Baldwin archbishop of Canturburie exhorteth men to go to warre against the Saracens. Howbeit in the meane time vpon licence granted by the king, that so manie might go as would, Baldwin the archbishop of Canturburie preached, and exhorted men to take vpon him the crosse so effectuallie, that a great number receiuing it, fullie purposed to go on in that iournie. At length the king gaue answer to the patriarch, excusing himselfe in that he could go, for he declared that he might not leaue his land without keeping, being in danger to remaine as a prey to the robberie and spoile Fiue thousand marks saith Geru. Dor. Ran. Higd. of the French men: but he offered to giue large summes of gold and siluer to such as would take vpon them that voiage. With this answer the cardinall was nothing pleased, and therefore said: "We séeke a man and not monie: euerie christian region well neere sendeth vs monie, but no countrie sendeth vs a prince; and therfore we require a prince that néedeth monie, and not monie that needeth a prince." But the king still alledged matter for his excuse, so that the patriarch departed from him comfortlesse, and greatlie discontented in his mind: whereof the king hauing knowledge, and intending somewhat to recomfort him with sweet and pleasant words, followed him to the sea side. But the more the king thought to satisfie the patriarch with words, the more wroth and discontented he shewed himselfe to be; in so much that at the last he The words of the patriarch to the king. said vnto him, "Hitherto hast thou reigned gloriouslie, but hereafter shall thou be forsaken of him, whom thou at this time forsakest. Consider of him, and remember what he hath giuen thée, and what thou hast yéelded to him againe, how first thou wast false to the king of France, and after sluedst archbishop Becket, and now lastlie thou forsakest the protection of Christes faith."
The king was stirred with these words, and said vnto the patriarch, "Though all the men of the land were one bodie, and spake with one mouth, they durst not vtter such words against me." "No woonder (said the patriarch) for they loue thine and not thée; that is to say, they loue thy temporall goods, and stand in feare of thée for losse of promotion, but thy soule they loue not." And when he had so said, he offered his head to the king; saieng, "Doo by me euen as thou diddest by archbishop Becket, for all is one to me, either to be slaine heere in Europe of a wicked christian, or in the holie land by a Saracen, for thou art woorse than a Saracen, and thy people follow the prey and spoile and not a man." The king kept his patience, and said, "I may not go out of my land, for if I should, mine owne sonnes would rise and rebell against me." "No maruell (said the patriarch) for of the diuell they came, and to the diuell they shall." And thus he departed from the Rash iudgement in an holie father. king in great displeasure. ¶ Thus haue some written: but by others it appeareth that the patriarch remained here till the king went ouer into Normandie himselfe, in companie of whom the patriarch went also (as after shall appear.)
R. Houed. John the kings sonne made king of Ireland. Ger. Dor. This yeare the last of March, king Henrie made his sonne John knight, and shortlie after sent him ouer into Ireland, of which countrie he had made him king. At his comming into Ireland, he was honourablie receiued of the archbishop of Diueline, and other noble men that had béene sent thither before him. The king allowed him great abundance of treasure, but he hauing learned that
Non minor est virtus quàm quærere parta tueri,
keeping it in his coffers (as one now come into a strange place, and not knowing what he shuld want) would not depart with it so fréelie amongst his souldiers and men of warre as they looked for: by reason whereof their seruice was such, that in diuerse conflicts he lost manie of his men, and at length was driuen through want of conuenient aid, to returne againe into England, hauing appointed his capteins and souldiers to remaine in places most expedient for the defense of that countrie. ¶ But héereof yée may read more at large in the historie of Ireland.
An earthquake. On the mondaie in the wéeke before Easter, chanced a sore earthquake thorough all the parts of this land, such a one as the like had not beene heard of in England sithens the beginning of the world. For stones that laie couched fast in the earth, were remooued out of their places, stone houses were ouerthrowne, and the great church of Lincolne was rent from the top downwards.
The king and the patriarch passe ouer into France. The day next after this terrible woonder, the king and the patriarch with the bishop of Durham and a great sort of other Noble men of this realme, passed the seas from Douer to Wissand, and so rode foorth towards Normandie, where immediatlie vpon his comming thither he raised The kings message to his sonne earle Richard. a power, and sent word to his sonne Richard earle of Poictou (which had fortified the townes and castels of Poictou against him, and taken his brother Geffrey prisoner) that except he deliuered vp into his mothers hands the whole countrie of Poictou, he would surelie come to chastise him with an iron rod, and bring him vnder obedience smallie to his ease. Erle Richard obeieth his father. Vpon this message earle Richard being somewhat better aduised, obeied his fathers commandements in all points, rendring vp into his mothers hands the earldome of Poictou, and comming to his father as an obedient sonne, shewed himselfe readie to serue him at commandement with a glad and willing mind. Soone after this, and about the seauenth houre of the Rog. Houed. Particular and not generall, saieth Ger. Dor. day, the sunne suffered a generall eclipse, so that no part of it appeared, and therewith followed great thunder with lightning and sore tempest, with the violence whereof both men and beasts were destroied, and manie houses burned.
Shortlie after this the kings of England and France met and communed togither for the aiding of them in the holie land, and they promised indéed to send thither both men and monie: but the patriarch made small account thereof, for he was much deceiued of that which he hoped to haue brought to passe, which was, either to haue got the king of England, or one of his sonnes, or some other man of great authoritie with him into the holie land: but bicause that would not be, he departed from the court verie sorrowfull and sore displeased, so that it may be thought, that then (and not before his departure out of England) he spake his mind so plainlie vnto the king (as before yee haue heard.)
An. Reg. 32. Moreouer, about this time king Henrie obteined of pope Vrbane the third, that he might crowne which of his sonnes it should please him king of Ireland, in token of which grant and confirmation, the said pope sent vnto him a crowne of peacocks feathers, after a feat maner wouen in with gold.
1186. This yeare the king held his Christmasse at Danfrount, and shortlie after came to a communication with the French king, at the which he tooke a solemne oth that he would deliuer the ladie Alice the French kings sister (whome he had as yet in his custodie) vnto his sonne Richard erle of Poictou in mariage. For the which mariage to be had and solemnized, the French king granted to deliuer vnto the said Richard the towne of Gisors, with all that which his father king Lewes promised vnto king Henrie the sonne (latelie deceassed) in marriage with quéene Margaret the wife of the same Henrie, receiuing an oth thereto, neuer to make anie claime or chalenge to the same towne and lands.