The king demandeth a subsidie.
Whilest the king remained still in Gascoigne, he sent for his wife quéene Elenor, with his eldest sonne Edward, but bicause he could not make an end of all his businesse that winter, he continued there the summer also. And forsomuch as he stood in néed of monie, to haue some reasonable pretense to demand a subsidie, in the beginning of March, he sent to his brother Richard the earle of Cornewall (which was come ouer before chéefelie for that purpose) certeine instructions, to declare how there was like to follow great warre, by means of Alfonse the tenth of that name king of Castile, who manaced verie shortlie to inuade the confines of Gascoigne perteining to the English dominion, and therefore he required of his faithfull subiects some aid of monie, wherby he might be able to resist his aduersarie the said K. of Castile. Earle Richard did what he could to persuade the people to this paiment, but he cast his net in vaine before the face of the feathered foule, as the old prouerbe saith,
Apparens rete fugêre volucria quæq;.
For though he set forth the matter to the vttermost in the presence of the Nobles and other estates, yet would they not heare of anie paiment to be made, as those that smelled out the feined fetch and forged tale of the kings néed. For they had intelligence that there was an agréement concluded betwixt him and the king of Spaine. And for the same cause the quéene and the lord Edward were gone ouer, that the king of Spaine might haue a sight of him, as he had required, when the couenants of the marriage were accorded.
The king offended with them that refused to helpe him with monie.
Edward the kings sonne is sent to the K. of Castile.
The states of the realme were twise assembled at London about the grant of this paiment, but all in vaine; so that they were constreined to passe it ouer with silence, and to surceasse in the matter to their great gréefe, and namelie the earle of Cornewall, who had taken great paines therein. Yet for that he would not returne with emptie hand, he leuied by rigorous means a great summe of the Iewes (of whom a maine multitude inhabited at that season in London) and therewith returning to his brother king Henrie, shewed him how he had sped. The king was not a little offended with them that thus had denied to helpe him with monie, insomuch that vpon euerie light occasion, he was readie to reuenge his displeasure towards them, in taking awaie such grants of priuileges and liberties as before he had made. But now to auoid suspicion of his feined pretense of war betwixt him and king Alfonse, he sent his sonne Edward into Castile vnto the same Alfonse, vnder a color to compound with him for peace, wheras the verie occasion of his going thither, was to purchase him the ladie Elenor to wife, that was sister to the said king Alfonse.
He marrieth the ladie Elenor daughter to K. Alfonse.
Ran. Higd.
Polydor.