the K. with monie, towards the paiments of his debts, by obteining
certeine autentike seales of the prelats of this land, wherewith he
signed certeine instruments and writings, wherein was expressed, that
he had receiued diuerse summes of monie for dispatch of businesse
perteining to them and to their churches, of this and that merchant of
Florence or Siena, whereby they stood bound for repaiment thereof by
the same instruments and writings so made by him their agent in their
names. This shift was deuised by the said bishop of Hereford, with
licence obteined therevnto of the king, and also of the pope, vnto
whome for the same intent the said bishop was sent, with sir Robert
Walerane knight. The pope was the sooner persuaded to grant licence for
the contriuing of such manner of shift, bicause the monie should go
to the discharging of the kings debts, into the which he was run, by
bearing the charges of the warres against the king of Sicill.
[Sidenote: A parlement.]
[Sidenote: Richard earle of Cornewall standeth against his brother for
the grant of a subsidie.]
[Sidenote: The liberties of London seized into the kings hands.]
About the feast of saint Edward, the parlement began againe at London,
in which the states treated of a subsidie to be granted to the king,
but they could not conclude thereof, neither would Richard earle of
Cornewall disburse anie monie at that season to his brother the king,
bicause he allowed not the maner of laieng it out for the warres
against Manfred, being taken in hand without his consent. The same
yeare, the king by the procurement of his brother Richard earle of
Cornewall, had seized the liberties of the citie of London into his
owne hands, vnder colour that the maior had not doone his dutie in the
iust punishing of bakers for breaking of the assises of their bread.
Herevpon, where the maior and communaltie of the citie had by the
kings grant the citie to farme, with diuerse customes and offices, at
a certeine rate and stinted summe of monie; now the king set officers
therein at his pleasure, which were accomptable to him for all the
reuenues and profits that grew within the citie.
[Sidenote: The shiriffes of London imprisoned.]
But whereas the malice which the earle of Cornewall bare to the citie,
was, for that they would not exchange with him certeine grounds that
belonged to their communaltie, they were glad to agrée with him, and
paie vnto him six hundred marks. After which agréement concluded, about
the nintéenth daie of Nouember, they were shortlie after restored to
their liberties. This chanced before the kings comming ouer, who at
his comming to London, lodged in the tower, and vpon new displeasure
conceiued against the citie for the escape of a prisoner (being a
clearke conuict) out of Newgate, which had killed a prior, that was
of aliance to the king, as cousine to the quéene, the king sent for
the maior and the shirifs to come before him to answer the matter.
The maior laid the fault from him to the shiriffes, for so much as to
them belonged the kéeping of all the prisoners within the citie: and
so the maior returned home againe, but the shiriffes remained there as
prisoners by the space of a whole moneth or more, and yet they excused
themselues, in that the fault chéefelie rested in the bishops officers:
for whereas the prisoner was vnder his custodie, they at his request
had granted him licence to imprison the offender within their ward of
Newgate, but so as his officers were charged to sée him safe kept. The
king notwithstanding demanded of the citie thrée thousand marks for a
fine.
[Sidenote: The king demandeth monie of the Iewes.]
[Sidenote: The kings debt 300000 marks.]
[Sidenote: The earle of Cornewall lendeth the king monie.]
Moreouer, whereas he stood in great néed of monie, he required by
way of a tallage eight thousand marks of the Iewes, charging them
on paine of hanging, not to deferre that paiment. The Iewes sore
impouerished with gréeuous and often paiments excused themselues by the
popes vsurers, and reprooued plainelie the kings excessiue taking of
monie, as well of his christian subiects as of them. The king on the
other side, to let it be knowne that he taxed not his people without
iust occasion, and vpon necessitie that droue him thereto, confessed
openlie, that he was indebted by his bonds obligatorie, in thrée
hundred thousand marks: and againe, the yearelie reuenues assigned
to his sonne prince Edward, arose to the summe of fiftéene thousand
marks and aboue, where the reuenues that belonged vnto the crowne
were greatlie diminished, in such wise, that without the aid of his
subiects, he should neuer be able to come out of debt. To be short,
when he had fléeced the Iewes to the quicke, he set them to farme vnto
his brother earle Richard, that he might pull off skin and all; but
yet considering their pouertie, he spared them, and neuerthelesse, to
relieue his brothers necessitie, vpon a pawne he lent him an huge masse
of monie. These shifts did the king vse from time to time, not caring
with what exactions and impositions he burthened the inhabitants of his
land, whereby he procured vnto himselfe the name of an oppressor and
couetous scraper. But what woonder is it in a king sith
[Sidenote: _Hor. lib. 2. serm._]
Maxima pars hominum morbo iactatur eodem?
[Sidenote: An elephant sent to the K.]
[Sidenote: An ewer of pearle, peraduenture an agat.]
[Sidenote: Strange wonders. High tides. A comet.]
[Sidenote: The decease of Walter archbishop of Yorke.]
About the same time, Lewes the French king sent vnto king Henrie
for a present an elephant, a beast most strange and woonderfull to
the English people, sith most seldome or neuer any of that kind had
béene séene in England before that time. The French quéene also sent
for a present vnto the king of England an ewer of pearle like to a
peacocke in forme and fashion, garnished most richlie with gold,
siluer, and saphires to furnish him foorth in all points of fine and
cunning workemanship, to the verie resemblance of a liuing peacocke.
¶ Manie woonders chanced about this time. The sea rose with most high
tides, riuers were so filled with abundance of water, by reason of the
great continuall raine, that maruellous flouds followed therevpon. A
comet also appeared, and manie high buildings were striken by force
of tempests. The death of Walter archbishop of Yorke followed these
prodigious wonders, who had gouerned that sée the space of fortie
yeares. After him succéeded one Seuall the 34 archbishop of that citie.
[Sidenote: Elianor the wife of prince Edward c[=o]meth to the citie.]
[Sidenote: The liberties of the citie restored to the Londoners.]
About the feast of S. Etheldred, the ladie Elianor wife of prince
Edward the kings son, came to London, where she was honorablie receiued
of the citizens, & conueied through the citie to S. Iones without
Smithfield, and there lodged for a season, and yer long she remooued to
the Sauoy. It was not long after, that the king seized the liberties of
the citie of London into his hands, for certeine monie which the quéene
claimed as due to hir of a certeine right to be paid by the citizens,
so that about the feast of S. Martine in Nouember, they gaue vnto the
king foure hundred marks, and then had their liberties to them againe
restored, and the kings vnder-treasuror discharged, which for the time
was made custos or kéeper of the citie.
[Sidenote: A legat from the pope named Ruscand a Gascoigne.]
[Sidenote: Tenths gathered for the pope.]
[Sidenote: The crosse preached against Manfred.]
About the same time came another legat from the pope, namelie, one
Ruscand a Gascoigne borne, to whom, with the archb. of Canturburie,
and the bishop of Hereford, the pope had granted authoritie to collect
and gather the tenths of the spiritualtie within England, Scotland,
and Ireland, to the vse of the pope and the king, notwithstanding all
priuiledges, for what cause or vnder what forme of words so euer the
same had passed. This Ruscand also absolued the king of his vow made to
go into the holie land, to the end he might go against Manfred king of
Sicill. He also preached the crosse against the same Manfred, promising
all those remission of their sins which should go to war against
Manfred, as well as if they should go into the holie land, to warre
against Gods enimies there, whereat faithfull men much maruelled, that
he should promise as great méed for the shedding of christian bloud, as
the bloud of infidels.
[Sidenote: A councell called at London by the legat.]
The craftie and slie fetches which were vsed in this season by this
Ruscand, the bishop of Hereford, and other their complices, to get
monie of the prelats and gouernors of monasteries within this realme,
were wonderfull, & verie gréeuous to those that felt themselues
oppressed therewith; and namelie, for the debt which the said bishop of
Hereford had charged them with, they being not priuie to the receipt,
nor hauing any benefit thereby. Ruscand called a councell at London,
& propounded great causes why the prelats ought to aid the pope, and
so therevpon demanded great summes of monie. Amongst other summes, he
demanded six hundred marks of the house of S. Albons.
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]
[Sidenote: The churchmen being pinched by their pursses, fret and fume
against the popes procéedings in that behalfe.]
[Sidenote: The bishops would rather become martyrs, than lose their
monie.]
To conclude, his demands were estéemed vnreasonable, so that the
bishops and abbats were in a maruellous perplexitie, perceiuing into
what miserable state by reason of immoderate exactions the church of
England was brought. The bishop of London sticked not to saie, that
he would rather lose his head, than consent that the church should
be brought to such seruitude as the legat went about to inforce.
And the bishop of Worcester openlie protested, that he would sooner
suffer himselfe to be hanged, than to sée the church subiect to such
oppression by their examples. Other also taking a boldnesse vnto
them, affirmed, that they would follow the steps of Thomas sometime
archbishop of Canturburie, which for the liberties of the church
suffered himselfe to haue his braines cut out of his head. Yet were
those prelats euill troubled, for the king was against them on the one
side, and the pope gaping after monie was become their vtter enimie on
the other: neither were the Noble men much mooued with pitie towards
the church their mother (as the terme then went) now thus in miserie.
[Sidenote: Ruscand c[=o]plaineth to the king of the frowardnesse of the
prelats.]
[Sidenote: The bishop of London his saiengs.]
Finallie, the prelats appealed from Ruscand, vnto the popes presence,
and would not obeie the wilfull and violent oppressions of the same
Ruscand, so that much adoo there was, and a great complaint made to
the king by Ruscand, of the stubborne disobedience of the prelats, and
namelie of the bishop of London. The king was in a great chafe with
him, and threatned that he would cause the pope to punish him according
to that he well deserued: but the bishop answered thereto; "Let the
pope and king (saith he) which are stronger than I am, take from me my
bishoprike, which by law yet they cannot doo: let them take awaie my
miter, yet an helmet shall remaine."
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 40.]
[Sidenote: Edmund the kings sonne inuested king of Sicill and Naples.]
[Sidenote: _Chro. Dun._]
This yeare after S. Lukes daie, the king assembled a great number of
the nobilitie at London, and thither came the bishop of Bologna la
grasse from the pope, bringing with him a ring, with the which he
inuested Edmund the kings sonne king of Sicill and Naples. About the
same time, the burgesse of Darbie obteined of the king for a summe
of monie to haue the iustices itinerants to hold their assises at
Darbie for the countie of Darbie, and likewise the shiriffes to kéepe
their tournies there, and not at Nothingham, as before they had béene
accustomed for both the shires. But now to returne to the bishops.
[Sidenote: The councell proroged.]
[Sidenote: The K. lieth in wait for mens goods.]
In the meane time, the bishop of Hereford and Ruscand sought to set
variance and discord amongst the English prelats, whereby being diuided
in parts, and not consenting togither, they should be lesse able to
giue true information to the pope, how the verie truth rested. But
finallie, bicause the archbishop of Canturburie was in the parts beyond
the sea, and for that also the sée of Yorke was vacant, and diuerse
bishops were absent, the councell was proroged till the feast of S.
Hilarie, and so they departed euerie man to his home in a maruellous
doubt what waie were best for them to take, sith they saw themselues in
great distresse, if Ruscand did suspend or excommunicate any of them
either iustlie or otherwise. For sure they were, that the king as a
lion lieng in wait whome he might deuoure (to get monie) after fortie
daies were past, if they submitted not themselues, would spoile them
of all their goods as forfeited. So that the pope and the king séemed
as though the shéepheard and woolfe had béene confederate togither to
the destruction of the poore flocke of shéepe, threatning euerie mans
vndooing, to their owne inriching: and not ceasing, till with fulnesse
they were forced to fall from the flesh, much like bloudsucking
horsléeches of whose nature it is notablie noted, that
Non missura priùs carnem, quàm plena cruoris,
Quando hæret teneræ mollis hirudo cuti:
Sic ignara dolis emungitur ære caterua,
Imbelles populi quid nisi præda manent?
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]
[Sidenote: The Lord Gray forsaketh the court.]
Thus by reason of couetous gréedinesse to get monie for the furnishing
of the popes warres against Manfred king of Sicill, both the pope and
the king of England ran in slander and hatred of the English nation,
namelie, of the spiritualtie, so that such as recorded the acts
and dooings of that time, spared not to make manifest to the world
by their writings, how iniuriouslie they were handled, blaming the
practises of the court of Rome in plaine terms, and affirming that the
pope had power in those things which worke to edification, and not
to destruction. About this season, Iohn lord Grey, being one of the
chéefe councellors to the king, a right honourable knight, and for his
good demeanor and high valiancie greatly commended of all, withdrew
himselfe from the court, either by reason of age that desireth rest,
or rather (as was thought) for that he doubted to beare blame for such
errors as were dailie committed by them that bare rule about the king,
which could not but bring the authors into great infamie at length,
and therefore was he loth to be partaker with them of such slander as
might haue redounded to him also, if he had still continued and taried
amongst them.
[Sidenote: Iewes accused & executed for crucifieng a child at Lincolne
named Hugh.]
[Sidenote: Eightéene Iews hanged.]
Also, vpon the two and twentith of Nouember, were brought vnto
Westminster a hundred and two Iews from Lincolne, that were accused for
the crucifieng of a child in the last summer, in despight of Christes
religion. They were vpon their examination sent to the towre. The child
which they had so crucified was named Hugh, about an eight yeares of
age. They kept him ten daies after they got him into their hands,
sending in the meane time vnto diuerse other places of the realme,
for other of their nation to be present at the crucifieng of him. The
murther came out, by the diligent search made by the mother of the
child, who found his bodie in a well, on the backe side of the Iews
house, where he was crucified: for she had learned, that hir sonne was
lastlie séene plaieng with certeine Iews children of like age to him,
before the dore of the same Iew. The Iew that was owner of the house,
was apprehended, and being brought before sir Iohn de Lexinton, vpon
promise of pardon, confessed the whole matter. For they vsed yearelie
(if they could come by their preie) to crucifie one christian child
or other. The king vpon knowledge had hereof, would not pardon this
Iew that had so confessed the matter, but caused him to be executed
at Lincolne, who comming to the place where he should die, opened
more matter concerning such as were of counsell and present at the
crucifieng of the poore innocent. Wherevpon at length also eightéene
of them that were so brought to London, were conuinced, adiudged and
hanged, the other remained long in prison.
[Sidenote: 1256.]
[Sidenote: The prolocutors answer to the popes legat.]
[Sidenote: The prelats appeale.]
[Sidenote: Marke the cause of martyrdome.]
When the feast of saint Hilarie was come, the cleargie met againe at
London, and fell to intreat of their former businesse, at what time
one maister Leonard aliàs Reignold that was chosen prolocutor for all
the prelats, amongst other answers made to the legat Ruscand, when
the same Ruscand alledged that all churches were the popes; "Truth it
is," said Leonard, "to defend, and not to vse and appropriate them to
serue his owne turne; as we saie, that all is the princes, meaning
that all is his to defend, and not to spoile: and such was the intent
of the founders." Ruscand sore offended herewith, said, he would that
euerie man should speake afterwards for himselfe, that as well the pope
as the king might vnderstand what euerie man said in their businesse
and matters. The prelats were striken in a dumpe herewith, for they
perceiued how the matter went: they appealed yet against the demands
that were made by Ruscand, who would not change a word of that he had
written, in which was conteined, that the prelats had acknowledged
themselues to haue borrowed of the merchant strangers, no small summes
of monie, and the same to be conuerted to the vse of their churches,
which was most vntrue as all men well vnderstood: wherevpon the prelats
affirmed, and not without reasonable cause, that there was a greater
occasion in this cause of martyrdome, than in that of Thomas sometime
archbishop of Canturburie.
[Sidenote: The deane of saint Paules sent to Rome on the behalfe of the
prelats.]
Ruscand at length, perceiuing their manner, became somewhat more mild,
and promised that he would talke with the pope of this matter. But
first there was sent to Rome the deane of Pauls in London, and certeine
others, as attornies or agents for the whole cleargie of England.
These sped so in their suit, that the pope tooke order that if the
prelats paid the monie by force of the contriued writings, whereby they
stood bound for them, their houses, and churches; then, to ease their
burthen, they might reteine in their hands such parcell of tenths as
they ought to paie to the king, for furnishing of his wars against the
Saracens, amounting to the summe which they should be constreined to
paie for the bonds made to the merchants, by the bishop of Hereford (as
before is recited.)
[Sidenote: Mens deuotion towards the pope waxeth cold.]
In this season the deuotion, which manie had conceiued of the pope
and the church of Rome, began to wax cold, reputing the vertue which
he shewed at his entring into the papasie, to be rather a colourable
hypocrisie, than otherwise, sith his procéedings answered not to his
good beginnings: for as it was manifest, where sutors brought their
complaints into the court of Rome, such sped best as gaue most bribes,
and the two priors of Winchester, the one expelled, and the other
got in by intrusion, could well witnesse the same: and all the world
knoweth that the viperous generation of Romanists, reckoning from the
ringleader to the simplest shaueling, haue made gaine the scope of
their holinesse, and as it is truelie said,
[Sidenote: _Antith. de precl. Christi, &c._]
Quæ libet arripiunt, lucri bonus est odor ex re
Qualibet, imponunt, hos scelus omne iuuat:
Accipiunt quoduis, si non sonat ære crumena,
Siue siligo adsit, sordida siue pecus, &c.
[Sidenote: The b. of Salisburie departeth this life.]
[Sidenote: Suit of court when it was first receiued for a law.]
This yeare died William of Yorke bishop of Salisburie, which had béene
brought vp in the court, euen from his youth. This bishop first caused
that custome to be receiued for a law, whereby the tenants of euerie
lordship are bound to owe their suit to the lords court, of whom they
hold their tenements.
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]
[Sidenote: Magnus king of Man.]
In the feast of Easter this yeare, the king adorned Magnus king of
Man, with the order of knighthood, and bestowed vpon him great gifts
and honors. ¶ The countesse of Warren Auesia or Atesia (as some bookes
haue) sister to the king by his mother, departed this life in hir
flourishing youth, vnto the great griefe of hir brother, but speciallie
of hir husband Iohn earle of Waren that loued hir intierlie. ¶ About
the midst of Maie, the Iewes that were in the towre, and in other
prisons for the murther of the child at Lincolne, and had béene indited
by an inquest vpon the confession of him that had suffered at Lincolne,
were now dismissed and set at libertie, to the number of foure and
thirtie of them. ¶ In Whitsuntide was holden a great iusts at Blie,
where the lord Edward the kings eldest sonne first began to shew proofe
of his chiualrie. There were diuerse ouerthrowen and hurt, and amongst
other William de Longspée was so brused, that he could neuer after
recouer his former strength.
[Sidenote: A proclamation for knighthood.]
[Sidenote: A sore tempest of wind and raine.]
The king caused a proclamation to be set foorth, that all such as
might dispend fiftéene pounds in lands, should receiue the order of
knighthood; and those that would not or could not, should paie their
fines. This yeare, thrée daies after the feast of S. Ciricus, a
maruellous sore tempest of wind, raine, haile, and thunder chanced,
that did excéeding much hurt. Mill-whéeles by the violence of waters
were carried away, and the wind-milles were no lesse tormented with
the rage of wind. Arches of bridges, stackes of haie, houses that
stood by water sides, and children in cradels were borne awaie, that
both woonderfull and no lesse pitifull it was to sée. At Bedford the
riuer of Ouse bare downe six houses togither, and did vnspeakeable hurt
thereabouts.
[Sidenote: The king of Scots commeth into England.]
[Sidenote: Iohn Mansell feasted the two kings.]
Alexander the third king of Scots with his wife quéene Margaret, came
about the beginning of August into England, and found the king at his
manor of Woodstoke, where he solaced him a season, and had the lands
of the earle of Huntington restored vnto him, which his grandfather
king William in his time lost and forfeited. Here he did homage to
king Henrie. Upon the daie of the decollation of S. Iohn, the two
kings with their quéenes came to London, where they were honorablie
receiued, and so conueied vnto Westminster. On the day of S. Augustine
the bishop, being the eight and twentith of August, Iohn Mansell the
kings chapleine besought the two kings, and other states, to dine with
him on the morrow following, which they granted, and so he made a
maruellous great dinner. There were seuen hundred messes serued vp, but
the multitude of ghests was such, that scarse the same sufficed; his
house was not able to receiue them all, and therefore he caused tents
and booths to be set vp for them. The like dinner had not béene made
by any chapleine before that time. All those that came were worthilie
receiued, feasted and interteined, in such sort, as euerie man was
satisfied.
[Sidenote: Orders deuised for the appearance of shiriffes.]
[Sidenote: The shiriffes fined.]
[Sidenote: The king of Scots returneth into his countrie.]
About foure daies before the feast of S. Edward, K. Henrie came into
the excheker himselfe, & there deuised order for the appearance of
shiriffes, and bringing in of their accompts. At the same time also,
there was fiue marks set on euerie shiriffes head for a fine, bicause
they had not distreined euerie person that might dispend 15 pounds
land, to receiue the order of knighthood, as was to the same shiriffes
commanded. The king of Scots, after he had remained a while with the
king of England, returned backe into Scotland, and left his wife behind
with hir mother till she should be brought to bed, for she was as then
great with child.
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 41.]
[Sidenote: Richard earle of Cornewall elected emperour.]
[Sidenote: 1257.]
[Sidenote: The great treasure of Richard king of Almaine.]