A conspiracie against the lord chiefe iustice.
The same yeare, whiles William Marshall earle of Penbroke was busie in Ireland in war against Hugh Lacie, Leolin prince (or king) of Wales, as some haue intitled him, tooke by force two castels that belonged to the same earle: whereof when he was aduertised, with all spéed he returned out of Ireland, raised an armie, and recouered the said castels, putting to death all such as he found in the same, to requite Leolin with the like damage as he had shewed him before in his absence. This doone he entered into the land of Leolin, wasting and spoiling the same, whereof when the said Leolin was informed, he assembled an host of Welshmen, and comming into the field gaue battell, but the victorie rested on the earle of Penbroks side: so that there were taken and slaine in this bickering to the number of 9000 Welshmen. There was in this yeare a conspiracie also begun by the earle of Chester, and other Noble men, against Hubert de Burgh lord chiefe iustice of England, by whose counsell (as it was thought) the king was more streict towards the nobilitie and other his subiects, in staieng his grant to confirme the charter of liberties, than otherwise he would haue béene, if the same Hubert and other had not aduised him to the contrarie.
Matth. Paris.
The king of Ierusalem commeth into England.
In this season also Iohn de Bren king of Ierusalem, and the lord great maister of the knights hospitallers came into England, where they were honorablie receiued of king Henrie, and liberally rewarded. The cause of their comming was to require aid of the king for the recouerie of the holie land out of the possession of the Saracens. In like maner about the same time Leolin prince of Northwals, with certeine English lords, as Hugh Lacie and others, vpon an hatred which they bare towards king Henrie for his fathers sake, supposing that so euill a stocke as they tooke him to be, could not bring foorth anie good branch, sought by open warres to bring William Marshall earle of Penbroke and other barons that were faithfull friends to the king vnto their purpose: but the whole countrie rising against them, they were disappointed to their owne confusion, and so they could neuer bring that to passe which they so earnestlie intended.
The death of the French king.
Ambassadors sent into France.
In this yeare Philip the French king departed this life, and after him succéeded Lewes his sonne, vnto whom king Henrie sent in ambassage the archbishop of Canturburie with thrée other bishops, to require, that (according to his oth made and receiued at his returne out of England) he would restore and deliuer vp to him the dukedome of Normandie, with other such lands and possessions as his father in times past had taken from king Iohn, and still did wrongfullie withhold. K. Lewes answered herevnto, that he held Normandie & the other lands by good right and iust title, as he could well prooue and iustifie, if king Henrie would come to the parlement in France to hear it. And as touching the oth which he had sworne in England, he affirmed that the same was first broken by king Henrie, both in that his men which had béene taken at Lincolne were put to gréeuous ransoms, and also for that their liberties for which the warre first began, were not obserued, but denied to the English subiects, contrarie to that which was concluded at the agréement betwixt them at the same time made.
An. Reg. 8