie named Constantine Fitz Arnulfe, of
good authoritie amongst them, aduised the multitude not to harken vnto
peace, but to séeke reuenge out of hand (wherein he shewed himselfe so
farre from true manhood, that he bewraied himselfe rather to haue had a
womans heart,
----quòd vindicta
Nemo magis gaudet quàm foemina)
still prosecuting the strife with tooth and naile, and blowing the
coles of contention as it were with full bellowes, that the houses
belonging to the abbat of Westminster, and namelie the house of his
steward might be ouerthrowne and beaten downe flat with the ground.
[Sidenote: The lord chéefe iustice taketh inquisition of the riot.]
[Sidenote: Constantine apprehended.]
[Sidenote: He is executed.]
This lewd counsell was soone receiued and executed by the outragious
people, & Constantine himselfe being chéefe leader of them, cried with
a lowd voice, Mount ioy mount ioy, God be our aid and our souereigne
Lewes. This outragious part comming to the notice of Hubert de Burgh
lord chéefe iustice, he gat togither a power of armed men, and came
to the citie with the same, and taking inquisition of the chéefe
offendors, found Constantine as constant in affirming the déed to be
his, as he had before constantlie put it in practise, wherevpon he
was apprehended and two other citizens with him. On the next day in
the morning Fouks de Brent was appointed to haue them to execution:
and so by the Thames he quietlie led them to the place where they
should suffer. Now when Constantine had the halter about his necke,
he offered fiftéene thousand marks of siluer to haue béene pardoned,
but it would not be. There was hanged with him his nephue named also
Constantine, and one Geffrey, who made the proclamation deuised by
the said Constantine. The crie also which Constantine vsed to the
setting forward of his vnlawfull enterprise in the name of Lewes most
of all offended the kings fréends, as the lord chéefe iustice and
others, who not satisfied with the death of the thrée before remembred
persons, but also entring the citie againe with their bands of armed
men, apprehended diuerse of those whome they tooke to be culpable, not
onelie putting manie of them into prison, but also punishing other of
them, as some with losse of a foot, some of an hand, and other of their
eie-sight. The king furthermore to reuenge this matter, deposed all the
magistrats of the citie, and ordeined new in their roomes. Which caused
great hartburning against diuerse of the Nobilitie but chéefelie the
lord Hubert and Fouks de Brent, on whome in time they hoped to haue
reuenge.
[Sidenote: Great tempest.]
[Sidenote: A generall thunder.]
[Sidenote: Great dearth of corne.]
[Sidenote: An other tempest of thunder.]
[Sidenote: _Polydor._]
[Sidenote: A comet or blasing star.]
[Sidenote: The losse of the citie of Damieta.]
[Sidenote: William de Albenie earle of Arundell departed this life.]
As this broile vexed the citie of London, so in this yeare there
chanced great tempest of thunder, lightning and raine, whereby much
hurt was doone in diuerse parts of the realme, and at sundrie times,
as by throwing downe of stéeples, churches, and other buildings, with
the rootwalting of trées, as well in woods as orchards, verie strange
to consider, chéefelie on the eight day of Februarie at Grantham in
Lincolneshire, where there chanced (beside the thunder) such a stinke
and filthie sauour to follow in the church, that the people fled out,
for that they were not able to abide it. Likewise in the day of the
exaltation of the crosse, a generall thunder happened throughout the
realme, and thervpon followed a continuall season of foule weather and
wet, till Candelmas next after, which caused a dearth of corne, so as
wheat was sold at twelue shillings the quarter. Likewise on the day
of saint Andrew an other terrible tempest of thunder happened through
the realme, throwing downe and shaking buildings in manie places, in
so much that at Pillerdeston in Warwikeshire, in a knights house, the
ladie thereof and six other persons were destroied by the same. And
a turbarie thereby compassed about with water and marresse was so
dried vp, that neither grasse nor mire remained, after which insued an
earthquake. Moreouer on the euen of saint Lucie, a mightie wind raged,
which did much hurt in sundrie places of the realme. Furthermore, about
this time there appeared in England a woonderfull comet or blasing
starre. The sea also rose with higher tides and springs than it had
béene accustomed to doo. All which woonders were afterward iudged to
betoken and signifie the losse which the christians susteined the
same yeare in Aegypt, when they were constreined to surrender the
citie of Damieta into the Saracens hands, which latelie before (as yée
haue heard) they had woone with long and chargeable siege. After the
yéelding vp of Damieta, William de Albenie earle of Arundell (whome
Ranulfe earle of Chester left behind him in the holie land) with manie
souldiers and men of warre (when he returned from thence) came now
homewards towards England, and died by the waie.
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 7.]
[Sidenote: Iohn Scot marrieth the daughter of Leolin prince of Wales.]
[Sidenote: 1223.]
[Sidenote: A councell at London.]
[Sidenote: Note the redinesse of this bish. to broch new contention.]
About the same time Iohn the sonne of Dauid earle of Anguish in
Scotland, sisters sonne vnto Ranulfe earle of Chester, married the
daughter of Leolin prince of Wales, as it were to procure a finall
accord betwéene the said Leolin and Ranulfe. After which marriage,
king Henrie held his Christmasse at Oxenford, and shortlie after the
twelftide came to London: where assembling a councell of his barons, he
was earnestlie required by the bishop of Canturburie and other péeres,
to confirme the liberties, franchises, and frée customes of the realme,
for which the warres in his fathers time had béene mooued: which to
denie (as the archbishop séemed to alledge, & shuld haue béene ashamed
so to open his mouth, to the disaduantage of his souereigne, but that
it is likelie he forgat the old posie, namelie that,
Imago rex est animata Dei.)
he might not with anie reason, sith he had couenanted (and all the
baronage with him) to sée the same obserued, by the articles of the
peace concluded with Lewes, when the same Lewes departed the realme.
[Sidenote: The answer of William Brewer to the archbishops demand.]
[Sidenote: Ahab accuseth Helias.]
[Sidenote: An inquisition.]
Herevpon William Brewer one of the kings councell, hearing the
archbishop so earnest in these matters, told him, that sith these
liberties were procured & extorted rather by force than otherwise, of
the king being vnder age, they were not to be obserued. Wherevnto the
archbishop replied, that if he loued the king, he would be loth to
séeke to trouble the quiet state of the realme. The king perceiuing the
archbishop to be chafed, & taking the tale himselfe, made a courteous
answer, and further aduise had in the matter, sent foorth writs to the
shiriffe of euerie countie, commanding them by inquirie of a sufficient
iurie impanelled, to make certificat within the quindene of Ester, what
were the liberties in times past of his grandfather K. Henrie, vsed
within the realme of England.
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]
[Sidenote: The earle of Penbroke recouereth his castels taken by the
prince of Wales.]
[Sidenote: The prince of Wales discomfited.]
[Sidenote: A conspiracie against the lord chiefe iustice.]
The same yeare, whiles William Marshall earle of Penbroke was busie in
Ireland in war against Hugh Lacie, Leolin prince (or king) of Wales,
as some haue intitled him, tooke by force two castels that belonged
to the same earle: whereof when he was aduertised, with all spéed
he returned out of Ireland, raised an armie, and recouered the said
castels, putting to death all such as he found in the same, to requite
Leolin with the like damage as he had shewed him before in his absence.
This doone he entered into the land of Leolin, wasting and spoiling the
same, whereof when the said Leolin was informed, he assembled an host
of Welshmen, and comming into the field gaue battell, but the victorie
rested on the earle of Penbroks side: so that there were taken and
slaine in this bickering to the number of 9000 Welshmen. There was in
this yeare a conspiracie also begun by the earle of Chester, and other
Noble men, against Hubert de Burgh lord chiefe iustice of England, by
whose counsell (as it was thought) the king was more streict towards
the nobilitie and other his subiects, in staieng his grant to confirme
the charter of liberties, than otherwise he would haue béene, if the
same Hubert and other had not aduised him to the contrarie.
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]
[Sidenote: The king of Ierusalem commeth into England.]
In this season also Iohn de Bren king of Ierusalem, and the lord great
maister of the knights hospitallers came into England, where they were
honorablie receiued of king Henrie, and liberally rewarded. The cause
of their comming was to require aid of the king for the recouerie of
the holie land out of the possession of the Saracens. In like maner
about the same time Leolin prince of Northwals, with certeine English
lords, as Hugh Lacie and others, vpon an hatred which they bare towards
king Henrie for his fathers sake, supposing that so euill a stocke as
they tooke him to be, could not bring foorth anie good branch, sought
by open warres to bring William Marshall earle of Penbroke and other
barons that were faithfull friends to the king vnto their purpose: but
the whole countrie rising against them, they were disappointed to their
owne confusion, and so they could neuer bring that to passe which they
so earnestlie intended.
[Sidenote: The death of the French king.]
[Sidenote: Ambassadors sent into France.]
In this yeare Philip the French king departed this life, and after him
succéeded Lewes his sonne, vnto whom king Henrie sent in ambassage the
archbishop of Canturburie with thrée other bishops, to require, that
(according to his oth made and receiued at his returne out of England)
he would restore and deliuer vp to him the dukedome of Normandie, with
other such lands and possessions as his father in times past had taken
from king Iohn, and still did wrongfullie withhold. K. Lewes answered
herevnto, that he held Normandie & the other lands by good right and
iust title, as he could well prooue and iustifie, if king Henrie would
come to the parlement in France to hear it. And as touching the oth
which he had sworne in England, he affirmed that the same was first
broken by king Henrie, both in that his men which had béene taken
at Lincolne were put to gréeuous ransoms, and also for that their
liberties for which the warre first began, were not obserued, but
denied to the English subiects, contrarie to that which was concluded
at the agréement betwixt them at the same time made.
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 8]
Moreouer, king Henrie sent other ambassadours to Rome, who purchased a
bull of the pope, whereby he was adiudged to be of age sufficient to
receiue the gouernement of the kingdome of England into his owne hands,
thereby to order and dispose all things at his pleasure, & by the
aduise of such councellours as he should elect and choose to be about
him. Wherevpon after the said ambassadours were returned, all those
earles, barons and nobles, which held anie castels, honors, manors or
places apperteining to the king, were commanded to deliuer and resigne
the same to his vse, which caused much trouble, as after shall appeare.
For diuerse Noble men, whose harts were filled with couetousnesse,
would not obeie the popes order herein, but sore repined; yet not so
much against the king as against the lord Hubert de Burgh, by whose
councell the king was most led and ruled. And therefore they did put
him in all the blame, as one that should set the king against them, and
staie him from suffering them to inioy those liberties, which they from
time to time so much laboured to haue had to them granted and confirmed.
[Sidenote: _Polydor._]
[Sidenote: The king giueth a gentle answer to his lords.]
Vpon this occasion therfore, they sued to the king for the restitution
of the ancient lawes according to his promise, who to pacifie them
for the time, gaue them a gentle answer, assuring them, that he would
perfourme all that he had promised, so soone as opportunitie would
permit and suffer him so to doo. Howbeit, afterwards by the aduise of
certeine old councellours, which had béene of the priuie councell with
king Iohn his father, he found a shift to disappoint them of their
demands, by requiring them on the other side, to restore vnto him
those things which they had in times past receiued of his ancestors.
Furthermore, bicause he would the more easilie obteine his purpose, and
make the residue afraid to follow a suit so displeasant and irkesome,
he thought best to begin with the chiefe authors and first procurers
of the said petitions, and to take from them whatsoeuer they held
belonging to his crowne.
[Sidenote: 1224.]
[Sidenote: The king demanded restitution of parcels of inheritance
belonging to the crowne.]
Herevpon therefore assembling a great power about him, he demanded of
Ranulph earle of Chester the restitution of certeine lordships which
ancientlie apperteined to the crowne of the realme, which earle not
being as then able to resist, readilie obeied the kings pleasure, and
resigned them all. By this entrance of the king into the execution of
his purpose, diuerse of the rest of the barons were brought into such
feare, that they were contented also to doo the like, so that by this
meanes the lords being cut short and weakened in power, surceased as
then from molesting the king anie further with the demand of other
lands or liberties.
The archbishop of Canturburie also threatened them with the dart of
excommunication, if they went about to disquiet the realme with anie
ciuill commotions, though no man was more desirous to haue that matter
go forward than he, as appéered by his diligent trauell therein (hoping
as now in short processe of time, and that by courteous meanes, to
persuade the king to his purpose) but the king droue him off with
faire words, and minded nothing lesse than to alter anie one of the
lawes which he knew to be profitable to himselfe and his successours
after him. Wherevpon diuerse misliking his dealing herein, withdrew
themselues secretlie, some into one place, and some into an other, to
the intent they might auoid the dailie sight of such abuses, as they
for the most part could not well abide to beare.
[Sidenote: Discord betwixt Sauerie de Mauleon and the earle of
Salisburie.]
Whilest king Henrie thus politikelie prouided for his affaires at home,
Sauerie de Mauleon made prouision in Guien to withstand such perils
and dangers as he saw most likelie to issue by the practises of the
Frenchmen. But as he was most busilie occupied about the purueiance of
such things as should be verie necessarie for his dooings, there sprang
a great dissention betwixt him and William the earle of Salisburie,
who was sent ouer into that countrie with commission to surueie the
state thereof, and by colour of the same commission, tooke vpon him to
order all things at his owne pleasure. Whereas the foresaid Sauerie
de Mauleon (being a man of high parentage in those parts where he was
borne) iudged it to be a matter nothing standing with his honour, that
another man should order things at his will and commandement within
the countrie, whereof he himselfe had the chiefe charge, as the kings
lieutenant; and therefore determined not to suffer it anie longer.
[Sidenote: Sauerie de Mauleon reuolteth to the French king.]
Herevpon verelie arose the contention betwixt them, which the English
souldiers that were there, did greatlie increase, fauouring the earle
as the kings vncle, and contemning the lieutenant as a stranger borne,
by meanes whereof the foresaid Sauerie doubting least if he should
fight with his enimies, and through such discord as was now amongst
them, be put to the worse, the fault should be laid wholie on his
necke: he secretlie departed and fled to Lewes the French king, who was
latelie come to the crowne of France by the death of his father king
Philip, as you before haue heard: wherein he dwelt wiselie in respect
of safetie. For
Quid poterit iusta tutius esse fuga?
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]
[Sidenote: _Matt. Westm._]
[Sidenote: Fouks de Brent an enimie to rest and quietnesse.]
About the same time Fouks de Brent, being a man of an vnquiet mind,
readie to mischiefe and loth to liue in peace (as some saie) conspired
against the king of England, and aduertised the king of France that
if he would boldlie begin the warres against king Henrie in France,
he would not faile but raise warre against him here in the middest of
his realme of England, hauing diuerse noble men in a readinesse, that
would willinglie take his part. But howsoeuer it fell out, certeine it
is that this Fouks hauing fortified his castell of Bedford, attempted
manie enterprises greatlie to the preiudice of the kings peace, as well
in robbing and spoiling the countrie about him, as otherwise.
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]