traitor to strike at his bellie, warded the blowe with his arme: and as
the Saracen offered to haue striken againe, he thrust him backe to the
ground with his foot, and catching him by the hand, wrested the knife
from him, and thrusting him into the bellie, so killed him, though in
strugling with him, he was hurt againe a little in the forhead: and
his seruants withall comming to helpe him, one of them that was his
musician, got vp a trestill and stroke out the braines of the traitor,
as he laie dead on the ground, and was blamed of his master for
striking him, after he saw him once dead before his face, as he might
perceiue him to be. Some write, that this traitor was sent from the
great admerall of Iapha, on message to the prince Edward, and had béene
with him diuerse times before, & now making countenance to take forth
letters, got foorth his knife, and attempted so to haue wrought his
feat. Whatsoeuer the man was, the prince was in great danger, by reason
of the enuenimed knife wherewith he was wounded, so that it was long
yer he could be perfectlie whole. These Saracens called Arsacidæ, are a
wicked generation of men, infected with such a superstitious opinion,
that they beléeue heauenlie blisse is purchased of them, if they can
by anie means slea one of the enimies of their religion, & suffer
themselues for that fact the most cruell death that may be deuised.
¶ Prince Edward, after he was whole and recouered of his wounds,
perceiuing that no such aid came into these parts out of christendome,
as was looked for, tooke a truce with the enimies of our faith, and
returned towards England, as hereafter shall be shewed.
[Sidenote: 1272.]
[Sidenote: _Nic. Triuet._]
[Sidenote: _Matt. West._]
[Sidenote: The decease of the king of Almaine.]
[Sidenote: His issue.]
[Sidenote: Edmund, erle of Cornewall.]
On the fourth nones of Aprill (as some saie) or in the moneth of
Februarie (as other write) in the six and fiftith yeare of K. Henries
reigne at Berkhamstéed, died Richard king of Almaine and earle of
Cornewall, and was buried in the abbeie of Hailes which he himselfe had
founded: he was a worthie prince, and stood his brother king Henrie
in great stead; in handling matters both in peace and warre. He left
behind him issue begotten of his wife Sanctla two sonnes, Edmund and
Henrie. This Edmund was he that brought the blood of Hailes out of
Germanie: for as he was there vpon a time with his father, it chanced
that as he was beholding the relikes, and other pretious monuments
of the ancient emperors, he espied a box of gold: by the inscription
whereof he perceiued (as the opinion of men then gaue) that therein was
conteined a portion of the bloud of our sauiour.
[Sidenote: The blood of Hailes.]
[Sidenote: Ashrug abbeie built.]
[Sidenote: Bonhommes.]
He therefore, being desirous to haue some part thereof, so intreated
him that had the kéeping of it, that he obteined his desire, and
brought it ouer with him into England, bestowing a third part thereof
after his fathers deceasse in the abbeie of Hailes, as it were to
adorne and inrich the same, bicause that therein both his father and
mother were buried; and the other two parts he did reserue in his owne
custodie, till at length mooued vpon such deuotion as was then vsed;
he founded an abbeie a little from his manour of Berkhamstéed: which
abbeie was named Ashrug, in the which he placed moonks of the order of
Bonhommes, being the first that euer had béene séene of that order here
in England. And herewith he also assigned the two other parts of that
bloud to the same abbeie. Wherevpon followed great resort of people to
those two places, induced therevnto by a certeine blind deuotion.
[Sidenote: The L. Henrie sonne to the K. of Almaine murdered in
Italie.]
[Sidenote: Robert Kilwarbie archbh. of C[=a]turburie.]
Henrie the brother of this Edmund, and sonne to the foresaid king of
Almaine, as he returned from Affrike, where he had béene with prince
Edward, was slaine at Viterbo in Italie (whither he was come about
businesse which he had to doo with the pope) by the hand of Guie de
Montfort, the sonne of Simon de Montfort earle of Leicester, in reuenge
of the same Simons death. This murther was committed afore the high
altar, as the same Henrie knéeled there to heare diuine seruice. The
foresaid Guie vpon that murther committed, fled vnto his father in law,
the earle of Anguilare, then gouernour of Tuskain. There was at Viterbo
the same time Philip king of France, returning homewards from the
iournie which his father made into Affrike, where he died. Also Charles
king of Sicill was there present, whome the said Guie then serued. Both
those kings were put in much blame, for that the murther and wilfull
escape was doone and suffred in their presence and no pursuit made
after the murtherer. Boniface the archbishop of Canturburie, when he
had ruled the sea seauen and thirtie yeares, departed this life: and
after his deceasse, about two yeares or more, was one Robert Kilwarbie
appointed in his place by pope Gregorie, which Robert was the six and
fortith archbishop that had gouerned the sée of Canturburie.
[Sidenote: A fraie betwixt the moonks and citizens of Norwich.]
[Sidenote: Thirtie of the citizens of Norwich hanged and burnt.]
About the moneth of Iune there fell great debate and discord betwixt
the moonks of Norwich and the citizens there; which increased so
farre, that at length the citizens with great violence assaulted the
monasterie, fired the gates, and forced the fire so with réed and drie
wood, that the church with the bookes, and all other ornaments of the
same, and all houses of office belonging to that abbeie were cleane
burned, wasted, and destroied, so that nothing was preserued except
one little chapell. The king hearing of this riot, rode to Norwich,
and causing inquirie to be made thereof, thirtie yoong men of the
citie were condemned, hanged and burnt, to the great gréefe of the
other citizens, for they thought that the priour of the place was the
occasion of all that mischéefe, who had got togither armed men, and
tooke vpon him to kéepe the belfraie and church by force of armes:
but the prior was well inough borne out, and defended by the bishop
of Norwich, named Roger, who (as it is likelie) was the maister of
the mischéefe, though hands were not laid vpon him nor his adherents:
perhaps for feare, peraduenture for fauour; & no maruell though the
lesse faultie lost their liues as most guiltie, for
----rarus venator ad vrsos
Accedit, tutos conseruat sylua leones,
Debilibus robusta nocent, & grandia paruis,
Ales fulminiger timidos infestat olores,
Accipiter laniat turdos mollésq; columbas,
Versicolor coluber ranas miserásq; lacertas,
Irretit muscas transmittit aranea vespas.
[Sidenote: A iusts and tornie holden at Chalons.]
The king returning by saint Edmundsburie, after he had doone his
deuotions to S. Edmunds shrine, began to waxe somewhat crasie: but
after hauing a little recouered his health, he called a councell
there, wherein he went about to haue taken order for the punishment of
rebels: but his sicknesse againe renewing, he brake vp the assemblie,
and with all spéed hasted to London. Prince Edward vpon his returne
out of the holie land came to Chalons in Burgogne, & at the request of
the earle he did attempt with his companie panic to hold a iustes and
tournie against the said earle & all other commers. And though through
disdaine and spite there was homelie plaie shewed, vpon purpose to put
the Englishmen to the foile & reproch; yet by high valiancie prince
Edward and his companie bare themselues so worthilie, that in the end
the aduersaries were well beaten, and constreined to leaue the honor
of that enterprise to the said prince Edward and his partakers. After
this, he kept on his iornie till he came vnto Paris, where he was
honourablie receiued of the French king, and from thence he went to
Burdeaux, and there remained till after his fathers death.
[Sidenote: An. Reg. 57.]
[Sidenote: King Henrie departeth this life.]
[Sidenote: The earle of Glocester.]
[Sidenote: The issue of king Henrie the third.]
In this meane time king Henrie, being returned to London from saint
Edmundsburie (as before yée haue heard) his sicknesse so increased
vpon him, that finallie he departed at Westminster on the sixtéenth
day of Nouember, in the yeare of our Sauiour 1272, after he had liued
thréescore and fiue yeares, and reigned fiftie and six yeares, and
seauen and twentie daies. A little before his death, when he perceiued
that he could no longer liue, he caused the earle of Glocester to
come before him, and to be newlie sworne to kéepe the peace of the
land, to the behoofe of his sonne prince Edward. His bodie was buried
at Westminster. He had issue by his wife quéene Elianor two sonnes,
the foresaid Edward, prince of Wales, that succéeded him; and Edmund
earle of Lancaster, by some authors surnamed Crouchbacke, though (as
other affirme vntrulie) that this Edmund was the elder brother: but
bicause he was a deformed person, therefore his yonger brother Edward
was preferred to the kingdome, which was deuised of purpose to conueie
a right to king Henrie the fourth, which fetched the descent from the
said Edmund, and by force vsurped and held the crowne, as after it
may appeare. Moreouer, king Henrie had thrée daughters by the said
Elianor, as Margaret maried to Alexander king of Scots, Beatrice whom
the duke of Britaine had to wife, and Catharine which died before she
was mariable.
[Sidenote: His proportion of bodie.]
[Sidenote: His conditi[=o].]
He was of bodie well cast and strong, of a good stature in heigth,
well fauoured of face, with the lid of one of his eies comming downe,
so as it almost couered the apple of the same eie. Of nature he was
courteous, and of stomach rather noble than stout; a deuout prince and
liberall towards the poore and néedie. Yet he wanted not dispraise
in some points, namelie for that in ordering of things and weightie
affaires, he vsed small consideration. He was also noted to be a great
taker of monie by loanes, taxes, and subsidies: but therevnto he was
inforced by necessitie, to beare the charges of warre and other publike
affaires, than of any couetous mind or purpose to serue his owne turne.
¶ What capteins of honour among the nobilitie liued in his time, it may
appeare by the course of the historie of his age.
Of sundrie learned men these we find mentioned in maister Bales
centuries and others. Walter of Couentrie an historiographer: Radulphus
Niger that wrote both histories and other treatises, Geruasius de
Melkelie, Albricius of London, Robert Curson a man excellentlie learned
both in diuine and humaine letters, so that comming to the court of
Rome he there grew in such estimation, that he became a cardinall, of
whom we find this recorded by Matthew Westminster and Matthew Paris.
[At the taking of Damiate, a citie in Aegypt, there was with Pelagius,
the cardinall of Alba, the popes legat, master Robert Curson an
Englishman a most famous clerke, borne of a noble house, and cardinall
of the church of Rome.] These are reported to florish in the daies both
of king Iohn and king Henrie his sonne.
In the said kings time also there liued other learned men, as these;
Hugh Kirkestéed, Richard of Elie, Peter Henham, Iohn Giles or de Sancto
Egidio an excellent physician, Caducan a Welshman borne and bishop
of Bangor, Alexander a singular learned man that wrote diuerse and
manie treatises as well in diuinitie as philosophie and humanitie,
both in verse and prose; also Stephan Langton, that for his singular
knowledge was made high chancellor of the vniuersitie of Paris, and
at length was admitted archbishop of Canturburie, against the will of
king Iohn, in which quarell so great trouble insued, as before yée
haue partlie heard; Rafe Coggeshall also liued in king Henries daies,
that wrote the appendix vnto the chronicle of Ralfe Niger, he was
abbat of Coggeshall abbeie in Essex, whereof he tooke his surname:
William Lanthonie, Peter of S. Sauior, a canon of the house called S.
Sauior, or of the trinitie by London; Alexander Hailes a frier of the
order of the minors, who wrote manie treatises in diuinitie; Richard
surnamed Medicus a most learned physician, and no lesse expert in
philosophie and the mathematicals. There be also remembred by maister
Bale, Randulfe the earle of Chester, the third and last of that name,
who hauing great knowledge and vnderstanding in the lawes of this land,
compiled a booke of the same lawes, as a witnesse of his great skill
therein: Alexander Wendocke bishop of Chester, Iohn Blund, Edmund Rich,
Robert Rich, Henrie Bracton, that excellent lawier, who wrote the booke
commonlie called Bracton after his name, intituled De consuetudinibus
Angiicanis; Richard surnamed Theologus, Walter de Euesham, Ralfe
Fresborne, Laurence Somercote, brother as it is thought to Robert
Somercote, at that time a cardinall of the Romane church; Nicholas
Fernham a physician, Robert Bacon a notable diuine, Simon Langton,
brother to the archbishop of Canturburie Stephan Langton; Richard
Fisaker, Simon Stokes, Iohn of Kent or Kantianus, William Shirwood,
Michaell Blaunpaine, Iohn Godard, Vincent of Couentrie, Alberike Véer,
Richard Wich, Iohn Basing aliàs de Basingstoke, Roger Waltham, William
Seningham, Robert Crosted that learned bishop of Lincolne, whose
memorie amongst the learned will remaine while the world lasteth.
Thus farre Henrie the third.
Transcriber's Notes:
Simple spelling, grammar, and typographical errors were
corrected.
Punctuation normalized.
Anachronistic and non-standard spellings retained as printed
except as noted below.
The author's usage of accents was inconsistent. Specifically
accented "ée" is far more prevalent than "ee" even for the same
word. Changed all instances of "ee" to "ée"
Italics markup is enclosed in _underscores_.
P. 341 footnote is actually "Sée pag." in the original. As it
doesn't appear cutoff this must have been a typo by omission.
Symbols for Diacritical Marks
(In the table below, the "x" represents a letter with a
diacritical mark.)
diacritical mark sample above below
macron (straight line) ¯ [=x] [x=]