Vpon the fiue and twentith day of Ianuarie also, while the bishop of London was at high masse within the church of S. Paule in London, a sudden darknesse ouershadowed the quiere, and therewith such a tempest of thunder and lightning, that the people there assembled thought verelie the church and stéeple had come downe vpon their heads. There came moreouer such a filthie sauour and stinke withall, that partlie for feare, and partlie for that they might not abide the sauour, they voided the church, falling on heapes one vpon another, as they sought to get out of the same. The vicars and canons forsooke their deskes, so that the bishop remained there onelie with one deacon that serued him at masse. Afterward, when the aire began to cleare vp, the people returned into the church, and the bishop went forward and finished the masse.
The king gathereth monie towards his iournie into France.
Matth. Paris.
The Lord W. de Breuse hanged.
The king saileth ouer into France.
In the meane time the king leuied a great summe of monie of the prelats of his land towards his iournie into France: he had also a great reléefe of the citizens of London. And the Iewes were constreined to giue to him the third part of all their moueable goods. In the moneth of Aprill, Leolin prince of Wales caused William de Breuse, whom he had taken prisoner long before (as aboue is mentioned) to be hanged on a paire of gallowes, for that he was taken (as was reported) in adulterie with the wife of the said prince. And on the last day of Aprill, the king with a puissant armie tooke the sea at Portesmouth, and landed at saint Malos in Britaine on the third day of May, where he was right ioifullie receiued of Henrie earle of that countrie. After he was thus arriued in Britaine, he entered into the French dominions, with the said earle, and the earle of Marsh his father in law, dooing much hurt within the same. His armie dailie increasing by the great numbers of Normans and other, which at the fame of the king of Englands arriuall in those parts, came flocking from diuerse places to aid him.
Two brethrē of the Paganels or Painelles.
Matth. Paris.
The earle of Kent beginneth now to beare ye blame for euerie thing amisse.
Amongst other, there were two brethren that were Normans, Fouke and William, of the familie and surname of the Paganelles or Painelles, being men of great birth and estimation in their countrie, which brought with them thréescore knights or men of armes, right worthie and valiant in feats of war. These Noble men would faine haue persuaded the king to haue entred into Normandie, for that (as they affirmed) it should be an easie matter for him to subdue the whole countrie: whereto the king would gladlie haue consented, if the earle of Kent had not aduised him otherwise. After this, they besought him at the leastwise to grant them two hundred knights or men of armes of his armie, with whose aid they doubted not to be able (as they said) to expell all the Frenchmen out of Normandie, but neither would this be obteined, so that those Norman lords remained without comfort, whilest the French king caused their castels and manours to be seized vnto his vse.