But after he had obteined the kingdome of England, his couetous desire, increasing still with abundance alreadie obteined, found meanes to Pope Adrian an Englishman borne. A dispensatiō for an oth. Nic. Treuet. procure of pope Adrian the fourth (who was an Englishman borne) a dispensation for that oth: wherevpon (hauing got licence to depart from the office both of right, law and equitie) neglecting his fathers ordinance, he passed ouer into Normandie, and making war against his brother the said Geffrey, easilie expelled him out of those places, which were assigned him by bequest in his fathers testament, and so tooke the earledome of Aniou into his owne possession. Howbeit, he gaue vnto his said brother a pension of a thousand pounds English & two thousand pounds of the monie of Aniou, with the towne of Lodun, and certeine other lands to liue vpon; who neuerthelesse thinking himselfe euill vsed at the kings hands, rebelled and died.
¶ Here we haue to note the lacke of conscience and religion, not onlie in the pretended successor of Peter in giuing a dispensasion for an oth, but also in his good ghostlie sonne, who was no lesse forward in reuolting from his oth, than the other was willing to acquite him from the force thereof. But if these men had beene profiting scholars in the vniuersitie of the pagans, as they were arrand truants and ranke dullards in the schoole of christians, they might haue learned by profane examples, that as oths are not to be rashlie taken, so they are not to be vnaduisedlie broken. Herevnto alludeth Aristotle in his Metaphysikes, shewing the cause why poetrie hath feigned that the gods in old time vsed to sweare by water, as Jupiter is reported to haue doone in this manner;
Ouid. Met. lib. 1. fab. 6. —— per flumina iuro
Infera sub terra Stygio labentia luco.
To signifie vnto vs, that as water is a verie ancient and excellent element, and so necessarie that without it the life of man cannot consist; euen so we ought to estéeme of an oth, than the which we should thinke nothing more religious, nothing more holie, nothing more Ouid. Met. lib. 3. fab. 8, 9, 10. christian. Herevnto also tendeth the fable of the transmutation of mariners into Dolphins for periurie: importing thus much for our instruction, that the breaking of an oth, in a case that may preiudice, procureth greeuous punishments from God against them that so lewdlie doo offend. But such is the impudencie of the pope, that he will not grant dispensations onlie for oths, but for incest, for treason, and for any other sinne: which he may doo (as he boasteth) by vertue of his absolute and vniuersall iurisdiction: as we haue latelie in most lamentable sort séene exemplified. But to the course of our storie.
1156. Shortlie after, when king Henrie had dispatched his businesse in Normandie, and made an end of troubles there betwixt him and his brother Geffrey, he returned into England, bicause he receiued aduertisement, King Henrie goeth against the Scots. He wan Carleil and Newcastell and others. that Malcolme king of Scotland began to make war against his subiects that bordered next vnto him, wherevpon he hasted northwards: and comming first into Cumberland, he tooke the citie of Carleil, seizing all that countrie into his hands; and going after into Northumberland, he wan the towne of Newcastell, with the castell of Bamburg, and tooke into his possession all that countrie which his mother the empresse had sometimes granted vnto king Dauid, as before ye haue heard: howbeit, bicause he would not séeme to offer too much wrong, and be esteemed vnmindfull of The earledome of Huntingtō. former benefites receiued, he suffered king Malcolme to enioy the earledome of Huntington, which king Stephan had giuen vnto his father earle Henrie, sonne to king Dauid, as before is partlie touched.
William earle of Mortaigne Matth. Paris. Nic. Treuet. William also the earle of Mortaigne, and Warren sonne of king Stephan, were compelled to surrender to king Henrie, the castell of Pemsey, the citie of Norwich, and other townes and castels which he held, apperteining to the demeane of the crowne: to whom the king in recompense restored those lands which his father king Stephan held in the daies of king Henrie the first.
An. Reg. 3.
1157. Theodorike earle of Flanders. About this time Theodorike earle of Flanders (going with his wife vnto Jerusalem) committed his sonne Philip with all his lands, to the custodie of the king of England. Hugh Bigot also resigned his castels into the kings hands.
But whilest king Henrie was about (as before ye haue heard) to recouer and get backe the portions of his kingdome made away and dismembred by Rebellion of Welshmen. The king inuadeth them. his predecessors, he was informed that the Welshmen raised a rebellion against him; to represse whose attempts, he hasted foorth with all diligence. Now at his first approch to their countrie, his souldiers being set vpon in the straits, were verie fiercelie put back by the enimies, in somuch that a rumor ran how king Henrie was slaine, which puffed vp the Welshmen with no small hope, and dawnted the Englishmen with great feare. In déed, diuerse of the English nobilitie were slaine, Eustace Fitz John & Robert de Curey slaine. and (amongst others) Eustace Fitz John, and Robert de Curey, men of great honor and reputation.
Those which escaped in returning backe, not knowing that the king passed through the straits without danger, declared to their fellowes that followed and were approching to the said straits, that (so farre as they knew) the king and all the residue were lost. These newes so Henrie of Essex.
Matth. West. Wil. Paruus.
A combat betwixt Henrie de Essex, and Robert de Mountfort.
Matth. West. discomforted the companies, that Henrie of Essex, which bare the kings standard by right of inheritance, threw downe the same, and fled: which dishonorable déed was afterward laid to his charge by one Robert de Mountfort, with whom (by order taken of the king) he fought a combat in triall of the quarrell, and was ouercome: but yet the king qualifieng the rigor of the iudgement by mercie pardoned his life, and appointed him to be a shorne moonke, and put into the abbey of Reading, taking his lands and possessions into his hands as forfeited: howbeit this combat was not tried till about the 9. yeare of this kings reigne.
Now the king, hearing that his armie was discomfited, came to his men, and shewing himselfe to them with open visage, greatlie reuiued the whole multitude, and then procéeding against the enimies, his people were afterwards more warie in looking to themselues, insomuch that at The Welshmen submit themselues. length (when the K. prepared to inuade the Welshmen both by water & land) they sought to him for peace, and wholie submitted themselues vnto his grace and mercie.