certeine houses and lordships there in the marshes which belonged to
the said Iohn of Monmouth. About the same time also, Richard Sward
with other outlawes destroied the possessions belonging to the earle
of Cornewall beside Brehull, and burned a place there called Segraue,
where Stephan de Segraue the lord chiefe iustice was borne, and
likewise a village belonging to the bishop of Winchester, not farre
from Segraue aforesaid. This was the maner of those outlawes, that they
hurt no person, but onelie those councellers about the king by whom
they were exiled, and therefore bearing stomach against them, they did
not onlie excogitate but also execute this reuenge; which till they had
obteined, they were no lesse ill appaid, than well pleased when the
same was past, for
----minuit vindicta dolorem.
[Sidenote: A part of the towne of Shrewsburie burnt.]
[Sidenote: _Polydor._]
Immediatlie within the octaues of the Epiphanie, the earle Marshall
and Leolin prince of Wales wasted and robbed all the marshes betwixt
Wales and Shrewsburie, a part of which towne they also burnt. King
Henrie being hereof certified as yet soiourning at Glocester, was sore
troubled in his mind, and calling togither his councell, asked aduise
what waie he might best take to redresse such iniuries. After sundrie
opinions amongst them declared, they agréed all in one sentence, that
it should be most expedient to appease the minds of the rebels with
gentle offers, to grant them pardon of their offenses, wiselie to winne
them to tractablenesse, and not roughlie afflicting them to exasperat
their fiersenesse, sith,
----sæpe acri potior prudentia dextra.
Also to banish from his court diuerse that bare great rule, and
namelie Peter the bishop of Winchester, and his sonne or nephue Peter
de Riuales, by the counsell of which two persons all things had béene
changed in the kings house. Moreouer, to put from him such strangers as
bare offices, and to restore Englishmen againe to the same.
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]
[Sidenote: The earle of Penbroke passeth ouer into Ireland.]
[Sidenote: He is taken prisoner.]
[Sidenote: Geffrey Maurish.]
[Sidenote: The death of the earle of Penbroke.]
The king allowing this aduise to be good, followed it accordinglie,
and first of all discharging the bishop of Winchester of all publike
administration of things, he commanded him to repaire home to his
diocesse, and to sée to the gouernement thereof, as to his dutie
apperteined. He also banished from his presence Peter de Riuales,
Stephan Segraue, Robert Passelew, and diuerse others of his chiefe
councellers, by whose means he had procured the euill will of his
Nobilitie. Then receiued he againe his old seruants & officers, &
finallie sent the archb. of Canturburie, the bishops of Chester &
Rochester vnto the barons in Wales, to offer them peace & pardon of
all iniuries past, if they wold returne to his obedience. Thus in
the end there was a truce taken betwixt the king and the rebels, to
begin at Candlemasse, and to indure vntill Easter next insuing, in
which meane time, Richard the earle of Penbroke, hearing that Maurish
Fitz Gerald, with Walter Lacie, Richard Burgh and others wasted his
lands and possessions in Ireland (according to such commission as they
had receiued of late from king Henrie and his councell) passed ouer
thither, and there incountering with his enimies, was sore wounded and
taken prisoner, hauing entered the battell verie rashlie, and with
a small companie of his people about him, onlie by the traitorous
persuasion of Geffrey Maurish, who with other fled at the first brunt,
and left him in maner alone, to stand to all the danger. Those that
thus tooke him, brought him into his owne castell, the which the lord
chiefe iustice Maurice Fitz Gerald had latelie woone. This incounter,
in which Richard Marshall was thus taken, chanced on a saturdaie, being
the first of Aprill; and on the 16 of the same moneth, by reason of the
wound which he had receiued, he departed this life.
We find also that the bishop of Winchester, and his sonne (or kinsman
as some haue called him) Peter de Riuales had procured the king to send
commission vnder his seale vnto the foresaid noble men in Ireland, that
if the said Richard Marshall earle of Penbroke chanced to come thither,
they should doo their best to take him, and in reward of their paines,
they should inioy all his lands and possessions which he held in that
countrie. But after his death, and when the king had remooued those his
councellers from him, he confessed he had put his seale to a writing,
but that he vnderstood what were the contents thereof he vtterlie
denied. Finallie, this was the end of the worthie earle of Penbroke
Richard Marshall, a man worthie to be highlie renowmed for his approued
valiancie. His death suerlie was greatlie bewailed of king Henrie,
openlie protesting that he had lost the worthiest capteine that then
liued.
[Sidenote: _Polydor._]
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]
[Sidenote: Gilbert Marshall earle of Penbroke.]
After this, the lords that had remained in Wales, by safe conduct came
to the king, and through the diligent trauell of the archbishop of
Canturburie, he receiued them into fauour. Amongst them were these men
of name, Gilbert Marshall the brother of the foresaid Richard Marshall,
Hubert earle of Kent, Gilbert Basset, and Richard Sward, beside diuerse
other. Vnto Gilbert Marshall he deliuered his brothers inheritance, and
vpon Whitsundaie made him knight, giuing vnto him the rod of the office
of Marshall of his court, according to the maner, to vse and exercise
as his ancesters had doone before him. And herewith the earle of Kent
Gilbert Basset and Richard Sward were receiued againe into the court,
and admitted to be of the kings priuie councell.
[Sidenote: Officers called to accounts.]
Soone after this, Peter de Riuales, Stephan Segraue, & Robert Passelew
were called to accounts, that it might appeare how the kings treasure
was spent, and how they had vsed themselues with the kings seale. The
two last remembred kept themselues out of the waie, and could not be
found. Stephan Segraue shrowding himselfe in secret within the abbeie
of Leicester, and Robert Passelew feining himselfe sicke, kept within
the new temple at London. Peter de Riuales also, with his father
the bishop of Winchester, tooke sanctuarie at Winchester, for they
were afraid least their bodies should not be in safetie if they came
abroad, bicause they vnderstood that their manours and grange places
were spoiled and burnt by those that bare them displeasure. Howbeit at
length, vnder the protection of the archbishop of Canturburie, they
came to their answer, & were sore charged for their vniust dealing,
traitorous practise, and great falshood vsed in time of their bearing
office, and (as it appeareth by writers) they could but sorilie cleare
themselues in those matters wherewith they were charged: but yet by
reason of their protection they were restored to the places from whence
they came, or else otherwise shifted off the matter for the time, so
that we read not of anie great bodilie punishment which they should
receiue as then. In the end they were pardoned & reconciled to the
kings fauor, vpon paiment of such fines as were assessed vpon them.
[Sidenote: The truce ended.]
[Sidenote: Welshmen sent ouer to the aid of the earle of Britaine.]
[Sidenote: The earle of Britaine submitteth himselfe to the French
king.]
This yeare, bicause the truce ended betwixt the kings of England and
France, king Henrie sent ouer to aid the earle of Britaine, thréescore
knights, and two thousand Welshmen, the which when the French king came
with his armie to enter and inuade Britaine, did cut off and take his
cariage laden with vittels, armor, and other prouision, ouerthrowing
also no small number of the Frenchmen, and taking from them their
horsses, they returned backe in safetie, without any great damage
receiued. Notwithstanding this, the French king inforcing againe his
power, waxed too strong for the earle of Britaine, so that he was
constreined to take a truce to indure till the feast of all saints,
that he might in the meane time vnderstand if the king of England would
come ouer with some puissant armie to his aid or no: but bicause it was
perceiued in the end that the said earle of Britaine sought nothing
else but how to get monie out of king Henries coffers, and to doo him
no pleasure for it, bicause he was in manner at an other agréement
alreadie with the king of France, king Henrie refused to satisfie his
requests at such time as he came ouer vnto him (after the taking of
that truce) for more monie. Herewith also the said erle being offended,
got him backe into his owne countrie, and shortlie after apparantlie
submitted himselfe to the French king, which (as the report went) he
had doone before in secret.
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 19. 1235.]
[Sidenote: _Polydor._]
[Sidenote: _Fabian._]
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]
These things being thus brought to passe, and all troubles quieted,
the king as then being at London, there was brought before him by
one Tolie, a complaint exhibited against the [2] Iewes of Norwich,
which had stolen a yoong child, being not past a twelue moneths old,
and secretlie kept him an whole yeare togither, to the end that he
might (when Ester came) crucifie him in despite of our sauiour Iesus
Christ, and the christian religion. The matter as it happened fell out
well for the lad: for within a few daies before that those curssed
murtherers purposed to haue shed this innocents bloud, they were
accused, conuicted and punished, whereby he escaped their cruell hands.
About the same time, to wit the seauenth of Februarie died Hugh de Wels
bishop of Lincolne, a great enimie to moonks and religious men. Robert
Grosted was then preferred to his roome, a man of great learning, and
trained vp in schooles euen from his infancie.
[2] Sée the like in pag. 96.
[Sidenote: The emperor Frederike marieth the king of Englands sister.]
[Sidenote: A great and sumptuous feast.]
The same yeare, the emperour Frederike the second, maried the ladie
Isabell the kings sister. This Isabell was a most beautifull ladie,
of comelie personage, and of age about one and twentie years. She was
affianced by procuracie, about the seauen and twentith of Februarie.
And after Easter, the archbishop of Cullen, and the duke of Louane came
ouer from the emperour, to haue the conueiance of hir vnto the emperors
presence. There was such a feast holden, so sumptuous seruice, so rich
furniture, and roiall banketting kept the day before hir departure
from London towards the sea side, that more could not be imagined. The
same feast was kept at Westminster on the fift day of May, and the day
following she did set forward, and by easie iournies came to Sandwich,
the king bringing hir thither with thrée thousand horsses. Finallie,
she tooke the sea the eleuenth of May, the king taking leaue of hir not
without teares, when they thus departed the one from the other. And so
with prosperous wind and weather shée arriued at Antwerpe, and from
thence passed forward, till shée came to hir husband the emperour, by
whom shée was receiued with great ioy and comfort at Worms, where the
marriage was consummate vpon a sundaie, being the two and twentith day
of Iulie, or (as Matthew Westminster saith) the seauen and twentith of
May, being Whitsunday.
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]
[Sidenote: Vsurers called Caorsini, of whome sée more in pag. 364.]
This yeare the bishop of London pronounced the sentence of
excommunication against certeine vsurers called Caorsini. But bicause
the same vsurers shadowed themselues vnder the pretext of the popes
merchants (as they named themselues) they preuailed so much by the
fauour of the court of Rome, that the said bishop being sicke and
féeble, was cited peremptorilie in the parts beyond the seas, before
iudges chosen foorth by the same vsurers, to make answer for such high
iniurie as he had here doone to the popes factors. The bishop willing
by the example of Sem, rather to couer his fathers shame, than to
reueale it to the whole world, did quietlie put vp the matter: and with
commendable patience receiued the proffered wrong, hauing learned this
lesson, that
Gaudet patientia duris,
[Sidenote: The bishop of London his doctrine.]
and to pacifie the trouble, suffered their wickednesse, commending
in the meane while the cause vnto his patrone S. Paule. And when he
preached of the force of faith, he vttered this saieng: If an angell
preach contrarie doctrine to vs in these things, let him be accurssed.
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 20.]
[Sidenote: 1236.]
[Sidenote: King Henrie marrieth the ladie Elianor daughter to the earle
of Prouance.]
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]
In the twentith yeare of king Henries reigne, in the Aduent time,
the noble baron the lord Robert Fitz Water departed this life, and
so likewise did a noble yong man descended of most noble parentage
one Roger de Somerie. On the fouretéenth day of Ianuarie insuing, the
king married the ladie Elianor, daughter to the earle of Prouance
named Raimond. This marriage was solemnised at Canturburie, and in
the octaues of S. Hilarie next insuing being sunday, shée was crowned
quéene of England at Westminster. At the solemnitie of this feast and
coronation of the quéene, all the high péeres of the realme, both
spirituall and temporall, were present there to exercise their offices
as to them apperteined.
[Sidenote: The earle of Chester.]
[Sidenote: The constable of Chester.]
[Sidenote: The earle of Penbroke.]
[Sidenote: The ward[=e]s of the cinque ports.]
The citizens of London were there in great arraie, bearing afore hir
in solemne wise, thrée hundred and thréescore cups of gold and siluer,
in token that they ought to wait vpon hir cup. The archbishop of
Canturburie (according to his dutie) crowned hir, the bishop of London
assisting him as his deacon. The earle of Chester bare the sword of
saint Edward before the king, in token that he was earle of the palace,
and had authoritie to correct the king, if he should sée him to swarue
from the limits of iustice, his constable of Chester attended vpon him,
and remooued where the presse was thicke, with his rod or warder. The
earle of Penbroke high Marshall bare the rod before the king, and made
roome before him, both in the church and in the hall, placing euerie
man, and ordering the seruice at the table. The wardens of the cinque
ports bare a canopie ouer the king, supported with foure speares.
[Sidenote: The earle of Leicester.]
[Sidenote: Erle Warren.]
[Sidenote: The earle of Hereford.]
[Sidenote: Lord William Beauchampe.]
[Sidenote: The citizens of London.]
[Sidenote: The citizens of Winchester.]
[Sidenote: A parlement at London.]
[Sidenote: _Polydor._]
The earle of Leicester held the bason when they washed. The earle of
Warren, in the place of the erle of Arundell, bicause he was vnder age,
attended on the kings cup. M. Michaell Bellet was Butler by office. The
earle of Hereford exercised the roome of high Marshall in the kings
house. The lord William de Beauchampe was almoner. The chéefe iustice
of the forrests on the right hand of the king remooued the dishes on
the table, though at the first he was staied by some allegation made to
the contrarie. The citizens of London serued out wine to euerie one in
great plentie. The citizens of Winchester had ouersight of the kitchin
and larderie. And so euerie person (according to his dutie) exercised
his roome: and bicause no trouble should arise, manie things were
suffered, which vpon further aduise taken therin were reformed. The
chancellor and all other ordinarie officers kept their place. The feast
was plentifull, so that nothing wanted that could be wished. Moreouer,
in Tuthill field roiall iustes were holden by the space of eight daies
togither. And soone after the king called a parlement at London, where
manie things were enacted for the good gouernment of the realme, and
therewith the king demanded a subsidie.
[Sidenote: Strange sights.]
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]
¶ About the same time woonderfull strange sights were séene. In the
northparts of England, not farre from the abbie of Roch or Rupie,
there appeared comming foorth of the earth companies of armed men on
horssebacke, with speare, shield, sword, and baners displaied, in
sundrie formes and shapes, riding in order of battell, and incountering
togither: and this sight was séene sundrie daies ech after other.
Sometime they séemed to ioine as it had béene in battell, and fought
sore; and sometime they appeared to iust and breake staues, as it had
béene at some triumphant iusts of tornie. The people of the countrie
beheld them a farre off, with great woonder: for the thing shewed so
liuelie, that now and then they might sée them come with their emptie
horsses sore wounded and hurt: and then men likewise mangled and
bléeding, that pitie it was to sée them. And that which séemed more
strange and to be most maruelled at, the prints of their féet appeared
in the ground, and the grasse troden downe in places where they had
béene séene. The like sight was also séene more apparentlie in Ireland,
and in the parts thereabout.
[Sidenote: Great raine.]
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]
[Sidenote: _Matth. West._]
[Sidenote: A great thunder.]
[Sidenote: A drie summer.]
Immediatlie followed, or rather precéeded passing great tempests of
raine, which filled the earth full of water, and caused monstruous
flouds: for this raine continued all the space of the moneths of
Ianuarie, Februarie, and a great part of March; and for eight daies it
rained (as some write) in maner without ceassing: and vpon the tenth of
Februarie, immediatlie after the change of the moone, the Thames rose
with such an high tide, that boats might haue béene rowed vp and downe
in Westminster hall. In the winter before, on the twentith of December,
there chanced a great thunder, and on the first fridaie in December,
which was the fift of that moneth, there was a counterfet sunne séene
beside the true sunne. Moreouer, as in the spring precéeding there
happened sore and excéeding great raines, so in the summer following
there chanced a great drouth, continuing by the space of foure moneths
or more.
[Sidenote: Gilbert Norman founder of Merton abbeie.]
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 21.]
[Sidenote: High tides.]
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]
[Sidenote: Wisbech people perishing by rage of waters.]
This yeare was a parlement holden at Merton, a towne in Surrie, distant
from London 7 miles, where was an abbeie of regular canons founded by
one Gilbert a lord of Normandie, that came into the realme with William
conquerour. At this parlement, diuerse good & profitable lawes were
made and established, which yet remaine in vse, bearing the name of
the place where they were first ordeined. ¶ In the beginning of the
21 yeare of king Henries reigne, on the morrow after the feast of S.
Martine, and certeine days after, the sea burst out with such high
tides and tempests of wind, that the marrish countries néere to the
same were drowned vp and ouerflowen: and beside great heards and flocks
of cattell that perished, there was no small number of men lost and
drowned. The sea rose continuallie in flowing the space of two daies
and one night, without ebbing, by reason of the mightie violence of
contrarie winds. At Wisbech also, and in villages thereabouts, the
people were drowned in great numbers, so that in one village there were
buried an hundred corpses in one daie. Also the daie before Christmasse
éeue, there chanced a great wind, with thunder and raine, in such
extreame wise, that manie buildings were shaken and ouerthrowen.
[Sidenote: 1237.]
[Sidenote: A subsidie.]
In a parlement holden at Westminster about the octaues of the
Epiphanie, the king required a subsidie of his subiects, which request
was not verie well taken, but yet at length, vpon promise that he would
be good lord vnto them, and not séeke to infringe and disanull the
grants which he had made by pretense of want of the popes confirmation
(as it was thought he meant to doo) they agréed to giue him the
thirtith part of all moueable goods, as well of the spiritualtie as the
temporaltie, reseruing yet to euerie man his readie coine, with horsse
and armour, to be imploied for the profit of the common-wealth. In
consideration of which grant, the king being of perfect age, and in his
owne rule and full gouernance, of his frée and méere good will, at the
request, and by counsell of the lords of his realme, eftsoones granted
and confirmed the liberties and customes conteined in the two charters,
the one called Magna charta, and the other Charta de foresta, with this
addition following added in the end.
The confirmation of the charters, vnder the kings acknowledgement and
subscription of witnesses.
Nvnc autem concessimus, & hac præsenti charta confirmauimus omnibus
prædictis de regno nostro, omnes libertates & liberas consuetudines
contentas in chartis nostris, quas eis fidelibus nostris fieri fecimus
cùm in minori essemus ætate, scilicet in Magna charta nostra, quàm
in charta de Foresta. Et volumus pro nobis, & hæredibus nostris,
quòd præfati fideles nostri, & successores, & hæredes eorum habeant,
& teneant in perpetuum omnes libertates & liberas consuetudines
prædictas, non obstante quòd prædictæ chartæ confectæ fuerint cùm
minoris essemus ætatis, vt prædictum est, hijs testibus, Edmundo Cant.
archiepiscopo, & omnibus alijs in Magna charta nominatis. Dat. per
manum venerabilis patris Cicestriensis episcopi, cancellarij nostri 28
die Ianuarij, Anno Regni nostri 21.
* * * * *
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]
Beside the confirmation of these charters, the king further to win the
fauour of his people, was contented to remooue and sequester from him
diuerse of his councellours that were thought not to be well minded
towards the aduancement of the common-wealth, and in their places to
admit the earle of Waren, William de Ferrers, and Iohn Fitz Geffrey,
who were sworne to giue to the king faithfull counsell, and in no
wise to go out of the right waie for any respect that might otherwise
mooue them. ¶ About the first daie of March, there began sore raine
and tempestuous weather, whereof insued great flouds, as before in the
beginning of the yeare passed, had chanced, though not dooing so much
hurt as before.
[Sidenote: Iohn Scot earle of Chester departed this life.]
[Sidenote: _Ran. Higd._]
[Sidenote: His sisters.]
Iohn Scot also earle of Chester and Huntington died at Deren hall the
seuenth daie of Iune, without issue, and was buried at Chester. He was
poisoned by the diuelish practise of his wife daughter to Leolin prince
of Wales (as Matt. Paris saith.) He had foure sisters, of whom the
first named Margaret was married to Allen of Gallowaie, by whom she had
issue a daughter named Deuorgoill; which Deuorgoill was married to Iohn
Balioll, by whom she had issue Iohn Balioll that was afterward king of
Scotland. The second named Isabell, was married to Robert le Bruis.
The third named Mawd, died without issue. And the fourth called Alda,
was married to Henrie Hastings. But bicause the land perteining to the
earledome of Chester, should not go amongst rocks and distaues, hauing
such roiall prerogatiues belonging thereto, the king seized them into
his owne hands, and in recompense assigned other lands to the forsaid
sisters, as it had béene by way of exchange.
Now sith the earles of Chester (I meane those of the line of Hugh
Lupus) tooke end in this Iohn Scot; I haue thought it not impertinent
for the honor of so noble a linage, to set downe the descent of the
same earles, beginning at the foresaid Hugh the first that gouerned
after the conquest, as I haue séen the same collected out of ancient
records, according to their true succession in seauen descents one
after another, as here followeth.
The true genealogie of the famous and most honourable earles of Chester.
Hugh Lou or Lupus, first earle of Chester after the conquest, nephue to
William Conquerour by his sister Margaret, wife to Richard Vicount of
Auranches, married a noble ladie named Armetruda, by whom he had issue
Richard that succéeded him in the earledome, Robert abbat of saint
Edmundsburie, and Otuell. He departed this life about the yéere of our
Lord 1102, when he had béene earle about 40 yéeres.