His protestation to their demand.
About the feast of S. Hilarie, when knowledge was giuen that king Richard of Almaine meant to returne into England, there were sent ouer vnto him the bishop of Worcester, the abbat of saint Edmundsburie, Peter de Sauoy, and Iohn Mansell, as ambassadours from the baronage and communaltie of the realme, to require of him an oth, to stand vnto and obeie the ordinances of the late parlement holden at Oxenford. When the said ambassadors came before his presence, and declared to him the effect of their message, he beheld them with a sterne looke, and frowning countenance, saieng (and binding it with an oth) that he would neither be sworne, nor kéepe any such ordinances as had béene made without his consent; neither would he make them of counsell how long his purpose was to staie within the realme, which the ambassadours required also to vnderstand. Herevnto he further added, that he had no péere in England, for he was the sonne of the deceased king, and brother of the king that now reigned, and also earle of Cornewall, and therefore if the barons of England ment to reforme the state of the kingdome, their duetie had béene first to haue sent for him, and not to haue procéeded so presumptuouslie in such a weightie cause, without his presence or consent. When one of the ambassadours was about to haue made answer somewhat roundlie, and also nippinglie vnto this spéech vttered by the king of Almaine, he was staied by one of his associats. And so the ambassadours vnderstanding his mind, returned with all conuenient spéed.
He changeth his purpose and commeth ouer into England.
He receiueth an oth not to infringe the statutes of Oxford.
The king of Almaine had assembled a great host of men on the further side the sea, meaning with all expedition to haue passed hither into England: but when he had aduertisement giuen that there was a power raised in England, and bestowed both by sea and land to resist him, he changed his purpose by aduise of his fréends, so that he consented to receiue such manner of oth as the barons required, and herewith taking the sea, he arriued at Douer on saint Iulians daie with his owne houshold seruants, bringing with him no traine of strangers, except onelie two earles of Almaine, which brought with them but onelie thrée knights, and he himselfe had but eight knights: his brother king Henrie was readie to receiue him, and brought him from Douer vnto Canturburie, for neither of them was suffered to enter into the castell of Douer, the lords hauing them in a gelousie, least they should be about to breake the ordinances which were concluded. On the morow after, the king of Almaine receiued the oth in the presence of Richard earle of Glocester and others, within the chapter house of Canturburie. And on the day of the Purification of our ladie, the two kings with their quéenes and a great number of noble personages made their entrie and passage into the citie of London.
A parlement.
A peace concluded vpon betwixt the kings of England & France.
The countesse of Leicester.
Contention betwixt the earles of Glocester and Leicester.