In this meane time king Edward at the feast of Lammas held a councell at London, where he receiued the archbishop of Canturburie againe into his fauor, restoring vnto him all his goods and lands. He appointed him and the lord Reinold Grey to haue his eldest sonne prince Edward in kéeping, till his returne out of Flanders. But Nicholas Triuet writeth, that the said prince Edward being appointed to remaine at home, as lieutenant to his father, there were appointed vnto him as councellors, Richard bishop of London, William earle of Warwike, and the forenamed lord Reinold Grey, with the lord Iohn Gifford, and the lord Alane Plokenet, men of high wisedome, grauitie and discretion, without making mention of the archbishop of Canturburie in that place. The two earles Marshall and Hereford being commanded to attend the king into Flanders, refused, excusing themselues by messenger.
Sir Rafe Monthermer released.
Scotishmen released.
The lord Berkley.
A libell deliuered to the king from the earles of Hereford and Marshall.
After this, the king caused sir Rafe Monthermer (whom his daughter the countesse of Glocester, in hir widowhood had taken to husband without knowledge of hir father) to be deliuered out of the castell of Bristow, wherein he had béene kept prisoner a certeine time vpon displeasure for the marriage: but now he was not onelie set at libertie, but also restored to his wife, and to all the lands perteining to the earledome of Glocester, appointing him to find 50 men at armes to serue in that iournie into Flanders. He also deliuered the earles of Cassels and Menteth, Iohn Cumin, and diuers other Scotishmen, appointing them also to go with him into Flanders. Finallie hauing assembled his armie, ouer the which he made the lord Thomas Berklie constable, and Geffrey Ienuille marshall, he went to Whinchelsey, and whilst he laie there before he tooke the sea, there was presented vnto him from the earles a writing, which conteined the causes of the gréefe of all the archbishops, bishops, abbats, earles, lords, barons, and of all the communaltie, as well for summoning them to serue by an vndue meane, as also for the vnreasonable taxes, subsidies, impositions & paiements which they dailie susteined, and namelie the impost augmented vpon the custome of wooll séemed to them verie gréeuous. For whereas for euerie sacke of whole wooll there was fortie shillings paid, and for euerie sacke of broken wooll one marke: it was well knowne, that the wooll of England was almost in value estéemed to be woorth halfe the riches of the realme, and so the custome thereof paid, would ascend to a fift part of all the substance of the land.
The kings answer.
The king passeth ouer into Flanders.
Abington.