The Welshmen make war on the English marshes.
Wil. Paruus. Polydor.
The king inuadeth Wales. The Welshmen this yeare spoiled a great part of those countries that bordered vpon them: wherewith the king being sore mooued, leuied an armie with all spéed as well of Englishmen as strangers, and (without regard of difficulties and dangers) did go against the rebels, and finding them withdrawne into their starting holes (I meane the woods and strait passages) he compassed the same about in verie forceable maner. The Welshmen perceiuing themselues now to be brought into such ieopardie, as that they could not well deuise how to escape the same, consulted what was best to be doone. After consultation, casting awaie their weapons, they came foorth to the king, asking mercie; which somewhat hardlie they obteined. Few of them were executed in comparison of the numbers that offended: but yet the capteines and chéefe authors of this rebellion were so punished, that it was thought they would neuer haue presumed so rashlie to offend him in like sort againe. For (as some Rog. Houed. The seuere punishment vsed by king Henry against the Welshmen. writers affirme) he did iustice on the sonnes of Rice or Rees, & also on the sonnes and daughters of other noble men that were his complices verie rigorouslie: causing the eies of the yoong striplings to be pecked out of their heads, and their noses to be cut off or slit: and the eares of the yoong gentlewomen to be stuffed.
But yet I find in other authors, that in this iournie king Henrie did not greatlie preuaile against his enimies, but rather lost manie of his men of warre, both horssemen and footmen: for by his seuere proceeding against them, he rather made them more eger to séeke reuenge, than Ger. Dor. Ran. Cogge. Cardigan castell woonne by the Welshmen.
Hubert de S. Clere conestable of Colchester. quieted them in any tumult. They tooke the castell of Cardigan, and in besieging of Briges, the king was in no small danger of his life: for one of the enimies shooting directlie at him, had persed him through the bodie if Hubert de Saint Clere conestable of Colchester, perceiuing the arrow coming had not thrust himselfe betwixt the king and the same arrow, and so preseruing his maister, receiued the stripe himselfe, whereof he died presentlie after, beséeching the king to be good lord to one onelie daughter which he had, whome the king bestowed in mariage William de Langualée. vpon William de Langualée, togither with hir fathers inheritance, which William begat of hir a sonne that bare both his name and surname. ¶ A president of gratitude & thankfulnes is here committed to memorie. And surelie the king could doo no lesse, than some way requite the venturous courage and hartie zeale of the gentleman, who with the losse of his owne life preserued the king, if not from death, yet from some dangerous wound that might haue put him to extreame anguish and paine. This may incite men to be mindfull of benefits receiued, a virtue no lesse rare than the contrarie is common, and as one saith,
—— inueniuntur
Quidam sed rari, acceptorum qui meritorum
Assiduè memores, &c.
W. Paruus. But to conclude with this iourneie which king Henrie made at this time against the Welshmen, although by reason of the cumbersome difficulties of the places, he could not enter within the countrie so farre as he wished, yet he so impounded and constreined them to kéepe within the woods and mountains, that they durst not come abroad, insomuch that at the length they were glad to sue for peace.
William king of Scots doth his homage to king Henrie. William king of Scots, successor of Malcolme (who departed this life in the yeare last past) after he had receiued the crowne of Scotland, came about this present time into England, and finding king Henrie at London, did his homage to him as his predecessour Malcolme had doone before. He made suit also to haue Northumberland restored vnto him, which the king of Englands mother the empresse had in times past giuen vnto king Dauid. But king Henrie gaue diuerse reasons to excuse himselfe whie he might not deliuer that countrie to him at that present, namelie, without consent of a parlement: wherevpon king William perceiuing how the matter went, gaue ouer his suit for that present, meaning (when occasion serued) to attempt the getting thereof by force, sith that by praier and suit he sawe well inough he should not obteine it.
Moreouer, the Scotish king being required by king Henrie to go ouer with him into Normandie, granted so to doo: insomuch that king Henrie, hauing set all things in order within his realme of England, in the Lent following passed ouer into Normandie. But before he tooke his iourneie, N. Triuet. Matth. Paris. Ger. Dor. he set foorth a decree consisting of these points in effect as followeth.
An edict against the archbishop Becket. 1 That no man should bring any letters or commandement from pope Alexander, or Thomas archbishop of Canturburie into England, conteining an interdiction of the realme: vpon perill to be apprehended and punished as a traitour to the king, and an enimie to the realme.
2 That no religious person or préest should be permitted to passe the seas, or to come into the relme of England, except he had letters of safe conduct from the iusticers for passage ouer, and of the king for his returne from thence.
Appeales forbidden. 3 That no man should appeale to the said pope or archbishop, nor by their appointment hold any plée: and if any person were found dooing the contrarie herevnto, he should be taken and committed to prison.
4 That if any maner of person, either spirituall or temporall, were obedient to the sentence of the interdiction, the same person should be banished the realme without delaie, and all his linage with him, so as they should not conueie with them any of their goods, the which togither with their possessions should be seized into the kings hands.