11 Hen. III.) was advanced to[267] the title and dignity of Earl of Cornwall, at Westminster, with great solemnity.
But within a while after there grew much difference[268] betwixt him and the king his brother, touching a certain lordship given to Waleran Teutonicus (id est, Ties) by King John, which he alleged[268] to be parcel of the Earldom of Cornwall, and caused possession to be taken of it for himself; whereupon, Waleran making a complaint, the king first wrote to him about it, and then sent for him, commanding the render thereof, which he refused to do, challenging the judgment of his peers as to matter of right. Whereat the king took such offence that he required him forthwith to do it, or depart the realm; unto which he answered, that he would not deliver up the land, nor, without the sentence of his peers, go out of the kingdom; and in great discontent departing went[268] to his own house; which breach betwixt the king and him caused Hubert de Burgh (then justice of England, and in chief power at court) to advise the king to surprise him in his bed the next night following, lest he should raise a disturbance in the realm; but being privily advertised of that design, he fled immediately away, making no stop till he got[269] to Reading; and thence hasting to Marlborough, there found his trusty friend William Mareschal, Earl of Pembroke, unto whom having made relation of what had passed, they took their course to the Earl of Chester; and being thus got together, through the power and interest of their friends raised a potent army, making their rendezvous at Stanford, whence they sent a minatory message to the king, but imputing all the fault to Hubert de Burgh, requiring a confirmation of that charter of the forest which had been cancelled at Oxford. The king, therefore, discerning this cloud, appointed a meeting at Northampton upon the third of the nones of August next following, assuring them that he would there do full right unto all; where meeting accordingly, for their better satisfaction (amongst other his condescensions) he gave this Earl Richard his mother’s dowry, with all the lands in England which did appertain to the Earl of Britanny, as also those which belonged to the Earl of Bolein, then deceased[270]; whereupon, he had livery[271] of the whole
county of Rutland. And in 15 Henry III. obtained another grant[272] of the inheritance of the honour of Walingford, with the castle and all its appurtenances, as also the manor of Watlington, to hold by the service of three knights’ fees; likewise, of all the lands in England[272] which Queen Isabell (the king’s mother) held in dower, and of those which belonged to Robert de Drewes, and to the Duke of Lorrain (at that time seised into the king’s hands), to hold until such time as the king should restore them.
Moreover, he then procured another grant[272] of the whole county of Cornwall, with the stanneries and mines, to be held of the king and his heirs by the service of two knights’ fees, bearing at that time the title[272] of Earl of Cornwall and Poictou. And before the end of that year, (viz. in the month of April,) the solemnity of the Feast of Easter being finished, took[273] to wife Isabell, Countess of Gloucester, widow of Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Gloucester, and sister to William Mareschal, then Earl of Pembroke; likewise the same year he obtained a grant[274] of the manor, castle, and honour of Knaresburgh, in com. Ebor. to himself and the issue of his body by the same Isabell, to hold by the service of two knights’ fees.
Nor was he less eminent for his military knowledge than for those his great advancements in riches and honour; for in 20 Henry III. ambassadors from the Emperor came[275] to the king to desire that he might be sent to make war on his behalf against the French; but the king (though then married) having no child, answered,[275] that it could not stand with reason or safety that a person so young, and especially at that time being the heir apparent to the crown, should be employed on such an hazardous adventure, offering them the choice of any other. Nevertheless, before[276] the end of that year, this earl (with Gilbert Marshal, then Earl of Pembroke, and divers other great men) took[276] upon him the cross for a journey to the Holy Land; and for the better furnishing himself with money, sold many of his woods; but notwithstanding this resolution, he went not at that time, for the next year following, (viz. 21 Hen. III.) the king being seduced by the advice of aliens, and having wasted his treasure, required[277] a great supply from his subjects, which being
granted and put into the hands of aliens to be transported, occasioned[278] high discontents; this earl, therefore, dealt freely with him, and represented to him the danger thereof; and though he found that what he then said availed little, ceased not the next year following to continue[278] his good advice, and in particular to tell him how ill he had done in permitting Simon de Montfort to marry the Countess of Pembroke his sister; which free and plain dealing with the king did not at all alienate his affections from him, for shortly after, viz. in 23 Hen. III. he obtained a grant[279] of the Castle of Lidford and Forest of Dertmore in fee; before the end of which year, meeting[280] with divers of the nobility at Northampton, they did there by oath oblige[280] themselves to go forthwith into the Holy Land for the service of God and the church.
Taking his leave therefore (soon after) of the bishops and divers others of the nobles at Reading, (there met by the appointment of the Pope’s Legate,) many of them wept,[281] in regard he was a person wholly minding the public welfare; whereupon, he told[282] them, that had he not made his vow, he would go rather than stay to see the approaching miseries fall upon this realm; and having prepared[283] all things ready for his journey, came[283] to the Abbey of St. Alban’s, where, in full chapter, he desired[283] the prayers of that whole convent for his good success, then went[283] to London, and took his leave[283] of the king, the legate, and nobles, and so hasted to Dovor; whence, soon after arriving in France, he was nobly received[284] by the king of that realm, and his mother, who sent[284] the marshall to conduct him through that country, and to entertain him in all places honourably thence to Avinion, where he had also free and great entertainment; then to[285] Vienna, whence he intended to take shipping for Arles; and being in those parts, was met by[286] the Earl of Provence, (whose daughter King Henry had married,) and so hasted to[286] the city of St. Giles, there to do his devotions, and receive the benediction of the monks of that place, which done he gave them twenty marks; but before he went thence, there came[287] to him a legate from the Pope (with the Archbishop of Arles) to inhibite[287] him from proceeding further on his journey, which he took so ill (being
fully resolved thereon, and fitted accordingly), that he refused[288] both to obey their authority, and to hearken to their dissuasions. Seeing, therefore, all their endeavours in vain, they would have persuaded him to take shipping at the port called the Deadwater, but that he liked not, and so entered[289] the Mediterranean at Marseilles.
In anno 1241, (25 Hen. III.) being come into the Holy Land, he accepted of a truce with the Souldan of Babylon, upon condition[290] that the French who were prisoners there might be released, and that Jerusalem, with all the parts adjacent, should be free from any molestation, as also upon divers other articles honourable to the Christians. And the next year following, viz. 26 Hen. III. returned; the king, therefore, having intelligence thereof, with the queen, met[291] him at Dovor.
Soon after which, a Parliament being held at Westminster, where all the nobles were met, this earl was sent[292] to them by the king (with the provost of Beverley) to desire their advice for the recovery of his inheritance in Normandy and other parts of France. But finding that the king did not incline to follow the counsel of those who sought the general honour and good of himself and the realm, after some sharp dispute with him thereon, he associated himself with the Earls Marshal, Hereford, and some others, and took[293] shipping for France.