married Maud the daughter of Stephan erle of Blois, Charters and
Champaigne, and sister to K. Stephan. This Richard with his brother
Otuell was drowned in the seas, in the yéere of our Lord 1120, as
before hath béene shewed, after he had béene earle about nintéene
yeares.
3 Ranulfe or Randulfe the first of that name called Bohun, and
otherwise Mestheins, the sonne of John de Bohun, and of Margaret,
sister to Hugh Lupus, succéeded Richard, as cousin and heire to him
in the earldome of Chester, and was the third earle in number after
the conquest. He married Maud the daughter of Auberie de Vere earle of
Gisney and Oxenford, by whome he had issue Ranulfe surnamed Geruous the
fourth earle of Chester. He died about the yere of our Lord 1130, after
he had continued earle eight yeares.
4 Ranulfe or Randulfe Bohun, the second of that name, and fourth erle
in number after the conquest, surnamed Geruous, succéeded his father,
and married Alice, daughter to Robert erle of Glocester, base sonne to
king Henrie the first by whome he had issue Hugh Keuelocke, the fift
earle of Chester. He deceassed about the yeare of our Lord 1153, when
he had béene earle 29 yeares.
5 Hugh Bohun otherwise Keuelocke, the sonne of the said Ranulfe, was
the first earle of Chester after the conquest, and second of that name.
He married Beatrice, daughter to Richard Lucie lord chéefe iustice
of England, by whom he had issue Ranulfe the third of that name, and
foure daughters, Mawd married to Dauid that was earle of Angus and
Huntington and lord of Galloway, Mabell maried to William Dalbegnie
earle of Arundell, Agnes maried to William Ferers earle of Derbie, and
Hauisa ioined in marriage with Robert Quincie, a baron of great honour.
This Hugh died about the yeare 1181, when he had béene earle eight and
twentie yeares.
6 Ranulfe Bohun the third of that name, otherwise called Blundeuille,
the sonne of Hugh Keuelocke, was the sixt earle of Chester after the
conquest. He was also earle of Lincolne as next cousine and heire to
William Romare earle of Lincolne. He had thrée wiues (as before yée
haue heard) but yet died without issue, about the yeare of our Lord
1232, after he had béene earle 51 yeares.
7 Iohn Scot the sonne of Dauid earle of Angus & Huntington, was in the
right of his mother the seuenth earle of Chester after the conquest.
He died without issue (as before yée haue heard) by reason whereof,
the erldome came into the kings hands in the yeare 1237. Thus much may
suffice (with that which is said before) touching the descent of the
earles of Chester. And now to procéed.
* * * * *
[Sidenote: Cardinall Otho or Othobon.]
[Sidenote: The lords grudge at the king for receiuing the cardinall
without their knowledge.]
The same yeare that Iohn Scot died, cardinall Otho (by some writers
named Othobon) about the feast of S. Peter and Paule came into England
from pope Gregorie. He was receiued with all honour and solemne
reuerence as was decent, yea and more than was decent, the king
méeting him at the sea side. His comming was not signified afore to
the nobles of the realme, which caused them to mislike the matter, and
to grudge against the king, séeing that he did all things contrarie to
order, breaking law, faith, and promise in all things. He hath coupled
himselfe (said they) in mariage with a stranger, without consent of
his fréends and naturall subiects, and now he bringeth in a legat
secretlie, who will take upon him to make an alteration in the whole
state of the realme.
[Sidenote: The legat praised for his sober behauiour.]
But this legat shewed himselfe a verie sober and discréet person, not
so couetous as his predecessors, in so much that he refused diuerse
gifts which were offered vnto him, though some he receiued, and indéed
commanded the other to be reserued for him. He also distributed
liberallie the vacant rents vnto such as he brought with him, as well
persons worthie as vnworthie, and pacified such controuersies as were
sproong betwixt the nobles and péeres of the realme, so that he made
them fréends. ¶ An act memorable & to be kept in record, that the
instrument and seruant of so bad a maister as he serued, namelie the
pope, should be the procurer of so good a worke: considering that from
the sée of Rome full tides and violent streames of seditions haue
flowed, and verie seldome any occasion or means made to plant peace
among men, which is the daughter of loue, and the worthiest thing that
is, as one saith verie well in these words:
Gignit amor pacem, pax est dignissima rerum.
[Sidenote: A tournie at Blie.]
[Sidenote: Earle Bigot.]
The bishop of Winchester, the earle of Kent, Gilbert Basset, Stephan
Siward & others were by him accorded, who had borne secret grudge ech
to other a long time, which hatred was at point to haue broken foorth,
and shewed it selfe in perilous wise at a tornie holden at Blie in the
beginning of Lent, where the Southernmen stroue against the Northerne
men, and in the end the Southerne men preuailed, and tooke diuerse of
their aduersaries, so that it séemed not to be a triumphant iustes, but
rather a sharpe challenge and incounter betwixt enimies. But amongst
all others, earle Bigot bare himselfe verie stoutlie.
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 22.]
[Sidenote: The legat holdeth a synod at London.]
[Sidenote: 1238.]
[Sidenote: The legat commeth to Oxford.]
[Sidenote: A fraie betwixt the legats men, and the scholers of Oxford.]
After that the legat had thus agréed the noblemen, he assembled a synod
at London, the morrow after the octaues of S. Martin, wherein manie
ordinances were newlie constituted for the state of the cleargie, but
not altogither verie acceptable to diuerse yoong préests and scholers
(as some write) in somuch that the legat afterwards comming to Oxford,
and lodging in the abbie of Osnie, it chanced as certeine scholers
pressed to the gates thinking to come in and doo their dutie (as they
tooke the matter) vnto the legat, the porter kept them backe, and gaue
them ouerthwart words, wherevpon they rushed in vpon him, & so began a
fraie betwixt them and the legats men, who would haue beaten them backe.
[Sidenote: A cookes almes.]
[Sidenote: The legats cooke slaine.]
It fortuned in this hurlie burlie, that a poore Irish scholer being
got in néere to the kitchin dresser, besought the cooke for Gods sake
to giue him some reliefe: but the cooke (as manie of that calling are
cholerike fellowes) in a great furie tooke yp a ladle full of hot
broath out of a kettell wherein flesh had béene sodden, and threw it
right vpon the Irishmans face, which thing when another Welsh scholer
that stood by beheld, he cried out; "What meane we to suffer this
villanie," and therewithall tooke an arrow, and set it in his bow,
which he had caught vp in his hand at the beginning of the fraie, and
drawing it vp to the head let flie at the cooke, and so slue him there
outright.
[Sidenote: The legat complaineth to the king.]
[Sidenote: The earle Waren sent to apprehend the offendors.]
Herevpon againe noise and tumult rose round about the house, the legat
for feare got him into the belfraie of the abbeie, where he kept
himselfe close till the darke of the night had staied the vprore, and
then stale foorth, and taking his horsse escaped as secretlie as he
could ouer the Thames, and rode with all spéed to the court, which laie
not farre off at Abington, and there made his complaint to the king, in
such lamentable wise, that he foorthwith sent the earle Waren with a
power of armed men, to fetch awaie the residue of the legats seruants
which remained behind in the abbeie, and to apprehend the chiefe
offenders.
[Sidenote: The legat curseth.]
[Sidenote: The regents of ye Vniuersitie absolued.]
[Sidenote: _Polydor_.]
The earle comming thither, tooke thirtie scholars, with one master Odo
a lawier, and brought them to Wallingford castell, and there committed
them to prison. The legat also in reuenge of the iniurie in this
wise to him doone, pronounced the cursse against the misdooers, and
handled the matter in such wise, that the regents and masters of the
Vniuersitie were at length constreined to come vnto London, & there
to go bare-footed through Cheapeside, vnto the church of S. Paule,
in such wise to aske him forgiuenesse, and so with much adoo they
obteined absolution. This legat among other things demanded soone after
the tenth part of all spirituall mens yearelie reuenues, towards the
maintenance of the wars against the Saracens in Asia.
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris_. The emperor of Constantinople c[=o]meth
into England.]
[Sidenote: The countesse of Penbroke, sister to the king married to
Simon de Montford.]
[Sidenote: _Polydor._]
Moreouer, the emperour of Constantinople, namelie, Baldwine sonne to
Peter earle of Ausserre, being expelled out of his empire, came this
yeare into England, to sue for aid: but at his first arriuall at Douer,
he was told, that he had not doone well to come so presumptuouslie
into the land of another prince, without his safe conduct. But when
the said emperour séemed to be sorie for his offense, and to excuse
his innocencie and sincere meaning, the king was pacified, & willed
him to come to London, where at his comming thither, being the 22 daie
of Aprill, he was honorablie receiued, and at his departure with rich
gifts highlie honored, so that he had awaie with him to the value
of about seuen hundred marks as was reported. About this time also,
Elianor the kings sister (that was sometime wife vnto William Marshall
earle of Penbroke) was now by the kings meanes married the second time
to Simon Montford, a man of high parentage and noble prowesse.
This Simon was indowed with such vertue, good counsell, courteous
discretion, and other amiable qualities, that he was highly fauoured as
was supposed, both of God and man: in somuch that he might right well,
as for birth, so also for education and good demeanour be counted (as
he deserued) a notable Noble man, for he was so qualified as standeth
with the nature of true nobilitie, according to that of the poet,
----non census, nec clarum nomen auorum,
Sed probitas magnos ingeniúmque facit.
[Sidenote: The archbishop of Canturburie displeased with the marriage.]
Notwithstanding all which noble indowments concurring in him, he was
banished out of France, vpon displeasure, which Blanch the quéene
mother conceiued against him. But now comming into England, he was
ioifullie receiued of king Henrie, who not onelie gaue vnto him (as
aboue is mentioned) his sister in mariage with the earledome of
Leicester in name of a dowrie, but also aduanced him vnto offices of
greatest honour within the realme of England. Howbeit, this marriage
was verie displesant vnto Edmund the archbishop of Canturburie bicause
that the foresaid Elianor, after the death of hir first husband, had
vowed perpetuall chastitie, and betaken hir (as was said) to the
mantell and the ring.
[Sidenote: He goeth to Rome to c[=o]plaine of the king.]
[Sidenote: The earle of Cornewall is also offended for the same
marriage.]
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]
As the prelat was not pleased with this match, so the king was as
highlie offended with the archbishop for not fauouring the cause, in
somuch that the archbishop went soone after to Rome, where he not onlie
complained of certeine iniuries receiued latelie at the kings hands,
but also signified the estate of this marriage, to procure a diuorce.
In like manner, Richard the kings brother found great fault with the
king for the same matter, but chieflie, that he stroke it vp without
making him and other of the Nobles of councell therein. To be short,
it was not long yer this grudge grew so far, that ciuill war was verie
likelie to haue followed thervpon. But when the king saw that all
the lords leaned to his brother, he sought to pacifie the matter by
courteous means, and so by mediation of the legat, the king and his
brother were reconciled, to the great griefe of the lords, which had
brought the matter now to that point, that the king could not haue so
resisted their force, but that they were in good hope to haue deliuered
the realme out of bondage from all manner of strangers, as well of
those Romans that were beneficed men, as of anie other.
[Sidenote: The earle of Leicester gathereth monie.]
[Sidenote: He goeth to Rome to get a dispensation or rather
confirmation of his marriage.]
Simon the earle of Leicester also perceiuing how the matter went,
made shift another waie to get all the monie he could in prest or
otherwise (insomuch that he had of one burges of Leicester, named Simon
Curleuath, fiue hundred markes) and leauing his wife in the castell
of Kelingworth, he secretlie departed out of the realme, and got him
to Rome, to purchase a confirmation of his marriage which he easilie
obteined, notwithstanding the archbishop of Canturburies former and
verie vehement information against him, and so hauing brought his
purpose about, in the latter end of this yéere, he returned into
England, and was ioifullie receiued, first of the king and after of his
wife, whome he found at Kelingworth, néere to the time of hir trauell,
and shortlie after deliuered of a yoong sonne, whom they called Simon
after the name of his father.
[Sidenote: Aid sent foorth of England to the emperour.]
[Sidenote: Henrie Trubleuille. Iohn Mansell.]
[Sidenote: Wil. Hardell.]
At the same time, Frederike the emperour going into Italie, had a great
number of English souldiers with him, which king Henrie furnished for
his aid, vnder the leading of a right valiant warriour, named Henrie
de Trubleuille, with whome went also Iohn Mansell, whose valiancie in
that iournie well appeared, and William Hardell a citizen of London
was treasurer and paimaister to the souldiers. Herewith the pope was
sore offended, and wrote his mind thereof to the king, who foorthwith
returned an eloquent answer, requiring him to be more fauourable to the
emperour, considering his cause was such as could not iustlie offend
his holinesse. About the same time, or rather (as by some writers
it should appeare) somwhat before, the kings sister Ioane quéene
of Scotland, comming into England to sée hir brother, fell into a
sicknesse, and died.
[Sidenote: The bishop of Winchester departeth this life.]
Moreouer, the archbishop of Canturburie returned into England, who
at his comming to Rome, obteined little or nothing touching the suit
which he had before the pope, for (as some haue written) the legat Otho
being his heauie fréend, had so stopped the popes eares from hearing
any of his complaints, that all his whole trauell did come to none
effect. In like manner, Peter des Roches bishop of Winchester died
this yeare in his manor at Farnham, about the ninth of Iune, which
prelat had gouerned that sée about 32 yeares. He was a man of great
wisedome and dexteritie in ordering of weightie affaires touching the
state of temporall regiment. He builded manie goodlie monasteries, as
the abbeies of Hales, Tikborne and Seleborne with the hospitall at
Portesmouth. He made also a notable testament, and besides his bequests
which were great, he left his bishoprike so stored and throughlie
furnished, that there was not so much diminished of that which he found
at his comming in value, as the cattell that serued to draw the verie
ploughs.
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]
[Sidenote: A naughtie wretch meant to haue destroied the K.]
About this time, a learned esquire, or rather a clearke of the
vniuersitie of Oxenford, bearing some malice toward the king, fained
himselfe mad, and espieng thereby the secret places of his house at
Woodstoke where he then laie, vpon a night by a window he got into
the kings bedchamber, and comming to the beds side, threw off the
couerings, and with a dagger strake diuerse times into a pillow,
supposing that the king had béene there, but as GOD would, that night
the king laie in another chamber with the quéene. In the meane time,
one of the quéenes chambermaids named Margaret Biset, hauing espied
the traitor, made an outcrie, so that the K. seruants which came to
vnderstand what the matter meant, presentlie apprehended the said
clearke, who being conueied to Couentrie, was there arreigned, and by
lawfull proofe had of his malicious intent, was condemned, and executed
as a traitor. At his death he confessed, that he was sent from [3]
William de Marisch the sonne of Geffrie de Marisch to murther the king
by such manner of means, not caring what had become of himselfe so he
might haue dispatched his purpose.
[3] Sée his end in pag. 393.
¶ These practises of treason In summo gradu, which cannot be committed
without irrecouerable detriment to the whole estate (speciallie where
succession is vncerteine) are of an old brewing, though they be
neuer so newlie broched. And truelie if the curssed miscreant which
vndertaketh an enterprise of this qualitie, had the grace to consider
how manie murthers he commiteth by implication in giuing the roiall
person of the prince a deadlie wound; I doubt not, if he were a man and
not a ranke diuell, he would be weaned from that outragious villanie.
For, in wounding and killing the prince, he is guiltie of homicide, of
parricide, of christicide, nay of deicide. And therefore a thousand
woes light on his hart that shall stretch out his hand, naie that
shall once conceiue in thought a murther so heinous, as both God and
nature dooth abhorre; speciallie if it be commensed against a christian
prince, and such a one as to whome true and vndefiled religion is no
lesse pretious and déere than life itselfe. Princes therefore had néed
to sée to the safegard of their persons, sithens the safetie of many
millians dependeth therevpon. For certeine it is, that the state of a
poore priuat man is lesse perillous by manie degrées than the state of
a potentat, which is ment by this true allegorie following.
[Sidenote: _Seneca in Octa. & Hippol._]
Quatiunt altas sæpè procellæ,
Aut euertit fortuna domos;
Minùs in paruis fortuna furit,
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 23. 1239.]
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]
[Sidenote: Variance betwixt the king and the earle of Penbroke.]
[Sidenote: Simon earle of Leicester fled ouer into France.]
In the thrée and twentith yeare of his reigne, king Henrie held his
Christmasse at Winchester, where a great grudge arose betwixt him and
Gilbert the earle of Penbroke, by reason that the said earle with his
seruants (hauing tipstaues) in their comming to the court, were not
suffered to enter within the gates but were kept backe by the porters
and other. Of which iniurie when he had complained, the king made
him such an ouerthwart answer, that the earle perceiuing him not to
like verie well of his seruice, departed foorthwith, and rode into
the North countrie, so that from that daie foorth, neither he nor his
brother Walter loued the king as they ought to haue doone. Soone after
this departure of earle Gilbert, vpon Candlemas day the king gaue
the earldome of Leicester vnto Simon de Mountford, and inuested him
thereinto, hauing first pacified earle Almerike that was elder brother
to the same Simon. Yet about the beginning of the next August, the
king was so incensed against earle Simon, that both he and his wife
were glad to get them ouer into France, till the kings wrath were more
pacified.
[Sidenote: The birth of king Edward the first.]
[Sidenote: _Polydor._]
[Sidenote: A strange star.]
Vpon the sixtéenth day of Iune, the kings eldest sonne named Edward,
and after surnamed Longshanke by the Scots in mockage, bicause he was a
tall and slender man, was borne at Westminster, who after his fathers
decease, succéeded him in the kingdome. ¶ Before the birth of this
Edward, there appeared earlie in the morning certeine daies togither
before the sunne was vp, a star of a large compasse, the which with
swift course was caried through a long circuit of the aire, sometimes
shewing as it had borne fire with it, and sometimes leauing as it were
smoke behind it, so that it was after iudged, that the great déeds
which were to be atchiued by the same Edward, were by this wonderfull
constellation foreshewed and signified.
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]
[Sidenote: Ranulfe Briton taken out of his house, and led to the tower.]
About the same time, by reason of an accusation made by a prisoner
against Ranulfe Briton (sometime the kings chancellour, but now leading
a priuat life, being a canon of the cathedrall church of S. Paule in
London) the same Ranulfe (by commandement from the king sent to the
maior of the citie William Ioiner) was taken out of his house, had
to the tower, and there imprisoned, whervpon the deane of Paules,
maister G. Lucie, in absence of the bishop accurssed all those that
had presumptuouslie attempted to laie hands on the said Ranulfe, and
further, he put his owne church of saint Paule vnder interdiction.
[Sidenote: Great raine.]
To conclude, through threatning of excommunication to be pronounced
against the king, and other for this fact by the legat and the
bishops of the realme as namelie, Canturburie and London, the king
was compelled to release and set at libertie the foresaid Ranulfe.
Finallie, the prisoner that had accused the said Ranulfe and other,
being one of the kings purseuants, when for his wicked dooings he came
to suffer death, openlie confessed, how he had accused those persons,
onelie in hope to deferre his owne execution, being conuicted as
accessarie to the treason of the clearke that suffered at Couentrie
the last yeare. He had accused not onelie the said Briton, but diuers
of the nobilitie also to be priuie and giltie of the same conspiracie.
¶ This yeare for the space of foure moneths togither, fell excéeding
great raine, yet at length it began to hold vp about Easter.
[Sidenote: The legat beginneth to looke to his owne c[=o]moditie.]
[Sidenote: Sir Robert de Twing.]
In this while, the lords of the realme practised sundrie drifts
likewise, as men that would faine haue béene rid of the legats
companie: but the king did what he could on the otherside (by sending
to the pope for licence) to haue him remaine still here, who began now
indéed to look to his owne profit, as by waie of procuracies and other
meanes, so that he got togither great summes of monie, although in the
beginning he séemed to forbeare, and not to séeke for anie such gaine.
Also, he tooke vpon him to bestow benefices without consent of the
patrones that were temporall men, wherevpon complaint was made to the
pope, namelie, by one sir Robert de Twing, who claimed as patrone the
presentation of the rectorie of Luthun in Yorkeshire, and could not be
permitted to inioy it, by reason of the popes prohibition, but vpon the
hearing of his title in the popes consistorie, he obteined letters from
the pope to be restored, and also an inhibition, that from thencefoorth
no person should be promoted to anie spirituall benefice or church,
without consent of the patrone. The king and the péeres of the realme
vnderstanding themselues to be touched in this wrong offered to this
knight, had written in his fauour to the pope, so that his suit had the
better successe.
[Sidenote: The Iewes punished by the pursse.]
[Sidenote: A synod holden at London.]
Moreouer, the Iewes in this yeare, for a murther which they had
secretlie committed, were gréeuouslie punished, namelie by the pursse
to buy their peace, & they were glad to giue the king the third part
of all their goods. The legat also assembled a synod of the clergie at
London vpon the last of Iulie, in the which he demanded procuracies,
but the bishops vpon deliberation had in the matter, answered, that
"the importunatnes of the Romane church had so often consumed the
goods of the English church, that they could no longer suffer it," and
therefore said they; "Let them giue you procuracies which vnaduisedlie
haue called you into the realme, if they will, for of vs you shall be
sure to come by none at all," howbeit he got his demand of the abbats
and other religious men.