About this season, the lord Richard Scroope lord chancellor was deposed
from that roome, and the king receiuing the great seale at his hands,
kept it a certeine time, and sealed therewith such grants and writings
as it pleased him: at length, it was deliuered to Robert Braibrooke
bishop of London, who was made lord chancellor. The cause why the
lord Scroope was remooued from that dignitie, was this. When the king
vpon certeine respects had granted certeine gentlemen the lands and
possessions that belonged to the late earle of March, and other that
were deceassed (which he, during the time of their heires minorities,
ought to inioy by the lawes of the realme) the said lord chancellor
refused to seale such grants, alledging that the king being greatlie
in debt, which he was to discharge, stood in need of such profits
himselfe, and therefore (as he said) he tooke not them for faithfull
seruants, nor dutifull subiects to his grace, that respecting their
owne priuat commoditie more than his or the realmes, did sue for such
grants at his hands, aduising them to hold themselues contented with
such other things, as it had pleased or might please the king to bestow
vpon them: for suerlie he would not consent, that they should inioy
such gifts as those were. They that were thus reiected, made their
complaint in such sort to the king, that he taking displeasure with the
said lord Scroope, deposed him from his office, to the great offense
both of the nobles and commons, by whose consent he was preferred vnto
that dignitie.
[Sidenote: A new rebellion intended in Norffolke is bewraied by one of
the conspiracie before it burst out.]
About Michaelmasse this yeare, certeine naughtie disposed persons in
Norffolke, not warned by the successe of the late rebellion, went about
a new commotion, intending to murther the bishop of Norwich, and all
the nobles and gentlemen of that countrie. And to bring their wicked
purpose the better to passe, they determined to haue assembled togither
at S. Faithes faire, and to haue compelled all those that should haue
béene present at the same faire, to haue taken part with them, or else
to haue lost their liues: and this being doone, they would haue taken
S. Benets abbeie at Holme, which they would haue kept for a fortresse,
to haue withdrawne into vpon anie force that had beene against them.
But yer they could bring their purpose to passe, one of the conspiracie
bewraieng the matter, they were taken, & lost their heads at Norwich,
for their malicious deuises.
[Sidenote: The cōmissioners of Flanders reiected for want of sufficient
authoritie.
An act against the fishmongers within the citie of London.
Remission of sins granted to as manie as would fight against Clement
the antipape.]
About the same time a parlement was called, to the which certeine
commissioners from the countrie of Flanders came, to treat of certeine
agréements betwixt the king and realme, and the states of their
countrie: but bicause those that came ouer at this time, seemed not
sufficient to conclude such treatie as then was in hand, they were sent
backe to fetch other more sufficient, as from euerie towne in Flanders
some such as might haue full authoritie to go through, and confirme the
agréements then in hand. In this parlement, the maior of London, with a
great part of the commoners of the citie, vpon suggestion by them made
against the fishmongers, for vsing great deceit in vttering of their
fishes, obteined to haue it inacted, that from thencefoorth, none of
that companie, nor anie of the vinteners, butchers, grossers, or other
that sold anie prouision of vittels, should be admitted maior of the
citie; and so by this shift they sought to cut off all meanes from the
fishmongers to recouer againe their old former degrée. And bicause it
was knowne well inough of what authoritie sir Iohn Philpot knight was
within the citie, and that he fauoured those whome the lord maior the
said Iohn de Northampton fauoured not, he was put off from the bench,
and might not sit with them that were of the secret councell in the
cities affaires, whereas neuerthelesse he had trauelled more for the
preseruation of the cities liberties than all the residue. Sir Henrie
Spenser bishop of Norwich, receiued |756| buls a little before this
present from pope Vrbane, to signe all such with the crosse, that would
take vpon them to go ouer the seas with him, to warre against those
that held with the antipape Clement, that tooke himselfe for pope,
and to such as would receiue the crosse in that quarrell, such like
beneficiall pardons were granted by pope Vrbane, as were accustomablie
granted vnto such as went to fight against the Infidels, Turkes, and
Saracens, to wit free remission of sinnes, and manie other graces.
The bishop of Norwich that had the disposing of the benefits granted
by those buls, to all such as either would go themselues in person,
or else giue anie thing toward the furtherance of that voiage, &
maintenance of them that went in the same, shewed those buls in open
parlement, & caused copies to be written forth, & sent into euerie
quarter, that his authoritie & power legantine might be notified to
all men, for the better bringing to passe of that he had in charge.
And truelie it should appeare, there wanted no diligence in the man to
accomplish the popes purpose: and on the other part yée must note, that
the priuileges which he had from the pope, were passing large, so that
as the matter was handled, there were diuerse lords, knights, esquires,
and other men of warre in good numbers, that offered themselues to go
in that voiage, and to follow the standards of the church with the
bishop, and no small summes of monie were leuied and gathered amongst
the people, for the furnishing foorth of that armie, as after yée shall
heare.
[Sidenote: The earle of Cambridge returneth out of Portingale.
The earle of Cambridge his son affianced to the king of Portingals
daughter.]
In this meane time the earle of Cambridge returned home from
Portingale, whither (as yee haue heard) he was sent the last yeare, and
promise made, that the duke of Lancaster should haue followed him; but
by reason of the late rebellion, and also for other considerations,
as the warres in Flanders betwixt the erle and them of Gaunt, it was
not thought conuenient that anie men of warre should go foorth of
the realme: and so the king of Portingale not able of himselfe to go
through with his enterprise against the king of Spaine, after some
small exploits atchiued by the Englishmen, and other of the earle of
Cambridge his companie, as the winning of certeine fortresses belonging
to the king of Castile, and that the two kings had laine in field, the
one against the other by the space of fifteene daies without battell,
the matter was taken vp, and a peace concluded betwixt them, sore
against the mind of the earle of Cambridge, who did what in him laie,
to haue brought them to a set field: but when there was no remedie, he
bare it so patientlie as he might, and returned home with his people,
sore offended (though he said little) against the king of Portingale,
for that he dealt otherwise in this matter than was looked for. He had
affianced his sonne, which he had by the daughter of Peter, sometime
king of Castile, vnto the king of Portingales daughter, now in the time
of his being there: but although he was earnestlie requested of the
said king, he would not leaue his sonne behind him, but brought him
backe with him againe into England (togither with his mother) doubting
the slipperie faith of those people.
[Sidenote: 1383.
Clementines.