Fabian.
A folkemote holden at Pauls crosse.
An oth to be true to the king.
After Christmasse the K. comming into the towre of London, fortified it greatlie, & caused the gates of the citie to be warded, sending forth commandement to his lords that they should come to the towre, there to hold a parlement; but they denied flatlie so to doo, sending him word that if it pleased him, they would come to Westminster, where vsuallie the parlement had béene kept, and not to anie other place, whervpon there rose dissention betwixt him and the barons. After the feast of the Purification, at a folkemote holden at Paules crosse (where the king was present in person, with the king of Almaine, the archbishop of Canturburie, and diuerse other of the Nobles) commandement was giuen to the maior, that euerie stripling of the age of 12 yeares and aboue, should before his alderman be sworne to be true to the king and his heires kings of England, and that the gates of the citie should be kept with armed men, as before by the king of Romans was deuised.
The lord Spenser discharged of his office.
An. Reg. 46.
The presumptuous procéedings of the barōs against the king.
1262.
A bull read at Pauls crosse.
About Easter the barons of the land with consent of the péeres, discharged sir Hugh Spenser of his office of chéefe iustice, and placed in his roome sir Philip Basset without the kings assent, he being not made priuie therevnto. Wherevpon a new occasion of displeasure was ministered to kindle debate betwixt the king and his lords, but by the policie of the king of Almaine and some prelats, the matter was quieted for a time, till after at Hallowentide next insuing, which was the 46 yeare of K. Henries reigne. At that time the barons tooke vpon them to discharge such shiriffes as the king had elected & named gardians of the countries and shires, and in their places put other shiriffes, and besides that would not suffer the iustice which the king had admitted, to doo his office in kéeping his circuit, but appointed such to doo it, as it pleased them to assigne, wherwith the king was so much offended, that he laboured by all means to him possible about the disanulling of the ordinances made at Oxford, and vpon the second sundaie in Lent, he caused to be read at Paules crosse a bull, obteined of pope Vrbane the fourth, as a confirmation of an other bull before purchased of his predecessour pope Alexander, for the absoluing of the king, and all other that were sworne to the maintenance of the articles agréed vpon at Oxford. This absolution he caused to be shewed through the realmes of England, Wales & Ireland, giuing streight charge that if any person were found that would disobeie this absolution, the same should be committed to prison, there to remaine till the kings pleasure were further knowne.