The tenour of the French kings letters of protection.
Lvdouicus rex Francorum, omnibus ad quos præsentes literæ peruenerint salutem. Nouerit vniuersitas vestra quòd nos recipimus in protectione & custodia nostra totam terram Henrici regis Angliæ charissimi fratris nostri, in cismarinis partibus sitam, si contigerit eum in Angliam transfretare vel peregrè proficisci. Ita planè, vt quādo balliui sui de terra transmarina nos requisierint, bona fide & sine malo ingenio eis consilium & auxilium præstabimus, ad eiusdem terras defensionem & protectionem. Actum apud Nicenas. The English whereof is thus.
"Lewes king of France, to all those to whom these present letters shall come greeting. Know all ye that we haue receiued into our protection & custodie all the lands of Henrie king of England our deare brother, lieng and being in the parts of this side the sea, if it chance him to passe ouer into England, or to go any waie foorth from home, so that when the bailiues of his lands on this hither side the sea shall require vs, we shall helpe them and counsell them faithfullie and without male-engine for defense and protection of the same lands. Giuen at Nicens."
Shortlie after, king Henrie returned into England from Normandie, and at Woodstocke made his sonne Geffrey knight. This yeare pope Alexander sent into all parts legats to summon the bishops and prelates to a generall A generall councell summoned at Rome. councell to be holden at Rome in the beginning of the Lent in the yere next following. Whereabout two legats came into England, the one named Albert de Suma, who had in commission to summon them of England and Normandie: and the other called Petro de Santa Agatha, who was appointed to summon them of Scotland, Ireland, and the Iles about the same: wherevpon obteining licence to passe through the king of Englands dominions, he was constreined to sweare vpon the holie euangelists, that he should not attempt any thing in his legatship that might be hurtfull to the king or his realme, and that he should come and visit the king againe as he returned homewards.
This yeare on the sundaie before the natiuitie of S. John Baptist, being the 18 of June, after the setting of the sunne, there appeared a Ger. Dor. maruellous sight in the aire, vnto certeine persons that beheld the same. For whereas the new moone shone foorth verie faire with his hornes A strange sight about the moone. towardes the east, streightwais the vpper horne was diuided into two, out of the the mids of which diuision a burning brand sprang vp, casting from it a farre off coles and sparks, as it had beene of fire. The bodie of the moone in the meane time that was beneath, séemed to wrest and writh in resemblance like to an adder or snake that had béene beaten, and anon after it came to the old state againe. This chanced aboue a dozzen times, and at length from horne to horne it became blacke.
In September following, the moone being about 27. daies hold, at six of the clocke, a partile eclipse of the sunne happened, for the bodie thereof appeared as it were horned shooting the hornes towards the west A strange eclipse of the sunne. as the moone dooth: being twentie daies old. The residue of the compasse of it was couered with a blacke roundell, which comming downe by little and little, threw about the horned brightnesse that remained, till both the hornes came to hang downe on either side to the earthwards; and as the blacke roundell went by little & little forwards, the homes at length were turned towards the west, and so the blacknesse passing awaie, the sunne receiued his brightnesse againe. In the meane time the aire being full of clouds of diuerse colours, as red, yellow, green, and pale, holpe the peoples sight with more ease to discerne the maner of it.
The king this yeare held his Christmasse at Winchester, at which time newes came abroad of a great wonder that had chanced at a place called An. Reg. 25.
1179. R. Houed. Oxenhale, within the lordship of Derlington, in which place a part of the earth lifted itselfe vp on high in appearance like to a mightie tower, and so it remained from nine of the clocke in the morning, till the euen tide, and then it fell downe with an horrible noise, so that as A strange wonder of the earth. such as were thereabout, were put in a great feare. That péece of earth with the fall was swallowed vp, leauing a great déepe pit in the place, as was to be seene many yeares after.
¶ Touching these celestiall apparitions, the common doctrine of philosophie is, that they be méere naturall, and therefore of no great admiration. For of eclipses, as well such as are proper to the sunne, as also those that are peculiar to the moone, the position is not so generallie deliuered, as it is constantlie beléeued. For the philosophers giue this reason of eclipses.
M. Pal. in. Aquar. —— radios Phœbi luna interiecta repellit,
Nec sinit in terras claram descendere lucem.
Quippe aliud non est quàm terræ atque æquoris vmbra,
Quæ si fortè ferit nocturnæ corpora lunæ,
Eclipsin facit.
In somuch as obseruing them to be ordinarie accidents, they are Luc. lib. 1. ouerpassed and nothing regarded. Howbeit Lucane maketh a great matter of eclipses, and of other strange sights precéeding the bloudie battels betweene Pompeie and Cesar; intimating hereby, that prodigious woonders, and other rare and vnaccustomed accidents are significations of some notable euent insuing, either to some great personage, to the common-wealth, or to the state of the church. And therefore it is a matter woorth the marking, to compare effects following with signes and woonders before going; since they haue a doctrine in them of no small importance. For not manie yeares after, the kings glorie was darkened on earth, nay his pompe and roiall state tooke end; a prediction whereof might be imported by the extraordinarie eclipse of the sunne, a beautifull creature, and the ornament of the skie.
Laurence archbishop of Dublin, and Catholicus the archbishop of Tuamon, with fiue or six other Irish bishops, and diuerse both bishops and abbats of Scotland, passed through England towards the generall councell, and withall tooke their oth, that they shuld not procure any damage to the king or realme of England. There went but onelie foure bishops out of England, to wit, Hugh Putsey, or Pudsey bishop of Durham, John bishop of Norwich, Reignold bishop of Bath, and Robert bishop of Hereford, beside abbats: for the English bishops firmelie stood in it, that there ought but foure bish. onelie to go foorth of England to any Richard de Lucie lord chéefe iustice of England deceasseth. generall councell called by the pope. This yeare Richard de Lucie lord chéefe iustice of England gaue ouer his office, and became a canon in the abbeie of Westwood or Lesnos, which he had founded, and built vpon his owne ground, endowing it with great reuenewes, and in Julie after he died there.
A parlement at Windsore. King Henrie the father called a parlement at Windsore, at the which was present king Henrie the sonne, and a great number of lords, earles and barons. At this parlement, order was taken for partition of the realme, so that it was diuided into foure parts, certeine sage personages being allotted vnto euerie part to gouerne the same, but not by the name of Ranulfe de Glanuille. iustices, albeit that Ranulfe de Glanuille was made ruler of Yorkeshire, & authorised iustice there, as he that best vnderstood in those daies Geffrey earle of Britaine son to king Henrie. Guidomer de Leons. the ancient lawes and customes of the realme. The same yeare, Geffrey earle of Britaine by his fathers commandement leuied an armie, and passing ouer into Britaine, wasted the lands of Guidomer de Leons, and constreined him to submit himselfe vnto him.
The moone eclipsed. The 18. day of August, the moone was eclipsed, which was séene of king Henrie and his companie as he rode all that night towards Douer there to The French K. commeth a madding to visit the archbishop Beckets toome. méet the French king, who was comming towards England to visit the toome of archbishop Thomas Becket as he had before time vowed. He landed at Douer the 22. day of August. There came ouer with him Henrie duke of Louaine, Philip earle of Flanders, Baldwin earle of Guines, earle William de Mandeuille, and diuerse other earles, lords, barons and knights; whome king Henrie was readie to receiue at the water side, and the morow after brought them with great honor to Canturburie, where they were with due reuerence and vnspeakeable ioy receiued of archbishop Richard, and diuerse other bishops there assembled togither with the couent of Christes-church, and an infinit multitude of Nobles and The French word is Muis. gentlemen. The French king offered vpon the toome of the said archbishop Thomas, a rich cup of gold; and gaue to the moonks there an hundred tuns of wine to be receiued yearelie of his gift for euer at Poissie in France. Further he granted to the same moonks, that whatsoeuer was bought in his dominions of France to their vse, should be free from toll, tallage, and paieng any maner of excise for the same. These grants he confirmed with his charter thereof, made & deliuered to them by the hands of Hugh Putsey, son to the bishop of Duresme that was his chancellor. King Lewes hauing performed his vow, and receiued manie rich Polydor. gifts of king Henrie, returned home into France, and shortlie after causing his sonne to be crowned king, resigned the gouernment to him (as Matth. Paris. Cadwallon prince of Wales. by some writers appeareth.) About the same time, Cadwallon prince of Wales, being brought before the king to make his answer to diuerse accusations exhibited against him, as he returned toward his countrie vnder the kings safe conduct, was laid for by his enimies, and slaine, to the kings great slander, though he were not giltie in the matter. An. Reg. 26.
1180. R. Houed. After this, King Henrie the father held his Christmasse at Notingham, and William king of Scotland with him.
Discord betwixt the French K. and his nobles. The same yeare fell discord betwixt the yoong king of France, and his mother and vncles, hir brethren, earle Theobald and earle Stephan, who thinking themselues not well vsed, procured king Henrie the sonne to ioine with them in fréendship, and to go ouer into England to purchase his fathers assistance in their behalfe against their nephue. Who being come ouer to his father, informed him of the whole mater, and did so much by his earnest suit therin, that before the feast of Easter, his father went ouer with him into Normandie, and immediatlie vpon their arriuall in those parts, the old French quéene, mother to the yoong king Philip, with their brethren the said earles, and manie other Noble men of France came vnto him, and concluding a league with him, deliuered hostages into his hands, and re-ceiued an oth to follow his counsell and aduice in all things.
Herevpon king Henrie assembled a great armie, in purpose after Easter to inuade the French kings dominions: but before any great exploit was made, he came to an enteruew with the new king of France, betwixt Gisors R. Houed. and Treodsunt, where partlie by gentle words, and partlie by threatnings which king Henrie vsed for persuasion, the French king released all his indignation concerned against his mother and vncles, and receiued them againe into his fauour, couenanting to allow his mother for euerie day towards hir expenses seuen pounds of Paris monie, during his father king Lewes his life time; and after his death, she should enioy all hir dower, except the castels which king Philip might reteine still in his hands. Also at this assemblie, king Henrie the father in the presence of The earle of Flanders does homage to the king of England. the French king, receiued homage of Philip earle of Flanders, and granted to him for the same a thousand markes of siluer, to be receiued yearelie out of the checker at London, so that in consideration thereof he should find fiue hundred knights or men of armes, to serue the king of England for the space of 40. daies, when soeuer he should haue warning giuen vnto him.
Moreouer, the two kings at this assemblie concluded a league togither, and whereas certeine lands were in controuersie betwixt them, as the fée of Chateau Raoul, and other small fees, if they could not agree among themselues concerning the same, either of them was contented to commit the order thereof, and of all other controuersies betwixt them vnto six bishops, to be chosen indifferentlie betwixt them, the one to choose thrée, and the other thrée.
Matth. Paris. Tailbourg woone. In this yeare, or (as the annales of Aquitaine say) in the yeare last passed, Richard earle of Poictou subdued the strong fortresse of Tailbourg, which was iudged before that time, inexpugnable: but earle Richard oppressed them that kept it so sore with streight siege, that first in a desperate mood they issued foorth, and assailed his people verie valiantlie, but yet neuerthelesse they were beaten backe, and forced to retire into their fortresse, which finallie they surrendred into the hands of earle Richard, who caused the wals thereof to be raced. The like fortune chanced to diuers other castels and fortresses that stood in rebellion against him within a moneth space.
Tailbourg belonged vnto one Geffrey de Rancin, who of a proud and loftie Matth. Paris. stomach practising rebellion against duke Richard, tooke this enterprise in hand, and when he had atchiued the same to his owne contentation, he passed ouer into England, and was receiued with great triumph, pompe & magnificence.
W. Paruus. The forme of the kings coine changed. About the same time, the forme of the kings coine was altered and changed, bicause manie naughtie and wicked persons had deuised waies to counterfeit the same, so that the alteration thereof was verie necessarie, but yet gréeuous and chargeable to the poore inhabitants of the realme.
An. Reg. 27.
1181. R. Houed. King Henrie the father, whilest he was at Mauns after Christmasse made this ordinance, that euerie man being worth in goods to the value of an hundred pounds Aniouin, should keepe one horsse able for seruice in the wars, and complet armour for a knight or man of armes, as we may rather call them. Also that such as had goods woorth in value from 40. pounds to 25. of the same monie, should at the least haue in his house for his furniture an habergeon, a cap of stéele, a speare, and a sword, or bowe and arrowes. Furthermore he ordeined, that no man might sell or laie to gage his armour and weapon, but should be bound to leaue it to his next heire. When the French king and the earle of Flanders were aduertised that king Henrie had made this ordinance amongst his subiects, they gaue commandement that their people should be armed after the like manner.
Matth. Paris. This yeare after Candlemasse, Laurence archbishop of Dublin came ouer to the king into Normandie and brought with him the son of Roderike king of Conagh, to remaine with him as a pledge, for performance of couenants passed betwixt them, as the paiment of tribute and such like. The said archbishop died there in Normandie, wherevpon the king sent Geffrey de Haie one of his chapleins, and chapleine also to Alexius the popes legat into Ireland, to seize that archbishops sée into his hands. He also sent John Lacie conestable of Chester, and Richard de Peake, to haue the citie of Dublin in kéeping, which Hugh Lacie had in charge before and now was discharged, bicause the king tooke displeasure with him, for that without his licence he had maried a daughter of the king of Conagh, according to the manner of that countrie.
This yeare also, Geffrey the kings bastard sonne, who was the elect of Lincolne, and had receiued the profits of that bishoprike, by the space of seuen years, and had his election confirmed by the pope in the feast R. Houed. of the Epiphanie at Marlebridge, in presence of the king and bishops renounced that preferment, of his owne free will. Within a while after the pope sent a streit commandement vnto Richard archbishop of Canturburie, either to cause the same Geffrey by the censure of the church to renounce his miter, or else to take vpon him the order of préesthood. Wherefore vpon good aduice taken in the matter with his father and other of his especiall fréends, iudging himselfe insufficient for the one, he was contented to part with the other; and therevpon wrote letters vnto the said archbishop of Canturburie, in forme as followeth.