The king highlie offended with the bishops.
They alledged sundrie reasons for their excuse, as the pouertie of the English church being alreadie made bare, with continuall exactions and oppressions; but chéeflie they excused themselues by the absence of the archbishops of Canturburie and Yorke, of whom the one was beyond the sea, and the other at home in the north parts. All th'other English bishops were there, except Hereford & Chester, which Chester was sicke, and therefore without the consent of those that were absent, and namelie their primat the archbishop of Canturburie, they could not conclude vpon any generall point touching the kings demand. And although the king fretted and stormed against them, yet could he not bring them to his purpose, so that the parlement for that time was dissolued. Yet before their departure from London, he communed with the bishops apart, to sée if he might persuade them to giue him some portion of monie towards his charges: but they had tuned their strings all after one note, discording all from his tenor, so that not a penie could be got of them: wherefore he tooke high displeasure against them, reuiling them in most reprochfull maner, and amongst other he vpbraided his halfe brother (the elect of Winchester) of great vnthankefulnesse, who also amongst the residue stood against him.
The king assaieth to get monie of the lords temporall.
The Londoners helpe at a pinch.
The king hauing this repulse at the bishops hands, began to fall in talke with the lords of the temporaltie touching the troubles in Gascoigne, where things were in broile by the hard dooings or the earle of Leicester, against whom the Gascoignes ceassed not to make warre still, and of late hauing besieged him in the castell of Mountalbon, droue him to such shift, that to escape the present danger he was glad to set at libertie certeine rebels, which he had before taken captiues. Therefore to reduce that countrie vnto quietnesse, the king determined to go thither himselfe, and to remooue the earle of Leicester out of his office: but when he came to the pith of the matter, which was to desire their aid both of men and monie, the lords would not agrée to grant him anie. And where he sought to burthen the erle of Leicester with misgouerning things against his honour, they excused the same earle, and so the lords also departed in displeasure of the king as well as the bishops. Howbeit the king got of the Londoners by way of princelie praier twentie thousand marks of gold at that time. And to their further gréefe for better meane to be reuenged against the bishop of Elie, he caused the said Londoners to kéepe saint Edwards faire for fiftéene daies togither at Westminster, and in the meane time to kéepe their shops shut through all the citie. Which thing (by reason of the foule weather chancing at that time) was verie gréeuous vnto them, albeit there was such repaire of people thither, that London had not béene fuller to the iudgement of old ancient men neuer at anie time in their daies to their remembrance.
The death of sir Nicholas Samf
The countesse of Hereford departeth this life.
Matth. Paris.
The deceasse of the countesse de Lisle de Wincht.