Wars renued betwixt the kings of England & France.
The earle of March.
Gaguinus.
Matth. West.
In this yeare also began the wars againe betwixt king Henrie and Lewes the king of France for the quarell of Hugh earle of March, who refused to doo homage vnto Alfonse the brother of king Lewes, which Alfonse had married the onelie daughter and heire of Raimund earle of Tholouse, and therefore should succéed the same earle in his estate and inheritance. His brother king Lewes had also giuen vnto him the earledome of Poictou, with all the lands of Aluergne: and bicause the earle of March would not doo homage vnto him, king Lewes made warre vpon the earle of March, who thervpon sought to procure king Henrie (whose mother he had married) to come ouer with an armie vnto his aid.
Sundrie opinions in the kings councellers.
King Henrie being sollicited with letters, not onelie from his father in law, but also from diuerse other noble men of Poictou, who willinglie would haue béene vnder his gouernement, asked aduise of his councell what he ought to doo in the matter. Some were of opinion, that sith there had béene a truce taken betwixt the kings, it were not reason in anie wise to breake the same: but some other thought, that sith the Frenchmen in times past had taken from king Iohn his lawfull heritage in Normandie and Poictou, and wrongfullie deteined the same still in their possession without restitution, it could not be at anie time vnlawfull vpon occasion giuen to recouer the same out of their hands. This opinion was allowed for good, and the best that might be both of the king & also of the earle of Cornewall, who was latelie returned from his iournie which he had made into the holie land.
Charugage a certeine dutie for euerie plowland.
But now all the staie rested in gathering of monie, which being earnestlie demanded in a parlement begun at Westminster the tuesdaie before Candlemasse, was as stifflie denied, alledging in excuse their often paiments of subsidies and reléefes, which had béene gathered sith the comming of the king to his crowne, as the thirtéenth, fiftéenth, sixtéenth and fortieth parts of all their moueable goods, besides charugage, hidage, and sundrie escuages, namelie the great escuage granted for the marriage of his sister the empresse: and also beside the thirtieth within foure yeares last past, or thereabouts, granted to him, which they thought remained vnspent, bicause it could not be vnderstood about what necessarie affaires for the common-wealth it should be laid foorth and imploied, whereas the same was leuied vpon condition, that it should remaine in certeine castels, and not to be expended but by the aduise of foure péeres of the realme, as the earle of Warren, and others. Moreouer, they alledged, that the escheats and amercements which had béene gathered of late were such as must néeds fill the kings coffers: & so to conclude, they would not consent to grant any subsidie.
The bishop of Durham sent into Scotland.