of all the neighbor Princes which subsist by other then their owne powre now follow And being returned from concluding this Match in Piemont there comes vnto him lying at Limoges Raymond Earle of Saint Gyles by whom was giuen the first affront he had in France now to doe homage vnto him for the Earledome of Tholouse and there became the man of the King of England and of his sonne Richard Earle of Poictou to hold Tholouse from them by hereditary right for seruice of comming vnto them vpon their sommons and remayning The homage of Raymond Earle of Saint Gyles for the Earld of Tholouse in their seruice fortie daies at his owne charge and if they would intertaine him longer to allow him reasonable expenses Besides the Earle should pay yearely for Tholouse and the appertinances a hundred markes of siluer or ten Horses worth ten Markes a peece About the same time also came the Earle Hubert to Limoges to know what Land the King of England would assure his sonne Iohn who resolued to giue vnto him the Castles of Chinon Lodun and Mirabell Where with King Henry the sonne grew much Henry the son takes displeasure against his father displeased and here mooued his Father either to resigne vnto him the Dutchie of Normandie the Earledome of Aniou or the Kingdome of England for his maintenance in which motion hee was the more egar being incensed by the King of France and the discontented Lords both of England and Normandie who were many and falne or wrought from the Father vpon new hopes and the aduantage of a deuided Soueraignty And though there were many other occasions of this defection of the sonne from the Father yet that this for these Castles should first bee taken may seeme to bee the worke of Gods especiall iudgement being those peeces which himselfe had taken from his owne brother Geffrey contrary to his Oath made vnto his Father as is before related so as if to tell iniustice that it must bee duely repayed the same Castles are made to bring mischiefe vpon him and to giue a beginning to the fowlest discorde that could bee wherein hee had not onely the Children of his owne bodie but the Wife of his bedde to conspire and practise against him For hereupon the sonne sodainely breaking away from the Father came to Paris where the King of France who had no other meanes to preuent the ouergrowing of a neighbour but to deuide him sommons and solicites the Princes of France and all the friends he could make to ayde King Henry the sonne against the father and to take thir Oath either to disposses him of his Estate or bring him to their owne conditions The young King likewise sweares vnto them Neuer to haue peace with his father without their consents and all sweares to giue vnto Philip Earle of Flanders for his ayde a thousand pounds English by the yeare with the County of Kent Douer and Rochester Castles To Mathew Earle of Bologne brother to the sayd Earle for his seruice Kerton Soak in Lindsey the Earldome of Morton with the Honour of Heize to Theobald Earle of Bloys two hundred pounds by yeare in Aniou the Castle of Amboys with all the right hee pretended in Tureine c. and all these Donations with diuers other he confirmed by his new Seale which the King of France caused to be made Besides by the same Seale He confirmed to the King of Scots for his ayde all Northumberland vnto Tyne and gaue to the brother of the same King for his seruice the Earldomes of Huntingdon and Cambridge To the Earle Hugh Bigot the Castle of Norwich other Earles of England as Robert Earle of Leicester Hugh Earle of Chester Roger Mowbray c. had likewise their rewards and promises of the Lions Skin that was yet aliue Besides they draw into their partie Richard and Geffrey whose youths apt to bee wrought on for increase of their allowance are easily intised and with them their mother inraged with iealosie and disdaine for her husbands conceiued abuses of her bed So that this great King in the middest of his glory about the twentith yeare of his raigne comes sodainely forsaken of his owne people and is driuen through distrust to hire and intertaine strange forces procuring twenty thousand Brabansons which were certaine Mercinaries commonly called the Routs or Costerels for the recouery and holding of his Estate And some few faithfull Ministers he had notwithstanding this generall defection who tooke firmly to him as William Earle Mandeuile Hugh de Lacy Hugh de Beauchamp c. But how soeuer we haue seene the best of this Kings glorie and though he had after this good successes hee had neuer happinesse labour hee did by all meanes to haue qualified the heat of his distempered sonne by many mediations of peace offring all conuenient allowances for his Estate but all would not preuaile his sword is drawne and with him the King of France with all his forces enters vpon his territories on that side the Sea on this the King of Scots seizes vpon Northumberland and makes great spoyles The olde King complaines to the Emperour and all the neighbour Princes his friends of the vnnaturall courses of his sonne and of his owne improuident aduancing him William King of Sicile writes and condoles his misfortunes but lay too farre off to helpe him The King of France besieges Vernoul a place of great strength and importance which Hugh de Lacy and Hugh de Beauchamp valiantly defended and after a monthes siege they of the towne victualls fayling obtained truce of the King of France and permission to send vnto their Soueraigne for succour Which if it came not within three daies they would render the Cittie and in the meane time their Ostages The peremptorie day was the Eue of Saint Laurence The King of France with King Henry the sonne and with diuers great Lords and Bishops swore if they rendred the Citie at the day appointed their Ostages should bee redeiiuered and no dammage done to the Citie King Henry the Father with all the forces he could make came iust at the limitted day disposes his Army to strike battaile with his enemies but the King of France to auoyde the same sends the Archbishoppe of Sens and the Earle of Bloys to mediate a parle which was appointed the morrow this day lost lost Vernoul For to the morrow Parle the King of France neither comes nor sends but had entrance into the Towne according to couenants which contrary to his Oath hee sackes takes with him the Ostages and spoyle thereof remoues his Campe and leaues the King of England disappointed who that night after hauing persued the flying Army with some spoyle enters into Vernoul and the morrow surprises Danuile a Castle of his enemies with many prisoners Thence he goes to Rouen whence hee sent his Brabansons into Brittaine against Hugh Earle of Chester and Ralph Fulgiers who had possest themselues almost of the whole
Country but being not able to resist the Kings forces in the field they with all the great men in those parts and that side of France recouered the Castle of Dole where they fortified and kept themselues till King Henry the Father came in person besieged and tooke it and with them about foure score Lords men of name and action Whereupon all the rest of the Countrey yeelded themselues This ouerthrow being of such import so terrified the aduersaries as they negotiate a Peace and a Parle is appointed betweene Gisors and Try wherein the King of England though hee had the better of the day condiscended to make offer to his sonne of halfe the reuenues of the Crowne of England with foure conuenient Castles therein or if hee had rather remaine in Normandy halfe the reuenues thereof and all the reuenues of the Earledome of Aniou c. To his sonne Richard hee offers halfe the reuenues of Aquitaine and foure Castles in the same To Geffrey the Land that should come vnto him by the daughter of the Earle Conon Besides hee submitted himselfe to the arbitration of the Archbishop of Tarento and the Popes Legates to adde any allowance more as in their iudgements should be held fit reseruing vnto himselfe his Iustice and royall powre which yeelding grants shewed how much he desired this peace But it was not in the purpose of the King of France that the same should take effect for such peruersnesse and indignitie was offred to King Henry in this Treaty as Robert Earle of Lecester is sayd to haue reproched him to his face and offered to draw his sword vpon him so that they breake off in turbulent manner and their troupes fell presently to bickering betweene Curteles and Gisors but the French had the worse The Earle of Leicester with an Army makes ouer into England is receiued by Hugh Bygot into the Castle of Fremingham Richard de Lucy chiefe Iustice of England and Humfrey Bohun the Kings Constable being vpon the borders of Scotland hearing thereof make truce with the King of Scots And haste to Saint Edmondsburie where the Earles of Cornwall Glocester and Arundell ioyne with them they encounter the Earle of Leicester at a place called Farnham ouerthrew his Army slue tenne thousand Flemings tooke him his Wife and diuâ—â—s great prisoners which were sent vnto the king in Normandie who with his Army was not thereidle but dayly got Castles and Forts from his Enemies vntill Winter constrained both kings to take truce till Easter following and the like did the Bishop of Duresme with the king of Scots for which hee gaue him three thousand Markes of siluer to bee payed out of the Lands of the Barons of Northumberland The Spring come on and the truce expired king Henrie the Sonne and Phillippe Earle of Flaunders are readie at Graueling with a great Armie for England 1174. Anno. Reg. 20. The King of Scots is entred Norththumberland and sends his brother Dauid with a powre to succour the remnant of the forces of the Earle of Leicester which held the Towne of Leicester but without successe for Richard Lucy and the Earle of Cornwall had before rased the Citie and taken Robert Moubray comming likewise to ayde those of the Castle King Henry the Father vpon his Sonnes preparation for England drawes his forces Henry the fathers arriuall in England from his other imployments and brings them downe to Barbfleet ariues at Southampton with his prisoners Queene Elioner Margueret the wife of his sonne Henry the Earles of Leicester and Chester and from thence goes to Canterbury to visit the Sepulcher of his owne Martyre and performe his vowes for his victories And they write how comming within sight of the Church Hee alights and went three miles on his bare feere which King Henry visits Beckets Sepulcher with the hard stones were forced to yeeld bloudie tokens of his deuotion on the way And as if to recompence the merit of this worke they note How the verie daie when hee departed from Canterburie the King of Scots to bee ouerthrowne and taken at Alnwick by the forces of the Knights of Yorkeshire which are named to bee Robert de Stuteuile Odonel de Humfreuile William de Vescy Ralph de Glanuile Ralph de Tilly and Bernard Baliol. Lewis King of France hearing of King Henries passage into England and the taking of the King of Scots calls backe Henrie the sonne and the Earle of Flaunders from Grauelin where they stayed expecting the winde and besieged Roan on all sides sauing that of the Riuer The whilst King Henrie is quieting and settling the State of England where hee had first the Castle of Huntingdon rendred vnto his mercie sauing the liues and members of the defendants then the Castles of Fremingham and Bungaie which the Earle Bygot helde by force of Flemings for whom the Earles submission could hardly obtaine pardon but in the ende they were sent The King of Scots his prisoner home From thence hee goes to Northampton where hee receiues the King of Scots his prisoner and the Castles of Duresme Norham and Aluerton rendred into his hands by the Bishoppe of Duresme who for all his seruice done in the North stood not cleere in the Kings opinion There came likewise thither Roger de Mowbray yeelding vp himselfe with his Castle of Treske the Earle Ferrers his Castles of Tutsburie and Duffield Anketill Mallory and William Diue Constables of the Earle of Leicester the Castles of Leicester Montsorill and Groby so that within three weekes all England was quieted and all without drawing of sword which in those manly daies seemed only reserued for the field This done and supplied with one thousand Welshmen King Henry with his prisoners the King of Scots the Earles of Leicester and Chester passes ouer into Normandie to the releefe of Roan where those thousand Welshmen sent ouer the riuer Siene entred and made way through the Campe of the King of France slue a hundred of his men and recouered a wood without any losse of theirs After which exploit the King of England causing the gates of the Citie to be set open the Barracadoes taken away the trenches they had made betweene the French Campe and the Cittie to bee filled King Henry fauours the French army vp againe with rubbish and timber marched foorth with troupes to prouoke the enemy but without any answere at all In the end the King of France sends away the weakest of his people before and followed after with the rest vpon sufferance of the King of England by the mediation of the Archbishop of Sens and the Earle of Bloys who vndertooke that hee should the next day come to a parle of peace which hee performed not But shortly after seeing this action had so little aduantaged either him or those for whom hee pretented to haue vndertaken it hee imployes the former Agents The King and his sonner reconciled as the Charter of Peace shewes Reg. Houed againe
instantly out of his presence and court Yet afterward to vnderstand some more particulars of the madnes of this King of England he called for Robert the Clearke and had priuat conference with him apart about many particulars which hee himselfe reuealed to many in the hearing of Mathew the monke of Saint Albons who wrot and declared these things discribing the person of this Robert to be of a low stature blacke one arme shorter then another two fingers vnnaturally growing together of visage like a Iew c. which relation we are not vtterly to contemne proceeding from an Author of that grauity and credit and liuing so neere those times though to vs that are so farre off both in fashion and faith it may seeme improbable in some part yet if we consider whereto the desperat violence of this King who had made vtter wracke of conscience and all humane respect might carry him seeing himselfe in that Estate he was we may not thinke it voyd of likelihood to haue had this dealing with an heathen king who in that time was formidable to all Christendome and had on foot the mightiest army that euer the Moores had in Spaine which might either be to hold amity with him or intertayne him otherwise for his owne ends Though for the point of offring to forgoe the Christian fayth we may in charity forbeare to make it a part of ours Although this relator giues vs a note amongst other which hee supprest that poynted at the irreligion of this King who at the opening of a fat Stag iestingly said see how prosperously this beast hath liued and yet neuer heard Masse Which skoff in regard of the zeale then professed sauored of an impiety vnsitting the mouth of a religious A note of the Kings irreligion King and gaue scandall to the hearers who tooke it according to their apprehension apt to censure whatsocuer comes from the mouth of Princes which may warne them to be wary what they vtter in publique But this Embassage either neglected by Miramumalim or disappointed by the ouer throw of his great army with the death of his Sonne which shortly after followed King Iohn sets vpon another course assayles Pope Innocentius prone to be wrought by guifts to doe any thing with great summes of money and a reassurance of his tributary subiection which shortly after he confirmes by a new oath and a new Charter before the Popes Legat the Bishop of Tusculum sent ouer for the same purpose and King Iohn bribes the Pope and renewes his oath with full autority to compose the dissentions betweene the Kingdome and Priesthood Which at many Assemblies in diuers places was after debated and in the end order was taken for a plenary satisfaction to be made for the damages done to the Church For which the King vpon account already had payd twenty seauen thousand Markes and thirteene thousand more were vndertaken by Suerties to be answered by a certaine daie And herevpon is the interdiction released hauing continued sixe yeares three moneths and fourteene dayes to the inestimable losse of the Church and Churchmen The interdiction released whereof an innumerable multitude of all orders now repayre to the Legat for satisfaction of damages receiued by the Kings ministers during this interdiction To whom 1214. Anno. Reg. 16. the Legat answeres that it was not in his commission to deale for restititution to be made vnto them all but aduises them to complaine to the Pope and craue of him plenary iustice Wherevpon they depart much discontented holding the Legats proceeding for that he pleased not them inclining onely to please the King Who now is recommended to Rome for a most tractable obedient and indulgent Sonne of the Church and the Clergy heares of blame for their obstinacy vsed towards him The King hauing referred the ending of all this controuersie to the Legat and some other of his owne ministers being assured of the Popes fauour was now gone into Poictou to assayle according to his former designe the King of France on that side whilest his forces with those of the Emperour Otho by the way of Flanders inuaded him on the other And being with his Queene landed at Rochel many principall Barons of Poictou apter to promise then performe their faith came and swore fealty vnto him With whom he marches forward into the Country recouers many Castles and peeces of importance Whereof particularly by his owne letters from Parthenai he certifies his Iustices of the Eschecquer And withall shewes them how hee had Vide Append. graunted to the Sonne of the Earle of March his daughter Ioan in mariage though said he the King of France desired her for his Sonne but fraudulently c. After this he goes into Brittaine takes in the city of Nantes prepares to incounter with Louys the French Kings Sonne who was come downe with a mighty army to oppose his proceeding But the Poictouins distrusting his power or he them hauing discouered the forces of the Enemy refused to fight Wherevpon the King of England to his extreame griefe forsooke the field and made a dishonorable truce with the King The famous battaile of Bouines of France and this was the last of his transmarine attempts His forces in Flanders had far worse successe for the King of France with all the power he could possibly make incounters them at the bridge of Bouines and ouerthrew the Emperour Otho and the whole army of the confederates wherein are reported to haue beene an hundred and fifty thousand foote besides horse and in the battaile slaine a thousand fiue hundred Knights and taken prisoners Ferrand the Earle of Flaunders the Earles of Salisbury and Bologne And as report the Annales of Flanders the Earle of Sauoy the Dukes of Brabant and Lamburg and the Earle of Luxemburg the Emperour Otho 4. hardly escaped The death of the Emp. Otho and liued not long after Vpon these misfortunes and fearing the outrage of a necessitous and distempred King the Barons of England assemble themselues at S. Edmondsbury where they confer of the late produced Charter of Henry the first and swore vpon the high Altar that if King Iohn refused to confirme and restore vnto them those liberties the rights of the Kingdome they would make war vpon him vntill he had satisfied them therein and further agreed that after Christmas next they would petition him for the same and in the meane time prouide themselues of horse and furniture to be ready if the King should start from his Oath made at Winchester at the time of his absolution for the confirmation of these liberties and compell him to satisfie their demand After Christmas K. Iohn takes vpon him the crosse to secure himselfe from the Barons they repaire in a military manner to the King lying in the new Temple vrging their desire with great vehemency the king seeing their resolution and inclination to war made answere that for the matter they required hee would
which yet retaines their language in some kinde to this day And having spred one Arme to Spaine the other to Germany imbraced so great a part of the Empire as he draue Valentinian to seeke ayde of Theodosius Emperour of the East after the vanquishment and death of his brother Gratianus at Lyons And by this immoderate vent both of the Garrisons and the ablest people of the Land hee dis-furnisht and left it in that impotencie as it never recovered like power againe All those great forces hee tooke with him either were left in Gaule or perished with him at Aquileia where he was ouerthrowne by Valentinian And yet againe in the time of Honorius the Emperour the Colony of the Veteran souldiers fearing the invasion of the Vandales made another defection and cumultuarilie proclaimed Emperour one Marcus whom shortly after they slue then Gratianus who likewise within foure monthes being murthered they gaue the title to one Constantine not so much for his merite as the omination of his name This Constantine taking the same course that Maximus did whatsoever strength was left or lately in any sort recovered he emptyed it wholy and made himselfe of that power as he subdued many of the Westerne Provinces gaue his sonne Constans a Monke the title of Augustus and after many fortunes and incounters with the forces of Honorius became vanquished and executed at Arles Where also perished the whole power hee brought out of Brittain And so the State having all the best strength exhausted and none or small supplies from the Romans lay open to the rapine and spoyle of their Northerne enemies who taking the advantage of this dis-furnishment never left till they had reduced them to extreme miseries which forced them to implore the aide of Aetius Praefect of Gaule vnder Valentinian 3. and that in so lamentable manner their Embassadors in torne garments with sand on their heads to stirre compassion as Aetius was moved to send forces to succour them and caused a wall to be raised vpon the trench formerly made by Adrian from Sea to Sea of eight foote thicke and twelue high inter-set with Bulwarkes which the Roman souldiers and an infinite number of Brittains fitter for that worke then warre with great labour effected And so Aetius left them againe once more freed and defended from their enemies advising them from thence forth to invre and employ their own forces without any more expectation of succour from the Romans who overwrought with other businesse could not attend affaires that lay so farre off No sooner had the enemy intelligence of the departure of these succours but on they came not with standing this fortification battered down the wall overthrew the defenders and harrowed the Country worse then before Wherevpon againe this miserable people send to Aetius vsing these words To Aetius thrice Consull the sighes of the Brittains and after thus complaine The barbarous enemy beates vs to the Sea the Sea beates vs backe to the enemy beiweexe these two kinds of deaths we are either murdered or drowned But their implorations prevailed not for Aetius at that time had enough to do to keep his own head and Valentinian the Empire which now indured the last convulsions of a dying State having all the parts and Provinces thereof miserably rent and torne with the violences of strange nations So that this was also in the fate of Brittaine to be first made known to perish by and with the Roman State Which never suffering the people of this Land to haue any vse or knowledge of Armes within their own Countrey left them vpon their owne dissolution naked and exposed to all that would assaile them The end of the Romans government in Brittaine And so ended the Roman Government in Brittaine which from their first invasion by Iulius Caesar to this Valentinianus the third had continued the space of fiue hundred yeares In all which time we finde but these seven Brittish Kings nominated to haue raigned Theomantius Cunobelinus Guiderius Aruiragus Marius Choelus lastly Lucius who is crowned with immortall honour for planting Christian Religion within this Anno 443. Land All other from Lucius to Vortigern who succeeds this relinquishment were Roman governours This is briefly so much of especiall note as I can collect out of the Roman historie concerning the State and government of Brittain finding else-where little certaintie and from hence forth during their short possession of this Land farre lesse Whereof Gildas the Brittain complaines laying the cause on the barbarism of their enemies who Gildas de excidio Britaniae had destroyed all their monuments and memorials of times past And though himselfe wrote about forty yeares after the invasion of the Saxons and was next these times we come now to remember yet hath hee left in his enigmaticall passions so small light thereof as we discerne very little thereby Nor hath the Brittaines any honour by that antiquity of his which over-blacks them with such vgly desormities as we can see no part cleere accusing them to be neither strong in peace nor faithfull in war and vniversally casts those aspersions on their manners as if he laboured to inveigh not to informe And though no doubt there was as ever is in these periods of States a concurrencie of disorder and a generall loosenesse of disposition that met with the fulnesse of time yet were there no doubt some mixtures of worth and other notions of that age wherewith after-times would haue beene much pleased to haue had acquaintance But it seemes his zeale and passion in that respect wider then his charity tooke vp the whole roome of his vnderstanding to whom the reverence of antiquity and his title of Sapiens doth now giue Sanctuary and we must not presume to touch him Such was the State of Brittain left without Armes or order when Vortigern either Anno 450. by vsurpation or faction became King and is said to be the author of the first calling in or imploying being in the Saxons to make good his owne establishment and the Vortigern cals in the Saxons safty of his Kingdom against the Picts and Scots The Saxons at this time possest the third part of Germany holding all the Countrey betweene the Rivers Rhene and Elue bounded on the North by the Ballique Sea and the Ocean On the South by Silua Hircinia and deuided by the riuer Visargis into Ostphalia and Westphalia gouerned by an Optimacie of twelue Princes with an election A description of the State of the Saxons of a Soueraigne leader for the businesse of warre This beeing so spacious populous and neere a Country well furnisht with shipping which the Brittaines had not yeelded euer plentifull meanes to supply the vndertakers of this action which were first two brothers Hengist and Horsa withall necessarie prouisions vpon euery fit occasion After they had been here a while as stipendaries and finding the debility of Prince people their number soone increased And first
Supplications nor any band of aliance were auaileable to saue them from slaughter Wherein to incense the more their king Gunild his sister a woman of masculine courage who had a little before receiued Christendome a mediator and pledge of the peace hauing first her husband and sonne slaine in her sight rather Cunild slaine with a threatning then appaled countenance met her death making imprecation for reuenge and foretelling her bloud would as it did cost England deere Soone was the notice of this enormious act giuen to Swaine and as soone armed with rage and power re-entred hee the kingdome hauing now a fayrer shew to doe fowly then euer wrong had made him a right who had none before and the people of the Land not so forward to maintayne their act as to commit it rather were content to giue him the possession of their country then that hee should win it the greatest Swain wins England part of the Kingdome submitting themselues vnto him onely the Citie of London which Ethelred held fortified made Noble resistance till hee left them and conueyed himselfe first into the Isle of Wight and after into Normandie whither he had sent Emma Etheldred flies into Normandie his Queene with their two sonnes Aelfrid and Edward before from the rage of this tempest But within two moneths he was recalled home by the people of England vpon the death of Swaine who at the point to haue beene crowned King and had generally Swaines death taken ostages and oathes of fealty died suddenly leauing his sonne Knute to succeed his fortunes and accomplish what he intended Ethelred returning was soone furnisht with an Army sets vpon Knute in Lindsey Etheldred returnes where he lay with his fathers shipping and Hostages and draue him to take the seas where with inraged making about to Sandwich hee miserably mangled and dismembred those hostages and so sent them home himselfe with the spoiles his father and he had gotten returned to his Country to make greater preparations for the prosecution of his purpose Ethelred in the meane time to increase the summe of reuengement with more wrath at a generall assembly at Oxford caused many of the Danique Nobility to be murthered Among which were Sigifrith and Morchar Earles of Northumberland whom the false Edric who had a hand on each side for mischiefe inuiting to his lodging vnder pretence of feasting barbarously caused to be slaine their followers after they had so long as they could desperately defended themselues and their maisters fled into a Church where they were with the same burnt Knute armed with Knute returnes the greatest of his owne and neighbours powers made his confederates landed againe within the yeare at Sandwich and without resistance had all the West parts rendred vnto him with pledges for their obedience and furnishment with horse and armor Here the false Edric leaues his Liege-lord and yeelds vp forty ships and his periur'd faith to Knute Ethelred languishing in minde and body Edmond his sonne surnamed Ironside Etheldreds death to oppose youth to youth was imployed against this rabious inuador A Prince worthy of a better time and had he found faith had made it so and deliuered his Country at that turne from the worst of miseries the conquest by strangers Knute Edmond Ironside BVT now vpon the death of Ethelred whose 37 yeares raigne shewes that infelicity shall haue time too much and happinesse too little Knute was by most of the Clergie and Nobility chosen king onely the Citie of London with some of the Nobility there about made election of Edmond Edmond Ironside sonne to Ethelred by his first wife Ethelgina and furnished him with that power as thereby with the couragious ardour of his youth which commonly is most in the first attempts hee had the better in three imminent battels within three moneths and had likewise obtained the fourth at Essendon likely to haue beene the last with the An. 1016. Danes but that the disloyall Edric late renouncing his new Lord seeing Edmonds part in possibilitie to preuaile againe betraied his trust and withdrew himselfe and the charge he had to the enemy This satal battell lost England here perished the best flower of honour it then had Here amongst the rest was slaine Vlkill an Earle of Essex of euer memorable worth who had long stood vp for the Kingdome and in the time of Swaine was the first that shewed there was hope and possibility to quaile the enemy had there beene an vnion in loyaltie From this bloudy worke Edmond escapes to Glocester to recollect new sorces nor was hee so forsaken with this fortune but that hee soone recouered another armie to re-assaile the enemie that might be idle vpon this victorie But Knute as prouident Edmonds single combate with Knute in the prosecution of his businesse as fortunate therein makes after Here when both Armies were at the point to incounter a motion of peace was propounded Some say the two Kings by single combat consented to decide their fortunes and the ouer-commer to take all and that in an Isle of the riuer Seuern their Armies on either shore spectators of the act they tried the maistery for the prize of a Kingdome Peace concluded After long and equall fight finding each others worth they cast away their weapons imbraced and concluded the peace But howsoeuer it seemes both sides tyred with the miserie of a consuming warre neuer like to be ended but by the vtter extirpation of the one and considering the danger of either and incertaintie of the future were easily perswaded to imbrace a present agreement which was made by parting England England deuided between them betwixt them two and confirm'd by Oath and Sacrament putting on each others Apparell and Armes as a ceremonie to expresse the attonement of their mindes as if they made transaction of their persons each to other Knute became Edmond and Edmond Knute A fatall exchange for so free and magnanimous a Prince as Edmond who indeed was now no more himselfe and being but halfe a King was in so few dayes after none as makes this peace shew fouler then warre for that armed him for life this exposed him naked to death which was shortly after treacherously giuen him The death of King Edmond Ironside at Oxford at Oxford some say by the sonne of Edric as if to shew he would bee the heire of his father also in Treason whereby both the hope and the other halfe of England were vtterly lost as determinable with his raigne which with all we haue else of his magnanimous actions tooke vp scarce the circuit of one whole yeare And yet had that been space enough for glorie whose measure is to be taken rather by the profundity then the length which seldome holds long and euen could he haue had that cleere And better for his renowne to haue died at the battaile of Essendon with England then discended to haue made
most that nation as being part of their bloud and bred amongst them Of whom it seemed notwithstanding the former order taken to the contrary he had many about his person whose neerenesse being strangers whatsoeuer they did could not auoide to be thought to doe ill offices against the Earle and the English in generall whereby what went not right in the line of mens desires was thought to be their cause And in stomackes full charged this occasion gaue more fire Eustace Eustace Earle of Bullogne maried Goda the Kings sister Earle of Bullogne who had married Goda the Kings sister hauing beene at the Court and returning into France his Harbenger in taking vp lodgings at Douer vpon his peremptory behauiour was by a Citizen slaine The Earle arriuing with all his traine pursues and slue the homicide with 18 other The City seeing this tooke armes and in the bickering the Earle lost 22. of his men whereupon backe he hasts to the King aggrauates the insolency of the Citizens so farre that the Earle Godwin is sent for and commanded with a power of men to make against the City of Douer to chastice the people The Earle considering it was vpon the information of one side aduised the King rather to send for the cheife of the City to vnderstand what they could say for themselues and accordingly to proceede which being taken for a coldnesse in the businesse and of fauour to his Countrymen gaue the King and his enemies occasion to suspect his affection Shortly after the Earle is summoned to an Assembly at Glocester where neither he nor any of his sonnes would appeare and suspecting some practise against him by his Earle Godains insurruction enemies raises forces pretending to suppresse the Welsh who were not found to offend whereupon the Assembly remoues to London summons him againe to make his apparance to dismisse his forces and to come onely attended with twelue persons He sends them word to dismisse his forces he was content or any thing else the King would command him so it were with the safety of his life and honour but to come disaccompanied was for neither Then was he commanded within fiue dayes to depart the Realme which he did and with Toustaine and Swayne his sonnes gets him into Flaunders where Toustone married the daughter of the Earle Baldouin the 5. Harald his eldest sonne departs into Ireland the King puts from him the Queene to be partaker of the disgrace and misery of her house who is described by the writers of those times to haue beene a Lady of rare parts excellently learned beautifull and as faire of minde as body The Earle Godwin in this desperate fortune whilst the French and his enemies possest the King fell to Piracy distuibed the coasts approached London by the Riuer and being so popular as no forces would oppose against him made The French forsake the Court and Kingdome of England at length his owne peace with power in such sort as the French fearing reuenge forsooke both the Court and Kingdome This as fore-pointing to a storme that was gathering on that coast began the first difference with the French nation which thus acquainted with the distraction of the Kingdome and factions of great men wrought on those aduantages and were instruments to draw on the fatall enterprize that followed The weaknesse of the King and the disproportionate greatnesse of the Earle Godwin being risen vp from so great a fall learning thereby to looke better to his seete and make his sides strong increased these discontentments and partialities in the State wherein many acts of iniustice by the sway of power and passion were committed which did much blacken that time of peace and made a good man not by doing but induring ill held to be a bad King And it is sayd that Emme the Queene mother had her part of much affliction in his raigne suffering both in her goods and same and now to purge her selfe of a scandall raised on her with Alwyn Bishop of Winchester she vnder-went the triall of Fire-Ordeall Queen Emmes affliction and tryall which was to passe blind-fold with bare feete ouer certaine plough-shares made red hote and layd an vneuen distance one before the other which she safely performed And the reason why both her sonne and the State so little respected this great Lady whose many yeares had made her and actor in diuerse fortunes was for that she neuer affected King Ethelred nor the children she had by him and for her marriage with Knute the great enemy and subduer of the Kingdome whom she euer much more loued liuing and commended dead It seemed these priuate grudges with mens particular ends held these times so busied that the publicke was neglected and an issue-lesse King gaue matter for ambition and power to build hopes and practises vpon though for his owne part he shewed to haue had a care for the succession in sending for his Nephew Edward intitled the Outlaw with his children out of Hungary But Edward shortly after his artiuall died and Edgar his sonne surnamed Atheling to say Prince Edgar whom he had by his wife Agatha daughter to the Emperour Henry the 2. who either by reason of his youth which yet was no barre to his right or being borne and bred a stranger little knowing or knowne to the Kingdom had his claime neglected vpon the death of this Pious King Edward founder of Westminster Church King Which was Anno 1065. when he had raigned 24. yeares His corps was interred in the Church of Westminster which he had newly founded Harald the second AND Harald sonne to the Earle Godwin the next day after was preferred Harald the second to the Crowne whether by any title he might pretend from the Danique Kings as discended from that nation and as some report sonne An. 1065. to Githa sister to Swaine or by meere election of the greater part of the Nobility we cannot say but it seemes the pressing necessity of the time that required a more man to vndergo the burthen of warre and that trouble the world was like to fall into by reason of the claimes now made both by the Dane and Norman cast it suddenly vpon him as the most eminent man of the Kingdome both by the experience of his owne deseruings and the strength also of his owne and the alliance of his wife Algith sister of Edwin and Morckar Earles of Yorkeshire and Chester Neither did he faile but in fortune to make good this election taking all the best courses both for the well-ordering of the State and all prouisions for defence that a politicke and actiue Prince could do But being to deale in a broken world where the affections of men were all disioynted or dasht with the terror of an approching mischiefe failing as vsually is seene in these publicke feares both in their diligence and courage to withstand it soone found more then enough to do And the first man which
of an intention was banished and their estates seized the Earldome of Mortaigne he gaue to Robert that of Eu to Odo after Bishop of Bayeux both his brethren by the mother These assaults from abroade these skornes conspiracies and vnder-workings at home he passed before he was full 32 yeares of age and thus his enemies made him that sought to vndoe him But now more to vnderset and strengthen his State against future practises hee conuokes an assemblie of his Prelates Barons and Gentlemen causing them to receiue their oath of Fealtie and raze their Castles which done he married Matilde the daughter of Baldouin the sift Earle of The Duke marries Matilde daughter of Balaouine the fift Earle of Flanders Flaunders but not without contrast and trouble for his Vncle Mauger Arch-bishop of Roan excommunicates him for matching within the forbidden degrees of kindred she being daughter to Elinor daughter to Richard the second and so his fathers sisters daughter To expiate for which offence vpon a dispensation from Pope Victor they were enioyned the building of certaine Hospitals for blind people and two Abbeyes the one for men the other for women which were erected at Caen. This match and the ouer-matching his enemies set him so high a marke of enuie in The reasons why the King of France warres with the Normans the eye of France which naturally loued not the Normans whom in reproach they vsually called Trewans as they easily incensed their King who of himselfe was forward enough to abate a power growne so out of proportion with the rest of the Princes of his Dominions to finde a quarrell which confiners easily doe to set vpon him and to make it looke the fairer pretends to correct the insolencies of the Normans committed on his territories and to releeue Count Martel opprest by the Duke besides alleadging It concerwed him in honour and iustice to haue that Prouince which held of his Crowne to bee gouerned by a Prince of lawfull bloud according to Christian order and Lawes Ecclesiasticall And therefore resolueth vtterly to exterminate the Duke and establish a legittimate Prince in the Dutchie For which effect two armies are gathered from all parts of his Kingdome the one sent along the riuer Sein the other into the Country of Bessin as meaning to incompasse him The Duke likewise deuides his forces into two parts sends his brother Odo Earle of Eu Walter Guifford Earle of Longueuill and others with the one to the Country of Caux himselfe with the other takes towards Eureux to make head to the King that was at Mante and withdrawes all cattle and prouisions out of the flat Country into Cities and Fortresses for their owne store and disfurnishment of the enemie The Kings army marching from Beanuois to Mortimer and finding there a fat Country full of all prouisions betooke them to make good cheere and rests there all that night thinking the Norman forces were yet with the Duke at Eureux which the army in Caux conducted by Odo vnderstanding marched all night and by breake of day gaue them so hot an alarme and so sodaine as put them all in rout leauing horse and armour The defeiture of the Armie of the King of France by the Normans and all to the assaylants who made such a distruction of them as of forty thousand not the fourth part escaped With this defeiture the King of France is againe returned home with great rage and griefe and the Duke with the redemption of the prisoners recouers his peace and the Castle of Thuilliers taken from him in his vnder-age Cont Martell though much dismayd with the Kings ouerthrow yet leaues not to make some attempts for the recouering his Townes but with no successe The Duke he saw was to well beloued followed for him to do any good without a stronger arme Wherfore the next spring he goes againe to importune the King of France to aide him against the Duke who he said Was now growne so insolent vpon this peace and the victorie he had stolne and not wonne that there was no liuing for his neighbours neere him Besides the Normans had the French in such derision and base esteeme as they made their act at Mortimer their onely sport and the subiect of their rimes as if a King of France vpon the losse of a few men was retired and durst not breake a dishonourable peace With which instigation and being stung with the touch of reproach hee raises another Army far mightier then before wherein were three Dukes and twelue Earles and notwithstanding the sollemne peace made and so lately sworne with the Duke hee enters Normandie in the haruest time ouer-runnes and spoiles all the Country along the Coast to Bessin from whence marching to Bayeux and Caen with purpose to paste the riuer Diue at Varneuille to destroy the Countries of Auge Liseux and Roumoys euen to Roan and finding the case-way long and the bridge narrow caused his vantguard to passe ouer first and to secure his Arierguard conducted by the Duke of Berry himselfe stayes behind in Caen till his people and their carriages were passed Duke William whom all this while stores his sortresses with men and victuall makes himselfe as strong in the Towne of Falaise as he could hath no army in the field but a running campe to be readie to take all aduantages le ts the fury of the storme spend it selfe and hauing aduertisement of this passage marched all night with 10 thousand men and in the morning early sets vpon the Arierguard with so sodaine a cry and fury as they who were before on the Case-way hearing this noise behinde thrust forward their fellowes hasting to get ouer the bridge with such a crowd and presse as they brake it many were drownd in the riuer They who were gotten ouer could not returne to aide the rest nor the King by reason of Marishes on both sides yeeld any succour to his people but stood a spectator of their slaughter and the taking of sixe of his Earles of whom one was the exiled Earle of Eu whom the King fauouring his great worth had made Conte De Soissons The griefe of this ouerthrow shortly after gaue the King of France his death and The Armie of the King of France ouerthrowne at Varneuille by the Normans the Duke of Normandy a ioyfull peace which hee nobly imployed in the ordering and adorning his State building endowing and decking Monasteries and Churches gathering reliques from all parts to furnish his Abbeyes at Caen where hee also erectted a Tombe for himselfe and his wife feasting and rewarding his Nobles and men of worth whereby hee so possest him of the hearts of all his people generally as they were entirely his for what he would During this calme of his life hee makes a iourney ouer into England as if to visite The Duke comes to visit his kinsman King Edward his kinsman who in regard of the preseruation and breeding hee had
King of France who gaue him a faire entertainement in his Court Where he remained not long but that a Knight of 1093. Anno. Reg. 6. Normandy named Hachard vndertaking to put him into a Fort maugre his brother Robert within the Duchy conueyed him disguised out of the Court and wrought so as the Castle of Dampfront was deliuered vnto him whereby shortly after he got all the Countrey of Passays about it and a good part of Constantine by the secret aide of King William Richard de Riuteres and Roger de Manneuile Duke Robert leuies forces and eagerly wrought to recouer Dampfront but finding how Henry was vnderset inueighes against the perfidie of his brother of England in so much as the flame of rankor burst out againe more then euer And ouer passes King William with a great Army but rather to terrifie then do any great matter as a Prince that did more contend then warre and would be great with the sword yet seldome desired to vse it if he could get to his ends by any other meanes seeking rather to buy his peace then winne it Many skirmishes interpassed with surprisements of Castles but in the end a treaty of peace was propounded wherein to make his conditions what he would King William seemes hard to be wrought and makes the more shew of force sending ouer into England for an Army of thirty thousand men which being brought to the shore ready to be shipped an offer was made to be proclaimed by his Lieftenant that giuing ten shillings a man whosoeuer would might depart home to his dwelling Whereby was raised so much as discharged his expence and serued to see the King of France vnder-hand for his forbearing aide to Duke Robert who seeing himselfe left by the French must needes make his peace as the other would haue it Now for his affaires at home the vncertaine warres with Wales and Scotland gaue him more businesse then honour Being driuen in the one to incounter with mountaines in stead of men to the great losse and disaduantage of his people and in the other with as many necessities Wales he sought to subdue Scotland so to restraine as it might not hurt him For the last after much broyle both Kings seeming more willing to haue peace then to seeke it are brought to an enteruiew Malcolin vpon publicke faith and safe-conduit came to Glocester where vpon the haughtinesse of King William looking to be satisfied in all his demaunds and the vnyeeldingnesse of King Malcolin standing vpon his regality within his owne though content to be ordered for the confines according to the iudgement of the Primate of both Kingdomes nothing 1084. Anno. Reg. 7. was effected but a greater disdaine and rankor in Malcolin seeing himselfe dispised and scarce looked on by the King of England So that vpon his returne armed with rage he raises an Army enters Northumberland which foure times before he had depopulated and now the fifth seeking vtterly to destroy it and to haue gone farther The King of Scots his son Edward slaine causes Queene Margaret to dy with griefe Roger Houeden was with his eldest sonne Edward slaine rather by the fraude then power of Robert Mowbray Earle of that County The griefe of whose deaths gaue Margaret that blessed Queene hers After whom the State elected Dufnald brother to Malcolin and chased out all the English which attended the Queene and were harbored or preferred by Malcolin King William to set the line right and to haue a King there which should be beholding to his power aides Edgar the second sonne to Malcolin who had serued him in his wars to obtaine the Crowne due vnto him in right of succession by whose meanes Dufnald was expeld and the State receiued Edgar but killed all the aide he brought with him out of England and capitulated that he should neuer more entertaine English or Norman in his seruice This businesse setled Wales strugling for liberty and reuenge gaue new occasion of 1085. Anno. Reg. 8. worke whither he went in person with purpose to depopulate the Countrey but they retiring into the Mountaines and the Isle of Anglesey auoided the present furie But afterward Hugh Earle of Shrewsbury and Hugh Earle of Chester surprising the Isle their chiefest retreit committed there barbarous examples of cruelty by exoecations and miserable dismembring the people which immanity was there suddenly auenged on the Earle of Shrewsbury with a double death first shot into the eye and then tumbling ouer-boord into the sea to the sport and scorne of his enemy the King of Norway who either by chance or of purpose comming vpon that coast from taking in the Orchades encountred with him and that force he had at sea These were the remote businesses when a conspiracy brake out within the body of the Kingdome complotted by Robert Mowbray Earle of Northumberland William d'Ou and many others who are sayd to haue sought the destruction of the King and the aduancement of Stephen Earle of Albemare his Aunts sonne to the Crowne which gaue the King more trouble then danger for by the speedy and maine prosecution of the businesse wherein hee vsed the best strength of England it was soone ended with the confusion of the vndertakers But it wrought an ill effect in his nature by hardening the same to an extreme rigor for after the feare was past his wrath and cruelty were not but which is hideous in a Prince they grew to bee numbred amongst incurable diseases The Earle was committed to the Castle of Windsor William d' Ou at a Councell at Salisbury being ouercome in Duell the course of triall had his eyes put out and his priuie members cut off William de Alueric his Sewer a man of goodly personage and allyed vnto him was condemned to be hanged though both in his confession to Osmond the Bishop there and to all the people as hee passed to his execution hee left a cleere opinion of his innocency and the wrong hee had by the King But now whilst these fractures heere at home the vnrepairable breaches abroad were such as could giue the King no longer assurednesse of quiet then the attempters would and that all the Christian world was out either at discord amongst themselues or in faction by the schisme of the Church Pope Viban assembling a generall Councell at Cleirmont in Auergne to compose the affaires of Christendome exhorted all the Princes thereof to ioyne themselues in action for the recouery of the Holy Land out of the hands of infidels Which motion by the zealous negotiation of Peter the Hermit of Amiens tooke so generally meeting with the disposition of an actiue and religious world as turn'd all that flame which had else consumed each other at home vpon vnknowne Nations that vndid them abroad Such and so great grew the heate of this action made by the perswasion of the Iustice thereof with the state and glory it would bring on earth and the assurednesse of heauen
Kingdome where first is read the Commission of the Legatine power granted by Pope Innocent to the Bishop of Winchester who there openly vrges the indignitie offred to the Church by the imprisoning of these Bishops An act most haynous and shamefull for the King that in the peace of his Court through the instigation of euill ministers would thus lay hands vpon such men spoyle them of their estates Which was a violence against God And that seeing the King would yeeld to no admonitions hee had at length called this Councell where they were to consult what was to bee done that for his part neither the loue of the King though his brother nor the losse of his liuing or danger of his life should make him fayle in the execution of what they should decree The King standing vpon his cause sends certaine Earles to this Councell to know why he was called thither answere was made by the Legat That the King who was subiect to the faith of CHRIST ought not to take it ill if by the ministers of CHRIST hee was called to make satisfaction being conscious of such an offence as that age had not knowne that it was for times of the Gentiles for Bishops to bee imprisoned and depriued of their possessions and therefore they should tell the King his brother that if hee would voutsafe to yeeld consent to the Councell it should bee such by the helpe of God as neither the Roman Church the Court of the King of France nor the Earle Theobald brother to them both a manwise and religious should in reason dislike it that the King should doe aduisedly to render the reason of his act and vndergoe a Canonicall iudgement that hee ought in duetie to fauour the Church into whose bosome being taken hee was aduanced to the Crowne without any militarie hand With which aunswere the Earles departed attended with Alberic de Ver a man exercised in the Law and hauing related the same are returned with the Kings reply which Alberic vtters and vrges the iniuries Bishop Roger had done to the King how hee seldome The Kings Reply came to his Court that his men presuming vpon his power had offred violence to the Nephew and seruants of the Earle of Brittaine and to the seruants of Herui de Lyons a man of that Nobilitie and stoutnesse as would neuer voutsafe to come vpon any request to the late King and yet for the loue of this was desirous to see England where to haue this violence offred was an iniury to the King and dishonour to the Realme that the Bishop of Lincolne for the ancient hatred to the Earle of Brittaine was the author of his mens sedition that the Bishop of Salisbury secretly fauoured the Kings enemies and did but subtlely temporize as the King had found by diuers circumstances especially when Roger de Mortimer sent with the Kings forces in the great daunger of Bristow hee would not lodge him one night in Malmsbury that it was in euery mans mouth as soone as the Empresse came He and his Nephewes would render their Castles vnto him That he was arested not as a Bishop but a seruant to the King and one that administred his procurations and receiued his monies That the King tooke not his Castles by violence but the Bishop voluntarily rendred them to auoyd the calumnie of their tumult raysed in his Court If the King found some money in his Castles hee might lawfully seize on it in regard Roger had collected it out of the reuenues of the King his Vncle and predecessor and the Bishop willingly yeelded vp the same as well as his Castles through feare of his offences and of this wanted not witnesses of the Kings part who desired that the couenants made betweene him and the Bishop might remaine ratified Against this Bishop Roger opposes That he was neuer seruant to the King nor receiued his moneys and withall added threatnings as a man not yet broken though bent with his fortunes that if he found not iustice for his wrongs in that Councell hee would bring it to the hearing of a greater Court The Legat mildly as he did other things said That all what was spoken against the Bishops ought first to be examined in the Ecclesiasticall Councell whether they were true or no before sentence should haue beene giuen against them contrary to the Canons and therefore the King should as it is lawfull in iudiciall trials reuest the Bishops in their former Estates otherwise by the law of Nations being disseised they shall not hold their Plea After much debate the Kings cause was vpon a motion put off till the next day to the end the Archbishop of Roan an especiall instrument for the King might bee there who deliueting his opinion said That if the Bishops could rightly prooue by the Canons they ought to haue Castles they should hold them but if they could not it proceeded of great improbitie to striue to doe otherwise And be it said he their right to haue them yet in a suspected time according to the manner of other Nations all great men ought to deliuer the keyes of their Fortresses to be at the Kings pleasure who is to fight for the peace of all But it is not their right by the decree of the Canons to haue Castles and if by the Princes indulgence it bee tollerated yet in a time of necessitie they ought to deliuer the keyes The Lawier Alboric addes That it was signified to the King how the Bishops threatned and had furnished some to go to Rome against him But said he the King would haue you know that none of you presume to doe it for if any goe out of England contrarie to his will and the dignitie of the Kingdome it will be hard returning In conclusion the Councell brake vp nothing was done The Bishops durst not excommunicate the King without the Popes The Legat and Archbishops submission priuitie and besides they saw the swords to busie about them yet failed not the Legat and the Archbishop to prosecute their parts and from authority fell to prayer and at the Kings feete in his Chamber besought him that hee would pittie the Church pittie his owne soule and his fame not to suffer dissention to bee betweene the Kingdome and the Priest-hood The King returned thern faire words but held what hee had gotten Shortly after though griefe died the Bishop of Salisbary and according to the fate of ouer-minent and greedy Officers vnpittied He was a man in his latter time noted of much corruption and vnsatiable desire of hauing For whom the present King in the beginning of his reigue had done very much makingone of his Nephewes Chancellor the other Treasurer and vpon his fute gaue to himselfe the Borough of Malmesbury insomuch as the King would say to his familiars about him If this man will begge thus still I will giue him halfe the Kingdome but I will please him and first shall be weary of crauing ere
notwithstanding himselfe graunted the same in his agreement with Stephen alledging They were of the Demaynes of the Crowne and could not be alieâ—ed Onely he suffered him to inioy such lands as his father King Stephen held in England in the time of Henry the first Then goes he Northward and recouers the Citty of Carlile seizes all Cumberland into his hands and after takes the Towne of New-castle with the Castle of Bamberge and so resumed all Northumberland which his Mother the Empresse had before granted to Dauid King of Scets her Vnkle Grand-father to Malcolin who now reigned as being not in his Mothers power nor his to giue away any part of the Kingdome Notwithstanding he was content Malcolin should inioy the Earledome of Huntingdon which King Stephen had giuen to Henry Prince of Scotland father to Malcolin as being a peece in the heart of England whereof he could make no vse but at the Kings pleasure and besides was a meanes to hold him his Homager and to performe those seruices belonging to that Earledome And the same course tooke he with the Alienations and vsurpations formerly made of the Demaines of the Duchy of Normandy and forced Theobald Earle of Blois to resigne into his hands two Castles and Petroch Earle of Perch other two These reuocations whereby so many were indamaged in their estates and Grants both of his Predecessors and his owne vtterly nullified might seeme to be an act of great iniustice and in a new Gouernment of little safety But in regard the Common-wealth had thereby a benefit and but few though great interessed it passed as a worke vniuersally necessary seeing his Maintenance otherwise must be made vp out of publicke taxations which would turne to a generall grieuance But the resuming of the Earledome of Aniou The King resumes the Earledome of Aniou out of his brother Geffryes hands contrary to his Oath cannot but be held a strayne beyond conscience and good nature For his father Geffrey Plantagenet desirous to leaue some estate to his second sonne Geffrey ordained by his Testament That when Henry had recouered the Kingdome of England the other should haue the County of Aniou and in the meane time put Geffrey in possession of the Castles and Townes of Chinon Lodun and Mirabel whereby he might both haue maintenance for his estate and a readier meanes to come to the rest when occasion serued And least his sonne Henry should not performe this Will he got certaine Bishops and other Nobles to sweare that they would not suffer his body to be interred till Henry who was then absent had sworne to fulfill his Testament Henry rather then to suffer his Fathers body to lye vnburied With great vnwillingnesse takes this oath But afterward being inuested in the Crowne of England and Geffrey seazing vpon the Earledome of Aniou he passes ouer into France and not onely takes from him the Earledome but also those three Townes he had in possession alledging It was no reason a forced Oath vpon such an occasion should bind him to forgoe the inheritance of his Birth-right being all the Patrimony that was to discend vnto him from his Father and though he had recouered the Kingdome of England that was not his Fathers worke but by an other right And although he held his brother deere vnto him yet hauing Children of his owne he was to prouide that what was his should discend to them But yet was content to allowe his brother an honorable pension of a thousand pounds English and two thousand pounds of Aniouin money yearely for the maintenance of his estate and obtained of Pope Adrian the seuenth an English man borne a dispensation for his Oath made in this case 1156. Anno. Reg. 2. And now the first occasion that put him here into action of warre was the rebellion of the Welsh who according to their vsuall manner euer attempted some thing in the beginning of the Raigne of new Princes as if to try their spirits and their owne fortunes Against whom hee goes so prepared as if hee ment to goe through with his worke Wherein at first he had much to doe passing a streight among the Mountaines His first expedition into Wales where he lost with many of his men Eustace Fitz Iohn and Robert Curcy eminent persons and himselfe noysed to be slaine so much discouraged that part of the Army which had not passed the Streights as Henry an Earle of Essex threw downe the Kings Standard which he bare by inheritance and fled but soone the King made it knowne hee was aliue discomfited his enemies and brought them to seeke their peace with submission The Earle of Essex was after accused by Robert de Monfort The punishment of Corwardize for this misdeed had the Combat was ouercome pardoned yet of life but condemned to be shorne a Monke put into the Abbay of Reading and had his Lands seised into the Kings hands It was now the fourth yeare of the raigne of this King when all his affaires were in 1158. Anno. Reg. 4. prosperous course his State increasing his Queene fruitefull and had borne him three sonnes in England Henry Richard and Geffrey his eldst sonne William to whom hee had caused the Kingdom to take an Oath of fealty died shortly after his comming to the Crowne so that now the same Oath is tendred to Henry and all is secure and well on this side The King of France who would gladly haue impeached the mighty current of this Kings fortune was held in and fettered with his owne necessities his iourney to the Holy Land had all exhausted his Treasure and since his comming home the Pope had exacted great summes of him for dispensing with his second marriage which was with Constantia daughter to Alphonso King of Galicia a feeble alliance and farre off so that all concurred to increase the greatnesse of this King of England who The resignation of Nants to the King of England hauing now almost surrounded France by possessing first all Normandie with a great footing in Brittaine by the resignation of Nants with the Country there about which Conan the Duke was forced lately to make vnto him then the Earledome of Maine Poictou Touraine Aniou with the Dutchy of Guien he also laies claime to the rich Earledome of Tholouse vpon this Title William Duke of Aquitaine granfather to Queene Elioner married the daughter and King Henries claime to the Earldome of Tholouse heire of the Earle of Tholouse and going to the holy warres ingaged that Earldome to Raymond Earle of Saint Gayles and neuer returned to redeeme it William his sonne father to Queene Elionor either through want of meanes or neglect delayed likewise the redemption thereof so that the Earle of Saint Gyles continuning in possession whilst hee liued left it to his sonne Raymond of whom King Louys of France hauing married Elionor the daughter and heire of the last William demanded the restitution with tender of the summe for which
blessed Martyre and glorious Bishoppe Thomas lately shedde his bloud especially since your father and brother of cleere memory late Kings of England haue in the hands of the Legats of the Apostolique Sea abiureá that impious Custome Wee if you acquite your selfe will sufficiently take care for you and yours that no preiudice shall arise vnto you hereby Dated at Lateran the 10 yeare of our Pontificat Thus we see how these two mighty powers striue to make good each other prerogatiue and defend their interests with words But when the Pope vnderstood how the King of England had proceeded against the Church of Canterbury hee sends presently his Mandate to the Bishop of London Ely and Worcester to deale with the The Popes Mandat to the B B. King by way of exhortation to reforme himselfe and if they found him still contumacious they should interdict the whole Kingdome of England If that would not correct him then himselfe would lay a seuerer hand vpon him and withall charged the Bishops suffragans of the Church of Canterbury by vertue of their obedience to receiue for father the Archbishop Stephan and to obay him withall respect The Bishops as they were inioyned repaire to the King Shew the Popes Mandat and with teares besought him as hee had God before his eyes to call home the Archbishop and the Monkes of Canterbury to their Church and voutsafe to vse them with Honour and Charity thereby to auoyde the scandall of interdiction c. The King interrupting the Bishops speech breakes out into violent rage against the Pope and the Cardinall swearing by the teeth of God That if they or any other King Iohns answere to the B B. should dare to put his Kingdome vnder interdiction he would presently send all the Clergie of England to the Pope and confiscat their goods Besides if any of Rome were found within any part of his Land he would cause their eyes to bee put out their noses cut and so sent home that by these markes they might be knowne of other Nations Charging moreouer the Bishop plresently to auoyde his presence as they would auoyde their owne daunger Of this their ill satisfaction the Bishop certifies the Pope and shortly after the 1208. Anno. Reg. 11. whole Kingdome of England is interdicted all Ecclesiasticall Sacraments cease except Confession Extreame Vnction and Baptisme of Children the dead are carried out and put into the earth without Priest or prayer The Bishops of London Ely Worcester Bathe and Hereford secretly get out of the Kingdome To answere this violence with the like the King sends presently his Shriefes and other his ministers to command all Prelates and their seruants forth-with to depart out of the Kingdome deputes the Bishopricks Abbayes and Priories into the hands of Lay men confiscating all theis reuenues but the Prelates themselues get into Monasteties and would not out except expelled by force which the officers would not doe hauing no Commission for the same but they seize on all their goods to the Kings vse Here the Monasticall Writers of that time of whom onely we haue notice of these proceedings aggrauate the rigorous course taken in this businesse telling vs that religious men of what Order soeuer found trauayling were pulled from their horses robb'd and vily treated by the Kings seruants and none to doe them Iustice. And how the seruants of a Shriefe bringing bound vnto the King a theese who had robbed and killed a Priest to know what should be done with him the King said loose him and let him goe he hath killed our enemy But howsoeuer this were there were Excesses to many committed in a time so vntied as this was The King to preuent the defection of his subiects which hee dayly doubted would The King takes pledges of his Nobles for their fidelitie follow vpon this his breach with the Church sends with a militarie powre to all the Potent men of the Kingdome to require pledges for the assurance of their fidelitie wherein many of them satisfied the Kings will sending some their sonnes some their Nephewes other the nearest of their kinne William de Brause a Noble man beeing required to deliuer his pledge his wife preuenting her husbands answere tells the Commissioners that the King should haue none of her sonnes to keepe that was so ill a keeper of his owne brothers sonne Arthur For which sodaine and intemperat speech the Baron sharply reprehending his wife before the Kings seruants told them he was ready if he had offended to satisfie the King without any pledge according to the iudgement of his Court or that of his Peeres at any time or place wheresoeuer Vpon the report of this answere the King sends downe priuely to apprehend the His crueltie she wed to the wife and children of W. Brause Baron but he hauing notice or doubting what would follow fled with his Wife and Children into Ireland where afterward this afflicted Lady to recouer mercy of the King is said to haue sent Queene Isabel foure hundred kine and a Bull which yet could not mediate her pardon or pacifie his wrath But in the end she was there taken with her 2 sons the husband escaping into France and sent prisoner to the Castle of Windsor where she with her innocent children were famished to death so deerely payed she for the offence of her rash tongue The King displeased with the Londoners remoued his Eschequer to Northampton and The Eschequer remooued to Northampton with a great army marches towards Scotland to make warre vpon that King for receiuing his enemies and ayding them against him But by mediation an accord is made in this sort that the King of Scots should pay eleuen thousand markes of siluer and deliuer vp his two daughters pledges for securing the peace Returning backe hee caused all inclosures within his forests to be layde open a worke of great griefe to his subiects whom though in nothing hee sought to satisfie yet seeks he what he may to fasten them in their obedience whereof loue and not rigour is the surest bond and takes homage of all free Tenants yea euen of Children of twelue yeares of age throughout the Kingdome Two yeares to the great distraction of the State the interdiction held when the King Iohn excommunicated Pope seeing no yeelding in the King proceeds to the excommunication of his person that extreame course of abscicion which his Predicessor Alexander better aduised forbare to take vpon suggestion of a more hainous act committed by Henry the second vpon the person of Thomas Becket and by this violence thinking to quaile the heart of a most vnmaisterable King put him into more desperate rage with the Clergie who notwithstanding the Popes mandate durst not execute the same for many dayes after And first one Geffery Archdeacon of Norwich seruing in the Kings Exchequer conferring with the rest of his assistants about this Sentence affirmed it was not safe for men beneficed to
appertayning thereunto The King of France answeres that the Kingdome of England neuer was nor is or euer shal be the patrimonie of Saint Peter and that King Iohn was neuer lawfull King thereof and if hee were he had forfeited the same by the murther of Arthur forwhich he was condemned in his Court neither could he giue away the Kingdome without the consent of the Barons who are bound to defend the same And if the Pope would maintaine this error it would bee a pernicious example to all Kingdomes Herewith the Popes Agent departs vnsatisfied Louys hauing first dispatched Commission Quater Vigint Coggis to Rome to declare his right iustifie his vndertaking sets forth from Calice with 600 ships and 80 other vessell and Lands with his Army at Sandwich King Iohn attends him at Douer with purpose to incounter him at his landing but vpon notice Louys lands in Kent 21 of May. of his great powre and distrusting the faith of his mercinaries hauing committed the keeping of the Castle of Douer to Hubert de Burg forsakes the field and with it himselfe retyres first to Winchester after to Glocester and leaues all to the will of his enemy Louys who after he had obtayned the submission of all Kent except the Castle of Douer which he neuer could get he comes to London where he is ioyfully receiued of the Barons and vpon his Oath taken to restore their Lawes and recouer their rights hath homage and fealty done him as their Soueraigne Lord thither came likewise the Earles Warrein Arundle Salisbury William Mareschall the yonger with many other forsaking King Iohn and rendred themselues vnto him Guallo the Popes Agent notwithstanding the sword was out in all the way of his passage got to Glocester shewes King Iohn the Popes care of him and in solemne manner The little effect the Popes Exmunication wrought pronounces the sentence of Excommunication against Louys and all that tooke part with him which though it brought him some comfort for the time yet it tooke little or nothing from the enemy neither could it so confirme his mercinaries but that most of them left him and either returned home into their Countries with such spoyles as they had or betooke themselues to this new commer King Iohn was not yet so forsaken but that he had powre enough remayning to infest though not incounter his enemies and faith he found abroad amongst many of his Ministers that well defended their charge Douer Castle with a small company holds out against all the force that Louys could bring against it Windsor Castle garded but with 60 men could not be won with all the powre of the Barons some other peeces as Nottingham and Lincoln Castles made very resolute resistance But nothing is effected saue the ruine of the Country The most-yeelding and fertill parts of the Kingdome as about Glocester the marches of Wales Lincolnshire Cambridgshire Norfolke Suffolke Essex Kent and all about London are the Stages of this warre and here they act their mischiefes which continued all that Sommer And about the later end of October a burning feuer makes an end of this fiery King which tooke him vpon an extreme griefe conceiued for the losse of his carriages sunke in the Sands passing the Washes betweene Lin and Boston and was augmented by a surfeit of Peaches new Ale taken at the Abbay of Swineshead from whence in The death of King Iohn great weakenesse he is conuayed to Newarke where after he had receiued the Eucharist and taken order for the succession of his sonne Henry hee departs this life hauing raigned 18 yeares fiue monthes and foure daies The Abbot of Crockeston a man skilfull in physique and at that time the Kings Physition disbowelled his body who no doubt would haue giuen notice to the world had his Maister as it was in after ages vainely bruted beene poysoned by a Monke of Mat. Par. Swinshead Abbay but the Writers of those times report no such matter Howsoeuer his death takes not away the reproch of his life nor the infamy that followes him whereunto ill Princes are as subiect as their euill Subiects and cannot escape the brute ofa clamarous Pen. witnesse this Disticque Anglia sicut adhuc sordet foetore Iohannis Sordida foedatur foedante Iohanne Gehenna He had issue by his wife Isabel daughter to Aymer Earle of Angolesme two sonnes Henry and Richard also three daughters Ioane Eleanor and Isabel. Henry succeeded him in the Kingdome Richard was Earle of Cornewall and Crowned His issue King of the Romans and had issue Henry and Iohn that died without issue also Edmond Iohn speed Earle of Cornewall and others Ioane the eldest daughter married to Alexander the second King of Scots died without issue Elianor the second daughter married to Simon Earle of Leicester had issue Henry Symon Almaricke Guy Richard and Elianor Henry slaine without issue Simon Earle of Bigorre and Ancestor to a Famely of the Mountfords in France Almarick first a Priest after a Knight Guy Earle of Angleria in Italy and Progenitor of the Mountfords in Tuscaine and of the Earles of the Campo Bacchi in the Kingdome of Naples Richard remayning priuily in England and changing his name from Mountford to Wellesborne was Ancester of the Wellesbornes in England Elianor borne in England brought vp in France married into Wales to Prince Lewin ap Griffith Isabel their youngest daughter married to the Emperour Frederic the 2 had issue Henry appointed to be King of Sicile and Margaret wife of Albert Landgraue Thurine She died in child-bed after she had beene Empresse sixe yeares He had also two naturall sonnes Geffrey Fitz Roy that transported souldiers into France when Hubert forbad his father to goe thither Richard that married the daughter and Heire of Fulbert de Douer who built Childham Castle had issue by her of which some famelies of good esteeme are descended Likewise one naturall Daughter Ioane married to Lewin Prince of Wales The end of the Life and Raigne of King Iohn The Life and Raigne of Henry the third THE death of King Iohn though it much altered yet it ended not the miserable businesses of the Kingdome for Louys notwithstanding held 1216. Anno. Reg. 1. his hopes and his party though much shaken by the sodaine Coronation of Henry eldest sonne to King Iohn solemnized in a great Assemblie of State at Glocester the 28 of October and committed to the tutelage of the great Marshall William Earle of Pembrooke the maine Pillar of the father and now the preseruer of the Crowne to his sonne a man eminent both in courage Henry the 3 Crowned at Glocester and Councell who with Guallo the Popes Legat the Bishops of Winchester Bathe and Worcester worke all meanes to draw the Barons and as many of powre as they could to their new and naturall King from this excommunicate stranger and his adherents And bred great fluctuation in the mindes of most of
two Charters before And twelue Knights or Legall men are chosen in euery shire vpon their Oath to disparte the old forests from the new and all such as were found to haue Disforrestations beene inforested since the first coronation of Henry the second to be disafforested and disposed at their pleasure who were to posses them wherevpon they were layd open plowed and improued to the exceeding comfort and benefit of the subiect whereby men in steed of wild beasts were sustayned and more roome made for them to vse their industry Two yeares with great quietnesse and generall content the blessing of a state 1225. Anno. Reg. 10. these liberties were inioyed when the King at a Parliament at Oxford declaring himselfe to be oflawfull age and free from custody to dispose of the affayres of the Kingdome cancells and anulles the Charter of Forests as graunted in his Nonage hauing no power of himselfe or of his Seale and therefore of no validitie and causes Proclamation to be made that both the Clergy and all others if they would inioy those liberties 4. Parliament should renew their Charters and haue them confirmed vnder his new Seale for which they were constrayned to pay not according to their ability but the will of the chiefe Iusticiar Hugh de Burgh to whome is layd the blame of this mischiefe which procured him the generall hatred of the Kingdome and bread a new insurrection of The reuoking the Charters of Forrests which bred a new insurrection the nobility who taking aduantage vpon a breach lately falen our betweene the king and his brother Richard Earle of Cornwell about the Castle of Barkhamsted appertayning to that Earledome which the king had committed to the keeping of on Walleran a Dutchman ioyne with the Earle and put themselues in armes For the king mayntayning the cause of Walleran commands his brother to render the Castle which he had taken from him or else to depart the kingdome The Earle answeres that he would neither doe the one or the other without the iudgment of his Peeres and so departes to his lodging leauing the king much displeased with this answere The chiefe Iusticiar fearing the disturbance of the peace aduises the king sodainly to apprehend the Earle and commit him to close custodie but the Earle either through notice or doubt therof flies presently to Marleborough where he findes William Earle Mareshall his friend and consedrate by Oath with whom hee hastes to Stamford and there meets with the Earles of Chester Gloster Waren Hereford Ferrers Warwicke with diuers Barons and men at armes from whence they send to the King aduising him to right the iniurie done to his brother The cause whereof they impute to Hugh de Burgh and not to himself besides they require restitution to be made without delay of the liberties of the Forrests lately cancelled at Oxford otherwise they 1226. Anno. Reg. 11. would compell him therevnto by the sword The King to anoyd this daunger appoints them day to come to an assembly at Northampton where a concord is concluded and to satisfie his brother besides the rendring vnto him his Castle he grauntes him all that his mother had in dowre and s. Parliament whatsoeuer lands the Earle of Brittaine held in England with those of the Earle of Bologn lately deceased and so the Parliament brake vp After this the generall motion 1227. Anno. Reg. 12. for the holy warres intertaines some time Which so strongly wrought in that credelous world as sixty thousand sufficient men are reported to haue vndertaken that voyage of whom Peter Bishop of Winchester and William Bishop of Excester are the leaders The King is sollicited by Hugh le Brun Earle of March who had marryed his Mother and by other great men of Normandy to come ouer into France to recouer his right vpon the great alterations happening in those parts by this occassion Louys the eight who succeeded Phillip the second being lately dead after his great siege of Auignon and his warres made against the Heretickes Albegeois in Prouince leaues the Kingdome to his Sonne Louys of the age of twelue yeares in whose minority his Mother Blanch taking vpon her the regency so discontented the Princes of the French Hist. bloud as they oppose themselues against her holding it both dishonorable and daungerous that a woman and a stranger by the Councell of Spaniards whom she aduanced aboue the Naturalls of the Kingdome should gouerne all according to her pleasure and therefore enter league against her The chiefe of whom were Phillip Earle of Bologne vncle by the Father to the King Robert Earle of Champaigne Peter de Dreux Duke of Britagne and Robert Earle of Dreux his brother and with these Hugh the Earle of March takes part in regard the Queen Regent had erected the Country of Poictou to a Conty and made Earle there of Alphonso her Sonne brother to the young king whereby finding himselfe inclosed within that County he refuses to acknowledge Alphonso for Lord instigated therevnto by his wife a Queene Dowager of England who could not comport a superior so neere her doore in so much as they likewise draw in the Earle of Lusignan brother to the Earle of March who also presuming vpon the greatnesse of his house discended of kings was apt to take their part and these with the Earle of Britagne call in the King of England Who after he hed exacted great sums of the Clergy of the Citie of London for redemption of their liberties and taken the third part of al the goods of the Iewes passes ouer with an Army lands at Saint Mallos is met by many Nobles of Poictou who with the Earle of Britagne doe homage vnto him and great preparations are made to recouer such peeces as had beene obtayned by the late King of France The Queene Regent sets out a powerfull army to stop the proceeding of the King of England and much mischiefe is wrought on both sides in Pocitou Xaintonges Angoumois where their friends and enemies suffer all a like At length seeing no great good to arise by their trauaile both weary of the busines either a peace or truce is concluded The King of England besides an infinite expence of treasure hauing lost diuers of his Nobles and other valiant men in the iourny without any glory returnes home bringging with him the Earle of Britagne and many Poictouins to receiue their promised rewards which notwithstanding all the former expence must be wrung out of the substance of the poore subiect of England Vpon his returne hee intertaines a purpose of Marriage with a sister of the King of Scots against which the Earles and Barons of England generally oppose alledging it to be vnfit that he should haue the younger Sister when Hubert his chiefe Iusticiar had maryed the eldest and the Earle of Britagne by whose Councell he was now much directed disswades him likewise from it To this Earle after supplies obtained towards
themselues pleased And now the King of France dayly getting vpon them hauing wonne Lisle Doway Courtray Bruges and Dam and the Emperour Adolph fayling of his ayde and personall assistance as vn-interessed confederates often doe especially hauing receiued their gage before hand as had this Emperour to the summe of 100 thousand Markes draue the King of England into great perplexitie and held him with long delayes to his extreame trauaile and expences which forced him to send ouer for more supply of Treasure and giue order for a Parliament to be held at Yorke by the Prince and such as had the manage of the State in his absence Wherein for that he would not bee disapointed he condiscends to all such Articles as were demaunded concerning the great Charter promising from thenceforth neuer to charge his subiects otherwise then by their consents in Parliament and to pardon such as had denied to attend him in this iourney For which the A Parliament held at Yorke in the absence of the King Commons of the Realme granted him the ninth penny of their goods the Archbishop of Canterbury with the Clergie of his Prouince the Tenth penny Yorke and his Prouince the Fifth so the Kings instant wants are relieued and the Kingdome satisfied for a present shift But it is not well with a State where the Prince and people seeke but to obtaine their seuerall ends and worke vpon the aduantages of each others necessities for as it is vn-sincere so it is often vn-successull and the good so done hurts more then it pleasures The King thus supplied staies all this Winter in Gaunt where his people committing The Gantois take armes against the English many outrages so exasperats the Gantois as they tooke armes made head against them slue many and put the Kings person in great daunger so that doe what the Earle Guy and himselfe could to appease them in satisfying such as had receiued wrong and giuing the rest faire words he hardly could escape safe out of the Country King Edward in danger which rather desired to haue the English commodities then their companies This was the successe of his iourney into Flanders which he leaues at the Spring of the yeare hauing concluded a truce with the King of France for two yeares And Hee returnes into England the poore Earle Gay left to himselfe is shortly after made the prey of his enemy and his Prisoner in Paris where he his daughter both died of griefe And Flanders is reduced to a possession though not to the subiection of the King of France For after they had receiued him for their Lord his exactions oppressions vpon them contrary to their ancient Liberties so armed the whole people being rich and mighty as they gaue France the greatest wound that euer before it receiued at one blow which was at the famous battell of Courtray wherein the Earle of Artoise Generall of the Army Arnold de Neel Constable of France and all the Leaders with Twelue thousand Gentlemen were slaine And to show what this King of France got by seeking to attaine The History of France this Soueraigntie of Flanders as well as we shall heare of the King of Englands getting vpon Scotland for the same title It is recorded in their Histories that in the space of Eleuen yeares this quarell cost the liues of 100 Thousand French men Besides it draue the King likewise to consume the substances of his people as wel as their blood and to loade them with new impositions as that of Malletoste and the Tenth Denier vpon the liure of all Merchandises which in the Collection bred great outcries and dangerous seditions among his Subiects And these were the fruits of these great attempters Now for King Edward of England he presently after his returne falles a new vpon Reg. 27. Anno. 1300. Scotland which in his absence had beaten his officers and people almost out of the Countrie slaine Sir Hugh Cressingham with 6000 English recouered many Castles and regaind the Towne of Berwick And all by the annimation and conduct of William Wallice a poore priuate Gentleman though nobly discended who seeing his K. Ed. prosecutes his Scottish businesse Will. Wallice animates the Scots against the subiection of England Countrie without a Head and thereby without a Heart all the great men either in Captiuity or subiection assembles certaine of as poore and desperate estate as himselfe and leades them to attempt vpon whatsoeuer aduantages they could discouer to annoy the English And hauing therein good successe it so increased both his Courage and Company as hee afterwards comes to be the generall Gardian of the whole Kingdome leads their Armies effects those great Defeits vpon the Enemy and was in possibility to haue absolutely redeemed his Countrie from the subiection of England had not some priuate Emulation amongst themselues the speedy cōming of King Edward with all his power preuented him So much could the spirit of one braue man worke to sett vp a whole Nation vpon their feet that lay vtterly cast downe And as well might hee at that time haue gotten the Dominion for himselfe as the place he had but that he held it more glory to preserue his Countrie than to get a Crowne For which he hath his immortall honour and whatsoeuer praise can bee giuen to meere Vertue must be euer due vnto him And now King Edward to bring his worke neere together remoues his Eschequer K. Ed. remoues his Escheker and Courts of Iustice to York and Courts of Iustice to Yorke where the continued aboue Six yeares And thither calles hee a Parliament requiring all his Subiects that held of him by Knights setuice to be ready at Roxborough by a peremptorie day where are assembled Three thousand men at Armes on barded Horses and Foure thousand other aimed men on Horse without bards with an Army on foot answerable consisting most of Welsh and Irish besides Fiue hundred men at armes out of Gasconie and with this power makes he his second expedition into Scotland The Earles of Hereford and Norfolke notwithstanding their former contempts attend him And although he were thus guirt with all this strength and in the midst of his mightinesse they vrge the ratifications of the Two Charters and their Pardons which they held not sufficient to secure them in regarde the King was out of the Realme at the late granting thereof The Bishop of Duresme the Earles of Surrey The famouse Battell of Fonkirk Warwicke and Glocester vndertooke for the King that after hee had subdued his Enemies and was returned hee should satisfie them therein And so these two Earles with the Earle of Lincolne Led his Vauntguard at the famous Battell of Foukirke The Scots ouerthrowne which the King of England gat wherein are reported to be slaine 200 Knights and Forty thousand foot of the Scots But William Wallice with some few escaped to make more worke And here againe that
part Shortly after a Parlement is called at London wherein the King complaines of the great contempt was had of him by the Barons their rising in Armes their taking and murthering A Parlement Pierce Gaueston c. Whereunto with one accord they answer how they had not offended therein but rather mereted his lous and fauour hauing taken armes not for any contempt of his Royall person but to destroy the publique enemy of the Kingdome banished before by the consent of two Kings a man by whom his fame and honour was most highly disparaged his substance and that of the Kingdome wasted and a most dangerous dissention betweene him and his subiects raised Whereof otherwise with all their labour and trauaile they conld neuer haue had an end Besides they tell him plainely they would now no longer attend vaine promises nor be deluded with delaies as they had hitherto been concerning their required Articles Which stout resolution of theirs the Queene with the Prelates and the Earle of Glocester seeing they seeke by all perswasions to quallifie their heate and at length so farre preuailed with them as to appease the Kings wrath they brought them and their confederates in open Parlement to humble themselues to the King and to craue pardon for what they had done which they obtained and the King receiues The Lords are pardoned A Fifteenth granted them into grace as his loyall subiects grants them their Articles and particular pardons by his Charter for their indemnity concerning the death of Gaueston And for this the State vpon his great wants granted him a Fifteenth Guy de Beauchamp Earle of Warwicke is here appointed to bee one of the Kings Councell who Reg. 6. Anno. 1314. beeing a man much enuied by such as possest the King shortly after dies not without suspition of poyson Whilst the State of England stood thus diseased at home through the infirmity of a weake Head that of Scotland grew strong by the prouidence of a vigilant King who had not only ouercome the Scottish faction and recouered the most of his owne K. Bruce grows strong in Scotland Countrey but also made spoiles on this wasting all Northumberland in such sort as King Edward wakened with the out-cries of his people and the great dishonor of the K. Ed. goes with a mighty Army into Scotland kingdome is drawne to take armes for redresse thereof and enters Scotland with the greatest Armie that euer yet went thither consisting as the Scottish writers report of 100 Thousand men whereof were great numbers of Flemings Gascoines Welsh and Irish who in imagination had deuoured the Countrey before they came thither and thought not of Battailes but of deuiding the prey Besides the King had with him most of the Nobility and especiall men of England except Thomas Earle of Lancaster the Earles of Warwicke Warrein and Arundell who refused to goe for that the King protracted the execution of the foresaid Articles The Castle of Sterling is the peece that is to bee relieued which chiefly now held out defended by Philip Moubray a valiant Knight who seeing the daily successe of Bruce had manned and victualed the same for many moneths Neare to this place vpon the Riuer Bannocke is incountred this great Armie of England by Bruce with 30 Thousand Scots a small number say their writers in respect of their enemies but as men hardened with daily vse of warre and domesticall euills fierce and resolute carrying all their hopes in their hands of life estate and whatsoeuer was deare vnto them The aduantage of the ground was theirs hauing behinde vnaccessable Rocks to defend them before a Moorish vncertaine ground wherein they digged trenches The battail of Bannocks borough which they pitched full of sharpe stakes and couered them ouer with hurdles so that tht footmen might passe ouer safely without impediment but it so confounded the Horse as it gaue the Scots the day and the greatest ouerthrow to England that euer it receiued There perished in this Battaile called of Bannocks Bourough Gilbert The defeit of the English the last Clare Earle of Glocester a maine Arch of the State of England and Robert Lord Clifford the Noblest of our Barons with the Lord Tiptoft the Lord Mareschall the Lord Giles de Argenton the Lord Edmond de Maule 700 Knights Esquires and Gentlemen of sort of common souldiers theirs say Fifty thousand ours Ten taken prisoners Humfrey Bohun Earle of Hereford Ralph de Morthelmere who married Ioan de Acres Countesse dowager of Glocester with many others the King and those who were preserued escaped by flight This defeit put Scotland both into Armes and Wealth so that they held their owne the better for a long time after and discouraged so much this kingdome for many yeares as it wrought not though it often attempted any great reuenge King Eddward vpon his comming backe to Yorke shewed a great desire to repaire this dishonour but nothing was done his people grew colde home they returne and sitte downe by their losse The poore Borderers haue the worst of it and become so deiected as 100 of them would flie from three Scots saith Walsingham To such a sodain faintnesse are the inferiours brought when the nobler parts of a State which should giue them spirit are ill affected This disaster as mischiefe neuer comes alone was attended with inundations which brought forth Dearth Dearth Famine Famine Pestilence all which exceeded any that euer before had been knowne A Parlement is called at London vpon A Parlement at London the beginning of this Dearth to abate the prices of victualls which sodainely grewto be excessiue And therefore it was ordained that an Oxe fatted with grasse Reg. 8. An. 1315. should be sould for sixteene shillngs fatted with corne for twentie shillings the best Cow for twelue shillings a fat Hogge of two yeares old three shillings foure pence a fatte Sheepe shorne fourteene pence with the fleece twenty pence a fatte Goose for two pence halfe penny a fatte Capon two pence a fat Hen a penny foure Pigeons Rates for victualls a penny whosoeuer sould aboue should forfeit their ware to the King Heere seemes then to haue been no Calues Lambes Goslings Chickins young Pigges to be sould those dainties were not yet in vse After these rates imposed all kinde of victualls grew more scarce then before and such a Murrein followed of all kinde of Cattell with a generall failing of all fruits of A Dearth which lasted 3. yeares the earth by the excessiue raines and vnseasonable weather as prouision could not be had for the Kings house nor meanes for other great men to maintaine their Tables such a iust punishment had Excesse and Ryot inflicted thereon in those daies in so Reg. 10. An. 1317. much as men put away their seruants in great numbers who hauing beene daintily bred and now not able to worke scorning to begge fell to Robberie and spoyle which addes more miserie
Cornewall In anno Reg. 12. at a Parlement at Northampton as some write in the absence of the King was granted by the Laytie one halfe of their Wools but of the Clergie A Subsedie of Woll was levied the whole and they were caused to pay Nine Markes for every sacke of fine Wooll The next yeare after a Fifteenth was likewise paid in Wooll by the Comunaltie And K. Ed. goes into Fland. with his wife and children now for the better managing of his worke abroad hauing well accommodated the Scottish affaires hee goes ouer into Flanders takes with him his Queen and children lies at Antwerp where by perswasion of the Flemings hee tooke vppon him the Stile Title and Armes of the King of France whereby they held they might the better iustifie their partaking in his quarrell and dispence with their oath formerly made to the French King hauing besides bound themselues in 20 hundred thousand crownes neuer to beare Armes against the King of France and thereupon the league was established between them and King Edward The French King was not behind in his The French Kings partakers preparations and confederacies having to take his part the King of Bohemia the Count Palatine of Rhene who covenanted to serue him against K. Edward and his adherents with 300 horse for 56000 Florins The Bishop of Mets Albert Otho Dukes of Austrich Theodore Marquesse of Monferat Amè Earle of Geneva besides many Princes of Estate and divers great Captaines out of Germany French-County Sauoy Dauphine Spaine and other Countries So that all the best of the Christian World are Meanes to appease these two Kings either in Armes or aiding in this quarrell between these two mighty Kings Long were they preparing and making a noyse before they came to grapple and much was wrought by the Pope and the King of Sicile a great Astrologer who devined by skill hee had in the Stars of much future calamity to France to haue accorded them which would not be The Preface of this warre began on the Borders of each others State On this side King Edward sets vpon Cambray defended by the French Phillip on the other seises on The French King seises on Duchy of Guyen the Duchie of Guyen and thither sends Conte d Eu Constable of France with the Earles of Foix and Arminiacg who surprize many strong peeces thereof Besides he hath a great Navy at Sea which committed much spoile on the coast of England King Edward King Edward enters into France enters France by the way of Vermandois and Thierache approaches neere to King Phillip Both Armies were lodged between Vironfosse and La Flamenguere the day of the fight appointed vpon the Friday after the Battailes on both sides made ready the advantage of number was on the French But both Armies furnished with braue men of warre and circumspect depart without incounter The French esteeming it no discretion to put the person and state of their King to the hazard of Battell within his owne Kingdom And the English consisting of lesse number thought fit not to assaile them and so they passed the day in Countenances and nothing was done Onely this accident fell out which after gaue matter of sport A Hare starting before the head of the French Army a great shot was suddainely made which they who were behind Froissart supposing to haue been vpon the on-set of Battaile disposed themselues to fight some Knights of the Hare Esquires for their more incouragement are according to the custome presently Knighted who were ever after called Knights of the Hare The next morning earely both Kings dislodge the French retires to Paris the King of England into Brabant where after he had strongly fastened his confederated and disposed of his affaires he leaues the Queene and returnes into England about Candlemasse 1330. An. Reg. 14. having been in Brabant aboue a yeere lands at the Towre about Midnight and finding it vnguarded was much displeased sends for the Maior of London whom hee commanded to bring before him the Chancelor and Treasurer with Iohn S. Paul Michael Wath Phillip Thorp Hen. Stratford Clergie men who it seemes were officers for his receipts and Iohn Sconer Iustice of the Bench all which except the Chancellour were arrested and committed to prison as were afterward in like manner diverse officers of Iustice and Accomptants vpon inquirie made of their vniust proceeding A Parlement at London Great Subsides granted Custome at first but temporarie Then cals hee a Parlement at London in Lent which granted vnto him for custome of every Sacke of Wooll Forty shillings for every 300 Wooll-fells Forty shillings for every Last of Leather Forty shillings and of other Merchandizes according to that rate the same to indure from that Easter to the Whitsontide Twelue-month after Besides there was granted of Citizens and Burgesses a Nynth part of Goods of Forrain Merchants and other a Fifteenth of Husbandmen the Ninth Sheaffe the Ninth Fleece the Ninth Lambe for two yeares Also another Tenth of the Clergie And for his present supply hee hath Loanes of divers wealthy persons and the Citie of London lett 20 thousand Marks For the grant of which mighty Subsidie the King besides his Pardon to drivers kinds of offenders Pardons and Remission of antient Debts remits all Amercements for transgression in his Forrests Reliefes and scutage vnto the first time of his going into Flanders Besides all Aydes for the marriages of his Sonnes and Daughters during his raigne pardoning and remitting all ancient debts and arrerages both Retribution of his Fermors and others any way due in the time of his Progenitors and his owne till the tenth yeare of his raigne excepting such as were compounded for and determined to be paid into his Exchequer and here he likewise confirmes the great Charter During King Edwards aboade in England William Montague Earle of Salisbury and Robert Vfford Earle of Suffolke left in Flanders to oppose the proceeding of the French having persormed divers great exploits with happy successe and presuming overmuch The Earles of Salisbury and Suffolke taken prisonerg in France vpon their fortune were in an incounter about Lisle so overlaide by multitude as they were both taken and sent prisoner to Paris to the great ioy of the French King who now to impeach the King of Englands returne had prepared a mighty Navie in the Haven of Sluce consisting of 200 Saile of Ships besides many Galies and two thousand armed men in the Port ready to incounter him vpon his landing Whereof King Edward being advertised provides great strength with the like number of Shippes and sets out to Sea vpon Midsomer Eue is met the morrow after with a Navie likewise from the North parts conducted by Sir Robert Morley and in counters his enemy which lay to intercept him with such force and courage and advantage of winde and Sun as he vtterly defeited their whole Navie took or
or perish and plunges formost into the Riuer crying out They who loue mee will follow mee At which voyce all thrust in without dispute striuing who should be formost and lo presently the shoare gained by the English Gondomar astonished with this vnexpected and bolde aduenture astonishes his people by his fearefull countenance So that the English incountring the French all in disorder fell vpon them and put them to flight But the retraite was neere to Abbe-ville and Saint Requier The losse was not so great as the shame but serued as a presage for a greater mischiefe to France These disrouted men all affrighted flocke into Abbe-ville Where King Phillip The French K. resolues to incounter K. Ed. inraged with this dishonour resolues to reuenge it and presently to prouoke King Edward to the combate The aduise of his Councell was otherwise to suffer his troupes to repose some few dayes recouer their spirits King Edward to coole and spend his in the meane while But hardly had this King the patience to stay in Abbe-ville one day whiles the bridge to passe ouer his Army was repayring And His impatiēce and his hopes with this precipitation and fury into the field hee marches cleuated with an assured hope of a triumphant victory King Edward better tempered manages his worke with admirable discretion and vigilancy and had now in camped in a Village called Crecy and there entrenched and fortified himselfe not onley with the trees of the Forrest about it but with deepe rampiers and other defences besides causing also a Parke to bee paled vnder the woode side behinde his hoste wherein were placed all the Carts and Carriages His Army consisted of thirty thousand men but in order and courage double the number The vauntgard hee gaue to the Prince for guides the Earle of Warwicke The ordering of K. Ed. Army Godfray de Harecourt the Lords Stafford De la ware Bourcheir Clifford Cobham Holland Sir Iohn Chandos Sir Bartholomew Burwash Sir Robert Neuile with eight hundred men at Armes and two thousand Archers besides a thousand other most of them Welch men The second battaile was committed to the Earles Arundell and Northampton the Lords Rosse Willoughby Basset Saint Albin Multon and others wherein were eight hundred men at Armes and twelue hundred Archers The third battayle the King led himselfe hauing seuen hundred men at Armes and two thousand Archers These Battayles thus ordered mounted on a white Hobby hee rode from ranke to ranke to view them the one Marshall on his right hand the other on his left incouraging euery man that day to haue regarde to his right honour The French Kings Army was greater both in lustre and aduantage composed of aboue sixty thousand combatants well armed whereof the chiefe were Charles Earle of Alanson the Kings brother Iohn de Luxembourg King of Bohemia Charles de Bloys the Kings Nephew Ralph Duke of Lorrayne the Earle of Flanders Neuers Sancerre the Dolphin de Viennois of Barons Knights and Gentlemen aboue three thousand and on the Eue of the battayle Amè Earle of Sauoy arriued with a thousand men at armes more which made the French king swell with assurance of the maisterie so that hee longed to be at the incounter The Vauntgard hee commits to his brother The ordering of the French Kings Army at the battaile of Cressy Conte d' Alanson the Reere to the Earle of Sauoy the mayne battaile he leads himselfe his heate would scarce permit time for a little counsell what was fit to be done The olde King of Bohemia aduised that the Army should first take some repast and that the Infanterie consisting of Genouese which were about fifteene thousand crosse-bowes and sure men should make the first front and the Cauallarie to follow which was agreed on After their repast the Vauntgard set on the Conte d' Alanson contrarie to this order tooke it ill that the Genouese were in the first ranke in fury caused them to change place which changed the Seat of the Armie and wrought that discontent as it irritated them more against the leader then the enemy besides there fell at the instant a piercing shower of raine which dissolued their strings made their bowes vnusesull and at the breaking vp of the shower the Sunne shone full in the face of the French dazling their sight and on the backes of the English as if all made for them King Edward who had gotten to a winde-mill hill beholding as from a Sentinell with a setled spirit the countenance of the enemy and discouering both this accident King Edward discouers the disorders of the Frdnch. and the hurlement made by the change of place slacks not to take aduantage thereof and instantly sends to charge that part without giuing them time to reaccommodate themselues insomuch as the discouraged Genouese recoyle which the Conte d' Alanson perceiuing and comming on with the horse in great rage cries out On on let vs make way vpon the bellies of these Geuouese who doe but hinder vs and instantly prickes on with a full carrier through the midst of them attended with the Earles of Lorrayne Sauoy and the Dolphin de Viennois and neuer takes breath till he came vp to the English battayle where the Prince was which they found better setled their horses flanked with troupes of Archers whose strings hauing not felt the raine rained such a shower of steele vpon them as cooled their heate and all disordered them The French king seeing his brother thus indangered makes vp to disingage him whereupon the fight grew hot and doubtfull insomuch as the Commanders about the Prince send to King Edward to come vp with his power to ayd them the King demands the messenger whether his sonne were slaine or hurt the messenger answered no but hee was like to bee ouer layd Well then saide the King returne and tell them who sent you that so long as my sonne is aliue they send no more to me what euer happen for I will that the honour of this day be his And so being left to try for themselues they wrought it out with the sword and recouered the aduantage by reason the French king hauing his horse slaine vnder him and in danger to be troden to death had hee not beene recouered by the Lord Iohn Beaumont his new Pensioner was to the great discouragement of his people withdrawn out of the field Whereof notice being once taken by the English the day was soone after theirs and King Edward obtaines the victory in this great battaile of Cressy the greatest victory they euer had yet against the French and so bloody as there is not mention made of one prisoner taken in the battaile for they being once put to rout were all whom the sword could ouertake slaughtered out right Some few troupes that held together saued themselues by retyring to places neer adioyning The French king himselfe with a small company got to Bray in
markes sterling a day Such vent of wools were there in that time And presently after the Parliament in winter to shew that hee was for all weathers he goes with an Armie to recouer Barwicke which had beene surprised by the Scottes whilst he was last at Calais and heere hath he not onely his Towne but the whole Kingdome of Scotland resigned vnto him by Edward Baliol who held himselfe King Edward Baliol resignes the Kingdome of Scotland to King Edward reseruing to himself a pension therof by the best Title but not best regarged For King Alexander though now Prisoner in England had the most powerfull Partie there so both were Kings to their seuerall sides that held them so a miserable distraction to that poore Kingdom And euery where dwelt affliction but in England and here was nothing but Tryumphes Vanquishings and Recouerings in all parts The Prince enters Guien passes ouer Longuedoc to Tholouse Narbonne Burges without any encounter in the field sacks spoyles destroyes where hee goes and loaden with bootie returnes to Burdeanx The French King thus assaulted on all sides gathers what power hee possibly Anno Reg. 30. 1336. could and first makes against his enemies in Normandie recouers many of his lost Townes and was likely to haue there preuailed but that he was drawne of force to oppose this fresh Inuador the Prince of Wales who was again abroad come vp into Toureyne against whom he brings his whole Armie causing all the Townes and passages The French King hath the Prince of Wales at an aduantage vpon the Riuer Loyr to be strongly garded Whereupon the Prince whose forces were not to encounter those so mightie was aduised to withdraw again thorow Toureyne and Poyctou towards Burdeaux The French King to preuent his course followes and within two Leagues of Poyctiers hath him at a great aduantage Two Cardinalls at that instant came from the Pope to mediate a peace The French King supposing he had his Enemie now in his mercie would accept of none other conditions but that the Prince should deliuer him foure Hostages and as vanquished render himselfe and his Armie to his discretion The Prince was content to restore vnto him what hee had gayned vpon him but without preiudice of his honour wherein he sayd Hee stood accomptable to his Father and his Conntry So the Legates perswasions though earnestly vrged could preuaile nothing vpon the French Kings obstinacie who presuming of victorie in regard his Armie was sixe to one would instantly as loath to loose time to loose himselfe set vpon the Prince who reduced to this Straight takes what aduantage he could of the The Battayle of Poytiers fought the 19. of September 1336. ground and prouidently got the benefit of Vines Shrubs and Bushes on that part he was like to be assayled to impester and intangle the French Horse which hee sawe were to come furiously vpon him The successe answered his expectation for behold the Cauallarie of his Enemies vpon their first assault wrapt and incumbred amongst the Vines so that his Archers without danger gall and annoy them at their pleasure For the French King to giue the honour of the day to his Cauallarie whereof hee had caused a choyse to bee selected out of euery companie to the discontent of the rest imployed them onely without his Infantery So that they being disordered and put to rout his whole Armie came to be vtterly defeited The errors committed in the Battaile of Cressie could not warne this King to auoyd the like For had he had the patience to haue tymed it out awhile the Prince could not haue possibly subsisted being thus inuironed shut vp from all succours as he was and now thus furiously assaulted and hauing no safetie but what was to be The French King taken prisoner wrought by the Sword which desperation euer makes the sharper Hee and his shewed that admirable courage that day as purchased them the most memorable glorie that euer any Mattiall action did that was at chiued by the English with so fewe handes Here was now the Head of that great Kingdome-claymed taken Prisoner with his yongest sonne Phillip who valiantly defending his father when his other brothers forsooke him had afterwarde the Title of Hardie and became Duke of Burgogne Iaques de Borbon Conte de Ponthieu the Arch-byshop of Sens Iohn d' Artoys Conte d' Eu Charles d' Artoys his brother Conte de Longnevitle Charles Conte de Tancarville The number of Prisoners taken the Conts of Vendosme Salbourg Dampmartin and La Roche with many other Lords of markes besides 2000. Knights Esquires and Gentlemen in so much as the Conquerors holding it not safe to retaine so many let many of them goe The French who can giue best account of their owne losses report there dyed in the battaile a thousand seauen hundred Gentlemen amongst which were fifty two Bannerets the most eminent Peter de Borbon the Duke d' Athens Constable of France Ian de Clermont Marshall Geoffrey de Charny High Chamberlaine The slaine in the battaile There escaped from this battayle three of the French Kings sonnes for hee brought them all thither Charles Prince Dauphin and the first so intitled Lonys after Duke of Aniou Iohn Duke of Berry all great actours in the time following This blow might seeme to haue beene enough to haue vtterly ouerthrowne that kingdome and absolutely subdued it to the Crowne of England but that is was a body which consisted of so many strong limbs had such store of spirits dispersed in seuerall parts and contayned so wide an extent of state as all this blood letting could not dissolue it or make it faint to giue ouer And sure these powerfull kingdomes howsoeuer they may be diseased and suffer either through the distemperature of their Heads or distractions of their other parts can neuer vnlesse by a gene rall dissolution be so low brought but they will recouer againe in the end their frame holdes by many nayles which neuer fayle all together The Prince of Wales in this battaile hath a double victory the one by the sword the other by his Curtesie first hee visits the captiue King with all reuerence and regarde of Maiesty comforts him by examples of the fortunes of warre and assures him of all faire entertainement according to his dignity The especiall great men who were actors in this worke must not passe vnremembred the Earles Warwicke Suffolke A memorable act of Iames Lord Audley Salisbury Oxford Stafford the Lords Cobham Spencer Barkley Basset Of Gescoignes Le Capital de Beuf the Lords Pumier Chaumont and others And here the Lord Iames Audley is renowned both for his valour and bounty who hauing vowed to bee formost in this fight performed his word sealed it with many wounds for which the Prince hauing rewarded him with the gift of Fiue hundred markes Fee-simple in England he presently gaue it to foure of his Esquires who had with