Vnguibus & raris vellentem dentibus herbas,
Hirtus erat crinis, caua lumina, pallor in ore,
Labra incana situ, scabri rubigine dentes,
Dura cutis, per quàm spectari viscera possent,
Ossa sub incuruis extabant arida lumbis,
Ventris erat pro ventre locus, pendêre putares
Pectus & à spinæ tantummodo crate teneri,
Auxerat articulos macies, genuúmque tumebat
Orbis, & immodico prodibant tubere tali, &c.
[Sidenote: A parlement.]
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]
[Sidenote: Hurtred, a messenger fr[=o] the pope.]
[Sidenote: The Welshmen spoile Penbrokeshire.]
This yeare after Easter a parlement was holden at London, in the which
manie weightie matters were intreated of touching the kings causes,
namelie, about the conquest of the realme of Naples, the pope having
sent a messenger named Hurtred for the discharge of monie, which the
pope had receiued of merchants, as it were to the kings vse, and
entred bonds for the paiment thereof. Also, whereas the king was sore
disquieted for the warre which the Welshmen made against him, he
asked aduise of the states, how he might procéed to séeke his iust
reuenge of them, who by reason of their good hap were become verie
stout and loftie, and had of late by the expiring of a truce which
had béene accorded betwixt them, spoiled and wasted the most part of
Penbrokeshire, of which iniurie the earle of Penbroke, namelie William
de Valence, sore complained.
[Sidenote: Variance betwixt the earle of Penbroke and others.]
But whereas the king knowing him to be rich, willed him to lay out
some great portion of monie, towards the maintenance of his wars, the
erle tooke great displeasure therewith, as though the king had made
that request by the suggestion and setting on of some of the English
lords, in somuch that words passed in displeasant sort betwixt him and
the earles of Glocester and Leicester, so far foorth, that the earle
of Penbroke called the earle of Leicester traitor, who therewith made
towards him, to haue reuenged the iniurie, and so would haue doone
indéed, if the king had not béene moderator betwixt them. Finallie at
this parlement the lords told the king that they might not aid him with
any great summes of monie, except it should redound to their great
impouerishment: they told him also, that he had not doone wiselie to
enter into couenants, for the purchase of the kingdome of Naples for
his sonne, without their consents.
[Sidenote: The archbishop of Yorke depriued of his crosse.]
[Sidenote: Mansuetus the popes Nuncio.]
They also declared to him, what articles it should be good for him to
propone vnto the pope, if he would haue him to continue in bearing
the charges of the wars against Manfred. But when those articles were
afterwards presented to the pope, he allowed them not, & so the matter
remained without any certeine assurance of the promises, which had
béene and still were from time to time made to set the king on dotage.
The archbishop of Yorke had his crosse taken from him by the popes
commandement, but the archbishop would not yet bow his knée vnto Baall,
to bestow the benefices of his church vpon aliens, and such as were
vnworthie persons, as it had béene to cast pearles vnto swine. ¶ There
came from the pope as his Nuncio, vnto king Henrie, a frier minor named
Mansuetus, furnished with great power and authoritie, in somuch that he
tooke vpon him to absolue men for changing their vowes, and to iustifie
those that were exc[=o]municated persons, false periured, and such
like. Wherevpon, manie of euill disposition presumed to offend: for
easinesse to purchase pardon bred boldnesse in manie, howbeit the wise
séemed to laugh at such dooings.
[Sidenote: The parlement proroged.]
The parlement still continued, till the sundaie after the Ascension
day, with hard hold betwixt the king and the lords, who laid it
sore to his charge, that he had not performed the promises which
he made touching the obseruing of the liberties conteined in the
great charter. They also complained greatlie of his misgouernance,
in that he so much aduanced the Poictouins and other strangers, to
the impouerishment of himselfe, and the whole realme, and further,
mainteined them so far foorth, that they were readie to offer wrong
vnto other, vpon presumption of his favour and bearing with them, he
hauing by commandement restreined that no processe should passe out of
the chancerie against certeine of them that were his coosins, as the
earle of Penbroke and others. Finallie, when the lords were in doubt
which way to worke for their owne safeties, they caused the parlement
to be proroged till the feast of saint Barnabe, then to begin againe
at Oxford. In the meane time the lords of the realme, as the earles
of Glocester, Leicester, Hereford and Northfolke, with other, did
confederate themselues togither, bicause they stood in feare to be
intrapped by the kings subtill sleights, and by the craftie wiles of
those strangers whom he reteined against them.
[Sidenote: A late growth.]
[Sidenote: A dearth accompanied with a death.]
In the same yeare by the wind, which continuallie certeine months
togither kept northerlie, the flours, with other growing things, were
so hindered, that scarselie they appeared to anie purpose, till the
most part of Iune was past, wherevpon the hope of receiuing the fruits
of the earth was quite taken away, & so vpon the great dearth that
happened, a sore death and mortalitie followed, for want of necessarie
food to susteine the pining bodies of the poore people. They died so
thicke, that there were great pits made in churchyards to laie the dead
bodies in one vpon an other.
[Sidenote: Seuall archb. of Yorke departeth this life.]
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]
[Sidenote: The kings halfe brethren.]
About the feast of the Ascension, Seuall the archbishop of Yorke
departed this life, who constantlie had resisted the tyrannie of the
court of Rome, in defense of his church, suffering in this world
manie gréeuous tribulations, but now was remooued from thense vnto
the kingdome of heauen, to be crowned with the elect for his good
deseruings, as was then certenlie beléeued. About this time a great
number of Poictouins were come into England, by reason of their
aliance and coosinage to the king, the which by the kings fauour being
highlie aduanced, began to wax proud thereof, and to require to be
restored vnto such lands and liuings as before time they had possessed:
namelie the kings halfe brethren, Athelmare or Odomare, that was a
préest, with William, Geffrey and Guie, these were the sonnes of
Hugh le Brun earle of Marsh, by his wife quéene Isabell, the mother
of king Henrie, and being come into England, they shewed themselues
verie loftie & high-minded, partlie, bicause of their coosinage to
the king, & partlie by reason of his courteous interteining of them,
insomuch that forgetting themselues, they began to despise (vpon a
presumptuous pride) the English nobilitie, looking still for preferment
of honor aboue all other. And surelie Odomare obteined at the first
a great péece of his purpose, being made by the kings gift bishop of
Winchester, and by that means bare a stout port, and greatlie holpe and
mainteined his other brethren.
[Sidenote: _Insanum parliamentum._]
[Sidenote: The demand of the lords.]
The English barons not well able to suffer such presumption in
strangers, who séemed to haue them in derision, complained to the
king, in so much that at length, as well for a reformation hereof, as
in other things, a parlement was called (as before you haue heard)
first at London, and after reiorned to Oxenford, there to be assembled
about the feast of saint Barnabe in the moneth of Iune. This (of
some writers) is named Insanum parliamentum, that is to say, The mad
parlement; for at this parlement (to the which the lords came with
great retinues of armed men, for the better safegard of their persons)
manie things in the same yeare enacted contrarie to the kings pleasure,
and his roiall prerogatiue. For the lords at the first determined to
demand the confirmation of the ancient charter of liberties, which his
father king Iohn had granted, and he himselfe had so often promised to
obserue and mainteine, signifieng plainelie, that they meant to pursue
their purpose and intent herein, not sparing either for losse of life,
lands or goods, according to that they had mutuallie giuen their faiths
by ioining of hands, as the manner in such cases is accustomed. Besides
the grant of the great charter, they required other things necessarie
for the state of the common-wealth, to be established and enacted.
[Sidenote: Ordinances made.]
[Sidenote: An oth exacted of the king.]
It was therefore first enacted, that all the Poictouins should auoid
the land, togither with other strangers, and that neither the king nor
his sonne prince Edward should in anie secret manner aid them against
the people. Moreouer, that the king & his sonne should receiue an
oth, to stand vnto the decrées and ordinances of that parlement, and
withall spéed to restore the ancient lawes and institutions of the
realme, which they both did, rather constreined therevnto by feare,
than of anie good will. Thus not onelie the king himselfe, but also his
sonne prince Edward receiued an oth, to obserue the ordinances of that
parlement. But Iohn earle Warren, and the kings halfe brethren, namelie
the earle of Penbroke refused that oth; and likewise the lord Henrie,
sonne to the king of Almaine, excused himselfe by his fathers absence,
without whose consent he would not receiue it, vnto whome this answer
was made, that if his father would not consent to the agréement of the
baronage, he should not possesse one furrowe of land within this realme.
[Sidenote: The earle of Leicester threateneth the earle of Penbroke.]
[Sidenote: The kings halfe brethren shift awaie.]
[Sidenote: They depart the Realme.]
Also, whereas the earle of Leicester resigned the castels of
Killingworth and Odiham into the kings hands, which he had latelie
receiued by his gift, and newlie repaired, the earle of Penbroke and
his other brethren sware déepelie, that they would for no mans pleasure
giue ouer such castels, rents, and wardships of theirs, as they had of
the kings gift. But the earle of Leicester told the earle of Penbroke
flatlie and plainlie, that he should either render them vp, or else
he should be sure to lose his head. This saieng was confirmed by the
generall voices of all other the barons, bicause it was a speciall
article concluded amongst other in that parlement. The kings halfe
brethren, perceiuing which waie the world went, stood in doubt of
themselues, and secretlie therevpon departing from Oxenford, first
withdrew vnto Winchester, where Odomare, one of the same brethren was
bishop, through whose support, and by reason of the strength of such
castels as he held, they trusted to be in more safetie: but finallie,
perceiuing themselues not to be so out of danger, sith the barons
minded to pursue them, about the eightéenth daie of Iulie they departed
the realme with a great number of other of their countriemen; and
amongest those, William de saint Herman the kings caruer was one.
[Sidenote: Henrie M[=o]ntfort pursueth the kings half brethren.]
[Sidenote: They sent to the French K.]
[Sidenote: Richard Gray capteine of Douer castell, and lord warden of
the ports.]
Henrie Montfort, sonne to the earle of Leicester, vnderstanding of
their departure out of the realme, followed; and hearing that they were
arriued at Bullogne, he landed in those parts, & by such fréendship
as he found there amongst those that bare good will vnto his father,
he got togither a power, and after a manner besieged the Poictouins
within Bullogne, laieng watch for them in such sort, both by sea and
land, that there was no waie left for them to escape. When they saw
themselues in that danger, they sent a messenger with all post hast to
the French king, requiring his safe conduct, to passe fréelie through
his realme, as they trusted he would be content to grant vnto such, as
for refuge and safegard of life should repaire vnto him for comfort.
The French king courteouslie granted their request, and so they were in
safetie permitted to passe quietlie through the countrie. In the meane
while one Richard Gray, chatellaine of Douer castell, a right valiant
man and a faithfull, suffered no man to passe that waie vnsearched,
according to that which he had in commandement: wherevpon he tooke &
seized into his hands a great portion of treasure, which was brought
thither to be transported ouer to the Poictuins that were fled out of
the realme. Also, there was found a great quantitie of treasure in the
new temple at London, which they had gathered & hoorded vp there, which
also was seized to the kings vse.
[Sidenote: _Matt. West._]
[Sidenote: Foure and twentie gouernurs.]
[Sidenote: The abuses of those gouernurs.]
But now to returne vnto the dooings in the parlement holden at Oxford.
It was ordeined (as some write) that the king should choose twelue
persons of the realme, and the communaltie of the land should choose
other twelue, the which hauing regall authoritie in their hands,
might take in charge, the gouernance of the realme vpon them, &
should from yeare to yeare prouide for the due election of iustices,
chancellors, treasurors, and other officers, and sée for the safe
kéeping of the castels which belonged to the crowne. These foure and
twentie gouernours appointed as prouiders for the good gouernement of
the realme, began to order all things at their pleasure, in the meane
time not forgetting to vse things chéeflie to their own aduantages, as
well in prouiding eschets and wards for their sonnes and kinsfolks,
as also in bestowing patronages of churches (belonging to the kings
gift) at their pleasures, so that these prouiders séemed to prouide all
for themselues, in so much that neither king nor Christ could receiue
ought amongst them: and as for iustice they regarded nothing lesse,
their minds were so rauished with desire of priuat wealth; which who so
hunteth after, being in place of magistracie, he must néeds neglect the
law and course of equitie, and therefore this counsell is good which a
good writer giueth in this behalfe, saieng;
[Sidenote: _M. Pal. in Virg. Fabian._]
Si iustus vult esse aliquis non vtile quærat,
Iusticia est multis laudata, domestica paucis.
There be that write, how there were but twelue of these gouernours
chosen; whose names were as followeth. First, the archbishop of
Canturburie, the bishop of Worcester, Roger Bigod earle of Northfolke
and marshall of England, Simon de Mountfort earle of Leicester, Richard
de Clare earle of Glocester, Humfrey Bohun earle of Hereford, the
earles of Warwike and Arundell, sir Iohn Mansell chéefe iustice of
England, sir Roger lord Mortimer, sir Hugh Bigod, sir Peter de Sauoy,
sir Iames Audeley, and sir Peter de Mountfort. To these was authoritie
onelie giuen to punish and correct all such as offended in breaking of
any the ordinances at this parlement established.
[Sidenote: Contention betwixt the earles of Leicester and Glocester.]
[Sidenote: The lords come to the Guildhall to haue their ordinances
confirmed.]
It was not long after the finishing of this parlement, but that
strife and variance began to kindle betwéene the king and the earles
of Leicester and Glocester, by reason of such officers as the said
earles had remooued, and put others in their roomes: among the which
Iohn Mansell was discharged of his office, and sir Hugh Bigod, brother
to earle Marshall, admitted in his roome. Also bicause the foresaid
gouernours had knowledge that the king minded not to performe the
ordinances established at Oxford, they thought to make their part
as strong as was possible for them to doo, and therefore vpon the
morrow after the feast of Marie Magdalene, the king as then being at
Westminster, the earle Marshall, the earle of Leicester, and diuerse
other came to the Guildhall of London, where the maior and aldermen,
with the commons of the citie were assembled, and there the lords
shewed the instrument or writing sealed with the kings seale, and
with the seales of his sonne prince Edward, and of manie other lords
of the land, conteining the articles of those ordinances which had
béene concluded at Oxford, willing the maior and aldermen to set also
therevnto their common seale of the citie. The maior and aldermen vpon
aduise amongst them taken, required respit till they might know the
kings pleasure therein, but the lords were so earnest in the matter,
and made such instance, that no respit could be had; so that in the
end the common seale of the citie was put to that writing, and the
maior with diuerse of the citie sworne to mainteine the same, their
allegiance saued to the king, with their liberties and franchises,
according to the accustomed manner.
[Sidenote: A proclamation against purueiers.]
[Sidenote: A parlement.]
[Sidenote: The iustices sit at S Sauiours.]
[Sidenote: Bailiffes and other officers punished.]
[Sidenote: Bakers punished.]
Vpon the ninth day of August, proclamation was made in diuerse places
of the citie, that none of the kings takers should take any thing
within the citie, without the will of the owner, except two tunnes of
wine, which the king accustomablie had of euerie ship comming from
Burdeaux, paieng but 40 shillings for the tun. By meanes of this
proclamation, nothing was taken by the kings officers within the citie
and liberties of the same, except readie paiment were made in hand,
which vse continued not long. Herevpon the king held a parlement at
Westminster, and another at Winchester, or else proroged and remoued
the same thither. Also sir Hugh Bigod lord chéefe iustice, with Roger
Turksey, and other called Itinerarij, kept the terme for plées at saint
Sauiours: for you must vnderstand, that in those daies they were kept
in diuerse places of the realme, which now are holden altogither at
Westminster, and iudges ordeined to kéepe a circuit, as now they kéepe
the assises in time of vacation. The foresaid iudges sitting on that
maner at saint Sauiours, punished bailiffes, and other officers verie
extremelie, which were conuict afore them for diuerse trespasses, and
speciallie for taking of merciaments otherwise than law gaue them.
After this, the same sir Hugh came vnto the Guildhall, and there sat in
iudgement, and kept plées without order of law; yea contrarie to the
liberties of the citie, he punished bakers for lacke of true size, by
the tumbrell: where before they were punished by the pillorie, & manie
other things he vsed after such manner, more by will than good order of
law.
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]
[Sidenote: The Poictouins suspected to haue poisoned ye English
lords.]
[Sidenote: Walter Scotonie arreigned and condemned.]
[Sidenote: He suffereth.]
There was a bruite raised (whether of truth or otherwise we leaue to
the credit of the authors) that the Poictouins had practised to poison
the most part of the English nobilitie. Indéed diuers of them were
gréeuouslie tormented with a certeine disease of swelling and breaking
out, some died, and othersome verie hardlie escaped, of which number
the earle of Glocester was one, who laie sicke a long time at Sunning a
place besides Reading. At length he recouered: but his brother William
died of the same disease, and vpon his death-bed laid the fault to
one Walter Scotenie, as the occasioner of his death, which afterwards
cost the said Walter his life. For although he was one of the chéefe
councellors, and steward also to the said earle of Glocester, yet
being had in suspicion, and thervpon apprehended and charged with
that crime, when in the yeare next following in Iune he came to be
arreigned at Winchester, and put himselfe to be tried by a iurie, the
same pronounced him guiltie: and when those that were impanneled vpon
that iurie were asked by the iudges how they vnderstood that he should
be giltie, they answered, bicause that where the said Walter was neuer
indebted, that they could heare of, either to William de Valence, or
to any of his brethren, they were fullie certified that he had of late
receiued no small sum of monie of the said W. de Valence to poison both
his maister and other of the English nobilitie as was to be thought,
sith there was no other apparant cause why he should receiue such a
gift at the hands of their enimie the said William de Valence, and so
was the said Walter executed at Winchester aforesaid.
[Sidenote: A late haruest.]
[Sidenote: Dearth of corn increaseth.]
[Sidenote: Fasts & processions vsed.]
The haruest was verie late this yeare, so that the most part of the
corne rotted on the ground, and that which at length was got in,
remained yet abrode till after Alhallowentide, so vntemperate was the
weather, with excessiue wet and raine beyond all measure. Herevpon
the dearth so increased, that euen those which had of late reléeued
other, were in danger to starue themselues. Finallie solemne fasts
and generall processions were made in diuerse places of the realme
to appease Gods wrath, and (as it was thought) their praiers were
heard, for the weather partlie amended, and by reason the same serued
to get in some such corne as was not lost, the price thereof in the
market fell halfe in halfe. A good and memorable motiue, that in such
extremities as are aboue the reach of man to redresse, we should by
and by haue recourse to him that can giue a remedie against euerie
casualtie. For
Flectitur iratus voce rogante Deus.
[Sidenote: Richard Gray, lord warden of the ports.]
[Sidenote: Erlotus the popes Nuncio returneth home.]
Richard Gray the chattellaine of Douer looking diligentlie vnto his
charge, tooke a thousand marks which the bishop of Winchester had sent
thither to haue béene transported ouer into France. Erlotus the popes
Nuncio perceiuing the trouble that was like to insue within the realme
would no longer tarie, but wiselie departed and got him home. Herewith
certeine wise personages were sent to Rome on the part of the king and
baronage, to informe the pope in what state the realme stood, and to
giue him to vnderstand how gréeuouslie the people had béene handled by
the practise of certeine Romane prelats promoted in this land.
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]
[Sidenote: The lord of Kedwellie slaine.]
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._]
This yeare néere to Carmardin Patrike of Chauton lord of Kedwelli, Hugh
de Viun, and diuerse other both horsmen and footmen were slaine through
treason by the Welshmen: yet it should appeare by Matthew Paris that
the Englishmen procured this mischéefe to light on their owne heads,
through their disloiall dealing. For where they were come to the place
to talke of an agréement, some of the marchers supposing they had béene
too strong for the Welshmen, persuaded the said lord of Kedwellie to
assaile them vpon the sudden, in hope to haue destroied them all: but
in the end the Englishmen were distressed through the valiancie of
Dauid one of the sonnes of the great Leolin and other capteines of
the Welsh nation. Neuerthelesse Matthew Westminster saith brieflie,
that the English men were treasonablie slaine: so that it séemeth that
Matthew Paris speaketh rather of an affection and good will which he
bare to the Welsh procéedings in those daies, than otherwise.
[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._ not well affected towards the gouernement of
the realme as it then stood.]
For who so marketh the course of his historie, shall perceiue that he
had no good liking of the state in those daies, neither concerning the
ecclesiasticall nor temporall policie, in somuch that he sticketh not
to commend the Welshmen greatlie for their holding togither, against
the oppression (as he meaneth it) of the English gouernement, and no
doubt there was cause that mooued him to such misliking, namelie the
often paiments and collections of monie by the popes agents, and other
such misorders as dailie were permitted or rather mainteined to the
impouerishing of both estates spirituall and temporall.
[Sidenote: Godfrey de Kinton archbishop of Canturburie.]
[Sidenote: An ordinance against extortion.]