THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES A COMPLETE HISTORY O F ENGLAND, FROM THE DESCENT of JULIUS C^SAR, T O T H E TREATY of Aix LA CHAPELLE, 1748. Containing the TRANSACTIONS of One Thoufand Eight Hundred and Three Years. By T. SMOLLETT, M. D. THE SECOND EDITION. VOLUME THE SECOND. Kon tamen pigebit vel incondita ac rudi voce rnemoriam prioris fervitutis, a* tcftimonium praefentium bonorum compofuifle. TACIT. Agricola. LONDON: Printed for JAMES RIVINGTON and JAMES FLETCHER, at the Oxford-Theatre ; and R. BALDWIN, at the Rofe, in Paternofter-row. MDCCLVIII. THE HISTORY O F ENGLAND. BOOK SECOND. *****#****** * ****************** HENRY I. Surnamed BEAUCLERC. THE campaign was opened with the fiege of A. c. 1105. Tenerchebray, belonging to the count de Robert : de Mortagne, who had by this time efpoufed b"SefTet the caufeof theduke ; and, as the place was flrongly netchebray. fortified with foldiers and provifion, it fuftained a fiege until Robert was in a condition to march to its relief, with reinforcements he had received from Mor- tagne, Belefme, the king of France, and fame Nor- man noblemen, who detefted the felfifh difpofition of Henry, and were of confequence averfe to his go- vernment. Thus fupported, Robert refolved to give his brother battle ; and when the two armies were in fight of each other, fome monks employed their mediation to prevent the eftufion of blood ; l?ut as Henry inflfted upon the duke's renouncing the government of his dominions intirely, and one B 2 half 64.4329 4 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A,G. no 5 . half of the revenue, the propofal was rejected with difdain, and a battle immediately enfued. Robert charged the main body of the Englifti with fuch impetuolity, and was fo well feconded by the count of Mortagne, that they were broken and gave ground ; but Robert de Belefme, who com- manded one of the wings, was at the fame time put; to flight by the count de Maine, and the king ad- vancing with a frelh body of horfe to fuftain the center, the Engliili and Bretons rallied immediately, and Robert's little army, weakened by the defeat of Belefme, and overpowered with numbers, was Entirely routed, in fpite of all his efforts and acts of perfonal valour. Though he faw his forces de- feated, he would not quit the field, but chofe rather to be taken prifoner than turn his back upon the enemy ; this was likewile the cafe with the count de Mortagne, and Edgar Atheling, who had lived with Robert fmce his return from Paleftine, in the intimacy of friendfliip, produced from the fimilarity of their characters. This prince, however, fared much better than his friend ; for he was fet at li- berty as a perfon of no confequence in England, SentoveMo \vherchediedofadecrepidold age; whereas the England.and f r , n committed uniortunate duke, after having influenced the m- toctojepri- habitants of Rouen and Falaife to receive the con- queror, was fent into England, and kept clofe prifoner in different parts of the kingdom, till at length, after a miferable captivity of eight and twenty years, death fet him free, at Cardiff ir* Glamorganfhire *. Such was the fate of Robert, who was incapable of inflicting on the moft in- veterate enemy the cruel punifhment he fuftained from an unnatural brother, whofe life he had fq generoufly faved at the fiege of Mont St. Michael : not contented with having fupplanted him fq perfi- * He Is faid to have been deprived of his fight by a red hot copper bafon *j>fli'd to his eyes, -Wezerai. Mat. I'aris, dioufly ti E N & Y I. 5 dioufiy on the throne of England, and deprived A * c - 110 & him of his hereditary dukedom, he likewife robbed him of his liberty, and embittered the old age of his elder brother, whom it was his duty to ferve and obey ; though he afterwards flifled the re- proaches of his confcience by founding the abbey of Reading;, which the monks admitted as a fuffi- , r i - i i Chron. Sa* cient atonement for his barbarity. Mat. Paris. Nothing was now wanting to complete the re- Henry ao duction of Normandy but the fubmiffion of Robert de Belefme, who by the mediation of Helie count de Maine, was received into the king's favour, and reltored to all the offices and pofieffions his father had enjoyed in Normandy, on condition of giving up the bifhopric of Seez, Argerttan, and the foreft of Goulfer. Peace being thus re-eftablifhed, Henry held a great council of the prelates and barons at Lieux, where wholefome regulations were made for punifhing robbery and depredation , the aliena- tions of Robert were annulled, and all caftles erefted fince the Conqueror's death, demolifhed as the receptacles of rapine and rebellion. The oath of allegiance being taken by the nobles, and the adminiftration of the dutchy properly fettled, the king returned to his Englifh dominions. Ord< vital * The firft ftep he took after his arrival was ex- Athisre- tremely agreeable to his fubjedls ; this was the re- SJj e Eng " formation of fome abufes which had crept into the makes fome regulation and oeconomy of his court. By the JI w s, e n feudal tenure, the tenants on the crown demefnes, were obliged to furnim the king and his retinue with all neceflaries and provifions when he travelled, under the infpeclion of the fteward of the houfhold, who attended him in his progrefs. Henry's fol- lowers made ufe of this pretext to commit ail fort3 of outrages ^ they wailed the country through which they pafied : burned or fold publicly the fuperflu- ous provifions they found in their lodgings, warned B 3 their 6 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A.C. 1106. 1.]^ horfes w jth the liquors they could not con- fume, infuked their landlords, violated their wives and daughters, and acted with fuch brutality, that the people hearing of the king's approach, deferted their habitations, and retired to the woods with their families and effects. To remedy thefe dif- orders, Henry publifhed an edict, by virtue of which the perfons convicted of fuch offences, were puniflied with the lofs of eyes, or hands, or fome other member , and this law being vigoroufly exe- cuted, foon redrafted the grievance. At the fame time he enacted another decree againfb coiners, who had long adulterated the currency, under the pro- tection of the nobles, for whom they worked pri- vately in their houfes, to which the officers ofjuftice had no accefs : by this edict it was ordained that Mat. Paris, falfe coiners fhould, upon conviction, lofe their Eadmer. haughty and From thefe laws the people would have conceived inibient. happy omens of Henry's equity and moderation, had they not been immediately followed by a very A. c. iicS. unfavourable change in his deportment. Having now accompl^fhed his aims upon Normandy, and trod all oppofition under his feet, he laid afide the reftraint with which he had hitherto bridled his arbitary difpofition, banifhed all his former affabi- lity, treated his nobles with the mod indecent in- folence, and ruled with defpotic fway, in diame- trical oppofition to the charter he had granted. foutefthT There was no perfon in the nation to whom he married payed the leaft refpect, but Anfelm archbifhop of clergy. Canterbury, and him he refpected through fear, remembering how he had already embroiled him with the pope, who had actually expedited the bull for his excommunication -, a cenfure that might have been of fatal confequence to his intereft in thole times of fuperftition, and which therefore he avoided by making the conceflions about the in- veftiture H E N R Y I. Vefcture of prelates, as we have obferved above. A - Anfelm, confcious of the afcendancy he had gained over the fpirit of the king, refolved to take ad- vantage of this favourable juncture, to execute the. fcheme he had formed againft the married clergy. He therefore afifembled a fynod to deliberate upon meafures for the better obfervation of the canons againft the marriage of priefts ; and the former pe- nalties being found ineffectual, it was decreed that all married priefts fhould put away their wives, on pain of being immediately fufpended, and excom- municated, ihould they afterwards officiate in di- vine fervice. Gul - Anfelm, after having eftablimed thefe regula- His dif tions, employed his intereft in erecting the fee of jj? Ely, from part of the diocefe of Lincoln, which York, was too large and unweildy ; and the laft tranfaction of his life was a difpute with Thomas elect of York, who declined coming to Canterbury, to make the ufual profefiion of canonical obedience, and be confecrated by Anfelm. He had hoped to elude thefe marks of fubmiflion, by obtaining a pall from Rome ; but Anfelm, being apprifed of his intention, defired the pope to delay the pall, until Thomas mould have obeyed the dictates of his duty ; and in the mean time he inhibited all the bifhops of England from afiifUng at his confe- cration. Anfelm, however, did not live to fee the fuccefs of his letter to the pope ; but in a few days after his death, Ulric, a Roman cardinal, arrived in England, with a pall for the church of York, to be difpofed of at the pleafure of Anfelm. The in- His death* tervening death of the archbimop of Canterbury gave rife to a difpute upon the fubjefl ; arid the king fummoning a court of prelates and barons, it was determined, after fome debate, that Thomas Jiowld, under his hand and feal, make folemn pro- B 4 feffion HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. c. 1109. feffion of canonical obedience to the primate of Canterbury and the fee of Rome. This profefflon was delivered to Conrad, prior of the metropolitan- church, to be depofited among the archives of his convent; and Thomas being confecrated by Richard bifhop of London, received the pall at York, from irimer. ^ hands of the Roman cardinal. Henry's At this period, ambafTadors arrived from Henry daughter .., c r* j j- Maud is V. emperor or Germany, demanding in marriage married to the princefs Maud, though but eight years of a-e. the empr- ._,, r i i i i tor. The match was too honourable and advantageous to be rejected. The articles were immediately dif- cufied and fettled : the ceremony was performed by proxy ; and next year fhe was fent to her huf- band, with a fplendid equipage, and a liberal por- tion, raifed by a heavy tax, which was highly re- Chron. Sax. fented by the nation. Lewis, king The pleafure Henry derived from this alliance dLhreTS was not a little damped at hearing that Lewis the favour of Grofs, and Fulk count of Anjou, had refolved to thrf eftablifli his nephew William, the minor fon of Robert, dake Robert, in the pofiefiion of his father's dominions. dy r OI a " Henry, after the furrender of Falaife, had commit- ted this young prince to the care of Helie de St. Saen, who treated him with fuch regard and affection, that his unele began to fear he might in time form a party in his behalf. He therefore detached Robert de Beauchamp, with a party of horfe, to feize the young orphan, and convey him to a place of fe- curity , but he was concealed in fuch a manner, that the defign mifcarried. Helie being at this time deprived of his town, thought he was now at liberty to efpoufe William's mtereft openly ; and he engaged a number of Norman noblemen in his caufe. Robert de Belefme became his warme"fl partifan ; Fulk count of Anjou promifed to give him his daughter in marriage ; and Lewis the Grofs* who H E N R Y I. 9 who had fucceeded his father Philip on the throne of A - c - 1I0 9- France, undertook to fupport him in the recovery of his father's dominions. Henry, being informed of thefe particulars, re- paired to Normandy, and profecuted the war with various fuccefs againft thofe favourers of his ne- mand y- phew, the moil active of whom was Robert de Belefme, who obtained divers advantages over his troops in the covirfe of the campaign : at length he was arrefted at Bonneville, in the capacity of an ambaflador, fent with propofals of accommodation by Lewis king of France, and fent into England, where he was condemned to perpetual imprifonment at Wareham in Dorfetfhire. He was no fooner taken, than Alencon, one of his ftrongeft fortrefies, fell into the hands of Henry, who now proceeded with fuch fuccefs, that the French king and the count of Anjou were glad to hearken to propofals of peace, which was concluded, on condition that Peace is the Norman barons, who had fided with young ccncludej - William, fhould be reftored to the poffeflion of their lands in Normandy , that the count of Anjou fhould do homage to Henry for the province cf Le Maine; and that his daughter, already pro- mifed to William the fon of Robert, mould marry William the fon and heir of Henry. In confe- quence of this treaty, the young prince of Nor- mandy was obliged to quit the court of Anjou ; and after having wandered as a fugitive from one country to another, folliciting fuccours from dif- ferent princes, he was hofpitably received by Bald- win count of Flanders, who promifed to indulge ord. vital. him with his protection and amftance. A ' c ' " If ' The affairs of Normandy being fettled, the king Ralph, bi- returned to England, and in the ipring refolved to Rodwffer, fill the fee of Canterbury, after a vacancy of five pfermi , years, during which Ralph bilhop of Rochefter had canterbury, performed the functions of primate, by the ap- point* x. 10 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A.C. 1114.. pointment of the prior and monks of Canterbury, A great council was fummoned at Windfor, to de- Jiberate upon the choice of a proper perfon to fill this important office , and Henry propofed Faricius, abbot of Abingdon : but this perfon being difagree- able to the majority of the barons and prelates, the preference was given to Ralph, who was elected by the monks, approved by the bifhops, and con- firmed by the king in council. At the fame time all other vacant fees and abbacies were fupplied ; though none were promoted to thofe diocefes but foreigners, whom the king upon all occafions pre- ferred to Englimmen, without any regard to morals Badmer. or learning. Henry's ex- Immediately after thefe tranfacbions, Henry le^ wlks. nint vied a great army, with which he propofed to finifh the reduction of the Welfh, whom he had already hampered with the neighbourhood of a great num- ber of Flemings, whofe country having been over- flowed by the fea, they were received by Henry, and firfl of all fettled in the defolate parts of Yorkmire ; but as they did not agree with the natives, they were tranfplanted intoRofs and Pem- brol^emire, where they formed a flrong barrier againft the incnrfions of the Welfh. That people, enraged to find their boundaries contracted by the intrufion of foreigners, took all opportunities of harrafilng them, as well as the neighbouring coun- ties of England , and now Henry refolved to make an entire conquefl of the country. His troops en- tered it in three different divifions, ravaging the lands as they proceeded ; but as they never hazarded a decifive engagement, and damaged his forces by furprifing and cutting off his out-lying or detached parties, he was glad to indulge the petty princes with an advantageous peace ; and, on his return from this expedition, he received the account of his daughter's being crowned emprefs at Mentz, though HENRY 1. M though the marriage could not yet be confunv A ' c > ttl * mated. He then re-vifited Normandy, with his Ton HisfcnWii* William, who was recognized as his fucceflbr in ISSffiS that dutchy, by all the nobility afTembled for the heir in Nor- purpofe, and they fwore allegiance accordingly. t During his refidence at Rouen, he' received letters c from the pope, complaining that his nuncios and Ead briefs were not fuffered to enter England without the king's exprefs confent , that no appeals were brought from hence to the holy fee, which was very little refpefted by the Englifh ; that Peter-pence was not collected and paid fo punctually as in former reigns -, that the caufes of biihops were de- termined, and tranflations made from one fee to another, without the authority of Rome, and in contempt of the pope's fupremacy. The bearer cf this expoftulatory addrefs was one Anfelm, a Ro- man abbot, and nephew to the late archbifhop, who, being likewife charged with a pall for the new metropolitan, was allowed to proceed for England, where Ralph received his commifTion with great folemnity, profeHing canonical obedi- ence and fealty to the Roman pontiff. Henry having fecured the fuccefllon of Normandy to his fon William, returned to England, and, in a ge- neral aflembly at Salifbury, declared this prince his heir and eventual fucceflbr, in prefence of all the lords fpiritual and temporal, by whom he was re- cognized with the fame ceremony which had been practifed among the Norman barons. At this period too he impofed a grievous tax Hc r . ncvvs upon the kingdom, in order to maintain a war the war with againft Lewis king of France, with whom he had .{^JS^ 1 been always at variance fince that prince's acceflion Norman r*. to the throne. Henry juftly fuppofed him to be volctis< the author of all the infurredions and rebellions which the Norman barons had raifed agaiiift his 5 go- 12 , HISTORY OF ENGLAND A.c. Mt 4 . government: and he now refolved to act the in- cendiary in his turn. His nephew Thibaud, count of Blois, fon of his fifter Adela, having received fome infult or injury from the French king, Henry excited him to vengeance, and even fupplied him with a ftrong reinforcement. Lewis, on the other hand, inverted Robert's fon with the dutchy of Normandy, and promifed to affift him with all his power, as protector of the young prince, and fove- reign lord of Normandy. He accordingly raifed an army, in order to recover William's inheritance, and being joined by the count of Flanders, with a ftrong reinforcement, entered the dukedom, and commenced hoftilities ; though not before he had formally demanded of Henry that he would re- nounce his ufurpation, and releafe his vaflal Ro- A.C, ing. bert, whom he unjuftly detained in prifon. Hen- ry, in the mean while, made great preparations at the expence of the Englifh, to repel thefe invaders of the Norman dominions, and crofled the fea with all poflible expedition. Being joined by the duke of Bretagne, and the count of Blois, he began his march againft the enemy, and advanced with fuch diligence, that Lewis was almoft furprifed, and retreated with fome precipitation. He feemed on this occafion to have been intimidated by the power and prefumption of the Englifh king ; for he pur- Peace is chafed a peace with the ceffion of Gifors, and effeacd. Henry returned immediately to his Britim domi- nions, in order to prevent the reception of the ab- bot Anfelm, who was fo well pleafed with Eng- land at his laft vifit with the pall for the archbifliop of Canterbury, that he employed his intereft with the pope, in order to be lent back in quality of le- Ch. Maiir. gate. Henry would fuffer no fuch jurisdiction in The queen n j s dominions, even though he mould incur the difpleafure of the pope, which could not affect him with fuch chagrin as he felt about this period at the death H E N R Y I. 1 death of his queen Mathilda, who was regretted A - c - IIL by all the Englim, as well for her diftinguifhed merit, as on account of her being defcended from their ancient kings. Notwithftanding the treaty concluded between Henry is France and England v Henry's back was hardly EJjSp. turned, when Lewis furprifed Gifors, and wafted tunateia the adjacent country without oppofition. Henry U pon She received advice of this invafion, without feerning to "ntineo& take any ftep towards the defence of his Norman territories ; and his tame forbearance on this occa- fion was fo furprifmg, that one of his nobles took the liberty to obferve, his reputation would fuffer from his philofophy j when Henry replied very calmly, he had learned from his father, that the beft way of dealing with the French was to let them fpend their firft fire. Perhaps he was perplexed in his own mind, becaufe he knew not whom he could truft in Normandy. He had feized the per- fons of fome whofe fidelity he fufpedled ; and, among others, Hugh de Gourney, and Henry count D'Eu, who were not releafed until they had furrendered their caftles, and who were no fooner cut of his power, than tiiey took up arms againft him. As he would not venture to employ the Normans, who, for the moft part, were difaffecled to his perfon, he had been obliged to carry on the war with the help of the Englim, and fome Bretons he enlifted in his fervice ; and he met with feveraj checks, which ferved to increafe his caution. Ev- reux had been furprifed by Amaury de Monfort, whom Henry attempted in vain to bribe over to his intereft : the French had taken L'aigle ; and the king, in attempting to recover it, had like to have loft his life: the count of Anjou had worfted Henry as he advanced to the relief of Alencon, which the . count had inverted, and afterwards re- 4i}ced : Baldwin, count of Flanders, had ravaged the 14 HISTORY of ENGLAND. A.C. ins. t ] ie whole country as far as Rouen, where the king lay with his troops, afraid to give him battle ; fo that he had great reafon to dread the iffue of another war. chron. sax. Neverthelefs he feemed to wake all at once from Hi* affairs his lethargy, and, affembling a ftrong body of Srabie*' ^ orces 5 tranfported them, together with a great fum turn, of money, to the continent, where his affairs, in a little time, took a more favourable turn. Baldwin died of a wound he received in the face with a lance. Enquerrand de Chaumont, an enterprifmg warrior, who had kept all the country as far as Rouen in continual alarms, was taken off by a natural death ; and Fulk, count of Anjou, who had joined Lewis fince the lad treaty between Henry and him, was now again attached to the king of England, by means of a large fum of money, and the confum- mation of the marriage between young William and the count's daughter. A. c. 1119. Thus freed from fuch a triumvirate of formidable He gains the enemies, he was enabled 'to unite all his forces, which had been hitherto divided, and marched to the relief of Noyon, which Lewis had formed the defign of furprifing. Henry's forces advancing with great expedition, came up with the French fo unexpectedly, that they had fcarce time to draw up their firfl line before the battle begun. Neverthe- Jefs they behaved with great gallantry, under the command of duke Robert's fon William, who charged the van of the Englifh with fuch impetu- ofity, that they fell back upon the main body, com- manded by the king in perfon, whole utmott efforts could not fuftain the attack. While he exerted all his endeavours to rally his troops, he was fingled out by a brave Norman knight, called William Crifpin, who difcharged at his head two fuch fu- rious flrokes of a fabre, as penetrated his helmet, and wounded him feverely : at the light of his wn blood, which rulhed down his vifage, he was en- raged H E N R Y I. 15 raged to a double exertion of his ftrength, and re- A - c - !I! 9- torted the blows with fuch intereft that his anta- gonift was unhorfed, and taken prifoner. Had the valour of young William been properly feconded, the French would certainly have obtained a com- plete victory , but, inllead of forming from their line a march in a regular manner, they no fooner faw the fuccefs of the Norman prince, than they rufhed forward in confufion, and the rear of the Engliih advancing to the attack in a compact body, found them in fuch diforder, that the fcale was quite turned, and the French fled with the utmoft precipitation. Lewis himfelf being unhorfed in the tumult, was obliged to make his efcape on foot to Audley, where he was joined by his fugitive troops, and, receiving a reinforcement, fent a herald with a defiance to Henry, who declined the invitation. He difmiiTed all the priibners but about two hun - dred and forty knights ; and the young Norman prince's horfe being taken in the field, after he had difmounted to rally the troops, was fent back with a compliment, and fome valuable prefents from He^Hnnt his coufm William, who admired his courage. Ord. vital. While the king of England employed his victo- An accom- rious troops in reducing the Normans to obedience, m d * tl ?" T r? I effected by Lewis took Chartres from the count de Blois, re- the media* dueed the ftrong fortrefs of Ivry -, and the war con- ti tinued with various fuccefs. At length pope Ca- lixtus II. having held a council at Rheims, -came afterwards to vifit Henry at Gifors, where he offered his mediation i which was accepted. Hoftilities ceafed, and next year the treaty was concluded. The places taken on both fides were reftored ; the prifoners fet at liberty , Henry's fon William did homage to Lewis for the dukedom of Normandy, which was a fief of the French crown : the count of Flanders and revolted Normans were included in the pacification j but no proyifion was made 16 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. c. 1119. m ade for the young Norman prince, who never- thelefs continued to enjoy the protection of the Eadmer. king of France. His differ- This accommodation was fo feafonable to Hen- that W nnfF rv t ^ at * n confidcration of the pope's good offices conceding on this occafion, he forgot his refentment at the archiffhop conduct of that pontiff in the council of Rheims, ei,-a of where he had confecrated Thurftan, archbifhop of ^orkj York, and honoured him with the pall, though he had refufed to own the primacy of the fee of Can- terbury, and though the king had fent a deputation to make Calixtus acquainted with the nature of the difpute, intreating him to delay the confecration of Thurftan, until that prelate mould have complied with the laws and cuftoms of the Englifli church. He was fo much incenfed at the pope's contempt of his remonftrance, that he fwore Thurftan mould never enter his dominions, and actually forbade him, under a fevere penalty, to re-vifit England, or appear in any part of his Norman territories. But the pope, in this vifit, pleaded the caufe of Thurftan fo effectually, that the king confented to his being reftored, on condition of his profefling lUdmer. obedience to the .fee of Canterbury, whoaflbm The P re ^ ate however refufed to fubmit to this tucindepep- condition j and ibme years after obtained letters '" from the pope, threatening the king with excom- munication, the archbifhop of Canterbury with iuipenJfion, and the kingdom with an interdict, if Henry would not allow Thurftan to return, with- out profefiing obedience. The great council of the nation was aflembled on this occafion, and agreed ro his reftoration, on condition that he mould re- pair directly to York, nor prefume to celebrate di- vine iervice out of his own diocefe, until he mould have made fatisfaction to the fee of Canterbury. He did not comply with this condition, nor did his Jlicceljbrs afterwards own the primacy of that arch- H N R Y 1. T? bifhopric by fuch profeflion, which was never A;C b y hlS P eaCC With FranCC > Bought he whither the had effectually fecured the tranquillity of his domi- ^rtVaTod'y nions beyond fea, and that no perfon would ven- f troops, ture to difpute With him the pofiefiion of Nor- mandy , neverthelefs he found himfelf obliged to go thither to appeafe the troubles excited by Ro- bert de Mellent, lord of Pont Auderner, who be- ing a nobleman of great credit, and fecretly fup- ported by the king of France, employed all his in- tereft and addrefs in favour of young William, fon of duke Robert. He had made fuch progrefs in his endeavours, that the whole country was on the point of revoking, when Henry arrived with a ftrong army from England, in confequence of the intelligence he had received. His firft undertak- ing was the fiege of Audemer, which he reduced ; then he added fome new fortifications to the caftles of Caen, Rouen, and Arques, and reinforced the garrifons. Thele vigorous fteps and precautions overawed the Normans, though Robert de Mel- lent and the count de Montfbrt his aflbciate ftill kept the field with a body of forces, until at laft thefe two noblemen fell into an ambufcade, and were made prifoners. Fulk, count of Anjou, whofe daughter, now a widow by the death of prince William, had been fent home to him, engaged alib in this confpiracy, becaufe Henry refufed to reftore the lands and caftles he had given as his daughter's portion -, he therefore not only afllfted the revolttrs, but invited Robert's fon to his court, where that young prince efpouied his coufin's widow j but, H E N R Y I. 21 but, upon Mellent's being taken with Hugh Mont- A - c< II2 3- fort and Hugh Fitzgervaife, their caftles became an eafy conqueft to Henry, who likewife prevailed upon the pope to annul his nephew's marriage with Sybilla : fo that the count of Anjou, defpairing of fuccefs, difmified prince William as an unneceifary ;'^ v ^' incumbrance. Hen' Hunt. That prince however ft ill enjoyed the protection ^ r in $ of Levvis king of France, who beftowed upon- him .* his own fifter-in-law in marriage, with the pof- feffion of Pontoife, Chaumont, Mante, and all the Vexin Francois, and moreover fupplied him with a body of troops to promote the fuccefs of his Nor- man enterprize ; fo that Henry was ftill expofed to on!, vital. all the dangers and inconveniencies of an expenfive war, which in order to maintain, he burthened his Englifh fubjects with intolerable taxes ; and thefe excited an univerfal fpirit of dilcontent. This ca- lamity was aggravated by the di (orders arifing from a partial adminiftration of juftice. The judges were venal and arbitrary, of confequence the rich were exempted from the penalty of the law, and committed all manner of outrages with impunity. A . c. 1124. The coin was debafed to fuch a degree that a pound would fcarce purchafe the value of a fhilling ; and this adulteration falling heavy upon the foldiers abroad, Henry fent peremptory orders for putting the laws in execution againft all convicted coiners. Thefe operators were perfectly well known, becaufe they took no pains to difguife their practices ; and Roger, bifhop of Saliibury, no fooner received the king's order, than he fummoned all the delinquents to Winchefter, where, without any form of trial, they were deprived of their eyes and caftrated, to the general fatisfaction of the kingdom. At this period the rights and independency of Cardinal the Englifh church were invaded by the pope, who, S' v e e s a th e notwithstanding the promifes he had made Henry ppe's i- 22 HIST OR Y OF EN G LAND. A. c. 1124. at their interview in Gifors, no fooner found him- felf eftablifhed in the papacy by the captivity and fubmifiion of Gregory the antipope, than he re- folved to exercife the authority of the Roman church to its full extent, and fent cardinal de Crema as his legate a latere into England. That prelate was honourably received at his arrival by the arch- bifhop of Canterbury, in whpfe place he officiated at divine fervice, fitting in the higheft iea,t and wearing the pontifical habit, to the amazement and indignation of the F f %glim people. As he was directed to inquire into a controverfy which had arifen between the archbifhop of York and the Scottifh bifhops, who refufed to acknowledge the fupremacy of that fee, -he made a progrefs into the North as far as Roxburgh, where he had a con- ference on the fubject with David, king of Scot- land : at his return to London, he aflembled a general council, in which he prefided on a throne raifed above the Englifh archbimops ; and enacled among other laws, a very fevere canon againft the marriage of the clergy, againft which he declaimed with great intemperance, affirming it was a crime of the deepeft dye for a man to confecrate the body of Chrift immediately after leaving the arms of a ftrumpet; an epithet which he bellowed on the wives of the clergy. His own conduct very ill agreed with this declaration ; for the very next night, after having confecrated the eucharift, he himfelf was caught in bed with a common prof- titute, and. fo confounded at the detedlion, that he in the morning decamped ..very privately, and the Mat. Pam. council broke up abruptly on the third day of the A. c. 1125. feffion. Canons This legation gave fuch offence to the Englilh, Srrlcd the tnat an umverfal clamour enfucd, and William, clergy. archbifhop of Canterbury, repaired to Rome to af- fert the independency of his metropolitan power. On H E N ' R Y I. 23 On this occafion he betrayed the caufe of the Eng- A - c - I12 5- lifh church, and returned inverted with a legatine power, in which capacity he called another fynod at Weftminfter, and confirmed the canons againft the married clergy. Thefe, though they received the fanction of the royal authority, were not exe- cuted with rigour, becaufe the king granted dif- penfations, by virtue of a commiffion from the pope, authorizing him to execute the decrees of the council ; a commiffion which he obtained by his pretended zeal for the celibacy of priefts, mani- fefled in the former fynod, and from which he drew large fums of money. All that he could raife was hardly fufficient to The barons protect his Norman dominions from the efforts of J"k e the**" young William, who had by this time furprifcd oath of e- Gifors, and gained a great acceffion of flrength in prince to" being in veiled by Lewis with the county of Flan- Maud * ders. Henry, after a fruitlefs expectation of three years, defpaired of having iflue by his fecond mar- riage ; and therefore refolved to fettle the fucceflion upon his daughter Maud, the emprefs, who had returned to England on her hufband's death, and was very much beloved by the people, on account of her being defcended from the Saxon kings. She was likewife very agreeable to the Normans, who, as they could not have a prince of their own nation to rule over them, found it would be their intereft to adopt the government of a princefs, grand- daughter of the Conqueror, to whom they owed all their poiTemons in England. Henry, pleafed to find the affections of the nation united in favour of his daughter, convoked an affembly of all the immediate vaffals of the crown, comprehending David, king of Scotland, as prince or Cumber- land, and Stephen, count of Boulogne, the king's own nephew ; in prefence of whom Henry declared Maud prefurnptive heirefs of his crown, and as C 4 inch 24 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. c. 1125* fuc n me was recognized by the gflfembly, who took. Sim. Dun. ^ ie oat ^ f eventual allegiance. She is mar- This precaution being taken, the princefs was fent rxdtoGeof- over to Normandy, attended by the king's natural * fonjicbert, earlof Gloucefler, and Brian Ton of Alain Fergant, 'properly fupplied with forces for the de- fence of that country j and he following in perfon, thought he could not take a more effectual ftep for the fecurity of the fucceffion, than by marrying Jiis daughter to Geoffry Plantagenet, fon of Fulk, count of Anjou, who had left his dominions to his fon ? in order to go and take ppffeffion of the throne of jerufalem, vacant by the death of his father-in- is?- law Baldwin II. The nuptials were accordingly fo- lemnized, tho* contrary to the inclination of Maud, who could not without reluctance ftoopfrom the qua- lity of emprefs to that of a fimple countefs ; nor was the marriage more agreeable to the Englifh and Nor* man noblemen, who had not been confulted in the fcheme of this alliance, by which fome of them were, jiifappointed in their own views upon the emprefs, g, and the nation in general averfe to the fway of iyiii?ap>, Henry, without regarding the difguft of his fon of duke Daughter or the murmurs of his fubjects. confulted Robert, dies , . & r . . J > . , i/aw'ound p 15 preient advantage in acquiring a ion-m-law, received be- w hofe power and abilities would ferve as bulwarks fore Aloft, . n r , . - - , . , TTTMI- agamft the jncroachments of his nephew William, who was powerfully fupported by the French king. Jn order to defeat the projects of this enterprifing prince and his ally, the king refolved to carry the war info France, and at the fame time to exite the Flemings to a revolt in favour of Thierry count of Alface, who had pretenfions to Flanders. So far he fucceeded : fome towns of the Netherlands rebelled, and among others Aloft, which was im- mediately invefted by William, but defended itfelf AO well that his competitor 'had time to march to its relief. HENRY I. 25 relief. A battle enfued, in which Thierry was de- A - c - 1I27 - feated ; and the town mud have fallen into the hands of the vidor, had not he been mortally wounded in a falley by the thruft of a lance, which, while he endeavoured to catch it, entered his right hand, and the hurt produced a mortification, of Orf VJtaI which he died in five days. cuiiccmet. The untimely death of this young prince, who Henry's ge - had already exhibited repeated proofs of extraor- 3^2^ dinary courage and ability, entirely difpelled the noblemen fears of Henry. He made peace with Lewis; rohisne"' entered into a league with Thierry of Alface, who pbew. fucceeded to the county of Flanders, and married Henry's daughter-in-law Sybilla , while the Nor- mans, feeing no hope of being delivered from his yoke, began to be reconciled to his dominion. In- deed he took fome pains to reconcile them to his government. He extended his forgivenefs to all thofe who implored his mercy , and attached feve- ral men of influence and credit to his intereft, by a<5ts of kindnefs and generofity : among others re- leafing Mellent and Fitz-Gervaife from the pri- fons in which they had been confined, and re-efta- bliming them in the pofieffion of their Norman eftates. The former of thefe accompanied him to A.C. m 9 . England, where he became a great favourite, and ferved the king with uncommon zeal and fidelity. It was at this period that Henry altered the reve- He com. nue of his demefne lands, the rents of which had 5** been hitherto paid in kind. The tenants were fo im* of then-own poverifhed with taxes, and other hardlhips, from JJ^JS* the nature of their tenure, that they took all oppor- n lieu of tunities of meeting him in his progrefs, and pre- p:cv fenting their ploughfhares as ufelefs implements. A dreadful famine enfued , and the king at laft ap- pointed commiffioners to examine the eftates, and fix a certain price in money to be annually paid in' lieu of the corn, provifion, and fervice, which had been ufually 26 HISTORY OF EN GLAND, A. c. 1129. u f U ally exacted. This compofition was very ad- vantageous to the tenant, the rates of provifion be- ing at that time very low ; fo that the burthen of the rent diminifhed as the fpecies increafed *. Henry's Henry now tafted the fweets of eafe and tran- daughtens > , r . delivered of quillity, after having iurmounted all oppofition ; a fon - and, during this calm, he vifited his Norman do- minions, chiefly to have a perfonal interview with pope Innocent II. whom he acknowledged as the fucceflbr of St. Peter, tho* his competitor Ana- A. c. n;i. c ] e t; US was m after of Rome. To this lafl Henry had formerly inclined, out of oppofition to the French king, who protected the other ; but Inno- cent found means to cajole him in fuch a manner, that he obtained his friendlhip and declaration in favour of his pretenfions. After this conference the king returned to England with his daughter Maud, between whom and her hufband fome mif- nnderftanding had arifen : and during her reHdence at her father's court, another general afiembly of the ftates being convoked at Northampton, the barons renewed their oath to the emprefs, whom they now acknowledged as the apparent heirefs of chron. Sax. the crown. Her husband Geoffry, furnamed Plan- tagenet, from a fprig of a broom he wore in his cap, being difgufted at Henry's refufal to put him in immediate pofTefron of Normandy, demanded his wife, who was accordingly fent over, by the advice of the council ; and, in about a year after her return, me was delivered of a fon, who was called Henry, and afterwards afcended the Eng- A. c. 1133. lifn throne. This was a joyful event to the king, who forthwith fummoned another general council at Ox- ford, where he treated them magnificently during * We learn from the Dialogue of fufrkient to ferve an hundred men the Exchequer, that in this reign a fat with bread, was valued at a Shilling . ox was fold for five /hillings ; a wed- and a ration for twenty horfes at four der for a great ; a menfure of wheat, pence. the HENRY I. 27 the Eafter holidays ; and then they took a third A - c -"33. oath in favour of the emprefs and her new-born R.^J,^ ion Henry. Impatient to fee this aufpicious grand- ch ron sar." child, the king refolved to make one other voyage J^jjjjjjj^ to the continent, and embarked about the latter a y . end of fummer, during a total eclipfe of the fun, which was followed by a violent earthquake : the monkifh writers pretend thefe were omens of his death, which, however, did not happen for two years after his departure , though his brother Ro- T. lie death of bert died before him in the caftle of Cardiff, after brother 17 having dragged about a miferable being, during Robert fix and twenty years of fevere captivity, and lived to fee the hopes of his family cut off, in the la- mentable death of his gallant fon William. Henry found fuch happinefs in fondling his grand- He ' xr y ^i" fon, and converfing with his daughter, who, befides k Foment, this, brought forth two other fons, called Geonry and William, that he never thought of returning to England, except at one time when he was alarmed with the account of fome irruptions of the Welch, who had ravaged the weflern counties, and obtained feveral petty advantages over his troops. Roufed at thefe tidings, he attempted to crofs the fea with a body of archers, but was detained by contrary winds, until his daughter perfuaded him to lay afide his defign. He paffed the remaining part of his life in great happinefs at Rouen, enjoy- ing the chace, for which he inherited his father's inclination : till one day having over -heated himfelf at this diverfion, and over-indulged his appetite at night with lampreys, he was feized with a fever which brought him to the grave. When he perceived his end approaching, he fent for Robert earl of Glou- cefter, his natural fon -, William de Warenne, earl of Surrey ; Robert earl of Leicefter ; the counts of Mortagne and Mellent or Meulant, and feveral other noblemen, who attended at his court, and recom- 28 HISTORY OF ENGL AN D. A.;C. 1133. recommended to them, in the ftrongeft manner,- the intereft of his daughter, without making the lead mention of her hufband, with whom he was difobliged. He then remitted all the forfeitures of his nephew's adherents, whom he ordered to be re- called from exile. He directed that all his debts fhould be immediately difcharged, forgave all his debtors, bequeathed fixty thoufand pounds fterling to , his domeftics and guards ; and having defired that his corpfe might be removed to the abbey of Reading, which he had founded, and fettled all his fpiritual as well as temporal affairs, he died at St. Denis le Forment, in the fixty-eighth year of rd. vital, his age, and the thirty-fixth of his reign. His body was next day carried to Rouen, attended by above twenty thoufand people, and being embalmed after the coarfe manner practifed in thofe days, con- A. c. 1135. veyed to Caen, in order to be tranfportedto England. His portrait Henry was of a middle ftature and robuft make, and charac- w ith dark brown hair, and blue ferene eyes. He was facetious, fluent, and affable to his favourites. His capacity naturally good, was improved and cultivated in fuch a manner, that he acquired the fur-name of Beauclerc by his learning. He was cool, cautious, politic, and penetrating : his cou- rage was unqueftioned, and his fortitude invincible. He was vindictive, cruel, and implacable : in- exorable to offenders, rigid and fevere in the exe- cution of juftice; and though temperate in his diet, a voluptuary in his amours, which produced a numerous family of illegitimate ifTue. His Nor- man defcent and connections with the continent in- fpired him with a contempt for the Englifn, whom he oppreiTed in the moil tyrannous manner, not only by increafing the number of the forefts, which- were too numerous before, but alfo by his uncon- fcionable exactions, in confequence of which he was enabled to maintain expenfive wars upon the continent, and died the richelt prince in Europe. STE- t * STEPHEN. O weak is human forefight, that fpme of the A. c. ji 3 $, meafures which Henry took to fecure the fuc- An account ceflion of his crown to his daughter, contributed f Stephen-. to her exclufion. In order to ftrengthen the in- terefts of his family, he had heaped favours upon Stephen, the third fon of the count de Blois, by Adela, daughter of the Conqueror. He carefled him at his court, and not only beftowed upon him the honour of Eye and all the great eftate of Ro- bert Mallet, but he had alfb effected a match be- tween him and Maud, daughter and heirefs of Euftace count de Boulogne, by Mary of Scotland, filter to king Henry's firft queen. In right of this lady, Stephen fucceeded to the county of Boulogne, befides a vaft eftate in England, which had been given to her anceftors at the Conqueft. Henry thinking he could not do too much for his own ne- phews, who would undoubtedly fupport the in- tereft of the emprefs againft all oppofition, created Stephen's younger brother Henry, abbot of Glaf- tonbury and bifhop of Winchefter , fo that the two brothers were by far the moft powerful fubjects in the kingdom. Stephen, confcious of his own importance and popularity, which was very great, could not refift the temptation of appropriating the crown to himfelf, inftead of fecuring it to. Maud,, whofe title he had fo folemnly fworn to maintain. He reflected upon the eafe with which Henry had fupplanted the abfent heir of blood, and he refolved in this particular to follow his example. In mat- ters of lefs importance he might have obeyed the dictates of his gratitude and duty to his benefactor, and 30 H I S T O R Y o F E N G L A N D. A. c. ii 3S . am } refpected the oath he had taken ; but Henry himfelf, and many other princes of that age, had manifefted by their whole conduct, how little they were retrained by the ties of religion and morality, f when a crown was the object in view. He there - He terms a .1- i t-r 1 r party in fore, m his uncle s lire-time, began to form a party England. amon g tne Englifh noblemen, while his brother employed all his influence to prepoflefs the clergy in his behalf. The endeavours of both fucceeded even beyond their expectation. The Engliih had been accuftomed to fee the heir of blood excluded from their throne ; they loved the perfbn and cha- racter of Stephen , did not much relifh a female reign, which they had never experienced ; and both Normans and Englifh favv the blood of the Conqueror and the Saxon monarchs united in him, c?M3mef. as well as m ms coufm the emprefs. Stephen Having thus paved the way to ufurpation, he Dover h ret i re d to Boulogne, from whence, on the firft news proclaimed of Henry's death, he fet fail for Dover, where he mdtrown- was treate d with great difrefpect by the burghers, ed at win- who underftood the caufe and intent of his coming. chdier. j_j e was }ii (ew jf e infulted by the inhabitants of Can- terbury, who lhut their gates againft him j but, far from being difcouraged by thefe repulfes, he pro- ceeded to London, where he was received with great honours by the citizens, who faluted him as king. Thence repairing to Wincheiter, his brother, who was bifhop of that fee, prevailed upon William de Pont-del Arche to deliver up the late king's treafure, chr Cerv amount '' n o to one hundred thoufand pounds in Hunting. ' money, bcudes plate and jewels. This enabled him to conciliate the minds of the foldiery, and make fuitable prefents to the nobility and prelates ; and his brother having engaged Roger bilhop. of Salifbury in his incereil, nothing was wanting to his coronation but the confent of William archbi- ihop of Canterbury, whofe right and office it was to STEPHEN. sx to perform that ceremony. He being a confcien* A.c,n 35 . tious primate, who fcrupled to commit a flagrant breach of the oath he had taken to the emprefs ; Hugh Bigod, fteward of the late king's houfhold, who was not quite fo fqueamifh, removed his fcruples, by fwearing that Henry had, upon his death -bed, difmherited Maud, who had difobliged him, and appointed Stephen his heir. This objec- tion being furmounted, the archbifhop complied, and placed the crown upon his head at Weftminfter, in a very thin afiembly of barons, who took the oath of allegiance to Stephen, qualifying their per- jury towards Maud, by declaring they deemed them- felves abfolved of that obligation by her being- married to a foreign prince, without their confent, and contrary to the intent of their oath, which im- plied, that they fhould fuffer no perfon to reign over them but a defcendant of William the Con- G. M4mc r . queror. ch. Mail. Stephen, notwithflanding all his advantages and He takes 3 a popularity, refolved to fecure the favour of the na- extra tion, by fome extraordinary conceffion ; and there- fore, over and above his promife of ruling with equity and moderation, for which his brother of "Winchefler interpofed his word and credit, he af- fembled a general council of the barons at Oxford, A c . when he folemnly iwore of his own free motion, that he would not retain vacant fees and benefices in his hands, but fill them immediately with per- fons canonically elected : that he would not difturb the clergy or laity in the enjoyment of their own woods, like his predeceflbr, nor fue any perfon for taking the diverfion of hunting, or trefpafling in the royal forefts , pretences which had been uled to extort money by way of fine or compofition : but, tha.t he would reftore the forefts taken in by the late king, and abolifh the tax of Danegelt, which had been levied every year fmce the Conqueft. This 3^ HISTORY OF ENGLAND. Brom wif' ^' 1S remar ^ a ^ e oatn ^^ * wonderful effect upori HuSgd.' the Englifh, who are naturally credulous and ad- dicted to novelty ; and they never fufpected that he would difregard this oath, as much as that which he had formerly taken in favour of the emprefs. wm y eS of n After having paid the laft honours to the corpfe" Bretons and o f Henry, which was brought over from Nor- inss * maridy, and interred with great magnificence in the abbey of Reading, he railed a body of Breton and Flemifli foldiers to defend his government from any attempts that might be made in favour of Maud , and, as he could refufe nothing to the nobility, who had fo readily concurred in exalting him to the throne, he granted a general licence to Knyghton. all noblemen and military tenants of the crown, Brompton. tQ f ort jfy t j, e houfes and caftles on their eftates. JfTwtiai? It was not without great reafon he took precau- invades the t i ons f or his own fafety. He was elected rather peaces, by a cabal of prelates and noblemen, than by a general confent of the nation ; in which there was a great number of noblemen who waited only for a proper opportunity to manifeft their attachment to the emprefs. She had already been proclaimed by her uncle David, king of Scotland, who had over- ran the provinces of Cumberland and Nor- thumberland, reduced all the towns and fortrefies in the North, except Bambury, and compelled the gentry and inhabitants, as far as Durham, to fwear allegiance to Maud, and give hoftages for their fide- lity. Stephen was no fooner informed of thefe pro- ceedings, than he marched againft the Scot ; and the two armies met in the neighbourhood of Dur- ftLEuSe" ^ am> Both princes feemed more inclined to a ne- bctween gotiation than a battle ; and propofals being ex- 8^^ changed, they concluded a treaty, importing that David fhould reftore all the places he had taken, except Carlifle, which he retained as part of Cum- berland, and for which David's fon Henry did homage STEPHEN. S3 homage to Stephen, who prefented this young A. 0.1136. prince with the earldom of Huntingdon, and in- vited him to his court, where he was diftinguifhed by fuch particular marks of favour, as gave um- brage to the Engliih nobility. ch.Maiiro-. This northern ftorm being overblown, all the Robert, earl kingdom enjoyed undiftnrbed repofe, except the boundaries of Wales porTeflfed by the Englilh, which were infefted by the incurfions of the natives, who committed terrible outrages, until a peace was con - to Stephen. eluded i and then they fubmitted to Stephen. His throne being now to all appearance efbablifhed, Robert earl of Gloucefter, the late king's natural ion, arrived in England. He was the mofl vir- tuous, accomplifhed, and popular nobleman in the kingdom, and a zealous adherent to the interefts F]or W] . g< of the emprefs. He had remained in Normandy cout. after his father's death, to execute his will, and confirm the Normans in their attachment to his daughter. But finding how eafily Stephen had mounted the throne of England, and how fatisfied the people were with his government, he refolved to temporize, and at his arrival took the oath of allegiance to Stephen, but with this exprefs (ripu- lation, that he mould be no longer bound by it, than the king continued to rule according to the promifes he had made. Robert did not at all doubt that the obligation would foon be void, and then he might with a fafe confcience take meafures in behalf of his filler. This method of qualifying H* example was adopted by all the other noblemen who had byfom* hitherto kept aloof; and Stephen having procured P relates the pope's confirmation of his title, in order to fet- tle the fqueamifh confciences of fome prelates, who had hitherto witheld their homage, they now fwore allegiance to him as long as he Ihould maintain the liberties of the church, and the vigour of her dii- TI . ,. Hnntirg. Cipline. Rec, Hag, N. ii. D To 34 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. c. i* 3 6. To demonftrate his good will in this particular, The king he granted a charter at Oxford, confirming the Sarter'of immunities of the church, difclaiming all fimonia- prmieges to cal promotions -, referring the perfons and eflates ti^ciergy. Q f ecc i e f la fl-j cs to tne cognizance of fpiritual courts only ; fecuring the free enjoyment of all the pof- feffions belonging to the church at the death of the Conqueror ; promifing reftitution of what had been alienated, and renouncing all profit arifing from vacant bimoprics, which his predecefTors had kept G. Maimef. for their own advantage. To this authentic deed, fubfcribed and witnefTed by all the chief nobility in the kingdom, he paid fo little regard in the fequel, that he feized the treafure of churches, gave their lands and pofleffions to laymen, ejected incumbents, and fold the benefices ; difpofed abbies to men of bad character, for pecuniary confiderations, and committed bifhops to prifon, without any caufe af- figned. Nor was he more fcrupulous in perform- ing the promifes he had made to the laity ; for, in- flead of granting free liberty of hunting, he pro- fecuted the nobility on the foreft laws with great Hunting, feverity. The eari of Perhaps he thought himfelf acquitted of his ?o?ts nre ~ obligations, by the infolence of Baldwin de Red - vers, earl of Devon, who being refufed fome fa vour he afked of the king, openly renounced his obedience, and retiring to his caftle of Exeter, be- gan to exercife the authority of an independent fovereign. Stephen marching againft him, invefted his fortrefs, which, after a tedious fiege, he reduced ; the ifle of Wight, which belonged to the fame no- bleman, fubmitted to the conqueror -, and the earl was obliged to take refuge in Normandy, whither Stephen's affairs called him in the courfe of the Geft. steph. following year. Normandy Geoffry of Anjou, the hufband of Maud, as foon diftrafted by , i i n~ i i i r 11 c factions. as he could aliemble his troops after the deceale of STEPHEN. 35 of the king, had entered that dutchy, and made A> c - "37. himfelf matter of feveral towns, by the affiftance of William de Talevas, count of Ponthieu ; but an irreconcileable grudge fubfifting between the Normans and the Angevins, the nobility of Nor- mandy afTembled at Newbourg, and offered the dutchy to Theobald count of Blois. To this prince, Robert earl of Gloucefter delivered Falaife before his departure, in hope of promoting a contention between the brothers, which might be advan- tageous to the emprefs. The Norman noblemen underftanding that Stephen was in quiet pofTefiion of the Englifh throne, and being unwilling to lofe the eftates they pofTefled in England, fent Theo- bald home in great indignation, and offered their fervice to Stephen. But, far from being unani- mous in their proceedings, the dutchy was divided into factions, which produced a civil war and uni- verfal defolation. Stephen, finding his prefence would be necefiary The k ' n s' s i r i-n i f f -i c j armymu- to quiet thefe difturbances, fet fail for Normandy, and being joined at La Hogue by the count de Blois, vifited Lewis the Young, king of France, with whom a treaty was concluded, on condition that Euftace fon of Stephen mould marry the French king's fifter Conftance, and be invefted by his brother-in-law with the dutchy of Normandy. Then Stephen alTembling his forces, refolved to attack the count of Anjou, who had taken feveral places, and retired to Argentan, after having made an unfuccefsful attempt to furprife Caen ; but when the king had advanced as far as Lifieux, a quarrel broke out between William d' Ypres, earl of Kent, and Renaud de St. Valery, about the chief com- mand : the Boulonnois and Flemings in the army efpoufing the caufe of William, and the Normans declaring for their countryman Renaud, a battle enfued, and a great deal of blood was fhsd on both D 2 fides/ 36 HISTORY o p E N G L A N D. A. c. ii 37 . f lc j es Whether Stephen'on this occafion favoured the foreign troops, in which he placed his chief confidence, or his favourite William d' Ypres was ib detefted by the Normans that they would not ferve under his command ; certain it is, they aban- doned his army ; nor could Stephen, who overtook them at Ponteau de Mer, prevail upon their leaders, Hugh de Gournay and young William de Warenne, dudcs n a " to return to tne ^ r duty. Perplexed therefore in his truce with own mind, and fufpecting the fidelity of all his phSenet. Norman fubjects, he was fain to purchafe a truce for two years with Geoffry Plantagenet, by an an- nuity of five thoufand marks for him, and another of two thoufand for his own brother Theobald de Blois, in lieu of his pretenfions to the dutchy. Notwithstanding this accommodation, the civil war ftill continued to rage among the Norman nobility ; but Stephen, leaving William de Roumara and the vifcount Roger to appeafe thefe troubles, returned to England ; while Robert earl of Leicester, who had followed him into Normandy, flayed behind, partly becaufe he did not care to truft himfelf in England with Stephen, who had already betrayed his jealoufy of Robert's conduct, and partly to Fk>r n w? er ' f rm ft ron g er connexions with the Norman barons Cout. ' s * in favour of his fitter Maud. A confpira- Stephen was recalled to England, to quell a cy formed confpiracy, which had been formed for malfacring uTaJilS. a ^ tne foreigners, expelling the Normans, and fixing the crown upon the head of David king of Scotland, the next lineal heir of the Saxon kings. This project was the effect of defpair, to which the Englim were driven by the licentioufnefs and op- preflion exercifed by the foreign mercenaries, who plundered and burned the towns and villages, and imprifoned, tortured, and even murdered the wretched people with impunity, under chiefs who had built and erected caftles for the purpofes of ra- pine. STEPHEN 37 pine. Nothing could exceed the mifery of Eng- A. 0.1137.. land at this period, when free-born Englishmen be- came the prey of fuch petty tyrants, faw their effects pillaged, their limbs loaded with mackles, their wives and daughters violated, their habitations burned, and their families periming with hunger. In fuch a dreadful fituation, no wonder they took fome defperate refolution, againft a foreign ufurper, to whom they were bound by no ties of confcience or gratitude. Nigel, bimop of Ely, was the firft friend of Stephen who detected the plot, and com- municated the particulars to the prelates and nobi- lity ; and Stephen was no fooner informed of the defign than he returned to England with great ex- pedition. Some of the confpirators were taken, A. c. n 3 8. convicted, and executed ; while others retired from the kingdom before they were accufed, and the more powerful flood in their defence, treating with the Scots and Welfh for affiftance. The fons of Robert Beauchamp, hearing the king had given part of their inheritance to Hugh le Poer, as a portion with the daughter of Simon Beauchamp, whom he had married, fortified the caftle of Bed- ford, which was immediately inverted by Stephen, who finding it too ftrong to be eafily reduced, had recourfe to the mediation of his brother the bilhop of Winchefter, by which an accommodation was effected, and the caftle given up. Ord VJtaI Mean while David king of Scotland, having Dav ! d ^' g been formally refufed pofleffion of Northumber- of Scotland, land, to which he laid claim, invaded the northern j^"* 6 parts of England ; and Stephen marching with a counties ; ftrong army to oppofe his progrefs, the Scots re- J^" ^ e e " ar tired to Roxburgh, where the king finding them Northaiier- too advantageoufly ported to be attacked with any ESieo/tiw profpect of fuccefs, and difcovering fome treachery standard. among his followers, retreated to the South, with- out having hazarded an action. The Scots were P 3 then 38 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A.C. ii 3 s. t h en a t liberty to wafte Northumberland with impu- nity : they took Norham, and dividing into dif- ferent detachments, ravaged the whole country, committing every where the moft barbarous out- rages. At length when the fummer was far ad- vanced, their fcattered parties joining, they ad- vanced as far as Baggamoor, about two miles from Northallerton in Yorkfhire, where they were met by an Englim army, under the command of Wil- liam earl of Albemarle accompanied by Walter Efpec, Roger Mowbray, Robert de Bruce, Bernard de Baliol, Walter de Gant, and all the northern barons. In a fort of a wheel -carriage they had erected a long pole, at the top of which was a crofs, and under this a banner, from whence the battle that enfued acquired the name of the battle of the Standard. Around this enfign the Englifh were drawn up in a firm compacted body, the front be- ing compofed of pikemen and archers intermixed, to receive the firft mock of the enemy. There was a difpute in the Scottim army about the man- ner in which they mould begin the attack : David and his principal nobility were of opinion they mould charge with their heavy-armed troops and bowmen ; but the men of Galloway, who had no other than flight offenfive weapons, infifted upon the privilege of forming the van ; and the difpute growing warm between Alan de Piercy and the earl of Stratherne, the king in order to prevent a mutiny, ordered the Gallovidians to take their poft and be- gin the battle. The fecond line was compofed of the borderers and lowlanders, commanded by the prince of Scotland, under the direction of Euftace Fitzjohn, an Englifh nobleman who had been op- prefled by Stephen, and joined the Scots from re- fentment. The body of referve confided of the Highlanders and Murraymen, commanded by the king, attended by a body-guard of Englim and Normaji STEPHEN. 39 Norman knights. The Gallovidians marched up A - c - IJ 3 8 to the attack with three huzzas, and charged the Englim lancemen with fuch fury that they gave ground ; but they were fuftained by the fecond line : and the aflailants, having no defenfive armour, were galled in fuch a manner by the Englim arrows, and pufh of pike, that their firft fire being ex- haufted, and their two chieftains Ulgerick and Do- nald (lain, they turned their backs and fled with, great confufion. The prince of Scotland then ad- vanced to the attack with fuch impetuofity that he bore down all before him, and even penetrated to the rear of the Englim, who, terrified at his fuc- cefs, began to fall into diforder, and gave way, when their total defeat was prevented by the ftra- tagem of an old foldier, who cutting off a man's head, erected it on the point of his fpear, and cal- ling aloud, " Behold the head of the Scotch king," rallied the troops and renewed the battle. The Scots, confounded at this apparition, and difpirited by the flight of the Gallovidians, fought no longer with alacrity, but began to give ground on all quarters : nor could David, who fought on foot with undaunted courage, bring them back to the charge ; BeT*' de fo that he was obliged to mount on horfeback, and siandardn. quit the field. "'^- The fugitives, feeing the royal banner ftill dif- |^ s d ~ played, were convinced of their king's being alive, cari;fie,and and crouded around him in fuch numbers, that he ^, e e g " f tbe was able to form a confiderable body, with which he Werk. retreated in good order to Carlifle, where he was, on the third day after the battle, joined by his fon. The prince, finding himfelf with a few foldiers in the heart of the Englim army, during the engage- ment, had thrown away his badges' of diftinclion, and mixed with the enemy, until he made fhift to efcape through bye-ways to his father, who was dif- confolate at his being miffing; and therefore D 4 thought 40 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. c. u 3 8. thought himfelf happy in his return. David loft fome thoufands, not in the battle, but in the re- treat of fcattered parties, who, inflead of joining the royal banner, endeavoured to efcape into their own country, and were maflacred by the inhabi- tants of the country through which they marched. Stephen was fo well pleafed with this victory, that he conferred upon William of Albemarle the addi- tional title of Yorkmire, and beftowed the earldom of Derby on Ferrers, by whom the other had been fo ftrongly reinforced. David was not fo weak- ened or dejected by his defeat, but that he be- ileged the caftle of Werk, which he reduced by fa- mine, nor would he be perfuaded to make peace with Stephen, by all the remonftrances of the pope's legate Albericus, bifhop of Oftia, fent to England by Innocent II. to exercife a legatine jurifdiction, and vifit all the monafteries and ca- thedrals in the kingdom. All that Albericus could obtain of David, was a fufpenfion of hofti- lities for fome months, during which, however, Stephen's queen Maud, who was David's niece, employed her good offices fo effectually, that a treaty of peace was next year concluded at Dur- ham, on condition that all the county of Nor- thumberland mould be ceded to Henry, prince of Scotland, except Newcaftle and Hamburg, in lieu of which he mould enjoy certain lands in the fou- thern parts of the kingdom. Hoftages being given for the performance of the articles, the barons of Northumberland did homage to the Scottim prince, who attended queen Maud to Nottingham, where me was met by her husband. t^nsT^'the During theie northern tranfactions, Stephen had fouthem been employed in quelling divers infurrections in founds, different parts of the kingdom. He had heaped fuch extraordinary favours upon his minifter Wil- liam d'Ypres and other foreigners, as gave great umbrage STEPHEN. 41 umbrage to the Englifh nobility, who took no A - c - "3S pains to hide their difcontent, and their murmurs attracted the jealoufy of the king, who upon flight furmizes feized their perfons and eftates. Others, to avoid the like treatment, put themfelves in a pofture of defence ; and among the reft Robert earl of Gloucefter, to whom the late king had grant- ed the caftles of Dover, Ledes, and Briftol, which Stephen now relblved to reduce. The firft was fur- rendered by Walchelm the governor, at the per- fuafion of Gilbert Strongbow, who was for this piece of fervice created earl of Pembroke ; Ledes was befieged and taken ; but all the king's attempts upon Briftol proved ineffectual. Robert, thinking it now high time to pull off the mafk, fent letters from Normandy to Stephen, upbraiding him with breach of faith and perjury towards Maud the emprefs, and denouncing war againft him as an ufurper. To this defiance the king made no anfwer, A. c. 1139. but ordered Robert's eftates to be confifcated. Ge- offry de Talebot was driven out of Hereford, to which he had retired ; Shrewfbury was taken by ftorm, and Arnulf de Heflin the governor put to death, with ninety perfons of the garrifon ; others, terrified by Stephen's fuccefs and feverity, fub- mitted ; but Paynel ftill holding out in Ludlow, the king marched from Nottingham againft that fortrefs, attended by the prince of Scotland, who in the courfe of the fiege being pulled from his horfe by an engine let down from the wall, was. ord. vita!, refcued by the perfonal valour of Stephen. Hen - Hunt - The garrifon made fuch a vigorous defence, that Stephen ; m - he was obliged to turn the fiege into a blockade, {"if " 5 th . e r r i -it 11 bifliops ot by raifing two forts in the neighbourhood ; then saiin>uiy he returned to Oxford, where he took a ftep that L ^ recovered his intereft with the clergy. From the letter he had received in fuch outrageous terms from Robert earl of Gloucefter, he concluded that tta 42 HI STORY OF ENGLAND. A.C. n 39 . tn e ftorm which had been long gathering, was ready to burft ; and that all the perfons of diftino tion in England, who had been attached to the late king, were concerned in the confpiracy againfl his crown. One of the moft powerful of thefe was Roger bifhop of Salisbury, who had been raifed by Henry from a fimple cure in Normandy to the fee of Sarum, and enjoyed fuch a mare of that king's confidence, that he in a manner governed the whole kingdom, and acquired vaft wealth and influence, which he afterwards employed againft the daughter and heir of his benefactor, in favour of an ufurper, by whom he was neglected. At length he incurred the fufpicion of Stephen, be- caufe he had, in confequence of the general per- miflion, fortified Old Sarum, and built the caftles of Sherburn, Malmesbury, and the Devizes ; while his nephew Alexander, bifhop of Lincoln, erected ferompton. thofe at Newark and Sleford. The king, therefore, at his return to Oxford, invited and required his prefence at court, on pretence of confulting him in fome affair of confequence. He accordingly went thither, accompanied by his two nephews the biihops of Lincoln and Ely, and was immediately taken into cuftody with Alexander, until they fhould de- liver up their caflles. Nigel bifhop of Ely, who lodged in the fuburbs, made his efcape to the De- vizes, which William d' Ypres was fent immediately to befiege -, but, the place making a flout re- fiftance, Roger was brought in perfon before it, and threatened with death, mould they refufe to furrender. This expedient produced the defired effect. Nigel capitulated for his own liberty, and Stephen taking poffemon, found a treafure amount- ing to forty thoufand marks, which was a very rd, vital, feafonable fupply. This exploit excited a general clamour over all the nation : and Stephen's brother Henry bifhop of Winchefler, who was inverted with a Jegatine power STEPHEN. 43 power, thinking it incumbent upon him to vindi- A - c - "39- cate the privileges of the clergy, fummoned the S king to attend a fynod, which he convened at Win- fore chefter, in order to take cognizance of this affair. w Stephen lent thither fome earls, together with Au- brey de Ver, an eloquent orator, who undertook to juftify the king's conduct, by obferving, that the bimop of Salisbury had railed a fedition at Ox - ford, in which a knight of Bretagne had loft his life, and many fubjects been grievoufly wounded, even under the eye of their fovereign ; that he fe- cretly favoured the enemies of the government, and intended to declare for the emprefs on her land- ing in England ; that he was feized not as a bilhop, but in quality of the king's fervant ; that the caftles were not taken by force, but given as a compofi- tion for the penalty incurred by raifing the tumult at Oxford ; and that his treafure had been embez- zled from the exchequer of the late king, confe- quently belonged to his fucceflbr. With refpect to the bimop of Lincoln, nothing was laid to his charge but his being concerned in the fray at Ox- ford/ which was purpofely raifed about lodgings, by Alain, count of Dinan, that the king might have a pretence for arrefting the bifhops. To thefe articles Roger made fuch a diftinct and fubftantial anfwer, that Henry infilled upon the reftoration of the caftles ; and the feflion was, at Stephen's re- queft, adjourned till next day, when Hugh archbi- fhop of Rouen, affirmed that no bimops were al- lowed by the canons to maintain caftles - 3 and Au- brey de Ver reprefenting in very ftrong colours the mifchiefs that might accrue to the members of the fynod from the king's refentment, in cafe they mould excommunicate Stephen, or appeal to Rome, as Hen- ry had threatened to do, they broke up without pro- ceeding to any fentence, and Stephen kept the caftles he had thus acquired-, while Roger died of grief and vexation, and the whole kingdom joined the clergy in 44 HISTORY OF ENGLAND; A. c.i r 3g . j n exclaiming againft this act of violence and ar- H M H^' bitrar y p wer - Maud the It was certainly the moft impolitic flep he could Ssfn ^ ave ta ^ en ' at a J un & ure > wnen ne was threatened Suflhc 1 . 11 with iiich a dangerous invafion from abroad. The truce with Geoffry Plantagenet being expired, that prince marched into the Contantin, the greateft part of which he reduced to his obedience ; Robert earl of Gloucefter put him in pofleflion of Caen and Bayeux ; and he proceeded with long ftrides to- wards an entire conqueft of Normandy. To faci- litate this enterprize, Robert refolved to attend Maud into England, where a great number of par- tifans were ready to rife at her arrival. To prepare for her reception, me fent over Baldwin de Redvers, who, landing at Wareham, took pofleflion of Corfe caftle, which was immediately inverted by Stephen : but, hearing that the emprefs intended an imme- diate defcent, he raifed the fiege, in order to' re- duce fome places that lay in her way, from the fea- coaft to Gloucefterfhire, in which the greateft num- ber of her friends had acted. He was employed in the fiege of Marlborough, when he received in- telligence that Maud and her brother had landed at Arundel, and were admitted into the caftle by Adelais, widow of the late king, now married to William de Albeney, earl of Suflex. ?ow?Maud Thither Stephen immediately marched, and found to join her that Robert earl of Gloucefter had already fet out JSw'* with twelve knights for Briftol, leaving the em- prefs with her ftepmother, who, at the king's ap- proach, fent an apology for having received her daughter-in-law in the way of hofpitality, and pro- tefted that me had no defign to encourage an in- furrecliion. Stephen, confidering the ftrength of. Arundel caftle, which was deemed impregnable, and that it would be more eafy to maintain the war in one place than in two different provinces, not only STEPHEN. 45 only admitted the excufes of the queen-mother, A< c - "3t but alfo allowed Maud to join the earl of Glou- cefter. She was accordingly conducted to Briftol by the bifhop of Winchefler ; and from thence re- paired to Gloucefter, where fhe remained two years under the protection of Milo, whom Robert had appointed governor of the place during the late reign. The earl of Gloucefter with the afliftance of this gallant nobleman, who had great poiTefilons in Herefordfhire, and the counties of Gloucefter and Brecknock ; and Brian Fitz-Compte, lord of Overwent and Abergavenny, was enabled to raife Geft. Rej. a body of ten thoufand men, to fupport the caufe J^jJ^ of the emprels ; while the clergy difpofed the minds cout. of the people in her favour. Flort w ' s * Stephen, with a view to fupprefs this commotion H C takes before his enemies could afTemble their forces, took ^jj^* the field immediately, and forming the blockade SSten, of Wallingford, by means of two forts erected to overawe the garrifon, he inverted Troubridge, which was fo bravely defended by Humphrey de Bohun, that after his foldiers had fuffered innu- merable hardfhips and fatigues, he was fain to raife the fiege, and retire to London, kaving a ftrong garrifon in the Devizes, to oppofe the excurfions of the enemy, who had by this time deftroyed his forts before Wallingford, and burned Worcefter. Ste- phen now faw the bad effects of allowing every petty nobleman to fortify caftles. There was fcarce a parifh in the kingdom without fome ftrength of this kind, which ferved as a refuge to villany and opprefiion, by which the people were impoverifhed, and the collectors of taxes fet at defiance ; fo that the king had no other way of filling his coffers but that of clipping and adulterating the coin, and fetting up to fale all the pofts, places, and bene- fices of the nation. At the fame time he ftuck at HedifeMfet nothing to make himfelf mafter of the forts belong- ^e nobility. ing 46 HISTORY OF EN GLAND. A. c. ii 39 . j n g to t hofe noblemen whom he fufpefted of dif- affection. He made no fcruple of arrefting them without any cafe afligned, and compelling them to redeem their liberty by delivering up their ftrong holds ; a fpecies of tyranny in which he was en- couraged and affifted by his brother the bifriop of Winchefter, who aggravated injuftice with a fcan- dalous breach of hofpitality, by inviting a number of noblemen, and detaining them until they had Mat. Paris, furrcndercd their caftles. Attacks Thefe arbitrary proceedings not only alienated the Hereford. a fF e ftj on o f the people from Stephen, but even de- terred the nobility from approaching the court, which became dreary and defolate, like the palace A. c. u 4 o. of defpotic power. After having fpent a gloomy Chriftmas, almoft unattended, at Salifbury, he re- paired to Reading, from whence he marched with a body of forces to befiege the caftle belonging to the bifhop of Ely, which that prelate quitted at his approach, and fled for protection to Robert earl of Gloucefter. After having fecured this fortrefs, he ravaged the neighbourhood of Tewksbury, and attacked Hereford with a numerous army ; but Sicii^ 18 ' was bliged to defift from his enterprize, and re- c. Maimef. tired without glory or fuccefs to Winchefter. Marches ^ The earl of Gloucefter, by his vaft power and wai. Com ~ credit, had engaged a great number of the nobility in Maud's intereft -, and others, whom he could not bring over, he prevailed upon to be quiet. He effected a match between his brother Reginald and the daughter of William Fitz -Richard, a powerful nobleman in Cornwall, who delivering the king's caftles, and the greateft part of the county, to his fon-in law Reginald, otherwife called Renaud de Dunftanville, was created earl of Cornwall by the emprefs. Stephen was no fooner apprifed of this tranfaftion, than he marched thither with all expe- dition, and, recovering fome of the fortrefles, left 2 count STEPHEN. 47 count Alain with a body of troops for their de- A. 0.1149. fence, and narrowly avoided Robert, who had laid Geft- Reg> a fcheme for intercepting him in his return. steph. The whole kingdom was now become a fcene A negocia- of mifchief, mifery, and confufion. Every pro- ^J* vince, town, and individual, declaring for one or other of the competitors. Neighbours, and even families, were divided into factions ; and the whole country was filled with rapine, cruelty, and blood- med. The barons affumed feparately a fovereign power, opprefied the people, and even coined mo- ney in their own caftles. Maud was obliged to connive at the violence and irregularity of her friends, to fecure their adherence ; and as Stephen could not pay his foreign mercenaries, they were allowed to live at free quarter, and commit the moft terrible outrages. In this deplorable anarchy, every moderate perfon in the kingdom fighed for peace ; and Henry bifhop of Winchefter propofed a treaty. The conferences were opened in the neighbourhood of Bath, and the emprefs feemed willing to refer the difpute to the arbitration of the bimops ; but Stephen refufed his afient to this pro- pofal, becaufe he expected no juftice or impartiality from a fet of people whom he had fo mortally of- fended. The bifhop of Winchefter requefted the mediation of the French king and Stephen's elder brother Theobald, count de Blois, and going over to the continent for that purpofe, brought back propositions to which the emprefs took no excep- tion ; but Stephen, after having procraftinated his anfwer for a confiderable time, at length rejected them entirely, and the war was renewed with vari- ous fuCCefs. Malmeto. The earl of Gloucefter had taken Nottingham ; The war and his fon-in-law Ralph de Gernons, earl of Chef- ' ter, furprifed the caftle of Lincoln, in which he propofed to fpend the Chriftmas holidays, with his wife 48 HI STORY OF ENGLAND. A.C. n 4 o. w if e an j his half brother, William de Roumara. The inhabitants of the town, who favoured Stephen, giving that prince to understand how eafily he might furprife three enemies of fuch confequence, he put himfelf at the head of his troops, and marched on Chriftmas-day with fuch diligence, that the caf- tle was invefted before Ralph had the leaft intima- tion of his approach : he found means however to break through Stephen's guards in the night, and repairing to the earl of Gloucefler, made him ac- quainted with the fituation of his daughter, and begged he would lofe no time in marching to her relief, as the caftle was in no condition to fuftain a fiege. Robert immediately aflernbled his troops, and took the route to Lincoln, with his fon-in-law, at the head of his vaffals and fome auxiliary Welfh forces, and, refolving to firike a decifive blow, paf- fed a rivulet and morafs, which Stephen deemed impracticable, and gave him battle without hefita- tion. The infantry, commanded by himfelf in per- fon, compofed the center ; the horfe were formed into two wings, one of which confifted of thofe who had been deprived of their,honours and eftates by Stephen , and the other was made up of Ralph's vafifals, under his own conduct : while the Welfh, who were unprovided with defensive armour, con- ftituted a feparate body, pofted at the extremity of the line. Stephen drew up his army in the fame manner , one wing of Flemifh and Breton cavalry, commanded by William d' Ypres and the earl of Albemarle ; the other, compofed of Bretons and Englifti, under count Alain of Dinan, Walleran de Mellent, Hugh Bigod earl of Norfolk, Simon de Seules, and William de Warenne, earls of Nor- thampton and Surry ; and the king himfelf on foot in the center. William d' Ypres began the battle by attacking the Welfh, who were eafily routed : 4 and STEPHEN. 49 and the earl of Chefter, feeing them difordered in A-C.IHQ. the purfuit, charged them in flank, and broke them Stephen is entirely fo as that they never rallied. At the fame anduten time the Ene;lim, on 'the other wins; of Gloucef- prifonerae , r i i 1 i I the battle of ter s army, tired by their wrongs, threw away their Lincoln. lances, and fell fword in hand among Stephen's cavaliers, who did not ftand the firft onfet, but fled in the utmoft confufion. Stephen being thus left naked to the right and left, was furrounded by the enemy - 9 and though he acted the part of an able general, and for a long time fuftained the battle againft extraordinary odds and efforts, he was at length obliged to yield to the adverfe fortune of the day. He fought with incon- ceivable fury, until his battle-axe was broke to pieces ; then drawing his fword, he defended him- felf againft a whole multitude, foaming with rage to fee himfelf abandoned by his foldiers : in this unequal fight he fhivered his fword to pieces, and ft ill fought with his truncheon, until he re- ceived a blow with a ftone, which felled him to the ground : yet he ftarted up again upon his knees ; but, before he could rife, a knight, called William de Kaines, fpringing forward, and feizing his creft, prefented the point of his fword, and threatened to put him inftantly to death, if he would not furren- der. Notwithstanding the extremity to which he was reduced, he refufed to yield to any perfon but the duke of Gloucefter, who, being near the fpot, came up and took him prifoner, together with four noblemen who had fought by his fide. He was immediately conducted to Briftol, where he was ignominioufly treated, and even loaded with chains, H by order of the emprefs ; but not above an hundred " a ,~ . ff . G or his men were flam. Immediately after this decifive battle, William M.uJ C ain Peverel furrendered the caftle of Nottingham to 5S5 " the emprefs j thofe ofthe Devizes and Bedford were Hcm 7 yielded to her at the fame time j and the earl of NUMB. XII. E War- 5 o HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. 0.1:41. Warwick and all England abandoned the captive king, except the city of London and the county of Kent, in which William of Ypres his fa- vourite, and fome other partifans, dill adhered to his queen, and fon Euftace. Such barons as yet prefer ved their allegiance, entered into the corpo- rations and common- council of London, and pre- vailed upon- them to form an ailbciation in favour of the king. Though the greateft part of the kingdom had declared for Maud, fhe ftill found an obftacle to her afcending the throne ; and that was Henry bimop of Winchefter, invefted by the pope with legatine power, which placed him at the head of the clergy, whofe refolutions, on fuch an occa- fion, would have a great influence on the people and the nobility. In order to detach this prelate from his brother's intereft, fhe vifited him at Win- chefter, and promifed to be guided wholly by his counfels, and even to leave the vacant bifhoprics to his difpofal. Thefe were temptations which he could not refift. He promifed to abandon his bro- ther, and devote himielf entirely to her fervice ; as a proof of his fincerity, he fwore allegiance to her in private, though it was a conditional oath, binding him no longer than fhe mould continue to aft according to her promife. Next day he received her with great folemnity in the cathedral church, where he excommunicated all the partifans of Ste- phen, and offered abfolution to thofe who mould forfake him, and efpoufe the caufe of the emprefs. Henry's example was followed by the archbifhop of Canterbury, who did not however take the oaths to Maud, until he had obtained the confent of the c. Maimef. k m S> whom he vifited in prifon. Henry ha- The legate, having undertaken to bring the rangues the clergy over to Maud's intereft, afTembled a general herTvour. council at Winchefter, and, before the opening of the feflion, conferred with every member in private, to prepare him for the declaration he intended to make, STEPHEN. make. The council being afiembled, he pro- A.c nounced a ftudied harangue, in which lie obferved, that the tyranny, bad faith, arid mifconduct of Stephen, were the real fources of all the troubles that afflicted the nation* He owned that he him- felf had engaged his word for him, when the cir- cumftances of affairs made it necerTary to falfe him to the throne : but he had been grievoufly miftaken in his opinion of the man, and it was with unfeigned forrow he found himfelf obliged to renounce that engagement. He reminded them of the firft oath he had taken to the emprefs ; and faid it was more righteous to obey the order of God Almighty, who had declared in favour of that princefsj than to fa- crifice his duty to the interefts and ambition of a carnal brother, whom he had done all that lay in his power to reclaim, though without efTecl: : that the judgment of heaven having overtaken him whom they had chofen, they ought to make atone- ment for their fault, in restoring the cro'wn to the lawful heirefs ; and that, after having deliberated with the principal members of the clergy, upon meafures for putting a flop to the calamities of the nation, he had, by virtue of the apoftolic power with which he was inverted, thought proper to ac- knowledge Maud, daughter of the. late king Henry, queen and fovereign of England. All the members, who had not been privately clofeted, were infinitely furprifed at this declaration ; but as no individual would venture to exprefs his didike, the legate interpreted their filence into ap- probation, and gave them to underftand, that he had fummoned the Londoners to this council, where they promifed to appear. Next day the de- puties from that city arrived; but far from ap* proving of the new election, they demanded, in the name of their condiments, that the king mould be fet at liberty. The legate replied, that it ill bs- 2 52 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A.C. 1141. came the citizens of London to aflbciate with thofe barons who had fo bafely abandoned their king in battle ; and whofe fole aim was to involve the coun- try in frefli troubles. The deputies demanded a categorical anfwer, which however they could not obtain ; and therefore they protefted againft the translations of the council. A chaplain belonging to Stephen's queen prefented a letter to the legate from that princefs ; but as he did not choofe to communicate the contents of it to the afiembly, he reftored it to the bearer, who read it aloud. The purport of this addrefs was to demand her husband's enlargement, but it met with no regard from the audience ; and the fefiion was concluded with the fentence of excommunication denounced againft all c. Maimef. Stephen's adherents. They ac- Nothing was now wanting to complete the tri- knowledge um ph of the emprcfs, except the concurrence of the emprefs. . r . c T . r 1-1 i 11-1 the city or London, which was at length obtained by the endeavours of her brother Robert, who had been hitherto her chief director and fupport. Dur- ing this negociation me refided at St. Alban's, where me was vifited by her uncle David, king of Scotland, who had come to affift at her coronation ; and, as foon as (he underftood that her party had prevailed in the capital, ihe fet out for that city, where Ihe was received as fovereign. Having ex- acted the oath of allegiance from the citizens, fhe began to prepare for her coronation ; and, in this who treats interval, Stephen's queen implored her generofity Stephen's anc | merc y \ n behalf of that unfortunate prince, queen with . ; . f . . . , * > cruel dii- who, in consideration or obtaining his liberty, of- dain - fered to renounce all pretenfions to the crown, to leave the kingdom, or even fpend his days in a monaftery j nay, he propofed to bind himfelf by oath, and give hoftages for the performance of his promife. Thefe propofals were rejected with great difdain, and the emprefs forbad Mathilda, in a very in- STEPHEN. 53 infulting manner, to trouble her with fuch follici- A - c -"4'- tations for the future. The requeft of that unhappy princefs had been she g; ves feconded by Henry bifliop of Winchefter, who n*rage-to thought himfelf entitled to fome degree of favour doner^ with the emprefs ; but he found himfelf difap- thcWftopof i i n TTIJ/IJI Winchefter. pointed in his expectation. He had afked the coun- ties of Boulogne and Montagne, for Stephen's fon Euftace, and met with a peremptory denial, which was fo oppofite to the profefii<3ns of Maud before her election, that he perceived he had nothing to hope from her good-will or condefcenfion. He therefore deemed himfelf acquitted of his engage- ment, and -began to project fchemes of revenge, which me herfelf facilitated by her pride and im- perious conduct. Inftead of conciliating the af- fections of her fubjects by affability and popular conceffions, me affected to treat them as flaves born for her fervice. She intailed upon herfelf the hatred of the Londoners, in rejecting their remonftrance, when they intreated her to mitigate the fevere laws of the Norman princes, and revive thofe of the Con- feffor ; a favour with which me ought in policy to have indulged her people, unfollicited. The citi- zens did not fail to murmur at this inflance of her haughty and inflexible difpofition ; the nation be- gan to pity the diftrefs of Stephen and his family i they recognized and trembled at the fpirit of the Conqueror, which manifefted itfelf fo early in the deportment of his grand-daughter ; and they hear- tily repented of the fteps they had taken, in her favour. The bifliop of Winchefter in fecret fomented Maud Jg their difcontent, and finding it ripe for tumult, dir obliged to rected his nephew Euftace to take the field, under the aufpices of William d' Ypres, who affembled a body of Kentifh men for his fervice. With thefe he advanced into Surrey, and blocking up London 3 on 54 HISTORYopENGLAND. A.-C- W on the fide of Southwark, fent detached parties to make excurfions on the other fide of the river, and ravage the country to the very fuburbs. In order to co-operate with thefe proceedings, the London- ers, inftigated by the bimop's emifTaries, formed 3 confpiracy for feizing the perfon of the emprefs, who being accidentally informed of their purpofe, retired with great precipitation, attended by her uncle David, her brother Gloucefter, and Milo, p. Msimef. whom me had by this time created earl of Here- p.Ce?vas. ford. Though her perfon efcaped, her furniture was plundered by the populace, and her character treated openly with the moft indecent reproach. While me haftened to Oxford, in order to aiTembte an army, the bifhop retired to Winchefter, where he fortified his palace, and took meafures with the difaffected party for augmenting the forces of his ne^ phew , though he did not yet openly declare himfelf an enemy to the emprefs. He could not, however, with all his caution, elude her fufpicion ; and her brother Robert vifited him at Winchefter, on pur- pofe to found his fentiments : he could plainly per- ceive that prelate was eftranged from his fitter's in- terefl , and indeed he had no reafon to expect any- other confequence from the rude, ungrateful man- ner, in which (lie had (lighted his mediation, and rejected his requeft. Being now convinced of his difaffection, me re- paired fuddenly to Winchefter, with a flying party of horfe, and alighting at the king's caftle, fent a meffage to him, announcing her arrival, and de- firing to fee him directly, that me might confult him about fome affairs of the laft importance. The bifhop, who at once perceived her drift, returned an ambiguous anfwer, that he was getting ready as faft as he could , but inftead of going to the pa- lace, he forthwith quitted the town, and aflembled Iris friends, who were prepared to join him on the firft S T E P If K N. 55 firft notice. The troops of Kent and the militia A.c.n 4 i. of London being already in the field under the j^ d * c ~ command of Stephen's queen and his fon, directed wfnchSer, by William d'Ypres, they marched forthwith to *[" fi c j fet Winchefter with fuch expedition, that Maud's uncle David and her brother, with the earl of Hereford, and a few troops aflembled in a hurry, had fcarce time to reinforce her in the cattle before ihe found herfelf befieged. Henry was joined by a number of young nobility, flulhed with fpirits and ambition, who feized this opportunity of re- trieving the reputation they had loft in the battle of Lincoln, and executed Henry's refentment againft the inhabitants of Winchefter, who had exhibited fome marks of affection for the emprefs. In order to punifli them for this unlucky attachment, their good bifhop ordered wildfire and combuftibles to be thrown by engines from his caftle upon the % town, fo as to produce a conflagration, that re- duced great part of it to afhes , and, among other buildings, confumed a nunnery and twenty churches within the walls, and in the fuburbs the abbey of Hyde, from which, however, the . bifhop referved for his own ufe a mafTy golden cup ftudded with ftones, the gift of king Canute, and three royal diadems, with ftands of the pureft Arabian gold, adorned with jewels and curious workmanmip. While the holy legate thus rained fire and deftruc- tion on his flock, William d'Ypres acted the fame tragedy at Andover, and burned the nunnery of Warewell, to which fome of Maud's adherents rled contin. for refuge. r '"- W "- Though the caftle of Winchefter was now clofely Th k befieged by an army amounting to fixty thoufand JefcJ* men, David king of Scotland, and Robert earl of ^* Gloucefter, made fuch a vigorous defence, that after the aflailants had carried on their operations above fix weeks, they retained very little hope ot E 4. reducing S 6 HISTORY o F E N G L A N D. A,C, 1141. reducing the befieged by force of arms. The pious bifhop therefore had recourfe to a ftratagem, by which he turned religion to good account. On the eve of Holy-rood day, he ordered peace to be proclaimed in the town, and the gates to be fet wide open, inviting all perfons, foes as well as friends, to celebrate that great feftival of Chrifti- anity without fear of interruption. Though earl Robert did not altogether depend upon the prelate's fmcerity, yet as their provifion was quite exhaufted, and famine muft have compelled them to furrender in a few days at difcretion, he refolved, with the confent of David, to make an attempt for convey- ing the emprefs to a place of fafety. With this view he committed her to the charge of her brother Reginald, earl of Cornwall, fupported by great part of the garrifon, with direction to make the beft of their way towards the Devizes, while he himfelf followed with a choice party of two hun- dred men, to amufe the enemy, in cafe they fhould attempt to intercept her. With this guard the emprefs fet out on horfeback, and had not pro- ceeded a great way when William d* Ypres began the purfuit. The earl of Gloucefter and David Jnterpofed, and made fiich a gallant defence, that Maud accomplifhed her efcape to the caftle of Lutgerfhal in Wiltlhire j which finding unprovided and indefenfible, me was obliged to difguife herfelf in man's apparel, and ride forward to the Devizes, where fhe arrived fo fatigued, that Ihe could not The Mt-i pf profecute her journey without ibrne repofe. Mean Giouccfter while the king of Scots made his efcape to his own is taken. , *? ,, , .. r T- t x-vi- i i country, by the fidelity of David Oliphant , and Robert earl of Gloucefter, having retarded the enemy a confiderable time, was at length over- powered at Trowbridge, and taken priibner. A body was immediately fent in purfuit of the em- prefs, who finding no fafety at the Devizes, and wnderftanding STEPHEN. 57 underftanding the whole adjacent country was in A, 0.1141. poffefiion of the enemy, allowed herfelf to be in- clofed in a bier, which pafied along unfufpefted, and conveyed her to Gloucefler, where fhe was afterwards joined by her faithful Milo, who had made fhift to travel through the enemy's parties in Haguiftad. the difguife of a beggar. Robert was no fooner in the hands of Stephen's He ^ scx ~ f party than they exerted all their endeavours to de- stepiS. for bauch him from the caufe of his fitter : they offered him the government of the whole realm, under Stephen, if he would embrace the interest of that prince , and, finding him deaf to their promifes, threatened to fend him beyond fea, and commit him clofe prifoner in Boulogne. He was equally unmoved by their menaces and flattery, and bore his captivity with the moft heroic fortitude. Then they propofed that he fhould be exchanged for Ste- phen -, but this propofition he rejected as an unfair exchange, unlefs they would at the fame time releafe all the perfons of diftinction they had taken; fo as to make up the difference between his rank and that of Stephen. This expedient, however, was rejected by William d'Ypres, who would not part with the profpect of ranfom. At length, as Robert was the foul of his filler's caufe, fhe agreed that he fhould be exchanged for Stephen, whom neverthelefs fhe would not releafe, until his queen furrendered herfelf as an hoftage for the liberty of Gloucefler. This precaution being taken Stephen was difmified, and arrived at Winchefler, where . he had an interview with Robert, whom he endea- c. Maim, voured in vain to feduce. This nobleman, on the contrary, no fooner recovered his freedom than he applied himfelf with redoubled diligence to the re- eilablimment of his filter's affairs : while the legate convoked a council, in which, after Stephen had made a fpeech, complaining of his imprifonment, * and 5 S HISTORYoFENGLAND. A. c. 1141. an< j t h e infidelity of his fubjects, the bifhop made an aukward apology for the inconfiflency of his own conduct, by imputing it to the neceflity of the times. He laid the emprefs had not only broke the ftipulations me had made with him before her election, but likewife formed defigns againft his life and dignity ; and concluded with a fentence of excommunication denounced againft all difturbers of the peace, who favoured the caufe of the countefs of Anjou. Howfoever mocked the ecclefiaftical members of this aflembly were at this inftance of the bifhop's arrogance and inconfiftency, there was no perfon prefent who would venture to exprefs his fentiments, except a lay -deputy fent thither by Maud, who in the name of that princefs loudly taxed him with perjury and rebellion-, affirming that me had come to England by his invitation, and detained Stephen in prifon in confequence M. ibid. of his advice ; a charge to which he made no reply. His voyage Maud mean while held a council at the Devizes, to Norman- j n W j 1 j cn j t was refolved that the count of Anjou mould be invited to come over and take the ma- nagement of his wife's affairs : but he declined the invitation, until he mould have a conference with the earl of Gloucefler, who at firft refufed to leave the kingdom at a juncture when his prefence was fo neceffary ; but at length he yielded to the im- portunities of his filter and her friends -, and leav- ing her at Oxford, was accompanied in his voyage by a number of young noblemen, whom he carried * along with him as pledges for the fidelity of their parents. He embarked at Wareham, and after a dangerous paffage arrived at Caen, where he was met by Geoffry Plantagenet, who among other ob- jections to his crofting the lea, mentioned that of his being obliged to ftay and reduce fome caftles in Normandy. Robert alii (ted him in fubduing thefe S T E P H E N. 59 frrtreflfes, and ftiil he found other excufes ; fo that A. c. i< 4 i, the earl perceiving him altogether averfe to the voyage, prevailed upon him to fend over his eldeft fon Henry, whofe prefenoe would animate the Englilh to exert themfelves in fupporting his mother. About the time of the earl's departure from His abrupt England, Stephen had been feized with a danger- J^ JJ e ous fever, which reduced him to the brink of the em P rcf s grave; but, as foon as he recovered, he afiembled JJ a body of troops, and marching to Wareham, Oxford, burned the town, and made himfelf mafter of the caftle ; then he directed his march to Oxford, and arrived at that place fo unexpectedly, that he en- . tered the city before any meafures could be taken for its defence, and immediately inverted the caftle, in which the emprefs was cooped up with no other garrifon than her ordinary guard and the officers of her houfehold. The noblemen, who had engaged to defend her in her brother's abfence, immediately aflembled their forces, and advanced as far as Wallingford, to give battle to Stephen ; but he would not quit the city of Oxford, which was too well fortified for them to befiege with any profpect of fuccefs. Robert, being apprifed of Maud's danger, embarked immediately for England, with her ion Henry, and four hundred men at arms, and landing at Wareham inverted the caftle without delay, in expectation that Stephen would raife the fiege of Oxford caftle, and march to its relief: but that prince was fo intent upon having the em- prefs in his power, that he would not interrupt his operations for one moment ; fo that the caftle of Wareham capitulated. From thence the earl A. 0.1 marched to Cirencefter, which he had appointed for the rendezvous of all his lifter's friends, in order to proceed with diligence for her relief, as {he was now reduced to the utmoft extremity. 'There t o H I S T O R Y o F E N G L ~A N D. A.C. 1142. There a confiderable army was formed, and they Maud's ex- j ia j began their march to Oxford, when they re- traordinary . 1 , , . . -i. r i\ yr n r cic^e. ' ceived the agreeable tidings or Maud s eicape to Wallingford, in a very extraordinary manner. The duty being very fevere in the camp of the befiegers, during the winter, while the river was frozen and the ground covered with fnow, the foldiers became more remifs in their difcipline, and abated much in their vigilance. Maud, taking advantage of this relaxation, came out at a poftern gate, attended by four knights drefled in white, that they might not be eafily diftinguilhed from the mow, and r,eft. Re ? . croffing the river upon the ice, walked on foot to c C Ma"m Abingdon, from whence me was conveyed to Wal- lingtbrd. There me was vifited by her brother and ion, at fight of whom me forgot all her cares and diftrefies ; and this young prince's education was committed to Robert, who conducted him to Briftol, where he continued four years under the tuition of the beft matters. Mean while the caftle A.C. 1143. of Oxford was furrendered to Stephen, who found himfelf extremely difappointed and chagrined at the efcape of the emprefs ; but as the feafon was fo far advanced, the troops on both fides were put into winter-quarters. strph*n is Stephen opened the campaign in the fpring with Ih7ead of an ex p e dition into the weftern counties, which his cwefter, foreign mercenaries ravaged with great inhuma- lto n ity > y then he made an unfuccefsful attempt upon the caftle of Wareham, and marching from thence Y ' to Wilton, refolved to erect a fortrefs to hinder the excurfions of the garrifon of Salifbury. While he iuperintended this work, the earl of Gloucefter came upon him fo fuddenly that he had fcarce time to draw out his forces, which were attacked in three different places, and routed after a (light oppofition. Stephen himfelf had undergone fuch a rough trial of captivity, that rather than run the 4 rifque STEPHEN. 61 rifque of being taken, he quitted the field before A.C. n 43 ' the action, with his brother the legate, leaving his plate and furniture a prey to the victor, who took a great number of prifoners, and among the reft William Martel, his great favourite and fteward of his houfliold. Chr. Gerv. This officer's captivity was one of the greateft state .f confequences of the victory, inafmuch as the caftle fyf an ^ of Sherburn was given up for his ranfom ; and about the fame time Henry de Tracy, who had hitherto kept alive a party for Stephen in Devon - fhire, defpairing of feeing that prince firmly fettled on the throne, made his peace with the emprefs, who now faw herfelf in pofieiTion of the whole kingdom of Weflex except Hampfhire -, while her antagonift had only a precarious footing in other provinces, exclufive of the city of London, which continued (launch to his caufe. That part of Ce ^. R e s Wales inhabited by the Engliih, and the counties St?phau lying on the fide of the Severne, had declared for Maud, and obeyed her government. The bifh- opric of Durham, and the three northern counties poflefTed by David king of Scotland, acknow- ledged her fovereignty. William, earl of York- fhire, who adhered to Stephen, was balanced by Alain earl of Richmond ; while Ralph earl of Chefter, Hugh Bigot earl of Norfolk, and the noblemen of Eail-Anglia, maintained a fort of independent regality within their feveral diftrids, though they were contented to recognize Stephen for their fovereign. The feat of the war therefore was chiefly confined to Berkfhire and the parts adjacent, and carried on in fieges and blockades of caftles, or flight fkirmifhes of detached parties ; for Stephen was by this time difabled from ailem- bling a royal army. His interelt likewiie fuf- G - tained a rude mock in his brother's being deprived of the legatine power, which, upon the acceflion of 6z HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A.C. 1.143. of Celeftin II. to the pontificate, was given td Theobald, archbifhop of Canterbury, upon whofe authority Henry, though his fuffragan, had info- lentiy encroached. The emprefs about the fame time was afflicted with the lofs of a faithful and confiderable adherent in the death of Milo, whom Ihe had created earl of Hereford, a title that now devolved to his fon Roger, who, though a noble- man of courage and fidelity, wanted the weight and experience of his father. Stephen ar- Stephen feems to have been infected with the ?Ei?ex, CarI ra S e f building caftles ; for he feldom attempted who after- to take one fortrefs without building another, and mence/hiT tne governors he appointed very often fet up for profdfcd o themfelves ; fo that he not only multiplied tyrants to opprefs the country, but raifed fo many bulwarks againft his own intereft. He was alfo very much addicted to jealoufy ; and once his fufpicion was arouied, he never waited for conviction, but took immediate fteps for his own intereft and conveni- ence, without any regard to gratitude or juflice. GeofFry de Magneville, a nobleman of great parts and vaft pofleflions, he had created earl of EfTex, and appointed governor of the Tower of London ; but Stephen, giving ear to the fuggeftions of Geoffry's enemies, who reprefented him as a fecret favourer of the emprefs, caufed him to be arrefted at St. Alban's, on pretence of a tumult raifed on purpofe, and refuled to releafe him until he had given up the Tower, as well as his own caftles of Walden and Plefhy, near Dunmow in Effex. Whatever were Geoffry's fentiments before this injury, he now commenced the profefled enemy of Stephen, and made a tender of his fervices to the emprefs, who confirmed his title, and appointed A.C. 1144. him hereditary high-ilieriff of London, Middlefex, and Hertfordfhire. To approve himfelf worthy of thefe favours, he afiembled a body of his friends 6 and STEPHEN. 63 andvaflals, with which he deftroyed the town of A. 0.1144. Cambridge, and converted the abbey of Ramfey into a garrifon ; then he retired to the fens, from which Stephen in perfon attempted to diflodge him, though without fuccefs. He was afterwards joined by Hugh Bigot, who declared for the em- prefs ; and thefe 4 two noblemen ravaged the whole country, making excurfions even to the neighbour- hood of London, upon the citizens of which Ste- phen's chief dependence refted : at length Geoffry was accidentally killed by an arrow at the fiege of Burwelle caftle : and Stephen marching againft Geft. Reg. Bigot, obliged him to retire. Stephen - This prince purfued the fame perfidious and im- Stephen i i n -i i -nil ir brings upon politic conduct with regard to Ralph earl or Chefter, who had made his accommodation, and afiifted him with his forces on feveral occafions fmce his imprifonment. Notwithflanding thefe proofs of his fmcerity and attachment, he could not over- come the fufpicion of Stephen, whofe jealoufy was founded upon his omitting co refign fome royal caftles that were in his poileflion. He therefore took the firft opportunity of Ralph's being at court, to demand immediate reftitution of thefe fortreiTes j and upon the earl's defiring a little time to confult his friends upon the fubjecl:, he was charged with high treafon and taken into cuftody. His adherents no fooner underftood his filiation, than they took to their arms, and attacked fome places belonging to Stephen i but they were at lait obliged to deliver the caftles, as the ranfom of Ralph, who was flripped of every thing but the county- palatine of Chefter. He was fo incenfed at the injury he had fuftained, that notwithftanding the oath which he was compelled to take to Ste- phen, before he obtained his releafe, he forthwith aflembled his forces, and declaring war againft the tyrant, furprifed, attacked, and reduced a number of 64 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. 0.1146. o f hi s caftles, wafted the country about Lincoln, and blocked up the fort of Coventry, which was one of thofe he had been compelled to furrender. In this expedition he was Joined by his nephew Gilbert earl of Clare, whom Stephen had dif- obliged, by detaining the caftles which he had de- livered as pledges for the reftitution of thofe pof- fefTed by his uncle. Thefe two noblemen employed the whole force and attention of Stephen, whom they worfted in feveral encounters, till at laft they had the misfortune of being defeated, though not fo deprefTed but that they (till difabled him from mak- ing any advantage of Maud's leaving the kingdom ; Geft. Reg. an event which might otherwife have conduced to his re-eftablifhment on the throne. RoSrtTcS Geoffry Plantagenet having by this time fub- of cion- dued all Normandy, longed to fee his fon Henry, theemprefs 5 wno na d lefided four years in England, and fent ky6 the over fome noblemen to accompany the young prince kingdom. , . , j i T-T i to the continent : he was accompanied by Robert earl of Gloucefter, to Wareham, where he em- barked -, and the earl returning to Briftol, died in the latter end of the year, to the unfpeakable grief and prejudice of the emprefs, whofe caufe had been fupported almoft wholly by his character and ca- pacity. He was certainly a nobleman of great virtue, influence, and ability, who by his perfonal merit and importance united a variety of different interefts in behalf of his fifter, and kept them at a due diftance from encroachment upon her authority and prerogative ; whereas, he was no fooner re- moved, than many individual adherents followed their own inclinations, built caftles, opprefled the people, and breathed nothing but refentment and revenge, when they were rebuked for their dif- orders, or denied their prefumptuous demands ; fo that Maud being deftitute of any perfon who deferved her confidence, or could in any fhape fill the STEPHEN. tile place of her deceafed brother, retired to her husband in Normandy. . Her friends did not defift from action at her de- Stephen parture; becatife by this time Stephen- had fen* ^j dered himfelf odious to the whole nation, and the nobility knew how little they could depend upon J t t c * n * tf his faith. Perhaps he might have profited by the abfence of Maud, notwithstanding the enmity of thofe noblemen whom he had fo outrageoufly in- jured, had not he involved himfelf in a quarrel with the archbifhop of Canterbury, which had very unfavourable confequences for his intereft, and the kingdom in general. He and his brother Henry were exafperated at pope Eugenius III. for having beftowed the legatine power upon Theobald, arch- bifhop of Canterbury, whom they detefted ; and the chapter of York, perceiving that the animofity was equal on both fides, took this opportunity of complaining to his holinefsj that William, the ne- phew of Stephen, had been intruded into their fee by royal authority, without a canonical election : that prelate was therefore deprived in the council held at Rheims, in Champaign. The pope having fummoned Theobald of Canterbury, with the bi- fhops of Worcefter, Bath, Exeter, and Chichefter, to attend at this council, Stephen, at the inftiga- tion of his brother, forbad the metropolitan to leave the kingdom, hoping, that if he mould forbear to go thither, he would be fufpended or deprived for contempt of the pope's order j and refolving, if he fliould leave England, notwithftanding the prohi- bition, to feize his revenues, and treat him as an outlaw. Theobald, understanding that the ports were guarded to prevent his voyage, embarked in an open boat, and arriving fafely on the continent, proceeded to the council ; and after it broke up returned to Canterbury, where he found his reve- nues fequeftered by order of the king, who went N e . 12. F thither 66 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. 0.1148. thither and commanded him to depart the king- dom. During his exile this prelate, in letters which he wrote to feveral churches in England, threa- tened them with an interdict to commence at a certain day -, and the monks of St. Auguftin peti- tioning the pope to prevent it, were ordered to obey the archbilhop's commands. Theobald, ar- riving in Suffolk, was honourably received and protected by Hugh Bigot, earl of Norfolk , and, at the appointed time, publiihed the interdict againft all the churches which acknowledged Stephen. Di- vine fervice immediately ceafed in all the parts fub - jected to that king, while it was celebrated as ufual in all thofe which obeyed the emprefs -, a diftinc- tion that produced a very fenfible effect among the people. The monks of St. Auguftin, who re- volted againft this ordinance, were excommunicated by the archbifhop, and fent agents with a remon- ftrance to the pope, who would not admit them to an audience, until they had undergone difcipline and received abfolution, which was granted to them in the name of the archbifhop : then they were lharply rebuked ..for their mifcondudt, and ordered to obey Theobald, who was at the fame time di- rected to puniih them feverely : an injunction with which he complied, in depriving the prior, fuf- ch. Gervas. pending the fecretary, and commanding the reft Er P nt ' ^ t ^ ie mon ^ s to obferve the interdict. Prince Hen- Stephen was fo much embroiled in this affair, ry i* knight- that he could not profecute the war with vigour. kin g y t aw The whole kingdom was overwhelmed with con- fternation and fuperftitious horror : and in this melancholy paufe, William de Warenne, Roger de Mowbray, with many other noblemen and knights, and a vaft multitude or" people, engaged in the cruiade recommended by St. Bernard, and from the accuried country of England repaired to the facred plains of Paleftine. Geoffry Plantagenet's ibn STEPHEN. 67 fon Henry was now turned of fixteen, and his fa- A - c -49. ther refolving to put him in pofleflion of Norman- dy, fent him to Carliile, in order to be knighted by David king of Scotland. With a view to ani- mate his mother's party, he landed in England with a great retinue of knights and foldiers, and was . accompanied by Ralph earl of Chefter, and Roger earl of Hereford, with many other noblemen, to Carl i He, where the ceremony was performed with freat folemnity. The multitude of people, afiem- led on this occafion, alarmed the inhabitants of York, who communicated to Stephen their appre- henfion that a fcheme was formed againft their city, and thither the king immediately marched with a body offerees : but no hoflilities were com- mitted on either fide ; for Stephen did not think proper to involve himfelf in a new war, if it could be avoided ; and the confederates were not yet ripe for aclion. A defign was afterwards formed indeed for invading Stephen's dominions, an$ David and Henry advanced as far as Lancafter, where the earl of Chefter had promifed to join them with a tlrong reinforcement ; but he difregardirig his appoint- ^ nt ^ as ment, they retreated to Carlifle. Euflace, the fon of Stephen, being about the H 7 fame time knighted by his father, now made his firft efiay in arms, and ravaged the lands of fome vemment in noblemen attaqhed to the emprefs , while the king extorted a large fum of money from the people of the northern counties, and returned to the neigh- bourhood of London j from whence, by means of light excurfions, he kept alive a praedatory war. He feemed to delight in befieging and furprifing caftles ; and in fome of thefe attempts he fucceed- ed ; but inverting the caftle of Worcefter, belong- ing to his old friend the count de Meulant, he met with fuch a vigorous refiftance, that he was obliged to defift from the enterprize, and burned the town F 2 in 68 HlSTORYoF ENGLAND. A. 0.1149. ) n re venge. During thefe tranfactions Henry, fail- ing from Scotland to the continent, afTumed the reins of government in Normandy, againit the ex- prefs command of Lewis king of France, who, as Ibvereign of that fief, pretended to beftow it upon Euftace, his own brother-in-law. He therefore in - yaded the province and invefted the caftle of Afques; and Henry advanced to give him battle ; but being difluaded from fighting with his own fovereign }ord, he drew off his troops, and undertook the fiege of Tourne, by way of making a diverfion : bsiore any action happened, a negotiation was fet on foot, and a treaty of peace effected, by virtue of which Lewis indulged him with the inveflhure A. c. r 1 51. of -Normandy. Being now confirmed in pofieflion of the dutchy, pianugenet. he refolved to head in perfon his mother's Englifh adherents, and called an aflembly of the Norman ftates at Lifieux, to deliberate upon meafures for the expedition * which however was poftponed in confequence of the unexpected death of his father Geoffry Plantagenet, who, returning from an in- terview with the French king, was taken ill at the Chateau de Loir, and died in the fifty-firft year of his age. He was buried at Le Mans, in the church of St. Julian, where is ftill to be feen his device, reprefenting on a fhield the original arms of the crown of England. To his fecond fon Geoffry he bequeathed Chinon, Loudun, and Mirebeau ; and to William, the youngeft, the county of Mor- . Henry mar- Henry having taken pofieffion of Anjou, Tou- ries Eleanor, raine, and Mayne, refumed his project upon Eng-- from whom , v , \ r r f i r- i the king of land, ana at the lame time elpouied Eleanor, queen SSSd? ^ ^ l ' ^ ew ^> whom her hufband had repudiated divw. * after their return from the crufade, during which he was difiTatisfied with her behaviour. Henry by this marriage annexed to his dominions almoft all i the STEPHEN. 69 the provinces of France lying between the Loire A - c '- II -" :< and Pyrenees ; and Lewis taking umbrage at his freatnefs, engaged in an alliance againft him, with ing Stephen, Theobald count de Blois, and Geof- Fry of Anjou, who was for fome reafon become a profefled enemy of his brother. Henry was juft ready to embark at Harfleur for England, with his uncle Reginald, earl of Cornwall, who had been fent to him with an invitation from the Engliih nobility ; when he received intimation, that Lewis king of France, Euftace the fon of Stephen, and Robert count de Perche, had invaded his Norman dominions, and inverted Neumarche, while Geof- fry was employed in raifing an infurrection in An- jou. He was no fooner apprifed of thefe particu- lars, than laying afide his Englifh expedition, he afiembled his forces, and though Neumarche fur- rendered before he could march to its relief, he made fuch difpofitions for covering the reft of his dominions, as excited the admiration of his ene- -mies. Having left fufficient garrifons in his fron- ' tier places, after the departure of the French, who retreated without making any other attempt, he ntered Anjou fo fuddenly that his brother could make no defence : fo that the infurreftion was im- Ch-Norm mediately quelled. CH! Turon. Mean while Stephen, alarmed at the power and St r ^ h n e s n t j~ capacity of Henry, refolved if pofiible to antici- muSk* pate the purpofe of his coming to England, by J[ ir c v an f n r d * depriving him of the fuccefiion in a legal manner : tXir for this purpofe he convoked a great council at r idates - London, in order to procure their fandlion to his defign of afTociating his fon Euftace in the govern- ment, and the lay nobility that were preient af- fented to the propofal : but when he exprefled a defire of proceeding immediately to the coronation of that prince, Theobald, archbifhop of Canter- bury, who had already received inftructions from F 3 the 70 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. AiC< "s*- the pope on that fubject, refufed to perform the ceremony, and the reft of the bifhops joined in this refufal. Stephen, incenfed at their prefumption, ordered them to be locked up in an apartment, and endeavoured to terrify them into compliance -, but all his menaces proved ineffectual. The arch- bifhop found means to efcape from the place of his confinement, and crofting the Thames in a boat, travelled with great expedition to Dover, where he embarked for France. From thence he threatened the kingdom with another interdid ; and though Stephen feized his revenues, as well as thofe of the other bifhops who refufed to comply with his will, he was terrified at the menaces of the pope, who Ep-ft. St. cipoufed the caufe of his legate, and Theobald was Tho. Cant, allowed to return. Henry lan^s Henry thought he could not find a more favou- m England. ra ble conjuncture for making a defcent upon Eng- land, the clergy of which were fo exafperated againft Stephen : he therefore made a truce with the king of France ; and embarking an hundred and fifty ; V^ knights, with three thoufand infantry, on board of fix and thirty mips, landed in England, where he was immediately joined by almoft all the barons of A. c. ii 53 . 1^ kingdom. Though it was now the middle of winter, he advanced to the fiege of Malmesbury, and took the town, after having worfted a body of the enemy which attempted to oppofe his march. He forthwith inverted the caftle, which furren- dered, ,as in fuch extremity of cold Stephen could not bring an army to its relief. Robert earl of Leicefler came to offer his fervice in perfon to Hen- ry ; Gundreda countefs of Norwich put him in pofieffion of her ftrong caftle ; Reading, and above thirty other fortrefles, fubmitted without refiftance. Then he befieged the fort which Stephen had raifed to block up Wallingford, and took it by afTault, before the king could march to its affiftance. Not, but STEPHEN. .71 but that he advanced with great expedition, and A - c -"53- the two armies lay feveral days encamped within a quarter of a mile of each other. While they re- mained in this Situation, a treaty was fet on foot, by the interpofition of William earl of Arundel, and fome other noblemen ; and they parted without fighting, in hope that the articles would foon be fettled. It was not without reluctance that Henry confented to this negotiation, which he was afraid would be protracted to the detriment of his Norman dominions ; and Euftace, fon of Stephen, exerted all his endeavours to prevent an accommodation ; but, luckily for the kingdom, death removed this worthlefs young prince, who died without iffue, to the great joy of all good men, who had conceived , Sai . ft fatal omens from his lewdnefs and brutality. pSraTic. ' Notwithstanding the conferences for a peace, c t j~ there was no ceflation of hostilities. Henry re- tweenStV- duced the caftles of Stamford and Nottingham, ^^ while Stephen made himfelf mafter of Ipfwich, be- longing to Hugh Bigot : but fuftaining an irrepa- rable lofs in the death of Simon, earl of Northamp- ton, and feeing himfelf abandoned by feveral no- blemen who had hitherto fupported his caufe, he abated in his expectations, and his brother of Win- chefter labouring in conjunction with the archbifhop of Canterbury for a peace, the treaty was at length concluded, and ratified at Winchefter in a general council of the prelates and nobility, on the follow- ing conditions : That Stephen mould reign during life, and juftice be adminiftered in his name ; tho* nothing of confequence mould be tranfacted with- out the advice and concurrence of Henry, who Ihould fucceed him on the throne, and in the mean time receive hoftages for the delivery of the royal caftles at his deceafe ; and that Stephens fon Wil- liam mould inherit all the lands his father pofiTefied in England and Normandy before he afcended the F 4 throne. 7* HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. c. 1153. throne, together with the eftate of William de Warenne, whole daughter he had married, and feven hundred pounds a year in the county of" Nor- jiymer's folk, for which he mould do homage, and give patera, pledge tor his fidelity to Henry. ^noSt" This accommodation, to the obfervance of which do homage an oath was taken by all the nobility and prelates, heifappa'- as filled the whole kingdom with unutterable joy, and rent to the the two princes entered London together, with the ftrowii. n j -r V , , utmoit pomp and magnificence : indeed it was a rnoft happy event to the nation, which had been Ib long a prey to all the mileries of a civil war ; nor was it lefs fortunate for Stephen, who now found him- felf a king in reality. Henry having received the homage of the Londoners, as heir apparent to the throne, the king and he parted to fpend the Chrift- inas holidays in different places ^ but they foon met again at Oxford in a great council of the nation, when all the nobility and bifhops took the oath of allegiance to Henry, with a refervation of obedience A. 0,7154. to Stephen during his natural life. A confpi- The good understanding between the princes was Benr/s" 1 -not of long duration j for, at a fubfcquent afiem- ie. bly convened at Dunftaple, Henry complained of Stephen's having neglected to demolifh all the caf- tles which had been built fmce the war began, ac- cording to a ftipuiation in the treaty ; and Stephen flatly refufed to give him fatisfadion upon this ar- ticle, Neverthelefs Henry did not exprefs any re- fentment ; and the king and he fet out together for Dover to receive Theodoret earl of Flanders, and his dutchefs, who had arrived in England. Dur- ing their refidence in this palace, a confpi racy is faid to have been formed againft Henry's life, by the Flemings, who had fettled in great numbers un- der the protection of William d' Ypres earl of Kent ; and Stephen's fon William is fuppofed to have been the author of this infamous defign. But, that prince's STEPHEN. 73 prince's leg being fractured by a fall from his horfe A>c - "54 on Barham Downs, their meafures were ciifcon- ccrted , and Henry being apprifed of the plot, be- fore they could pitch upon another chief, returned with all difpatch to London, from whence he fet Gems. r * fail for Normandy. Hen - Hu nt. This confpiracy is of doubtful credit; inafmuch He mums as we cannot fuppofe that Henry would have left ^ Norman - the kingdom, where he had fuch powerful adherents, without taking any ftep towards a detection of the plot, that the accomplices might be punifhed. His voyage to Normandy was occaiioned by an inva- fion of the king of France, who had entered his Norman dominions, and taken Vernon ; but being baffled in his attempt upon Vernueil, and feeing Henry, at the head of a ftrong army in the field, ready to oppofe his progrefs, he thought proper to accept of peace, on condition of reftcring Vernon and Neumarche, and receiving two thoufand marks of iilver to defray the expence of fortifying thefe two places. After this peace, Henry gradually re- fumed the demefnes of his dutchy, which his father had alienated to engage the Norman barons in his intereft ; and thefe meafures he purfued in fuch a manner, that the tranquillity of his dominions fuf- fered no interruption. Chr. Gerv. Mean while, Stephen having made another vifit Stephen^ to the earl of Flanders, was, on his return to Can- dcath - terbury, feized with the iliac pafiion, which put an end to his life ; and his body was interred by that of his wife Mathilda, in the abbey of Feverfham, which he himfelf had founded. Stephen was a prince of great courage, fortitude, and activity ; and might have reigned with the approbation of his people, had not he been harraiTed by the efforts of a powerful competitor, which obliged him to take fuch meafures for his fafety as were incon- fiftent with the dictates of honour, which indeed his 74 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. c.i i 54 . hj S ambition prompted him to forego in his firft endeavours to afcend the throne. His necefTities afterwards compelled him to infringe the charter of privileges he granted at his accellion j and he was initigated by his jealoufy and refentment, to com- mit the moft flagrant outrages againft gratitude and found policy. His vices as a king feem to have been the effect of the troubles in which he was in- volved ; for, as a man, he was brave, open, and liberal, and, during the fhort calm that iucceeded the tempefts of his reign, he made a progrefs through the kingdom, publifhed an edict to reftrain all rapine and violence, and disbanded the foreign mercenaries who had preyed fo long upon his peo Brompton. , *,'.. i r> i i **" f i ft i Haguiftad. pie. But his character has been roughly handled, on account of the little regard he exprefied for the clergy, and his ufurpation of the throne from the immediate heir of blood. HENRY IT. [ 75 ] HENRY II. H E tidings of Stephen's death were brought A. 0.1154. to Henry while he was employed in befieging Henf y " a caftle on the frontiers of Normandy ; and as he th^tSoaT. knew there was no danger of a competition, he would not relinquifh his enterprize, until he had reduced the place , for William, the ion of Ste- phen, was too inconfiderable to form any party againft his title to the crown of England. The people were too much fatigued with the calamities of the laft reign to engage themfelves in any faction that might rekindle civil diflenfion ; and therefore their whole zeal was united in favour of Henry, who had already exhibited proofs of his valour and capacity. Six weeks elapfed fince the death of Stephen before this young prince came over to take pofieffion of the throne : but at length having fet- tled the affairs of his Norman dominions, and con- ferred with his mother touching the tenour of his conduct, he fet fail from Harfleur in December, and next day landed at Hurft caftle, from whence he proceeded to Winchefter, where he received the homage and fealty of the Englifh nobility. Before chr. Nor, the expiration of the month, he was crowned with his queen at Weftminfter, by Theobald archbifhop of Canterbury, in prefence of all the prelates and barons of the kingdom, with whom he deliberated upon proper meafures for redreffing the grievances of the nation. All the foreigners, who had deluged England in A.C. 1155. the preceding reign, were ordered by proclamation Hi , s ife re * i 11-1 i i * i i_ gulauons, to leave the kingdom ; and in three months there was not a Fleming to be feen in the county of Kent, which 7 6 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. c. 1155. which fwarmed with that people under the protec- tion of William d' Ypres their countryman. All the caftles erected fince the death of Henry I. which were receptacles of rapine and opprefiion, the king ordered to be demolimed, except a few which the crown retained on account of their advantageous fituation for the defence of the kingdom. The adulterated coin was cried down, and new money ftruck of the right value and ftandard. The de- mefnes alienated by Stephen were reaflumed and reannexed to the crown ; and the earls created by that prince deprived of their dignities : even bene- factions to churches and monasteries met with the fame fate -, and the counties of Northumberland, Cumberland, and Weftmoreland, were reclaimed from Malcolm the minor king of Scotland, who gave them up rather than incur the refentment of o.Ncwb. Henry ^ and was on account of his ready cpmpli- Ho'v5" vaS> ance g ra tified with the county of Huntingdon, to Brompton. which he had fome former pretenfions. Grants a After having taken all thefe precautions to C ri3Tef ft rcn g tnen his own hands, and re-eftabliih the pub- lic tranquillity, he chofe for his council perfons the moft eminent for their wifdom, both of the clergy and laity , among others, Theobald archbilhop of Canterbury, and Thomas Becket archdeacon of the fame church, lately made high chamberlain, and Robert earl of Leicefler, high jufticiary of the kingdom. At the head of his privy-council was his mother Mathilda, who, though refiding on the continent, directed all the deliberations of confe- quence, from that fagacity which me obtained by long experience and viciflitude of fortune. By the advice of thefe counfellors, he convoked a ge- neral afiembly or parliament, in which fome regu- lations, were 'made for the interefl of the realm ; the ancient cuftoms and laws of Edward the Con- felibr, adopted by his grandfather Henry I. were re- HENRY II. 77 flored ; and a charter granted under the great feal, A. c. 1155. confirming to the church, the barons, and vaflals,' all the cuftoms, donations, and privileges, which they had enjoyed in the reign of that prince. c - Newh. Another extraordinary council was fummoned at Wallingford, where the members fwore allegiance *" e p ; to Henry and his two fons William and Henry, as.o*hsto eventual fucceflbrs, though then in the ftate of in- fancy ; and other laws were enacted for the benefit of the people. The kingdom immediately affumed a new face ; agriculture and manufacture returned with fecurity, and every individual feemed to enjoy the happy effects of the new government, Never- thelefs Henry found it impracticable to govern fo as to avoid the difcontent of all his fubjects. Seve- Somenobir- ral noblemen refcnted the proclamation for demo- ^ c {^ e liming the caftles, and among thefe the chief was ? their William le Grofs, earl of Albemarle, who had ra vaft pofleflions in the North, where he had acted, during Stephen's reign, with fovereign power. He was already deprived of the title of York, which he had received from that prince, and perhaps his reientment partly influenced him in refuting to deli- ver up the caftle of Scarborough, which he had rendered almoft impregnable. But the king march- ing into Yorkmire, he at length fubmitted. Henry had another defign in going northward, which was to punifli William Peverel for having poifoned Ralph earl of Chefter. The murderer, conicious of his crime, and dreading the juftice of the law, had already turned monk in the monaftery of Lin- ton , but, thinking himfelf unfafe in the protection of the habit, he fled from the country at the ap- proach of the king, who fcized all his caftles and eftate, as the forfeiture of a felon. It was about this period, that Henry bifhop of Winchefter, quit- ting the kingdom without leave, Henry ordered all his caftles to be levelled with the ground, though he ;8 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. c. 1155. he could not fecure the prelate's treafure, which he had found means to convey to the continent, with chron.Gcr. the afliftance of the abbot of Cluny. From the Mat. Paris, northern counties Henry directed his march to the frontiers of Wales, where Hugh de Mortimer had fortified his caftles of Bridgnorth, Clebcry, and Wigmore ; and prevailed upon Roger earl of Here- ford to join him in his revolt, rather than part with his fortrefles of Hereford and Gloucefter. This nobleman, however, was reclaimed by the remonftrances of his kinfman Gilbert Foliat, biihop of Hereford, who procured the king's pardon in his behalf; and Hugh, after having feen his three caftles reduced by the royal forces, was fain to fue for mercy, which he obtained in confideration of giving up all the crown-demefnes that were in his Jdm pofleffion. A. c. 1156. All oppofition being now eradicated, and Eng- Henry re- land enjoying the mod profound tranquility, Henry ntinent the mac ^ e a vo yage to the continent, in order to quell a new infurrection which his brother Geoffry had raifed in Anjou. This revolt was altogether as unfuccefsful as the firft , for the king reduced and retained his caftles, though, in lieu of thefe, he gave him lands in the open country, aflifted him in keeping pofieifion of Nantes, the people of which had chofen him for their fovereign, and allowed him a very confiderable annuity, in confe- Retumsand quence of his fubmiffion. The king having qui- ^ c ft he t s he a ~ eted this difturbance, and received homage from wdch.' e the nobility of Guienne, returned to England, and raifed a great army, in order to make a con- queft of Wales, and marched into Flintshire againft Owen Guynath, prince of North- Wales, who lay incamped at Befmgwerk. When he underftood the Englifh were advancing through a wood called Coel Eulo, he fuddenly attacked their van with fuch fury, that feveral officers of diftin&ion were (lain, H E N R Y II. 79 flain, and the whole divifion would have been cut A - c - n s 6 - in pieces, had not the king come feafonably to their fuccour : the diforder among the Englifh was in a great meafure owing to the cowardice of the earl of EfTex, who threw away the ftandard, and fled with great precipitation, crying aloud the king- was flain -, an inftance of mifconduct for which he was afterwards accufed of high treafon, by Simon Pov * J * ** de Montfort, who proving him guilty by vanquifh ot ing him in fingle combat, he was Ihorn a monk, A. 0.1157. and confined to the monaftery of Reading. Henry, finding how dangerous it was to march precipitately through unknown woods and faftnefles, ordered the trees to be cut down, and the roads to be opened ; and proceeded cautioufly, fending out parties to reconnoitre the country as he advanced. By this method he continued his march with- out further difturbance to Snowdun, where Guy- nath and his barons, rinding themfelves unable to oppofe his progrefs, fued for peace, fwore fealty, delivered hoftages, and reftored all the caftles and lands they had taken during the preceding reign. In this expedition he was vifited at Chefter by Malcolm king of Scotland, who did him homage for the county of Huntingdon, and perhaps upon compulfion next year at Carlifle for his whole king- dom ; inafmuch as the Scot quitted him in difguft, without receiving the honour of knighthood, for don - which he had come on purpofe from his own country. Henry had gone thither on a progrefs, according to the cuftom of the times, to fee the laws put in execution ; and having performed his circuit, was called abroad again by the death of his brother Geoffry, count of Nantes in Britanny. chron Nor. On his arrival in his foreign dominions, he had A <* a conference with Lewis Vll. of France on the Ced river Epte, which feparated their territories, and y ttn ";"- . rv and Mar- there agreed upon a matcl,i between young Henry g ' aret pdn- and ccfsof France j So HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A.C. 1159. and Margaret daughter of Lewis, both infants. Thence Henry accompanied the French king to Paris ; and the young princefs being delivered into his hands, he committed the care of her education. to Robert de Newbourg, judiciary of Normandy. Brompton. Such was the mutual confidence that reigned be- tween the two princes on this occafion, that Henry was created grand fenefchal or France , a title of- which he availed himfelf in his defigns upon the county of Nantes, which he claimed as heir to his. brother Geoffry. He was the more able to under- take an enterprize of this kind, as he poffeffed all the territories that furrounded Britanny, and acted as guardian to the young count of Flanders left under his tuition by count Thierry, when he de- parted on his expedition to Jerusalem. Conan, count of Britanny, had taken pofleffion of Nantes on the death of GeofFry, who had no title to the country but the fubmiffion and choice of the in* habitants, after they had relinquifhed their alle- giance to their natural fovereign. Conan, notwith- ftanding his title, which was unqueftionable, iub- mitted to Henry upon being fummoned to fur- render the inheritance of Geoffry ; becaufe he fore- faw that oppofition or non-compliance would bring upon him the refentment of a powerful king, and infallibly deprive him of the earldom of Richmond, which he pofTefTed in England, of more value than the country in difpute -, he therefore ceded it to Henry, whofe next care was to fettle all differences fubfifting between him and the princes contiguous to Normandy; yet before he quitted Britanny he agreed with Conan upon a match between that prince's daughter Conftance and his fon Geoffry, who was now in the cradle : a marriage in conie- quence of which Geoffry became duke of Bretagne Ai^e" C rT.' upon the death of his father-in-law. Henry H E N R Y II, gj Henry, not yet fatisfied with this addition of A -c. "59, Nantes, the extenfive dominions he formerly pof- ^ enr y re. fefled, and. the profpect of his fon's fucceeding to q'J^n's 15 Brittany, refolved to revive his queen's pretenfions ch]m to to the county of Thouloufe, in right of her grand- ThoulMl * father William, count of Poitiers, who married Philippa, heirefs of William IV. count of Thou- lotife. Thefe dominions had been alienated to Raymond de St. Gilles, the younger brother of William, for a certain confideration, and the count of Poitiers afterwards confirmed the fale for a fum of money ; but Lewis the Young, when he mar- ried Eleanor, fole daughter and heirefs of W T illiarn IX. count of Poitiers, pretended that the firft ali- enation to Raymond de St. Gilles, was no other than a collufion between him and his brother ; and that the confirmation was an impofition upon the fnnplicity of the count de Poitiers. He therefore alledged that the whole tranfac"tion was null and void ; and that Eleanor ought to enjoy the inhe- ritance of her grandmother Philippa, upon reftor- ing the fum which the cou,nt of Poitiers had received tor the confirmation of the pretended fale. Ray- mond V. then count of Thouloufe, in vain pleaded prefcription, which was a weak plea againfl the power of the French king, who threatened to make his pretenfions good by force of arms. Never- thelefs, after a long negotiation, the difference was terminated by the marriage of count Raymond with Conflance, the fifter of Lewis, and widow of Euftace, the fon of .king Stephen. In favour of this marriage, Lewis defifted from his pretenfions ; Ca ti Hlft, and while he lived with Eleanor, the count of Tholoufe was no further difturbed in his pofieffions. But now that fhe was married to Henry, the Returns' to fame rights devolved to that ambitious prince, who f"/ 1 ^^, accordingly claimed the county i and Raymond preparations pleading the fale and prefcription, he refolved to JjflJSJf** N. 12. G reduce 81 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. c. 1159. reduce it by the power of his fword. To defra/ the expences of this important enterprize, he raifed a very confiderable fum of money, by taxing every noble fief in Normandy and his other foreign do- minions. He allowed his tenants to commute their perfonal fervice in the expedition for a certain pe- cuniary confideration, known by the name of Scu- tage -, and this amounted to a large collection, with which he inlifted a ilrong body of mercenary foldiers. Leaving commiflaries to levy thefe vo- lunteers during the winter, he came over to Eng- land, and pailed the Eafter holidays at Worcefter, where he and his queen approaching the offertory, laid their crowns upon the high altar, vowing they would never wear them again ; fo that an end was put to the folemn coronations on great feftivals, which had hitherto taken place. Henry's defign, in coming to England at this jun6ture, was to raife from his Englifh fubjefts fuch a fcutage as he had eftablifhed abroad ^ and this being levied, he hafted over to Guienne, accompanied by Malcolm, king of Scotland, whom he knighted on this expedition, William, count of Boulogne, and a great number of Englifh nobility, who wanted to fignalize their HovecJen. courage, and ferved as volunteers at their own vit.st.Tho, expence< invades He was joined on the continent by the troops of )U/e - William, lord of Montpelier, and Trincaval, vif- count of Bezieres and Nifmes. Raymond Beren- ger, count of Barcelona, fent him a reinforcement in confequence of a treaty by which Richard, the king's fecond Ion, was affianced to the count's daughter ; and ftipulating that this young couple fhould be put in porTeffion of Guienne, as foon as they mould be of age to consummate the marriage. Thus prepared, Henry attacked Cahors, the capi- tal of Quercy, which he foon compelled to fur- render :' then invading the county of Thouloufe, he II E N R Y II. -S.5 he reduced a great number of places ; fo tKat the A - C - II 59. capital was almoft v/holly blocked up, when the king of France, the count's brother-in-law, marched to his fuccour with a fmall body of troops, and threw himfelf into the city. Henry was not a little aftonifhed at this act of hoftility from a prince with whom he had lately contracted an alliance and intimacy of friendfhip -, and as it was deemed in thofe days a breach of honour and duty in a vaffal to fight againft his fovereign, he would not affault a place defended by the king of France in perfon, notwith (landing the advice of chancellor Becket *, who importuned him to take Lewis prifoner ; an exploit which he might have eafily atchieved, be- fore the reft of the French army could advance. Influenced by this punctilio, he left a body of A - c - Il6 ; troops, to maintain the footing he had in that t ^ n t c!u ^ t s h a country, under the command of the count of Bar- I king" of celona and the vifcount of Bezieres, and took the France route to Normandy, which had been invaded by Robert count de Dreux, and Henry bifhop .of Beauvais, brother to Lewis, who detached them upon that expedition, to divert the king from the fiege of Thouloufe. Henry, having refrefhed the troops after their long march, fell into theBeauvoifis, took and deftroyed the ftrong fortrefs of Gerberoy, and reduced feveral towns and villages to aflies. Si- mon de Montfort, count of Evreux, furrendered his caftles to Henry, and they were fecured with ftrong garrifons, which made excurfions fo the neighbour- hood of Paris, ravaging the country, and cutting off the communication of that city with Etampes and vit. s. Orleans , fo that Lewis propofed a truce, which was followed by a treaty of peace. , in his life of Eecket, each of whom received of him three e had feven hundred /hillings a day to provide for his horfes etinue j that, befides and fquires ; and that the number of ined at his table, for all his dependents amounted to four e hundred hcrfemen, thoufand men able to carry arms. G 2 When fays, that prel knights in his thefe, he main /city days, twe $4 H I S T O R Y o F E N G L A N D. Ween"* 6 * ' When this accommodation was ratified, prince tre renewed. Henry, now in the lixth year of his age, who had been brought over from England for the purpofe, did homage to the king of France for Normandy ; and being affianced at Neubourg to Margaret of France, his father immediately feized Gifors, and the other places affigned as the portion of that princefs. Lewis, incenfed at this abrupt manner of proceeding, perfu'aded Theobald, count of Blois, whole filter Adela he had lately married, to fortify Chaumont for the convenience of making incur- fions into Tourraine ; but Henry, marching thi- ther, reduced the fortrefs, and committed it to the care of Hugh d'Amboife. At the fame time he put a ftrong garrifon into Fretteval and Amboife, fecured the caftles of the count d'Evreux, and gave orders for repairing all the fortifications on the frontiers of his territories towards France ; while he himlelf retired to Mans, where he propofed to Dicet. Coi. fp e nd tne winter. The next campaign was opened by Lewis, who entered the Vexin Normand with a considerable army -, while the count de Blois, at the head of another ftrong body of forces, invaded Normandy on the fide of Chateaudun ; but they found all the fortrefles fo well provided, that they did not undertake any fiege of importance. To oppofe thefe incurfions, Henry took the field ; and, in the courfe of their motions, the armies were more than once in fight of each other; but neither of the kings caring to hazard a battle, they agreed to a cenation of arms, during which, fome over- tures were made for a peace, and thefe terminated Another ac- in a temporary accommodation: Gifors, Neafle, txjmm^*- j^ eu f c h ate i ? anc ^ tne otner places allotted to Mar- garet as her dowry, being committed by way of fequeftration to the hands of Totes de St. Omer and Robert de Peron, Knights Templars, until the marriage between Margaret and young Henry mould HENRY II. 85 fhotild be confummated ; when they were to be *.c. n6i- delivered to the king of England. Monte. 6 The correfpondcnce being renewed between the Henry and two kings, they communicated their fentiments to Lewi * * c - cach other on the fubject of the fchifm, which had ??A- happened at the death of pope Adrian , and agreed andcr m - to acknowledge Alexander III. as his lawful fuc- cefTor. Then two councils were held at the fame time by thefe two princes, one afTembled at Beau- vois under Lewis, and the other at Ncumarche by Henry. The caufes of Alexander and Vidor the R r ,ron.Ann. antipope, were pleaded by their feveral adherents, '. nc - Ma s- and decided in favour of the former, who had canonized St. Edward the ConfefTor. Henry, taking the advantage of the truce, made T!i? ma "i- a fudden excurfion into Thouloufe, where he took bXt*Hbe. Caftillon, a flrong fortrefs on the Garonne : then twecnyoun^ he tampered with the Templars for the delivery of Mvgvlt* Gifors, and the other fequellered places, and, by dint of prefents and promifes, prevailed upon them to betray their truft , for which ignominious conduct they were banimed from France : and this tranfaction would have re-kindled the war -between the two monarchs, had not an immediate rupture been prevented by the mediation of the pbpe's legates, who, having fucceeded in their endeavours to preferve the peace, were employed to folernnize the marriage of Henry and Margaret. Henry's Hoved. wars being now fuccefsfully finilhed, he convoked a council of 'his prelates and nobility at Rouen, to concert meafures for reforming certain abufe:,, which had crepe into the ecclellaftical as well as civil ftate of affairs in Normandy : and another affem- The Nor- bly was afterwards held at Liilebonne, where the %,*$ barons took the oaths to prince Henry, as heir ap tothatyom* parent to the dutchy. In the beginning of the - r ^j Rtf fpring, this young prince was fent over to F.ng- Jand, under the care of chancellor Becket, in order G 3 to 86 H I S T O R Y o F E N G L A N D. A. c. n6r. to receive the like homage from the prelates and Kketom'age nobility of this country ; and his conductor was from the the firft that took the oath, with a claufe, faving infcKfc. ki s a - t j l to ^ ki n g during his natural life and A. 0.1162. government; while the king, flaying abroad fome time longer to make regulations for the good order and fecurity of his foreign dominions, had an op- portunity of paying his refpedts in perfon to pope The pope is Alexander, who came to refide at Clermont in Au- kinSfof e vergne. This pontiff had an interview, at Toucy Frai.ce and on the Loire, with the kings of France and Eng- n Ann. land, who held his ilirrups as he mounted, and led his horfe by the bridle. The king of A perfect reconciliation being effected between Series' 1 thofe two princes, Henry with his queen repaired of Wales do to Barfieur, where they took fhipping in the be- ito^and ginning of the year, and arrived in England, which bis fon. they found in great tranquility. Owen jGuyneth and Rece, princes of North and South Wales, re- paired to Henry's court, at Wodeftoke,. and did homage to the king and his fon Henry -, and the fame oath was taken by Malcolm king of Scot- land, who had accompanied Henry during his war on the continent, in which he had been knighted for his valour. As for the Welch, they had made inroads upon the Englifh during Henry's abfence, and furprifed the earl of Gloucefter and his count- efs at the caftle of Cardiff; fo that Henry was in- cenfed againft them, and they were obliged to fur- chr. Norm, render fome caftles, and give hoftages of the firfl A. c. 1163. in order to appeafe his indignation. Henry chofe this feafon of peace to regulate his finances, and fettle the proportion of the taxes to be levied on the freeholders -in England : for this purpofe ho fet on foot an inquifition, by commiMioners ap- pointed to examine and afcertain the rights of the crown, and the fecular fervices due from all the tenants j and this regulation is probably the fame which H E N R Y II. S 7 which is flill preferved on record, in the red book A.C. us?, of the exchequer. Duct< Coll . Henry had hitherto reigned without the leall dif- Account ^ turbance or oppofition ; but now he involved him- Thomas felf in a difpute with Becket, who had lately fuc- Becket ' ceeded to the archbiihopric of Canterbury : and this conteft was productive of infinite anxiety to the kingdom, and even interrupted all the mea- fures of his adminiftration. Thomas Becket was the fon of a burgher in London, educated in the fchools of that city, though he afterwards ftudied fome time at Paris, and, on his return, became clerk or accomptant in the merifPs office. He was recommended by archdeacon Baldwin, as an un- derflanding young man, to Theobald archbimop of Canterbury, who took him into his family, and beftowed upon him the benefices of St. Mary le Strand, Otteford in Kent, with a prebend in London, - and another in Lincoln. Thus provided, he fet out for Bologna, where he ftudied the canon and civil law, which laft was, at that time, in great requeft all over Europe -,. and finifhed his ftudies at Auxerre, in Burgundy. Being io well quali- v;t.s.TLo. fied to tranfact bufmefs in the court of Rome, he was fent thither by Theobald on feveral negotia- tions, which he managed with fuch ability and fuccefs, that his patron ordained him deacon of York j and he was elected archdeacon of Canter- bury immediately before the death of Stephen. At the acceilion of Henry to the throne, he was, by Theobald's recommendation, appointed chan- cellor ; a poft of the greateft profit, power, and dignity in the realm : at the fame time he had a vaft number of ecclefiaftical preferments , was cre- ated conftable of the Tower, to which place was annexed all the knights fervice, with the honour of Eye, and the cattle of Berchamftede, including near three hundred knights. His revenues weie G 4 immenfe. 83 HISTORY or ENGLAND. A.C. n(5 3 . immenfe. His expence incredible. He kept open table for perfons of all ranks. The moft coftly dainties were purchafed for his entertainment. His houfes were adorned with the richeft furniture. His apartments glittered with gold and filver plate ; the very bridles of his horfes were of filver, and nothing could exceed his equipage in magnificence. He retained a prodigious number of knights in his fervice , and the nobility fent their children to be educated as pages in his family : prince Henry was committed to his care and tuition ; and the king went frequently to fee the pomp of his en- tertainments. He employed two and fifty clerks in keeping the accounts of vacant prelacies, and his own ecclefiaftical preferments , and every day he received prefents of horfes, veftments, plate, or money. When he crofied the fea, he was al- ways attended by five fhips j and in his embafiy to Paris, concerning the marriage of the princefs Margaret, he appeared with a thoufand perfons in his retinue, difplaying fuch wealth and grandeur as amazed the fpectators. He diverted himfelf in hawking, hunting, chefs-playing, and tilting, at which lie was fo expert, that, while he ferved in Normandy, he unhorfed a French nobleman of approved valour, and carried off his courfer in triumph. Thus, Thomas lived as chancellor Becket ; but when, contrary to the advice of Maud the emprefs, he was promoted to the archbifhopric of Canterbury, his whole conduct took a new turn ; his difpofition feemed to undergo a total change : he now pradlifed all the feverities of church -difcipline, and at his confecration appeared to imbibe that fpirit of turbulence and prefump- tion, which defcended like an inheritance in the fucceffion of that primacy. Thomas being, by the king's command, elected archbiihop of Canterbury, ordered the day of the con- H E N R Y II. 89 confecratlon to be kept as the folemn feflival of the A - c - l ^- Holy Trinity, contrary to the practice of all other nations, who celebrate this feaft according to the proper computation ; and he fent the feals to Henry, who had not yet left his foreign dominions. The king took umbrage at this infolent refignation, im- plying a refufal to give him any farther affi (lance in the affairs of (late ; and when that prelate went to court at his return, Henry received him with a remarkable coldnefs of civility. This mifunder- flanding was increafed by Becket's conduct when he returned from the council of Tours, where pope Alexander had received him with extraordinary honours, and granted all the privileges he defirec 1 . Here a canon was enacted againft the ufurpation H; s ; n fo- of ecclefiaftical eftates by the laity ; and, in con- Iencc >- fequence of this article, he, at his arrival in Eng- pt'SL land, demanded of the King the caftle of Rochefter, ^ cl ^ h c ad and manors of the Saltwode and Hethe, as belong- nTt^from ing to the church of Canterbury. He likewife liis fee - claimed an eftate in Kent pofiefTed by William de o. NCK Ros, which had been granted to his fee by Ste- Chr< G( phen, and afterwards refumed by 'Henry among the other alienations and pretended to the caftle and honour of Tunbridge, in the pofieflion of Ro- ger earl of Clare, great -grandfon to Richard Fitz- Gilbert, to whom it had been granted by William the Conqueror, for a valuable confideration in lands to an equal extent in Normandy. This grant had been confirmed by the archbimops of Canterbury ; but Becket, pretending that his predeceiTors had no power to alienate the property of the church, fum- moned Roger to do him homage. This claim equally alarmed and difobliged the nobility ; and the king had great reafon to take umbrage at his proceedings, when he beftowed the church of Eynesford in Kent upon a creature of his own, afierting, that it was the prerogative of the arch- bifhop 9 o HISTO R Y OF ENG L AND. A.C. u6 3 . bifliop "to fill all vacant churches in the manors of his military tenants, as well as of the monks of Puet. cell. Canterbury. The agents of Laurence, to whom he had given the church of Eynestbrd, being ex- pelled by Williarn, lord of the manor, who pof- feffed the advowfon, Becket immediately excom- municated the expulfor, though he held of the crown, and was entitled to the benefit of an act pafied in the reign of the Conqueror, importing, that no military tenant of the crown mould be ex- communicated without the knowledge of the king. This prefumption was an additional caufe of difguft to Henry, who, in a letter to the archbifhop, de- fired William might be abfolved, and received a flat refufal. After fome altercation, however, he at length complied, with a very ill grace, rather than incur the penalties of a law, the breach of which amounted to high-treafon. Thefe were the preludes to an open rupture between the king and archbifhop. Corruption During the preceding reign, a great number of tiergy. idle and illiterate perfons had, in order to enjoy the protection of the church, received holy orders, by the indulgence of the bifhops, who ordained all that prefented themfelves j and as thefe, having no benefices, belonged to no diocefe, confequently were fubject to no jurifdiction, they committed the mod flagrant enormities with impunity. Tho' the canons condemned pluralities, one clergyman frequently pofTeffed feven churches and prebends, ' beflowed by the indulgence of prelates, who had alfo introduced the practice of commuting for pe- nance ; fo that the moft fcandalous crimes were ex- cufed for money, and all ecclefiaftical difcipline neglected. Before the death of Theobald, the king had complained of thefe diforders to the bifhops, who paid no regard to his remonflrance ; becaufe they laid it down as a maxim to give no fatisfac- tion HENRY II. 9l tlon to the crown touching the irregularities of the A - c< Il6 3' clergy. Thus exempted from punimment, the of- fenders openly infulted the civil magiftrate ; and all forts of crimes were daily committed with the moil G Ne>ib audacious affurance. Ep". s. TH'O. A gentleman of Worcefterfhire being murdered Ecckfiaf- by a clerk, who had debauched his daughter, the queL^ 1 '" king infifted upon the aifaflin's being tried in the fe- fcreened by cular court : but Becket would not allow him to biAop! " be tried by the civil jurifdidion ; and committed him to the billiop's prifon. Another who had ftolen a filver chalice out of a church in London was demanded by the king, and denied by the arch- bifhop, who neverthelefs punifhed the delinquent: feverely, becaufe his crime affeded the church, and was deemed unpardonable facrilege. Yet even on this occafion he encroached uoon the civil power, by ordering the prieft to be branded in the face with an hot iron ; whereas the ecclefiaftical court had no right to inflid corporal punilhment : fo that it was a flagrant invafion of the royal authority, antf fuch a dangerous precedent as not only incenfed the king, but alarmed the whole nation. Henry's friends fuggefted, that if Becket mould proceed in this manner, arrogating to himfelf fuch exclufive power, his majefty's authority would foon bedeftroyed, and the clergy be abfolute mafters of the realm. vit.s.Tho. The king did not require much ftimulation to put a ftop to this tyranny and injuftice-, which was fo enormous, that, in a very fnort fpace of time, j^"^' above an hundred perfons had been murdered by bufes.of th ecclefiaftical ruffians, who were fcreened from the ^ 8 J,^ penalties of the law. He therefore alTembled the -by the arch, bifhops at Weftminfter, where after having enu- bllllop * merated the dilorders arifing from the corruption of the fpiritual court, in which the penalties of every crime were commuted for money 5 and expa-. 4 tiated 9 2 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A.C. ii 3 . tiated upon the barbarous murders, which had been fo frequently committed by clerical aflfafiins, he defired that one of his judges mould affift at the trial of every infamous offender before the arch- deacons-, and that every murderer Ihould be de- graded from the priefthood, and delivered over to the fecular arm. Becket retired with the prelates to deliberate upon this propofal, which appeared highly reafonable to his brethren, who exhorted him to com- ply with the king's defire : but he entrenched him- felf behind the papal decrees and canons , affirming, that it was contrary to the law of God, and the in- ftitutions of the church, for a delinquent to un- dergo a double judgment for one offence , that they were forbid to be concerned in fentences of blood , and therefore he would never confent to expofe any criminal ecclefiaftic to capital punifli- ment. Henry being apprized of their obftinacy, demanded if they would obferve the cuftoms of the crown, and the laws of the kingdom ; and the archbifhop anfwered in the name of the reft, that they would obey them in all points that did not in- terfere with the rights of their order. Henry, dif- fati&ned with this evafive anfwer, infifted upon their engaging fimply, without qualification and referve, to obey the laws of the realm ; and they perfifting , in their refufal, he went away in the evening, fired with indignation. Tho' Becket had refigned the of- fice of chancellor, as inconfiftent with his facerdotal function, he ftill retained the honours and caftles with which he had been intruded while he filled that ftaticn ; and now that the king plainly per- ceived his intention was to raife the ecclefiaftical power on the ruins of the royal authority, he deem- ed it highly imprudent to leave thole places of flrength in the hands of fuch an ambitious prelate, to whofe violence of temper and affected popularity he was no ftranger : he therefore demanded the 6 the HENRY II. 93 reftitution of the caftles -, and, they being furren- A - c - " 6 3- tiered, quitted London without taking the leaft no- tice of the affembly. Chr - Ce ^ The bifhops, alarmed at his abrupt departure, Jacket is prefied the metropolitan to appeafe the, king by J * n al * complying with his defire : but he refilled all their c mpiywuh importunities, until he was afifailed by Robert de demand!' 8 Melun, his own domeftic chaplain, and Philip, abbot of Elemofina, who was fent over by the pope in quality of legate a latere, to compromife the differences between the king and the archbifhop. Thefe prelates reprefented to him the danger which might accrue to the claurch from the refentment of Henry, in fuch ftrong colours, at the fame time urging the defire of the pope, who had exhorted him to pacific meafures, that he was at length pre- vailed upon to vifit Henry at Wodeftoke, where he promifcd, upon the faith of an honeft man, to obferve the laws and cuftoms of the kingdom, without prevarication. Vit.s.Tiu* That this compliance, with that of the other Becket, and bifhops, might be authenticated in the moft folemn f^^' manner, Henry ifTued writs for aflembling the pre- conform to lates and nobility at Clarendon. But,, in the in- ^^^ terim, Becket altered his refolution, and retracted t^ realm, his promife , and, when the council met, abfo- lutely refufed to give the king fatisfaction, till after the repeated intreaties and reprefentations of the principal nobility ; who, in their arguments of perfuafion, hinted at the immediate hazard he might run from the king's high Tpirit, which was impatient of controul. Moved by fuch infinua- tions he came into the royal prefence, and engaged upon oath to obferve the laws of the kingdom, and the royal cuftoms ufed in the reign of the king's grandfather. All the bifhops fwore to the fame Mat. Pars, effect ; and as thefe cuftoms had never been com- mitted to writing, a committee was appointed to draw 94 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. c. 1164. draw them up in fixteen articles, which were ap- proved and enacted into laws, under the title of The conftitutions of Clarendon. Theconfti- Thefe. imported, That all fuits about prefenta- cendcfn. t manor in which they were born. ^ntTo/Ws Thefe conftitutions reftraining the papal authority rondefcen- in England, and limiting the ecclefiaftical jurif- diction within proper bounds, were extremely dif- agreeable to the pope, who, out of the fixteen, condemned ten, as repugnant to the canons of the church. The archbilhop himfelf had no fooner made his retreat from Clarendon, than he repented of having given his afTent to fuch unprieftly articles. He exclaimed againft them as dangerous encroach- ments upon the church's prerogative; concerted meafures with the bilhops for oppofing the execu- tion of them ; and prefcribed for himfelf a quaren- tine of penance, during which he abftained from the altar, until he had follicited and obtained ab- vit. s.Tho. foi ut j0 n f rom his holinefs. Alexander, forefeeing wndemns ^ ^ OTm f m ^ s new rupture between Henry and thecSi- the archbiftiop, ferit over Rotrou, lately tranflated tutions. from Evreux to the fee of Rouen, to repair the breach, if poffible : but the king would hearken to no propofals of accommodation, becaufe the pope refufed to confirm by bull the conftitutions. Neverthelefs, he follicited a grant of the legation HENRY IL 97 of England, either for hirn.felf, or Roger arch- A. c. 1164. bifhop of York ; and Alexander, unwilling to difoblige fuch a powerful monarch, complied with his requeft, though he clogged the legation with, a claufe, reftraining him exprefsly from making any attempt to the prejudice of the archbifhop of Canterbury -, and Henry, finding himfelf thus precluded, fent back the grant with great indig- nation. . Ep. S. The, 1 By this time the difference between the king The king and Becket had proceeded almoft to extremity, ^ and the archbifhop, dreading a legal profecution who is for oppofmg the laws of the land, refolved to d quit the kingdom, and actually embarked at Rum- ney ; but after having made two unfuccefsful ef- forts, was driven back by a contrary wind. Mean while the king, apprehenfive of his efcaping to the continent, immediately commenced a fuit againfb him; on an appeal of a nobleman called John Marefchal, who had fued in the archbifhop's court for an eflate at Mundeham, belonging to the fee of Canterbury ; and being, as he apprehended, unjuftly caft, evoked the caufe by a writ of ap- peal into the king's court. The archbifhop was lummoned to appear ; but inftead of coming in perfon, he fent four of his knights with a letter of excufe, pretending ficknefs ; and a certificate from the fheriff, fpecifying the defecls in John's title and appeal. His excufe was rejected as meer pretence : his mefTengers were taken into cuflody, for of- fering falfhoods to the court ; and. orders fent to the Iheriff to make out a writ for fummoning him to appear before the great council at Northampton. There he was tried, and found guilty of a con- tempt of the royal authority, and a breach of al- legiance, in refufing to appear upon the appeal of John Marefchal -, and though he infilled upon the candour of his own proceedings, and the in- NUMB, XIII. H juitice 98 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A.C. 1164. juftice of the appellant, who, he alledged, had made oath upon a hymn-book, mfteadof theevan- gelifts, he was adjudged to have forfeited all his goods and chattels -, and the fentence, after fome debate, was pronounced by the bifhop of Win- chefter. Becket, notwithstanding all his pride and infolence, was obliged to acquiefce in this decifion 5, ehr. Ger. a ^d all the bimops, except one, agreed to join as vit.s.Tho. n i s fecurity for {landing to the judgment. The arch- Befides this convi&ion, the king exhibited an- arcofed'of other charge againft him, for having embezzled bMJiKle tnree hundred pounds he had received of the lic- king's trea- nours of Eye and Berkhamftede. In anfwer to which impeachment, he alledged that he had laid out a greater fum in the repairs of the royal caftles; and wanted to wave the profecution, becaufe he was not cited to the council on that account : but, the king denying his firft allegation, and demand- ing immediate judgment, he agreed to refund * the money, and gave fecurity for the payment. Next day another fuit was commenced againft him At the inftance of the king, for the fum of one thoufand marks, which he had borrowed of his majefty , and he was at the fame time required to give an account of the revenues of the arch- bifhopric, and all the fees and abbeys which had fallen vacant, and been managed by him while he rilled the pofl of chancellor. He obferved, as before, that as he had not been fummoned on this account, he did not come prepared for fuch a reckoning , but that he would give fatisfaclion on that fubjecl: at a proper time and place. This anfwer wa$ not deemed fatisfaclory ; and the king infifted upon his finding fecurity to refund the fums he Ihckild be found guilty of having ap- propriated to his own tile. As he was accufed of having embezzled two hundred and thirty thou- fand marks, he could find no-body in court that would n E N R Y II. 99 would undrtake for the payment; but in order A.c.n6 4 . to gain time, he defired leave to confult his fuf- fragans and clergy. This requeft being granted, he aflembled the He offers a prelates at his own houfe, and confulting them ^S^ "' upon the emergency of his affairs, was advifed rejected. ^ by the bilhop of Winchefter to make a compo- fition with the king for a large fum of money, with which he would fupply him for the purpofe. Two thoufand marks were offered and refufed : then their confultation being renewed, the more moderate bifhops propofed that he mould refign his archbifhopric, and implore the king's mercy ; but others exhorted him to fhield himfelf with the ecclefiaftical privileges, and plead that his being elected archbilhop of Canterbury difcharged him from all civil actions he might have incurred be- fore his elevation, and all the debts he had con- tracted as chancellor. This ilrange plea he a- dopted, as the moft flattering and conformable to his own violent and haughty difpofition : but the confultation was opened again next day, which being Sunday, he did not ftir abroad ; and on Monday he complained of the cholic, by which he was hindered from appearing in court. This being the cafe, Henry fent all the earls to vifit him, and he promifed to make his defence on the morrow, in a judicial manner. He had by this time refolved to plead his ecclefiaftical privilege, be- caufe indeed it was not in his power to account for the treafure he had embezzled ; and with a view to intereft the people in his behalf, he at- tempted to fafcinate their eyes and judgments with the trompery of pomp arid oftentation. He in the morning celebrated the divine fervice appoint- ed for the fefttval of St. Stephen the martyr, beginning with " Princes fat and fpake againfl me." He officiated in his pall, to render the ceremony H 2 more too HISTORY of ENGLAND. A. c.i 164. more ftriking, and propofed to walk barefoot to JJijSu* court in his pontificals, carrying the crofs of Can- proceflion to terbury, as if the church had been threatened taking s w - t k a p er f ecut i on . but, being diverted from this extravagant defign by the remonflrances of the clergy, he laid afide his pall and mitre ; then mounting a-horfeback in his veftments, proceeded to the king's court, with the crofs carried before him. .Alighting at the caftle court, he took the crofs in his own hand, and advanced into the king's chamber, where he fat down, holding up the facred implement as a banner, to the amaze- ment of all the fpeftators, and the unutterable lhame of the bifhops, one of whom told him that he feemed to come prepared to fet the whole nation in a flame. Appeals to xhe king, who fat in an inner room, ordered by proclamation ,the prelates and nobility to at- tend him, and complained loudly of Beeket's in- tolerable infolence in entering his court in fuch a prefumptuous manner, as if he came to bid him defiance. The whole council joined in condemn- ing this inftance of his pride as an unpardonable infult upon his majefty : the prelates gave the king to.underftand, that Becket had in the morn- ing reproached them with having concurred in the fentence by which his goods and chattels were for- feited -, that he had appealed to the pope againil the fentence ; and inhibited them, by virtue of the papal authority, from fitting in judgment upon him for the future, in any part of his conduct previous to his primacy. The king was extreme- ly provoked at this appeal in a civil caufe, which ftruck a.t the very bafis of his regal authority; and ordered his barons to enquire of the arch- bifhop himfelf, whether or not he had actually made an appeal fp contrary to the oath of fealty he had taken at Clarendon. Becket replied, that a fa- HENRY II. 100 a facerdotal oath always implied a refervation of A. 0.1164. obedience to God, his own ecclefiaftical dignity, piipwns the and the epifcopal honour of his perfon , that, as JfiJ court, he had been difmiffed freely from his fecular charge, and promoted to the fee of Canterbury, he was not obliged to give account of any previous tvanf- aftion ; that he had no fecurity to offer ; that he had laid an inhibition on the bifhops for his own fafety ; and that he had appealed and .did again appeal to the pope, putting his Own perfon and the church of Canterbury under the protection of his holinefs. The king, being made acquainted with his infolent anfwer, conjured the bifhops by their homage and fealty, to deliberate with the barons upon the fentence that mould be pro- nounced againft fuch a contumacious offender ; but they begged leave to acquiefce in the inhi- bition, as they knew the violence of Becket, and faw him prepared with his crofs to denounce a- gainft them the fentence of fufpenfion or excom- munication. Henry, in confequence of the dan- gerous predicament in which they flood, confented to their fitting, and deliberating apart from the barons , and when they had maturely confidered the cafe, they fcnt a mefienger to the archbifhop, complaining of his having laid them under the neceffity of contravening the conftitutions of Cla- rendon ; by one of which they were exprefsly bound to fit in judgment with the king's barons: they reminded him of his having been the firft who fwore to thofe conftitutions ; and appealed to the pope for the redrefs of the grievance to which he had fubjected them by his unjuft prohibition, which, neverthelefs, they would for the prefent obferve. He told them in anfwer, he would plead againft their appeal at the court of Rome ; that neither he nor they were bound by the conftitu- tions of Clarendon, becaufe their oath implied a H 3 falvo io2 HISTORY OF EN G LAN D. A.C. 1164. falvo for their ecclefiaftical dignities-, and thofc conftitutions had been condemned by the pope, whofe example they ought implicitly to follow. Sflio 31 "?" Mean while the king ordered the earls and ba- found guilty rons, afllfted by fome high (herirTs of counties, to ariSon S* ve judgment againft Thomas Becket, archbiihop of Canterbury, who was declared guilty of perjury and treafon. Then the earl of Leiceiler, one of the jufticiaries of the kingdom, advancing to Becket, at the head of the earls and barons, told him, it was the king's pleafure that he mould either come before his majefty's court, and acquit himfelf of the crimes laid to his charge, or fub- mit to his fentence, which he was ready to pro- nounce. The archbifhop ftarting up, faid, when he, was promoted to the fee of Canterbury, he con- ceived, himfelf freed from all engagements to the court -, and therefore would not anfwer to any charge that related to his former conduit : that he being their father, they ought not to judge their parent, nor would he hear their fentence ; inaf- much as he had difowned all courts of judica- ture but that of the pope, to whom he appealed, and under whofe protection he would now retire. So faying, he walked with his crofs to the door, which was immediately opened at his defire ; but in pailing through the caftle-yard, he was hooted along as a perjured wretch and a traitor, and re- torted thefe reproaches with great virulence upon fome perfons of diftinction, whom he branded with the epithets of liars and fcoundrels. He called earl Hammelin, the king's natural brother, an impudent baftard, and reminded another noble- man of his kinfman's being hanged for felony. Wakes his The king behaved with great temper on the Snent the 9 ca ^ on fr he was no fooner informed of this indecent altercation, than he ordered proclama- tion to be made through the flreets, that noper- fen H E - N R Y II. IOJ ion mould prefume to affront or infult the arch- A. c.n6 4 . bilhop or his clergy. Thus protected he rode iunmolefted to the convent of St. Andrew, from whence he lent three bifliops to afk a licence and fafe-conduct for his departure , but, Henry de- ferring his anfwer till next day, he was afraid of being arrefled, and retired privately in the night, attended by two fervants only. He travelled the firft day towards Lincoln, but afterwards changed his route, and, lying concealed in the day time, reached Sandwich undiicovered : there he embark- c^'ceS.' ed in a fmall vefTel, and next day arrived in a E f- s - T t- creek about a league from Gravelines in Flanders. vSs/r'ho. The king was no fooner informed of his retreat, Henry fends than he confulted the council about the meafures a Deputation that mould be taken in regard to the fugitive i tothe J )0 P e ' and it was refolved, that neither the revenues of the fee of Canterbury mould be fequeflered, nor his officers removed : but, in order to anticipate the mifchief he might occafion by his mifrepre- fentations abroad, Henry forthwith fent a depu- tation to Rome, competed of the archbimop of York, the bifliops of London, Worcefter, Chi- chefter, and Exeter, with two earls, as many- barons, and three of his own chaplains, to ac- cufe Thomas before the pope, and fcllicit his de- pofition; at the fame time he wrote letters to Lewis king of France, and Philip count of Flan- ders, expatiating upon Becket's infolence and trea- fon -, and defiring they would not countenance the fugitive, or allow him to refide within their do- minions. But thefe remonftrances had not effect ; for Philip received him with great hofpitality ; and as Lewis hated Henry ever fince his perfidious practices with the knights templars, whom he. had perfuaded to betray their truft, he took this op- portunity to mew his difrefpecl:, in vifiting the at SoifTons, and alluring him of his H 4 pro- 104 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. 0.1164. protection. Nor did Henry's embaffy fucceed bet- fp. s^ Tho. ter in their reprefentations to the pope, who then refided at Sens : they had got the ftart of Becket in point of expedition ; but the pontiff refufed to examine the affair, until the archbimop fhould be peribnaliy prefent ; and as they were ordered to }tay no longer than three days for an anfwer, they defired the pope would fend over legates to Eng- land, to inquire into the merits of the caufe, and finally determine the difpute ; yet he would not even aflent to this propofal, without referving the liberty of appeal to himfelf. Thefe deputies were on the road homewards* when they defcried about three hundred horfe attending Becket to Sens, which he entered in triumph, furrounded by the cardinals, who went forth to meet him on horfe- back : the inhabitants of the place received him with loud acclamations, and the pope rifmg up at his approach, embraced him with marks of the warmeft affection. Sequels The report of this reception was very difa- ?f\he V feeTfg r ? aDleto Henry, who perceiving how little fa- tanterbnrv, tisfaction he fliould receive from the pope, re- 5 d BSS folvea to do himfelf juftice ; and with the advice regions of his nobility 'affembled at Malborough, or- and^adhe. ^^ ^ revenues o f tne f ee o f Canterbury to be fequeftred, together with all the churches, rents, and chattels- of the clergy that adher- ed to the archbifhop ; a proclamation was if- fued for banifhing all the kinfmen and domeftics of Becket j and his relations, being fummoned to his palace at Lambeth, were compelled to pro mife upon oath, that they would leave the king- dom with the firft fair wind, and repair imme- diately to the place of the archbifhop's refidence, that he might be mortified at the fight of his friends in diftrefs, and exhauft his wealth in their maintenance: an illiberal and inhuman act of ' tyranny HENRY II. 105 tyranny and revenge, which luckily failed of pro- A.C. 1164. ducing the defired effect , for all of them were ab- folved of their oath by the pope, and provided for in different churches and employments in France and Flanders. _ Becket acquired fuch favour and influence with That prei a t the pope, that he ventured to tell him in confidence, ^onicST he had not been canonically elected, but intruded in- habit. to the fee by the regal authority; he therefore made a formal resignation to his holinefs, who in confi- deration of his extraordinary merit and fufferings on account of his attachment to the papal power, reftored him to his archbifhopric, and till fuch time as he could recover poffeffion, recommended him to the abbot of Pontigny, where he was enter- tained at the expence of the monaflery : but, he had fcarce taken up his refidence in this retreat, when reflecting that almoft all his predeceffors had been monks, he was feized with the defire of taking the habit, and wrote on this fubject to the pope, from whom he received it, hallowed by the papal benediction. Alexander, to crown all thefe favours, annulled the fentence by which Becket's goods and chattels were forfeited, pretending that an inferior could not judge a fuperior, efpecially fuch a prelate as the archbifhop, who had a right to exact implicit obedience ; and that the proceed- ings were contrary to the canon law, which fup- pofes that no ecclefiaflic can poffefs any lands but thofe belonging to the church, confequently thefe ought not to fuffer for the perfonal offence of Ep s Tho a paftor. Mat. Paris. Henry had iffued orders for apprehending all i highly perlbns who mould appeal to the church of Rome, t'he and for omitting the archbifhop's name in prayers A - c - at divine fervice ; but being alarmed at this ftretch of papal power, in- reverfmg a decree of parlia- ment, he began to be apprehenfive of an inter- diction io6 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A.C. 1167. diction, and endeavoured by, a literary correfpon- denee to wean him from his attachment to Becket, and re-eflablifh the good underflanding between England and the fee of Rome. As Alexander was invited to return to Italy, the king imagined he fhould be able in an interview with that pontiff to efface the bad impreflions he had received of his character from Becket ; and he repaired to Nor- mandy for thispurpofe : but the pope infifting that the archbifhop mould be prefent at the conference, chr Triv Henry rejected the propofal with difdain, and all vit.'s. Th'o. hope of an accommodation vanifhed. Henry's The king, perceiving the afcendancy which rio n top- Becket had gained over Alexander, refolved to vent the bad prepare for the worfl confequence that could refulc cS-Sftilrfrom fuch influence ; and, before he quitted Nor- mandy, enacted three feveral conftitutions to be obferved in allliis dominions in England as well as upon the continent, providing among other regu- lations that no appeals mould be made to the pope or archbifhop, on pain of imprifonment ; that the lands belonging to the adherents of Alexander and Becket, fhould be confifcated -, that the clergy who refided abroad, tho' in poffefTion of livings or eftates in England, fhould be fummoned to re- turn within three months, and in cafe of difobe- dience forfeit their benefices , that if any perfon jfhould bring into England letters of interdict from the pope or archbifhop, he fhould be punifhed as a traitor, with the lofs of eyes and caftration, if a fecular clergyman , by the amputation of the feet, if a regular -, by hanging, if a laic ; by burning, if a lepper ; that all bifhops, abbots, ecclefiaftics, or laymen, obeying fuch interdict, mould, with all their kindred, be immediately expelled the realm , that all the ports of England mould be ftrictly guarded, and no perfon be allowed ingrefs or regrefs, without licence from the king or chief jufticiary 5 H E N R Y IT. 107 judiciary; and that Peter-pence, tho' carefully A - c - '^s- collected, Ihould not be ifTued from the exchequer, without a particular order from the king. The bimops of London and Norwich having publifhed in their diocefes an interdict laid on the lands of Hugh Bigot, earl of Norfolk, and a fentence of excommunication, which the pope had fulminated againft that nobleman, the king ordered them to be profecute-d for contempt of the ftatutes of Cla- rendon, which wefe fent to all the juftices in England, that all the nobility and people of the kingdom might fwear to obey them, and no longer plead ignorance of their meaning. vit. p ra f. Henry's prefence being neceflary to repel the Henry's - Jncurfions of the Welch, who had ravaged Cardi- agSinft" 00 ganfhire, he fent for his queen, to whom he com- Wales, mitted the adminiftration of his foreign dominions; then raifing a flrong body of forces, traniported them from the continent, and being joined by his Britim troops, marched into Wales, took the flrong caftle of Cardigan, with two fons of prince Refe, and the children of feveral noblemen , routed the natives with great Daughter, and repaired the for- trefs of Bafmwerk. Thefe difturbances being Match con- quelled, he received an embaffy from Frederic J2?hii~ emperor of Germany, with propofals for a match daughter between the king's eldeft daughter Maud, and JJ" u d d u JJ! d f Henry duke of Saxony and Bavaria ; the alliance saxony, was approved, and the marriage-contract figned and fealed by Henry, who fent ambaffadors next year into Germany to affift at the ratification of the treaty in the diet at Wi'tzburgh. Mat.' Sis. About the latter end of the year, the king held A new he- a council of the bifhops at Oxford, on account of Jy^ fome heretics from Germany, who were diftinguifh- ed by the appellation of Publicans : they came pver to England to the number of thirty, including men and women, and in their doctrine rejected the eucharift, io8 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A.C. 1165. eiicharift, baptifm, andmarriage. Being fummoned to appear before the Council, and give an account of their faith, they feemed equally ignorant and obftinate; and refufing to engage in any difpute for the defence of their tenets, for which however they profeffed themfelves ready to fuffer martyrdom, they were declared heretics, and delivered over to the fecular arm. The king ordered them to be fcourged and branded with a red hot iron , and by v a proclamation forbad all perfons to admit them into their houfes, or fupply them with the necef- faries of life , fo that every individual of thofe Duet. Coil, poor fanatics 'perifhed by cold and famine. Henry'spro- Henry, being informed of an aflbciation formed foreiendcT a g a ^ n ^ ci ueen Eleanor's government by fome no- nunions, blemen of Brittany and Le Maine, hafted over to his foreign dominions, and, raifing an army, marched into this laft county, where he lubdued the malcontents, and took poffefilon of their catties : thence he turned his arms againft Britta- ny, the nobility of which had harrafied the country with continual depredations, during the adminiftra- tion of Conan, who, in order to humble their tur- bulent fpirit, by giving them a mafter who would afiert his authority, agreed to the match between his daughter Conftance and Henry's fon Geoffry, A.C. u66. or w j lo jg u fe j ie now mac }e over to tne kj n g O f England the whole dutchy of Bretagne, except the county of Guingamp, which had belonged to his grandfather Stephen Dorien, -earl of Richmond. In confequence of this deed, Henry made a pro- grefs thro' the dutchy, receiving the homage of the nobility ; and, having vifited the fortifications, chr' IS] 1 re P a ^ rec ^ to Mont St. Michel, where he was joined Ford'. 3 ' ' by William king of Scotland, who had fucceeded Makolm, and Ninian fovereign of the weflern ifles, who came to ferve as volunteers in his army. At this period, he 3 in imitation or emulation of Lewis,, HENRY II. 109 Lewis, king of France, impofed a tax upon all A. c. 1066. his dominions, for the relief of the chriftians in n"eflf Jj* Paleftine, who had lately been defeated by the in- chriftians in fidels, and fome of their chief leaders taken pri- e n S Iy loners. He comprifed forne differences with Theo- bald count de Blois, and Matthew count of Bou- logne, whom he gratified with penfions in lieu of fome territories to which they laid claim, and then repaired to Poitiers to fecure the quiet of that pro- vince, in which the tax againft the Saracens had produced univerfal difguft. Henry could not be too cautious in taking fteps Bket r.ii- to anticipate the refentment of Becket, whofe vio- S*s h ' 9 lence of temper was hardly reftrained from the a g ai ft * moft rancorous meafures of revenge by the autho- nS^. 1 " rity of Alexander, who dreaded that, if matters ihould be brought to extremity againft the king or kingdom of England, Henry would join his new ally the emperor of Germany, who patronized Guy de Crema the antipope , and he was not yet fo firmly, eftablifhed in the papal chair, as to fet fuch a conjunction at defiance. Influenced by thefe confiderations, he ftrongly recommended modera- tion to the archbifhop, who was not without great difficulty and addre'fs with-held from proceeding to the extremity of church-cenfure. He raifed a tef- rible clamour in all places by his letters and emif- faries, afierting that his caufe was the caufe of God ; and that Chrift was judged in his perfon before a lay-tribunal, and crucified again in his fufferings, He wrote infolent letters to the king himfdf, affirming that he derived all his power from the church ; that priefts were exempted from human laws ; and that the fecular being fubjecl: to the ecclefiaftical power, Henry ought to part with the ancient cuftoms and regalities of his crown. He obtained a grant of the primacy of all England from the pope, who writ in his favour to the Engliih no. HISTORY OF ENGLAND* A.c.ii66. Englifh bifhops, ordering them to procure a refti- tution of all the benefices belonging to Becket's clergy, on pain of excommunication, without benefit of appeal. Alexander's affairs were no fooner in a profperons condition, than he allowed the archbimop to follow the moft extravagant dictates of his refentment. Accordingly that fu- rious prelate repaired to Soifibns, watched all night at the fhrine of St. Draufius, a ceremony which was fuppofed to render the probationer invincible ; and thence hied him to Vezelai, refolved to thun- der out a feritence of excommunication againft the king of England and his minifters. Hearing, however, that Henry was dangeroufly ill, he con- tented himfelf with fending a letter to that mo- narch, threatening him with the cehfures of the church, if he would not immediately repent, and make reparation to the clergy whom he had in- jured , at the fame time he denounced excommu- nication againft the minifters by name all that were concerned in fequeftring the revenues of the fee of Canterbury, that obeyed, favoured^ Or exe- cuted the conftitutions of Clarendon, which he: ..annulled ; and he abfolved all the prelates and borons from the oath they had taken to obferve vit.s.Tho.thefe ftatutes. He conveys This cenfurc, ratified by the pope, was very Me regarded, becaufe Becket's character was fa univerfally known-, but Henry was fo incenfed at h^ prefumption, that he wrote to the chapter of Ciftertians, at Pontigny, threatening to feize all their eftates throughout his dominions* if they fhould continue to maintain Becket in their abbey : fo that he was obliged to quit the convent , and, returning to Sens, was hofpitably received by the king of France, from whom he received an ho- nourable allowance in the monaftery of St. Co- lombe. Notwithftanding the pains that were taken to HENRY II. m to guard the ports of England, the bifhop of Lon- A. c. 1167. don, while he was at the high altar celebrating the feftival of St. Paul, received from an unknown hand a packet, containing authentic copies of Becket's letters, and a bull of legation granted to him by the pope, which he ordered the bifhop to notify to all the prelates of the realm, with in- junctions to re-eftablim all his clergy in their bene- fices, within two months, on pain of excommu- nicatipn, without benefit of appeal. This man- date, confirmed by the pope's authority, laid the bifhop under great difficulties, becaufe by refuting to execute the order he mould incur the cenfure of difobedience : but he was foon rid of his fears by the fuccefs of John de Oxford and the other agents, who had been fent to make the pope ac- quainted with the appeal of the Englifh bifhops and clergy, and beg the protection of his holinefs. They had perfuaded Alexander, that it would be very practicable to effect an accommodation be- tween the king and the archbifhop ; and he was fo pleafed with the arguments they ufed on the fub- ject, that he fufpended all the effects of Becket's cenfures, and fent two cardinals with legatine powers into Normandy, to labour a pacification. E P . s. Tho. During thefe tranfactions a war broke out between A rupture Henry and Lewis king of France, whofe minds Jj^J ^ had been irritated to a mutual animofity by the af- England and fair of Becket ; and now the king of England F " falling upon the territories belonging to the count d'Auvergne, who had rejected his arbitration in a difpute with his own nephew, the king of France cfpoufed his caufe, and invaded the Vexin Nor- mand. Henry, marching to the defence of that country, opened a conference on the fubject of a treaty with Lewis ; but the French nobility being averfe to an accommodation, the war was renewed with great fury on both fides, until the two mo- t ii2 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A.C. 1167. narchs, unwilling to fubjed: their dominions t

i . r J ' , r i accommoda- cipated by her death, the diipute was left to the hiTm-jeTy" addrefs of William de Pavia, and Otho, the two and Becket. legates a latere, fent by the pope with full power to negociate an accommodation. At leaft when they departed from Rome, they were inverted with fuch power , but, in confequence of Becket's com- plaints, importing that they were attached to the ting, and that he would not adhere to their deci- fion, and the preffing inflances of the court of France, the legates received upon the road letters from the!' pope, limiting their commifilon, and prohibiting them to crois the fea into England, before the reconciliation mould be effected. After a tedious journey they arrived at Caen in Norman- dy, where they found the king, with a number of his prelates, in full hope of feeing the difpute ter- minated by a fentence that would confirm the con- ftitutions of Clarendon : but Henry was not a little chagrined, when they gave him to underftand that the archbifhop was exempted from their deci- 3 fion ? , HENRY It, ii0. fion. Neverthelefs, as the pope had in a letter A - c - "$7 exhorted Becket to make hearty advances to- wards a peace, the legates met him at Planches* between Gifors and Trie, where they afiured him of the king's pacific difpofition, advifed him to make his fubmifiion, and defired to know upon what terms he was willing to treat : they pro- pofed, that in order to re-eftablifn. the peace of the church, he mould refign his fee, provided the king would give up the conftitutions : but he rejected the expedient, renounced their arbitra- tion, and declared he would enter into no trea* \ ty of accommodation, until -he and his clergy mould be reftored. vit.sTfo, ! The legates, defpairing of fucc'efs, returned to They fail in give an account of their negotiation to the king , Son?** and the term of the appeal made by the bifhops being almoft expired, they took this opportu- nity of renewing it, and received appellate ries from the cardinals, who fignified to Becket at the fame time, that he mould not pafs any cen- fure upon the king, prelates, or realm of Eng- land, without the pope's exprefs direction. Henry, not a little chagrined at his dilappointment, de- fired the cardinals would, at their return, explain the infolence and obftinacy of the archbifhop to the pope, and demand in his name that Becket mould be altogether removed from any connection with his dominions ; he infmuated, that mould his requeft be denied, he might be tempted to comply with the emperor's repeated infcances in favour of the antipope : and, to reinforce this re- monftrance, he lent two agents to follicit the court of Rome on the fame fubject Ep.st.vlHx The legates were equally unfuccefsful in exe-in^aiona cuting the other part of their commiffion, whichdom2 S related to a peace between the crowns of France the conti - N 13. I and nen ii4 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A.C. u6 7 . and England, which irt order to promote they fet out for Paris, where their propofal met with infurmountable difficulties. The barons of Poi- tou and Guienne being difgufted at Henry, who had invaded fome of their privileges, liftened to the fuggeftions of Lewis, who inflamed their difcontent, and encouraged them to revolt* with promife of afliftance. A good number of them having engaged in a private treaty with that mo- narch, and even given hoftages that they would not lay down their arms without his confent, broke out in open rebellion and ravaged the country ; though the truce between the two crowns was not yet expired. Henry putting himfelf at the head of his forces, marched againft the rebels, took their caftles, deftroyed their towns, and reduced them to fuch a low condition, that nothing hinder- ed their fubmiffion but their engagement to the A.C. iies.king of France. In order to remove this ob- ftacle, Henry having garrifoned the caftles, and committed the government of the country to his queen and Patrick d'Evreux earl of Salifbury, went to hold .a conference with Lewis between Mante and Pacey, in hope of eftablifhing a peace, or at leaft of renewing the truce, which was well nigh expired. At this congrefs he loudly com- plained of the French king's having debauched his fubjects, and infilled upon his reftoring the hoftages of the Poitivins : but, Lewis peremptorily refilled to comply with this demand ; and all that he could obtain was a further ceflation from hoftili- ties. In the mean time the barons of Poitou had again revolted, and (lain the earl of Salifbury in a treacherous manner ; and Henry had juft begun his march towards that country, with a view to take vengeance on Guy de Lufignan and the other accomplices in that murder, when he was obliged to iufpend his indignation, and turn his arms n E N R Y IT. n Arms againft the barons of Brittany, who had re- A< c - 1168< fufed to obey, when they were fummoned to his chr. TY. affiftance. Eudo, vifcount of Porhoet, a noble- ^ma, fnan of an ambitious and turbulent difpofition, who claimed the government of the whole pro- vince, had been expelled by Henry, and took refuge in the French court, where he was en- couraged to form a confpiracy againft the govern- ment of the king of England. He accordingly prevailed upon feveral lords of Brittany to engage in the defign. A treaty was concluded with France, and hoftages were given, as in the cafe of Poitou ; fo that an univerfal rebellion enfued, Henry no fooner received information of this revolt, than he entered Brittany with his forces^ took and demolifhed Eudo's fortrefles, reduced and ravaged all the country of Porhoet, Dinan, and St. Malo ; proceeding with great rapidity of conqueft, until he was obliged to give the king of France a meeting at La Ferte Bernard, where he hoped to renew the truce, if a folid peace could not be effected. But, as the French knew the no- bility of Le Maine were ripe for an infurrection, to which they had been inftigated by the Bretons, this interview proved ineffectual, and the war was renewed. Henry finding himfelf expofed to the efforts of War renew* fo many enemies, refolved to gain over one of the l^of * moft troublefome, namely, Matthew count of Bou- Franc*, logne, who having claimed the county of Mortagne, and met with a rcfufal, had, in the courfe of the preceding year, equipped an armament of fix hun- dred veflels, for an invafion of England j though he was baffled in his attempt by the vigilance and conduct of Richard de Luce, chief jufticiary and guardian of the realm. This difference Henry thought proper to compromife, by allowing him a. very considerable penfion, in confequence of which I * he n6 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A.c. 1168. foe engaged to reinforce the king with a body of auxiliary knights. Being denied a paflage by land through the territories of John count of Ponthreu, he was obliged to tranfport his troops by fea ; and Henry, refenting the refufal, entered John's domi- nions, ravaged the country, and reduced above forty {owns to afhes. Mean while the king of France, making a fudden incurfion into Normandy, fetorted thefe devaluations ; but, as Henry advanced againft him, he retired, tho' not fo fpeedily but that the king of England fell upon his rear, and took a great number of prifoners. The war was carried on in flight incurfions and fkirmifhes ; for though the two kings commanded their refpeclive armies in perfon, and were equally famed for courage and military (kill, they induftriouily avoided a general engagement. The emperor and princes of Germany offered to inake a diverfion in favour of Hemy, by invading France with a powerful army , but, as' they 'ex- pected he would declare for the antipope Pafchal, in confideration of thefe fuccours, he chofe to con- fide in his own ftrength, rather than run the rifque of embroiling his dominions fiill farther, by in- curring the refentment of Alexander, with whom he itill kept meafures, and from whom he had ob- tained a difpenfation for the marriage of his fon Geoffry with Conftance, heirefs of Bretagne. Tho* the emperor and Henry differed in opinion or poli- tics with regard to the pope, that difference did not retard the celebration of the marriage between his daughter Maud and the duke of Saxony, Queen Eleanor repaired to England, in order to make pre- parations for the departure of that princefs, - who was fent into Germany with a prodigious fum, le- vied for her portion by a general tax, and a fine exacted from the Jews permitted to refide in the- ck. cerv. kingdom. The earneft follickations of Lewis, and the HENRY II. 117 the importunities of Becker, at length prevailed ^- c -"6*. upon pope Alexander to allow this rancorous pre- late to denounce his cenfures againft the king and realm of England ; and a day was appointed for ex- communicating Henry, and laying the nation un- der an interdict, if, in the mean time, the king fhouid refufe to reftore the archbifhop and his clergy. Becket, according to this bull of permiffion, BecketfuU when the time arrived, fulminated a fentence of minates a excommunication againft fome of the king's mini- JJJ^JJJJ" 1 Hers, notwithftanding the fecond appeal, and with- againft the out form of law or citations. Ralph, archdeacon jjjjjjj* of Landaf, was fent to Rome to procure abfolution for the perfons thus cenfured. vit.s.Tho. About this period two nuncios from the pope conferences arrived at Danfrorit in Normandy, where they pre- Jj^j*' fented letters from his holinefs to the king, pref- two nuncios fmg him to reftore Becket, and referring him to aflift ' the bearers for a further explanation of his defircs. Henry, having conferred with thefe reprefentatives, aflembled his prelates at Bayeux, where he declared that out of regard to the pope, he would be recon- ciled to Becket and his clergy ; but, in return for this condefcenfion, he expected that the nuncios would abfolve his minifters that were then prefent, and even crofs the fea to give abfolution to thofe that remained in England. After fome difpute they were prevailed upon to comply, on condition that the reconciliation mould take place within a limited time -, and in this agreement, which was committed to writing, the king inferted a falvo for the dignity of his kingdom. The archbiftiop's partizans took exceptions to this claufe, and the nuncios defired it might be expunged, otherwife they retracled their promife. Routrou, archbifliop of Rouen, propofed, that another mould be fub- ftituted in its place, importing, that Becket mould be reftored to his fee, and the clergy retrieve their I bene- US- HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A.c.n68. benefices in as full a manner as that in which they had enjoyed them before their privation ; and Hen- ry agreed to this amendment, provided his falvo Ihould remain. Becket's friends infilled upon its being removed, and the nuncios finding both par- ties inflexible, departed without having fucceeded in their negociation. The prelates wrote to the pope in favour of the ciaufe, in defence of which the king fent Reginald de Salifbury and Richard Barre to the court of Rome, with orders to de- mand that the pope would abfolve thofe whom Bec- ket had excommunicated, and prevent fuch cenfures for the future , otherwile he fhould be obliged to provide for his own honour and fecurity in another Chr. cerv, manner. Henry ad- Mean while, fuppofmg that the inftances of the &S dif " F rencn court were the cnief obftacles that retarded with the an accommodation with Alexander, he exerted all his endeavours to fubdue the revolted barons, from whofe infurredion Lewis hoped to derive great advantages j and their confederacy being altogether diffblved by Henry's activity, and the departure of Guy de Lufignan for Jerufalem, of which he was created monarch, the king of France became more tractable, and in a conference at Montmirail, the two monarchs adjufted all their differences, Henry had by this time made over Normandy, Le Maine, and Anjou, to his eldeft fon Henry ; Poitou and Guiennc, to his fon Richard ; and Bretagne, to Geoffry, who held it as a fief depending upon Nor- mandy, and fwore fealty to his elder brother. Lewis, as fovereign of all thefe fiefs, confirmed this difpofition, and young Henry did homage to" his father-in-law, and his young fon Philip- Auguflus, for Anjou, Maine, and Bretagne, having taken the oaths for Normandy on a former occafion. Richard, contracted to Adelais, another princefs of France, did homage for Guienne j Henry him- felf HENRY II. ir 9 felf was reftored to the office of high -de ward, A - c - 1:68 ' which had been hereditary in the counts of Anjou j and on Candlemas-day ferved the king of France at table in that capacity. As the king of England was not reftrained by any article of this treaty from chaftifing the revolted barons of Poitou and Gui- enne, he marched into thofe counties, deftroyed their caftles, and reduced to obedience the counts of Angoulefme and Le Marche, together with the lefier nobility of thofe provinces. Then returning to Normandy, he built the ftrong fortrefs of Beau- voir en Lions : drew broad and deep trenches on the frontiers of his Norman dominions, to prevent the depredations of his neighbours ; creeled fifheries in the river Mayenne ; and ordered high banks to be raifed along the north-fide of the Loire, to keep that river within its channel. chr. cenr. When the treaty was ratified at Montmirail, conference Lewis endeavoured to mediate a peace between with Bee. Henry and Becket. Several conferences were held ke upon the fubject, in which the archbifliop, being on the fpot, was prevailed upon to avoid mention- ing the conflitutions of Clarendon, as they were already condemned by the pope. The prelates had well nigh perfuaded him to throw himielf at the .king's feet, and refer the terms of reconciliation to his royal pleafure ; but when he was introduced for this purpofe, he clogged his fubmifiion with his old falvo of the honour of God and the liberty of the church ; and Henry was fo incenfed at this refervation, that he told him he would allow of no fuch evafive fubterfuge. Then turning to the king of France, he inveighed feverely againft his pride, arrogance, and ambition , and to vindicate himfelf from the afperfions which the other had thrown upon his character, offered, in the hearing of all the fpeclators, to reftore him to the fee of Canter- bury, which he fliould poilefs with all the privilege I 4 and 120 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A, e. 1169. anc j authority that was ever veiled in the greateft prelate that ever enjoyed that archbifhopric, pro- vided he would promife to pay to Henry iuch regard as' the moft powerful prelate' had at any time paid to the moft infignificant monarch of England. The king of France, together with his prelates and no- bility, could not help applauding the candour of this propofal, which they exhorted Becket to embrace. But he refufed to part with a tittle of his falvo ; and feveral French noblemen made no fcruple of con- demning his pride publicly, and exclaiming, that fince he rejected fuch reafonable terms, he deferved no protection, and ought not to be futfered to live within the dominions either of England or of France, The two kings parted at night, without taking the lead notice of the archbimop ; and Lewis for it/me days neglec'ted to vifit or fupply him with provisions : but this feems to have been a diffembled difguit i for he foon readmitted him into his former place of ir.iendmip and familiarity. Henry fent the bifhop of See?, and Geoffry Ridel to expoftulate with the French king, upon his countenancing a man who had rejected fuch reafonable propofitions ; when Lewis replied, that as the king of England feemed fo much attached to the cuftoms of his an- ceilors, fo" would he adhere to that right of hofpi- Vit.s.Tho. |. a ]j t y wn ; cn h e inherited with his crown. BecHtde- Becket. .prefuming upon the friend fhip and fup- enfurw P ort f t ^ iat monarch, refolved to give a loofe to a',,,;nr the that vengeance he had hitherto rellrained in con-fe- pSfry, and" quence of the pope's reprefentations and inhibition. pxwmmu- While the nuncios were in Normandy, he had con- JiSip'oV e fen ted to their fufpending the excommunication of Itppdon. GeofTry Ridel, Nigel de Sackeville, and others 6f the king's minifters, on condition that the peace fhould be completed before the time fixed for their departure. Gratian fet out for Italy : and he being entirely in the archbifliop's intereft, made fuch a HENRY II. 121 reprefentation to the pope, that this pontiff, being A - c ' " 6 9- moreover irritated at the king's menacing letter, wrote to Becket, that if he and his clergy mould not be reftored before the beginning of Lent, he might exercife his legatine powers without reftric- Ep.'s.Tho. tion. Becket did not fail to make life of this licence. He fulminated excommunication provi- fionally againit the king's minifters, and others, for ieizing the effedls of the clergy, receiving ec- clefiaftical benefices from the hands of laymen, ob- ftrucling the pope's meffengers, and abetting the cuftoms of the realm, in oppofition to the ecdefi- aflical canons. He likewife iffued an interdict: upon the province of Canterbury, to take place with the other ft'ntence, in cafe the king mould not make him ample fatisfaclion before Candlemas ; and the bifijops of London and Salifbury were compre- hended in this cenfure. The biiLop of London, expecting fome fuch fen- The tence, had lodged an appeal before it was iffued ; f s .J but, finding it denounced notwithftanding that by the pope, precaution, he fummoned his clergy to join him in a new appeal-, and the archbifhop of Rouen in- terceded with the pope in his behalf. At the fame time the king wrote a letter to Alexander, defiring him to annul thofe ram irregular fentences j and he defrayed the expence of the bifhop's journey to Italy, whither he forthwith bent his way, in order to juftify his appeal. When he endeavoured to pafs through Burgundy, in which Becket had many zealous partizans, whom he attached to his intereft during his refidence at Pontigny, the roads were beiet by thofe adherents, who refolved to intercept the bifhop ; fo that he was obliged to change his route, and travel through Provence, and over the Alps to Milan, where he received a letter from the pope, containing an order for Rou- trou, archbifhop of Rouen, to give him ablblu- tion. 122 ; H IS TOR Y OF ENGLAND. A. 0.1169. tion. He therefore returned to Normandy, and E P . s.Tho. was abfolved on the feftival of Eafter. who fends Alexander acted the more moderately on this two dele- occafion, as he perceived the interdict had produced 5te7-~ very little effect in England, and the fentences of bSiSfrte excomrnunicat i on wcre utterly difregarded : he ktog'and knew Henry to be a prince of great authority and Becket. refolution, beloved by his fubjects, and tenacious of his prerogative ; and he began to fear that mould matters come to extremity, the fee of Rome might lofe all the power and influence me had ac- quired in England. He, on thefe confiderations, made frefh efforts towards a reconciliation of the king with the archbifhop, and employed the bimop of Bellay and the prior of the Carthufians to per- fuade Henry to a reftitution ; but all their endea- vours proving ineffectual, he fent a commifiion to Simeon, prior of Montdieu. and Bernard de Co- rilo, of tjie order of Grandmont, to labour an accommodation ; and they were furnifhed with two letters to the king, to be ufed occafionally. In the firft, his holinefs exhorted him to reftore the archbimop ; and in hope of that reiteration fufpended the cenfures of Becket, whom he like wife inhibited for the prefent from denouncing any new fentences againft Henry or his fubjects ; and the other, to be delivered in cafe the firft mould produce no effect, contained menaces of allowing Becket to exert all his ecclefiaftical power without restriction. Kent's irf- The conferences were opened again at Montmi- fleubiiity. ra j^ j n p re f ence o f t h e king o f France, attended by his lords and prelates, who feconded the dele- gates in perfuading Becket to humble himfelf be- fore Henry, and fue for a reconciliation. He ac- cordingly made a kind of fubmiflion, though qua- lifted with the old exceptions ; but Henry ftill infilling upon his ablblute promife to obferve the old HENRY II. 123 old cufloms, he refufed ro comply, and the nego- A - tiation was interrupted. Both fides perfifted in the lame refolution at the fecond meeting, when the pope's comminatory letter was delivered to Henry, who faid he would confult the bifhops of England upon the fubject, but fixed no day for an anfwer; fo that all profpect of accommodation difappeared. As pope Alexander had exacted a promife of Becket, that he never would incur any new obli- gations, when he abfolved him of his oath to ob- ferve the conftitutions of Clarendon ; and as he offered at this lad conference to fwear to the ob- fervance of the antient cuftoms, with the fame faving claufe that was allowed in the oath of fealty taken by prelates at a coronation, the audience in general difapproved of Henry's inflexibility ; and the archbifhop of Rheims, with feveral French prelates, advifed the pope to fupport Becket to the laft extremity. p- s The king, perceiving that his conduct had turned His f to his prejudice, fent agents to Rome to follicit a further refpite from ecclefiaftical cenfure, until effeas of an other meafures could be taken for the pacification ; lntertil extremely barbarous, the place in which it was per- petrated, and the fortitude with which he refigned himfelf to.his fate, confpired to inhance his cha- racter in the opinion of the vulgar, who now la- mented him as afaint, whom they had before detefted as a traitor. The doors of the church being left open by the aflaflins, the people rufhed in to fee the body, and dipping their fingers in his blood, crofTed their foreheads with great devotion, believ- ing themfelves Sanctified by the blood of a holy martyr. The monks had laid it upon the high altar ; but hearing that the murderers intended to return HENRY II. 137 return and throw it into fome indecent and un- A.C, n 70 . hallowed place, they buried it privately in a ftone- coffin, near the fpot on which he fuffered -, but it was afterwards, by order of pope Honorius II. ta- ken up with great folemnity, and depofited in a fumptuous fhrine, at the expence of archbilhop Langton. As for the perpetrators of the fact, they retired to the caflle of Knarefborough in Yorkfhire, belonging to Hugh de Moreville, where they re- mained a whole year fecluded from all fociety ; but, tired at laft of folitude, and commanded by the king to fubmit to the pope's judgment, they went to Rome, and were ordered to make a pil- grimage to Jerufalem. Thus fell the celebrated Mat - Parls Thomas Becket, one of the moft daring, turbu- lent, vindictive, and ambitious priefls that ever devoted themfelves as minifters to the ufurpation of the Roman fee, or attempted to aggrandize the church upon the ruins of civil government. Pope Alexander, for the honour of the papacy, and the encouragement of other enthufiafts, canonized him about two years after his death, without the ufual procefs, or any formal examination of his pretended miracles. This refolution was taken upon common report of idle (lories and pretended vifions, to which the cardinals Albert and Theodun, then in Nor- mandy, pretended to give credit ; and a bull was directed to all the clergy and people of England, appointing an annual feitival in commemoration of Becket's martyrdom. This canonization, however, did not prevent a difpute about his character, forty years after his death, maintained in the univerfity of Paris, by one Roger a Norman, who publicly aflerted he was damned as a rebel and a traitor to his fovereign. Becket's death was no fooner known on the con- Henry's tinent, than the king of France, and Theobald count of Blois, preflfed the pope to unfheath St. Peter's 139 HISTORY OF EN GLAND. A.C. 1171. Peter's fword, and revenge the facrilegious mur- der ; and the archbifhop of Sens, by virtue of his legatine powers in France, laid all Henry's foreign dominions under an interdict , which Alexander EP. s. Tho. confirmed. Even the Englifh nation looked upon the deed with horror ; and the monks perceiving the difpofition of the people, inflamed it to fuch a degree with ftories of dreams, apparitions, and miracles, that fuperftition triumphed over common fenfe, and Henry was no longer mafter of the kingdom : fo that this murder broke all his mea- fures, and forced him to compliances, which Bec- ket, had he been alive, could not have extorted from him with all his fpiritual artillery. He re- ceived the advice of this unlucky affair at Argen- tan ; and, forefeeing all the mifchievous confe- quences of it, could not help breaking forth into a moft bitter lamentation : nay, fo much was he affected with the news, that he fhut himfelf up three days in his chamber, and refufed all manner of fuftenance and comfort. At length his nobility and prelates were with difficulty admitted, and re- prefenting the neceffity of taking fome fleps to pre- vent the mifchiefs that might redound from this melancholy event, he appointed ambafiadors to e fends an vindicate his character at the court of Rome. They Departed immediately, and, after a very dangerous and fatiguing journey, arrived at Frafcati, where they found two of Becket's adherents folliciting againft the king ; and the pope fo incenfed, that it was with the utmoft difficulty they could obtain an audience. Maunday Thurfday being the fefti- val on which the pope denounces ecclefiaftical cen- fures, the ambaffadors were afraid, that he would excommunicate the king by name, and could find no other expedient to avert the fentence, than that of fwearing before a full confiftory, that the king Would ftand to the pope's judgment. Thus ap- peafed, HENRY IT. 130 peafed, Alexander contented himfelf with fulmi- A.C. n 7 . nating the fentence againft the actors, aiders, abet- tors, advifers, and approvers of Becket's death, and all that harboured or received the murderers : but the bifhops of the embafiy, with all their in- treaties and remonftrances, could not prevent his confirming the interdict, which had been laid upon his Norman dominions. All the benefit they reap- ed from their negotiation, was a fufpenfion from further proceedings, until the pope mould fend two legates into Normandy, to examine into the particulars of Becket's death, and take cognizance of the king's humiliation : even this was purchafed at the expence of forty thoufand marks of filver, and five thoufand of gold, which Henry was fain to defray, rather than incur the refentment of the pope, at a juncture when his fubjects were on the point of renouncing their allegiance. The legates Br=' y . propofed for this commiffion were the cardinals Albert and Theodun, from whom the king ex- pected nothing but feverity, confidering the pre- fent temper of the pope, irritated by the deed itfelf, and. inflamed by the fuggeftions of Lewis and other princes, who feized this opportunity of humbling the exorbitant power of the Englifh monarch. He was now indeed obliged to exert all his po- J e r " a r e ""h e licy and addrefs in avoiding a war with his neigh- concert of bours on the continent, and in protracting the mif- ] lion of the legates, until the novelty and horror of Becket's death mould gradually diminim and de- cay. He thought it would be neceffary to divert the attention of his people from this melancholy fubject, by engaging in fome fpecious enterprize that would captivate their fancy, and enhance his own reputation. He forefaw that nothing could anfwer thefe purpofes more effectually than a con- queft of Ireland ; a defign which he had formed in the beginning of his reign, and towards the execu- tion 140 HISTORY OF EN GLAND. A. c. ii 7I . t ' on o f w hi c h he had obtained a grant of that ifl and from pope Adrian IV. under pretence of propa- gating the gofpel, and correcting the vices of the inhabitants. He now refolved to embark in this expedition, which appeared the more eafy, as feve- ral private adventurers had already made great pro- grefs in that country. The original pretext for this war was, that the Irifh had taken fome natives of England, and fold them for flaves : but the mo- tives that induced Adrian, who was himfelf an EngliPnman, to indulge Henry with the brief, was, exclufive of a national partiality, the profpecl: of adding to the power and revenues of the Roman fee; for it was exprefly ftipulated, that. he Ihould eftabliih the tribute of Peter-pence over all the ifland. Arrow* of The conqueft of Ireland was facilitated by its and ' own interline divifions. The inhabitants lived in fepts or clans under different chieftains ; and a num- ber of thefe owned the fovereignty of a fuperior, who extended his authority over a large diftricl:. The country was antiently divided into five fuch kingdoms ; namely, Ulfter, Meath, Munfter, Leinfter, and Connaught ; and of the five princes who ruled thefe divifions, he that was mod diftin- guifhed for his valour, wifdom, and power, was, by the others, elected and acknowledged king or monarch of Ireland ; who enjoyed the fame pre'he- minence of rank ami prerogative of prefiding in the general afiembly, as had been formerly vefted 'in the monarch or chief of the Saxon confederacy : but, befides thefe principal fovereigns, a great number of Irfler potentates in Ireland aflumed the appellation of King, which, in their language, im- plied no more than lord or fuperior. Ireland was never fubdued by the Romans, though it agreed to pay tribute to that people, for the conveniency of trade with different parts of the empire. It was 2 invaded HENRY II. ,41 invaded by Hgfrid, king of Northumberland, who A.c.u 7 j. was obliged to defift from his enterprize with pre- cipitation and difgrace. The Danes afterwards made defcents upon the country : though they were generally repulfed, until the famous Turgis landed with a powerful army, and fubdued the greateft part of Connaught, Ulfter, Meath, and Leinfler. That prince triumphed about thirty years ; but was at ; laft (lain by Melachlin, king of Meath, in the ifle of Lochvair, and the greateft part of his forces, difperfed in different provinces of the country, were cut off by the natives. The next defcent was made by Anlaf and his two bro- thers, from Norway, who tranfported a ftrong body of forces to Ireland, and built the cities of Dublin, Waterford, and Limerick, as capitals of three diftindt kingdoms, comprehending a fmall extent of territory along the fea-fide, which they fortified with caftles, and maintained with occa- fional fupplies from Norway and the weftern ifles of Scotland. The native Trim kings poffefTed an open country, without any other forts than their woods and bogs , and their people lived in a favage manner, difperfed, half-naked, and fubfifting upon roots, milk, and cattle, without engaging in agri- culture ; while the Danes, under the nameofEaft- erlings, carried on different branches of traffic, which enabled them to purchafe the necelfaries of life. When thefe invaders landed, the Irifh were renowned for learning , but, the rage of the Danes falling chiefly on the monafteries, all erudition was fbon deftroyed, and the natives relapfed into their original ignorance and barbarity. Having no ware's manufacture or mechanic art to employ their atten- tion, they became ilothful and vicious ; and the influence of Chriftianity was almoft quite extin- guifhed , for their biihops and clergy were infedted with the .idlencfs of their countrymen, and took no pains i 4 2 H I S T O R Y OF E N G L A N D. A. c. n 7 i. p a i n s to enforce duties of religion, or fuperintend the morals of the people. The king of Such was the fltuation of the Irifh, when Der- finks fte thl 01 " mot Macmorrogh, king of Leinfter, carried off affiftanoe of Dcrvogill, daughter of Melachlin prince of Meath, Henry.- anc j w jf e o f Xigernac O Rourke, lord of Breany, who being joined by O Connor king of Connaught, and monarch of Ireland, marched againft the ra- vifher, routed his forces, and compelled him to take refuge in England. Henry being at this time in Guienne, Dermot went thither, and offered to hold his kingdom of the Englifh crown, if he fliould recover it by the king's afiiftance. The pro- pofal was relimed, and Henry having other em- ployment for his own forces, granted letters -patent, allowing any of his Englifh fubje&s to afiift the Irifh prince. Dermot returning to Briftol agreed to be- ftow his only daughter Eva in marriage upon Ri- chard furnamed Strongbow, lord of Strigal and earl of Pembroke, and to declare him his fucceflbr, in confideration of a body of forces which the earl furniflied for his refloration. He at the fame time contracted for fuccours with Robert Fitzftephens and Maurice Fitzgerald, whom he promifed to gratify with the city of Wexford, and the two ad- joining diftricts, though at that time in the hands of the Eafterlings : then he retired privately to Ire- land, and concealed himfelf during the winter in the monaftery of Ferns, which he had founded. cenquefts j n the fucceeding fpnng, Robert Fitzftephens, with his nephew Meyler Fitzhenry, Milo Fitzda- vid, and Hervey de Moncmerency, landed in Ban- nogh Bay, in the county of Wexford, with fixty knights, and three hundred archers, and being joined by Maurice de Prendergaft with a fmall re- inforcement, and afterwards by the troops of Der- mot, they advanced to the fiege of Wexford ; which was foon reduced. The Irifh king made it over Ireland by private ad- HENRY II. 143 over immediately to Robert and Maurice, with the At c * "f** territories, according to promife : and beftowed two other diftricts near the Tea, betwixt Wexford and Waterford, on Hervey de Montmerency, from whom they devolved to the houfe of Ormond. Der- mot's next 'expedition was againft Donald, king of OfTory, who was routed and fubdued by the valour of the Englifh. Roderic, monarch of Ireland, alarmed at thefe conquefls, follicited all the petty kings of the ifland to join their forces, and (lop the progrefs of thefe invaders ; but, in the mean time, endeavoured by a negotiation to prevail upon them to leave the country. Failing in this attempt, he concluded a private treaty with Dermot, to whofe fon he agreed to give his daughter in mar- riage : but a new reinforcement arriving from England, under the command of Maurice Fitz- gerald, he renounced his engagement, and under- took the fiege of Dublin, which in a little time ca- pitulated, and was left in poflefiion of Afculf, the Danilh prince, to whom it belonged. Dermot, not contented with the recovery of his R!chari lands in Leinfter, refolved to reduce Connaught mar'S^he alfo to his obedience ; but Robert and Maurice be- Jjj.jjj' 1 ' of ing confulted on the fubjecl, adviied him to wait king of' for the arrival of further fuccours, and to remind Lein!ier - Richard Strongbow of his promife. That noble- man, though prohibited by Henry to embark in this expedition, fent over Remond le Gros with ten cavaliers and feventy archers, who landed at Dundevil, in the neighbourhood of Waterford, where they were immediately attacked by a body of three thoufand Danes and Irifh, whom they de- feated with great (laughter, by the affiftance of Henry de Montmerency, who came accidentally with a pa,rty of his followers to vifit Remond. In about three months after this aclion, Richard in perfon made a defcent, with two hundred knights , 4 and i 4 4 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. c.i 171. an d half that number of archers, near Waterford -, which he took by aflault, and there he found Reynold, prkice of the Danifh inhabitants, and Malachias O Phelan, lord of Decies. In this city Richard's marriage was folemnized with Eva, and he and his wife declared fucceffors of Dermot, whofe fon was, at that time, hoftage with Roderic, for performance of the treaty which the father had concluded with that prince. From Waterford the earl advanced to Dublin, which he likewife took by dorm; while Afculf, with a great number of the i nh'abitants, efcaped by fea to the Orkneys : then they ravaged the country of Meath, till the approach of winter, when leaving Miles Cogan with a garrifon in Dublin, Strongbow returned to Waterford, and Dermot retired to Ferns. Attempts of Thefe conquefts alarmed Henry king of England, moiaS f w ^ to k umDra g e at the fuccefs of Richard, al- ready too powerful by his pofleflions in Wales, his connexions, and alliances. A proclamation was therefore publiftied, commanding all the fubjecls of England to return to their own country, and for- bidding any further fuccours to be fent into Ireland. In confequence of this order Richard difpatched Re- mond to Normandy, with letters full of expreffions of duty and fubmiffion to the king, and offers to refign into his majefty's hands all the conquefts he had atchieved. By thefe conceffions he retrieved the favour of Henry, who ordered his lands, which had been fequeftered, to be reftored, and created ^ im fenefchal of Ireland , and Dermot dying in the interim, he became lord of Leinfter. Afculf having afTembled a considerable body of forces in Norway, the Orkneys, and Hebrides, tranfported them in threefcore mips to the mouth of the LifFy, and made an attempt upon Dublin; but, he was defeated and taken, by Miles Cogan, who ordered him to be put to death, for having reviled him in abufive to HENRY II. i 4 $ abufive language. Mean while Roderic was cm- A>c > li 7** ployed in making great preparations for the expul- fion of the Englifh. He levied a numerous army in his own territories and thofe of his neighbours, and was reinforced with a flrong body of auxilia- ries 'by Godred king of Man and the Wellern Iflands ; with thefe he inverted Dublin, into which Richard had thrown himfelf with a irnall body of forces. The place was blocked up in fuch a man- ner, that the befieged could receive no provifion j fo that famine mud have enftied, had not Strong- bow made a fally one morning, and fallen fud- denly upon the enemy with fuch fury, that they were immediately routed with great (laughter. Thert Richard marched to the relief of Robert Fitzfte- phens, who was befieged in Carrey, near Wexford^ by the Danes of thofe parts, and Donald, an il- legitimate fon of king Dermot : but before the earl arrived, Fitzftephens had furrendered, on condition of being tranfported to Wales. By this time king Henry had refolded to finhll Madoc, ' the cOnqueft in his own perfon. He had fent for ^JjJ^, the young king into Normandy ; and, croffing the ties a colon/ fea to England* renewed his crcjers to guard the jf n ^~ ports of the kingdom in fuch a manner, as to fe- country, cure it from any attempts of the pope : then he af- ^AmtrS, fembled a great army, and marching to Pembroke* embarked it on board of four hundred vefTeis, from \vhence it was next day landed in Ireland, about RobS** ' eight miles from Waterford. In his progrefs through Wales, he had received the fubmilfioii of Refe, and the ions of Owen Guineth, among whom a civil war had broke out, from the conteit about the government. This quarrel produced fuch mifchief and effufion of blood, that Madoc, one of the brothers, refolved to abandon his native country, and having equipped a few mips, iailed with his adherents to the north of Ireland, in queft NUMB. XIV, L, of trf H I S T O R Y o F E N G L A N D. A.C..H7I. f ome nGW habitation-, then fleering weftward, arrived at an unknown land, which was in all pro- bability the coaft of America. There he formed a fettlement, and returning gave fuch an advanta- geous account of the country, that a great number Powers ^ f am ^ es were perfuaded to follow his fortune ; Hifioryof and with thefe he fet fail again in ten fhips for his Wales. infant colony. This fettlement muft have been de- ftroyed in the fequel, and in all likelihood the fe- cond embarkation perifhed at fea , otherwife they could not have been fo entirely cut off from all communication with their mother country, but that fome kind of correfpondence would have been main- tained, or at leaft fome veftige of them have re- mained on the fpot where they fixed their habita- tion. Henry lands But to return to Henry : he was no fooner landed JE/jSs m Ireland, than the natives fubmitted ; and as for of which _ Strongbow, he had, in obedience to the king's or- der, conveyed by Hervey de Montmerency, re- turned to England, and met the king at Newen- ham in Gloucefterfliire, when he refigned to his majefty all the pofleflions in Ireland which he held in right of his wife or by conqueft ; and Henry reconveyed to him, as a fief of the crown, the whole province of Leinfler, except the city of Dublin, with the adjacent countries, and fome maritime towns and caftles. -In Richard's abfence, Tiger- nack O Rourke had made another attempt upon Dublin, and been defeated by Miles Cogan. This was the laft effort of the Danes and Irifh to main- tain their independency ; for when the king landed, the whole country fubmitted. He had fent Robert r itz-bernard before him to take pofleflion of Wa- terford, where Richard now did homage for his province of Lemfter. There too Dermot Maccarty king of Corke fwore fealty, and delivered hoftages for the payment of an annual tribute. After a fort- II N R Y IT. fortnight's flay at Waterford, Henry marched to A - r Lefmore and Camel, and received the fubmiffion of Donald king of Oflbry, Melaclms or Melach- lin O Phelan king of Decies, Reynaki prince of Wacerford, and Donald O Brian king of Tho- mond or Limeric. Thefe he received with great kindnefs, and enriched with valuable prefents : but at the fame time he ilcured Corke, Limerick, and . Wexford, with ftrorig garrifons, in order to enforce their obedience. From Munfter he made a progrefs through OfTbry to Dublin', where he received the homage of Richard O Carol king of Uriel or Er- gaJ, Tigernack O Rourke, and other princes in the neighbourhood of that metropolis ; and their ex- ample was at laft followed by Roderic O Connor, monarch of Ireland, who met Hugh de Lacey and William Fitz-Adhelm, as Henry's ambafladors, On the banks of the Shannon, where he fwore fealty to Henry king of England, and obliged hSmfelf to pay an annual tribute. Thu'S he became mailer of the greateft part of Ireland without the leafl oppo- fition ; and all thefe tributary princes attended his court, which was kept at Dublin, during the Chriftmns holidays, with great magnificence. Hibcm. Ex* All the bifhops of Ireland had repaired to Wa- Afynod *t terfordj at Henry's landing, to welcome- him on Al his arrival, and take the oath of allegiance ; for they expected from his pie'ty, wifdom, and juttice, a full reformation of the diibrders and immoralities, which their influence alone could not eradicate. The common people among the Engliih, under the Saxon government, had been ufed to fell their cliil * dfen as flaves to the Irifli ; and this practice, though condemned by the ecclefiaflic.al canons, was ftiJl carried on aftel" the Norman con'queR ; ; to the great fcandal of Chriftiar.ity. The I ri (h bilhops there- fore, fuppofing this infamous traffic h:id drawn w'poii-ths Englifh the judgment of God in the Nor- " L~2, mart i 4 * HISTORYoFENGLAND. A. c. 1172. man conqueft ; and that Ireland, for encouraging it, was now en (laved in its turn, ailembled a fynod at Armagh, where, with the general confcnt of the nobility, all the Englilh flaves were ordered to be fet at liberty : a law, by which they effectually made their court to their new matter. ton&rm Henry, that he might in fome meafure anfwer Henry's ^g expectations of his new fubjects, convoked a Wand. general council of the clergy at Cafhel, where Chriftian, bifhop of Lifmore, prefided as the pope's legate in that kingdom ; and Ralph abbot of Bul- dewas, the archdeacon of Landaff, and fome of the king's chaplains, affifted at this affembly, in order to promote a per feel conformity between the churches of England and Ireland. Several canons were accordingly enaded for executing the defign, forbidding polygamy, afcertaining the rites of bap- tifm and burial, and all divine offices, providing for the payment of tythes, and the exemption of the clergy from fecular iervice and impofition ; and impowering individuals to make wills, and divide their perfonal eflates among their wives and children. Thefe conftitutions, comprehending fome other re- gulations . for the fecurity of peace and property, were confirmed by the royal authority, and tranf- mitted to Rome, with an inflrument figned by all the prelates of Ireland, acknowledging Henry and his heirs as their kings and lords for ever. Alex- ander, forefeeing his own advantage in this con- queft, recognized the title of Henry, and con- firmed the grant of his predecefTor Adrian ; fo that the king of England found himfelf eftablifhed, as Hoveden. it were by inchantment, in the quiet pOiTeffion of Bened, Ab. the wholg ft^ Sfe 4 *" ^^ e w * nter ^ e pzfed in Ireland was fo ftormy, km of ' that, for feveral months, all correfpondence with Ireland England was interrupted, till the king removed from Dublin to Wex/erd,. where he received ad- vice HENRY II. i 49 vice that the cardinals Albert and Theodin had A.C. n 7 *. waited for him in Normandy, till their patience was quite exhaufted ; and then they threatened to ex- communicate him for the murder of Becket, in cafe he mould not come over immediately; and clear himlelf of that accufation. At the fame time he was informed of a dangerous confpiracy againft his government, both in England and Normandy, as well as of endeavours which had been ufed to alienate the affections of his own children. Tho' he had propofed to pafs the fummer in Ireland, and make an expedition into Con naught, when the . roads mould be practicable, he no Iboner received thofe alarming advices, than he ordered his troops to embark with the officers of his houfhold, and fet fail from Waterford to England, while he only kept three Ihips for himfelf and his attendants, as he could not crofs the fea in perfon until he fhouid have taken meafures for fecuring his conquefts, as well againft the attempts of the Irifti princes as from the ambition of Richard Srongbow, whom he ftill beheld with an eye of jealoufy. With this view he had detached Remond Le Gros, Miles Cogan, William Macarel, and others, from the earl's interefts, and committed the governments of all the fortified places to perfons of known fidelity. He granted the hundred of Offaly to Robert Fitz- ftephens, Waterford was entrufted to Robert Poer, , Wexford to William Fitz-Adhelm, and Dublin to Hugh de Lacy, with fufficient garrilbns under their command. He likewife granted a patent to John de Courcy, for attempting the conqueft of the north of Ulfter, the only part of Ireland which had not yet fubmitted to his government : and- took fome other meafures for fecuring the peace of the kingdom in his abfence. Hibzrn, This difpofition being fettled, as well as the cir- cumftances of the time would permit, he embarked L 3 in * 5 P H I S T O R Y o F N G L A N D. A. c. 1173. j n the morning at Wexford, and landed that fame Henry is re- day at PoFtfinan, near St. D.avid's in Pembroke- thepipt' #u re v and as it was his imerelt to give immediate andabfoivcd fatisfaclion to the legates, he pafied through Eng- toSS? land without halting, till he reached Portfmouth, der of Bee- from whence he carried the young king with him into Normandy. His firft conference with the car- dinals at Gorharn pafled in compliment and cere- mony : but next day, when they met at Savigny, in prefence of the archbifliop of Rouen, and a great number of prelates and nobility, the legates in- fifted upon fuch unrealbnable terms, that the king withdrew in a great pa/Tion, declaring he would rer turn to finiih the conqueft of Ireland, and they might do what they plealed with their legatine com- miifion. The cardinals perceiving his fortitude and refolution, were fain to abate in their demands, and defired another conference might be appointed at Avranches, where, after much altercation and de- bate, it was at lad agreed, by both parties, that .the king mould pay to the Knights Templars, a fum of money fufEcient for the iubfjftence of two liundred knights, to be employed one 1 year in the defence of the Holy Land : that he himfelf mould Jake the croft, an.d ferve in perfon againft the in-r fidels, cither in Paleftine '.or Spain, if the pope ihould infift upon the performance qf this article ; J;hat he fhoujd not interrupt the free courfe of ap T peals to Rome, in ecclefiailical caufes ; nor enforce, the observance of evil cuftoms, introduced fince his acceffipn to the throne ; that he ihould redore all the lands which had been alienated from the fee of Canterbury, fince the exile of Becket ; and that he mould re-eftablil"h all perfons whp had fuffered for their adherence to that biihop, in full pofleffion of their eftates. To the performance of theie con- fiitions, Henry and his fon fwore in the cathedral pf Avranches ; ancl the father, of his own .accord, pro-> H E N R Y II. t 5 , protefted upon oath, that he was in no fhape a A.C. 117*. willing acceflary to the death of Becket, which had overwhelmed him with grief and anxiety-, but as the archbifhop had been murdered, in confequence of the difpleafure he had exprelTed at that prelate's proceedings, he would perform the penance pre- fcribed. He was then led out of the church by the legates, and, falling upon his knees, received abfolution, which was no fooner granted, than they re-conducted him into the cathedral, without fub- jecling him to the difcipline, and obliging him to fhift his clothes, or undergo any penitential cere- mony. The young king fwore he would fulfil the penance, in cafe his father mould die before the completion of it'; and both princes promi fed they would adhere to pope Alexander and his fucceiTors, as long as they mould own them for chriftian and catholic kings. This treaty of accommodation was figned and fealed by the legates, who notified the articles to the archbifhop of Tours and his fuf- fragans, that the kingdom of France might be in- C h. Genus. formed of all the proceedings. E P . s.Tho. The cardinals, having fo happily fucceeded in Coronation completing this reconciliation between his holinefs a r ^ ar ^ ife and Henry, refolved to exert themfelves in effect- of y cun 6 ing another between that prince and Lewis king of Hcnry> France, who refented Henry's non -performance of. the promife he had made to crown his daughter Margaret together with her hufband. In conie- quence of their mediation, the young king and this princefs was fent over to England, with the arch- bifhop of Rouen, who anointed and crowned her with her confort, in the church of St. Swithin at Winchefter, being aflifted in the ceremony by the bifhops of Evreux and Worcefler. Some time af- ter this Iblemnity, the young king and queen re- turned to Normandy, from whence they kt out on a vifit to the king of France, at the earnett L 4 I 5 t HISTORY OF EN G LAN D. A.C. 1171. o f that monarch, who was extremely fond of his daughter. Thekingof Henry's affairs were now in a flourishing condi- ' the" *i n ' ne na ^ increafed the revenue of Normandy, jifcontent which obeyed him without repining : he had made an young" acquifition of the kingdom of Ireland ; was mailer j? r ?RF& of all Breragne, by the death of Conan, whole daughter had efpoufed his fon GeofFry : he had formed an alliance with Alphonfo king of Caftile, to" whom he had given his daughter Eleanor in marriage : he had projected a match between hi$ youngeft fon John, and Adelais daughter of Hum- bert count of Savoy : he was delivered from all his ecclefiaftical troubles, by his reconciliation with the pope ; and he was beloved by all his fubjects, who Jived happily under his admmiftration. But his Jiappineis was now poifoned by domeftic difquiet, His fon Henry was a weak, vain, ambitious prince, who affected a popularity which he acquired by the moft profufe largeffes. His extravagance and ex- teefies involved him in want ana difficulties, which his fettled'appointments did not enable him to over- come : ' he found himfelf hampered by the oecor nomy, and eclipfed by the fuperior importance of his father ; he longed to reign without reftraint ; and his heart renounced the ties of natural affection. This difpofition was induitrioufiy cultivated by his favourites and fycophants, of which the chief were Hugh de St. Maure, and Ralph de Faye, the un- cle of queen Eleanor, who, in all probability, acted in this particular as the emifiarics of the .French jdng, jealous of Henry's pcwer and profperity. During the young king's refidence at that court, every artifice was ufed to inflame his difcontent, and irritate him againft his father. Lewis obferved that he was no more than the fhadow of royalty ; that his power was even mere circumfcribed than that of a private nobleman ; that his appointments were HENRY II. i 53 were meanly parfimonious -, that three ft ridions im- A - c - u ? 2 - pofed upon his authority were not only inconvenien- cies, but infults upon his underftanding ; and that he was intitled to the independent government of the kingdom ever fmce the ceremony of his corona- tion. When he had thus wrought upon the paflions of the young prince, he undertook to fuper- intend his conduct, and instructed him with re gard to the meafures he mould take for his own glory and advantage. Thus tutored, he returned to Normandy at the defire of his father, who be- gan to be uneafy at his flaying fo long in a place where he knew defigns were often hatching to his prejudice; and immediately after his arrival, he Mat. parts; demanded that the old king would refign to him HovS* 11 *' the abfolute government of England or Normandy ; R*. de a. propofal with which the father refufed to comply. A1 In the beginning of the fucceeding year, the The young - king, with Eleanor and his eldeft fon, proceeded wTbrothns, .to Limoges, where they were met by Raymond ^voits . count de St. Gilles, who came to do homage for Si. the county of Thouloufe ; and Humbert count of Savoy, to finifh the treaty of marriage between prince John and his daughter Adelais. The por- tion of this young princefs confided of very con- fiderable demefnes in La BrefTe, Dauphiny, Savoy, and Piedmont ; and the king agreed to beftow upon John, befides a large fum of money, the caftles of Loudun, Mirebeau, and Chinon. This alliance would have proved very advantageous to the king of England, had it not been prevented by the death of the princefs : but it was upon this occafion that young Henry firft exprefied his dif- content, by flatly refufmg to join in the grant of thofe caftles to kis brother. The father now, for the firft time, difcovered his fon's averfion to his perfon and government ; and imputing it to evil advice, removed Afculf deHilaire, and Ibme other young jr 5 4 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. /.. c. 1172. young knights, from nis communication; a ftep which ferved only to haften his retreat ; for, when the court returned to Chinon, he privately with- drew into France, where Lewis had promifed to efpoufe his quarrel. The king, extremely con- cerned at his difappearing, fent ambafiadors to the French king, defiring that he would not counte- nance a rebellious fon againft his father, and offer- ing to fubmit all Henry's pretenfiotls to his arbi- tration ; but the propofal was rejected with dif- dain, and Lewis, in a taunting letter, affirmed, that he had refigned all his right to the crown of England at his Ion's coronation. Young Henry's retreat was the firft overt-ad: of a confpiracy which feems to have been formed during the father's re- fidence in Ireland. A great number of Norman barons, who, upon the late inquilition, had loft eflates, which they poffeiTed by defective titles, now expected to recover their lands, and followed young Henry to the court of France : others more confiderable ftaid at home, but openly declared in his favour, and furrendered their cartles for his fervice. Guy and Geoffry de Luzignan, with a number of the lords in Anjou and Guienne, fol- lowed their example , and an insurrection was railed in Brittany by Ralph de Fougeres and Eudo, viicount Parhoet, father-in-law to the late duke Conan. The(e troubles were encouraged by queen Eleanor, who, as well as Richard and Geoffry, had by this time embarked in the rebellion, not inftigated by jealoufy.of her hufband's amour with the fair Rofamond, daughter of Walter de Clif- ford, a baron of Herefordmire, as fome hiftorians have alledged, but inflamed with refentment at the king's leaving her no part of the adminiftration of her own native pofietTions on the continent; and influenced by her partial fond nets of her own off- fpring. Roiamcnd muft have been by this time in H E N R Y II. i 55 in the wane of her beauty, inafmuch as the younger A ENG L AND* A. c, 1172. that they could not refume the employments and avocations of peace. Perhaps this was as wife a ftep as he could take at a time of general defec- tion, when he could not truft his own fubjects; for by this time the contagion had fpread into Eng- land, where the earls of Chefter and JLeicefter had publicly avowed their attachment to young Henry: feveral barons, to whom he had committed the charge of ftrong fortreffes in Normandy, had be- trayed their truft ; and therefore he garrifoned the reft with part of his mercenaries, and kept a body of the fame troops ready to march wherefoever i their fervice mould be more immediately required. The profu- The king of France, fummoning all his prelates vo.?ng f an d nobility to Paris, took a folemn oath in their Hen*} in prefencc, importing, that he would affift young T5i Henry and his brothers with all his power, until and ad- the father mould be expelled from the throne of England -, the nobility incurred the fame obliga- tion ; and the princes fwore, in thier turns, that they would never agree to a peace with their fa- ther, until it mould have firft been approved by the king of France and his barons. Henry, be- ing furnimed with a new feal by the direction of his father- in law, difpofed of the crown -demefnes with a lavifti hand, to feveral princes who efpoufed his quarrel. To the count of Flanders he granted lands to the amount of a thoufand pounds a year, with the caftles of Dover and Rochefter, reputed in thofe days the keys of the kingdom , Kirketon in Lindefey, with the county of Montagne in Nor- rnandy, were given to the count of Boulogne : Theobald, count de Blois, was gratified with a confiderable annuity, the caftle of Amboife, all Jienry's pofleffions in Touraine, with a releafe of all his own and his father's claim to Chateau-Re- naud : Vviiliam king of Scotland, as a member of this confederacy, was indulged with a grant of all North- HENRY IT. , 57 Northumberland and Cumberland, for himfelf ; A - c -.7- and for his brother David, the county of Cam- bridge annexed to Huntingdon. The honour of Eye and caftle of Norwich were made over to Hugh Bigot and his heirs for ever : and a vaft number of other alienations were made with the utmoft p^^ 8 * profuflOn. Chron.G marches, that the rebels were almoft furprifed at Fourgeres, from whence they fled with great pre- cipitation, leaving behind an immenfe booty. They afterwards united all their forces, and gave battle to the Brabantins, who defeated them in the field, took above twenty barons priioners, and immediately invefled the caftle of Dol, to which the reft fled for refuge. Henry was no fooner in - formed of this circumftance, than he fet out for the place, and found the town already taken ; and though the caftle held out a few days longer, it was at laft furrendered by Ralph de Fourgeres, who, with about an hundred knights and barons, were committed to clofe cuftody. G. Nmb. Such a blow could not fail to ruin their ineffectual fcheme in Brittany, where ail v/ho had taken conferences arms fubmitted to Henry's mercy , and the JSSTat* fame of his fuccefs re-eftablifhed his affairs in variance, other parts of his dominions, Some of the adherents of the young princes, difappointed in their fanguine hopes, and apprehenlive of being ruined by the revolt, advifed them to make pro- pofals of peace ; to which Henry lent a willing ear. Conferences were opened near Gifors, be- tween the kings of France and England , at which the young princes affifted, with a great number of prelates and nobility. Henry offered to fettle upon his eldeft fon half the revenue of England, with four places of ftrength in that kingdom , or mould he chufe to refide in Normandy, half the revenue of the dutchy, the whole of Anjou, with fix caf- tles. He propofed that Richard mould have half the revenue of Guienne, with four caftlcs ; that Geoffry mould be put in poffefilon of Conan's ter- ritories in Bretagne, provided the pope would grant a difpenfation for his marriage with the heirefs ; and he declared, that, if this pro vi 1:011 ihould not be 160 H I S T O R Y o F E N G L A N D. A.C. 1173. be thought fufficient, he would refer the difpute to the arbitration of the archbifhop of Tarentaife and the pope's legates ; referving to himfelf, how- ever, the adminiftration of juitice, with all the other branches of the regal prerogative. Lewis, whofe intereft it was to fee the empire of Henry difmembered, began to ftart difficulties ; and the young princes rejected thefe reafonable propofals, chiefly at the mitigation of Robert Blanches-Mains earl of Leicefter, who was one of the firft projectors of this rebellion. He had come over from Eng- land with William de Tancarville, to fuccour the revolters with a large fum of money borrowed on his eftate , and became the moft virulent partifan of the whole faction. He, upon this occafion, broke out into the moft opprobrious invectives agaiylft the king, to whom he had lately renewed the oath of allegiance, and even laid his hand upon his fword, in order to excite a tumult -, which put an end to the conference. The king and his fons parted with great animofity ; the lat- ter became more and more attached to Lewis, who, about this period, knighted Richard in the feventeenth year of his age-, and this campaign clofed with an engagement to the difadvantage of BeJeV Ab. the French, in which Engelran de Trie was taken Dueto. prifoner by William de Mandeville earl of Effex. infurrec- William king of Scotland, in order to co-ope- rate with the other confederates, invaded the northern counties in England, where his troops committed the moft barbarous outrages. After having made an unfuccefsful attempt upon Car- lifle, he ravaged Northumberland, and penetrated as far as Yorkmire, from whence he carried off a vaft booty, and a great number of captives. He was purfued into his own country by Richard de Lacy and Humphrey de Bohun, conftable of ' England, who followed him with good army, burned II E N R Y II. j6i burned Berwick, and wafted Lothian; -but be- A.C. ii 73 . ing informed of a defcent in Suffolk, by the earl of Leicefter, with a numerous body of Flemings, N ibrig.* they agreed upon a truce with William, which was B ~ ned - Ab - afterwards prolonged by the mediation of the bifhop aett Co11 ' of Durham. During this interval, they marched againft the invader, who was, by this time, joined by Hugh Bjgot with a multitude of his vafials, and encountering him on a marmy ground near Fernham, his forces were routed, he and his wife R O B. king of Scotland, had befieged Prud- Scofhnd, haw caftle, until the Englifh army under Ralph de foneThy" Glanville, with a great number of other noblemen furprizc. and Yorkfhire barons, advancing to its relief, he thought proper torelinquifh the enterprize, and. re- treat to Alnwick. There deeming himfelf fecure. from any attack, he detached the earl of Fife, An- gus, and Richard de Moreville, conftable of Scot- *iri land, to ravage the adjoining counties, while he himfelf retained fcarce any troops but thofe of his houfliold, for the defence of his own perfon, Ralph de Glanville being informed of this circumftance, propofed to fome of the principal barons, that they fhould furprife William with four hundred horfe ; and the atchievement was undertaken by Robert d' Eftoutville, Bernard de Baliol, William de Vefci, and GeofFry of Lincoln, who fet out on this expe- dition with great fecrefy. They refreshed them- felves at Newcaftle, where they relumed their march at the dawn of day, and being concealed by a thick fog, arrived in the neighbourhood of Aln- wick, where they found William in an open plain, attended by an hundred horfe, and fo fecure from any apprehenfion of an enemy, that he miftcok them for a detachment of his own army. He was im- HENRY II. 165 immediately undeceived by their banner, which he A - c - "74- no fooner dillinguifhed, than he charged them with great intrepidity ; but, being overpowered by num- bers, he was unhorfed and taken, while Roger ide Mowbray his ally deferted him in his diftrefs, and fled direclly to Scotland. The victors returned that fame evening with their prize to Newcaftle, from whence he was conveyed to the caftle of Richmond, as a place of greater fecurity, until the king*s plea- ' fure mould be known. c.Neubrig. This exploit was of infinite confequence to the j{j^ re " re-eftablifhment of Henry's affairs. The bifhop of lords fub- Durham had received a reinforcement of Flemings, mit< and intended to declare his revolt immediately, when hearing of William's difafter, he fent them back to their own country, and remained! quiet : David earl of Huntingdon reafTembied the fcattered detachment of his brother's army, and reconducted them to Scotland, which was initantly involved in civil war and confufion, by a conteft about the fuc- ceffion of Galloway ; fo that the Englifli rebels having no promife of further affiftance from that country, faw no fafety but in fubmifiion. The en- terprize at Alnwick was celebrated with public rejoicings all over the kingdom ; and Henry, in order to improve' the advantage before his enemies fhould recollect themfelves from the confternation occafioned among them by this unlucky event, marched immediately to the caftle of Huntingdon, which furrendered at difcretion : then he advanced againfl Hugh Bigot, who fubmitted to the king's mercy, delivered his caftles, paid a thoufand marks, gave hoftages, and took the oath of allegiance anew. The king, having put garrifons in the forts, repaired to Northampton, where the bifhop of Durham made his fubmifiion, and refigned his fortrefTes of Nor- ham, Durham, and Northallerton. Roger de Mow- bray, and the earl -of Ferrers, threw themfelves at M 3 Hen- T 66 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. c. 1174. Henry's feet, and were pardoned, upon yielding up the caftles of Thiffke, Tutbury, and Duffield. Hither alfo came Anchetol de Malory and William de Dive, conftabks of the earl of Leicefter, to treat about their lord's liberty, and the furrender of his ftrong holds which they poffefled : but the king giving them to underftand that the earl had no fa- vour to expect but from their abfolute fubmifiion, they ftirrendered his caftles of Groby, Montforel, and Leicefter : the example of thefe noblemen was followed by the rebels of inferior rank, who gave up Hqveden. tne * r ca ^l es an( ^ implored mercy : fo that in lefs Mat. Par. than a month after the king's landing, the rebellion abns * was entirely luppreffed. cefs, by which their meafures being broken, they laid afide all thoughts of their enterprize on Eng- land, and began their march to join the king of France, who had entered Normandy with a va(t army, and invefted Rouen, the capital of the .dut- chy. The city being very extenfive, he found it impracticable, even after his junction with young Henry and the count of Flanders, to block it up entirely and though he carried on his approaches with great vigour, the inhabitants defended them- felves with fuch bravery and refolution, that de- fpairing of reducing it by open force, he had rccourfc to a ftratagem, which was not much for the ho- nour of his reputation. In the eve of St. Laurence's feftival, he proclaimed a cefTation of hoftilities for the next day and the citizens, glad of fuch a recefs from HENRY II. 167 from the incredible fatigues they had undergone, A. 0.1174* obferved it with great fecurity, in full confidence of the French king's fincerity and devotion. While the citizens gave themfelves up to feafting, mirth, and jollity, and their cavaliers crofied the bridge to the fouth fide of the river, where they diverted themfelves in tilts and tournaments, in fight of the enemy -, a few priefts, who did not chufe to mix in the entertainments of the day, afcended an high tower, in order to indulge their curiofity with a profpect of the French camp. They were at firft iurprifed at the unufual filence that prevailed over all their quarters ; but, in a little time perceiving detachments moving from different places to a ge- neral rendezvous, they began to fufpect fome trea- chery, and were foon confirmed in that conjecture, by discovering among them a number of ladders, and other implements for an afiault. They imme- diately rang the alarm-bell, which happened to be in the very place from whence they made thefe ob- fervations. The citizens matching up their arms, ran directly to the walls ; and the horlemen, exer- cifmg on the other fide of the river, repaired to their pofts, with all imaginable expedition, though they were almoft too late ; for the enemy hearing the bell had haftened their attack, applied their ladders ; and fome of the foldiers had actually mounted the walls before the defendants could take their Rations. Thefe laft, however, foon cleared the ramparts, by tumbling thofe who had entered headlong over the walls, and repulfed the affailants with great (laughter, G Neut >"?. This treacherous fcheme was, in all probability, *JJUJ d " y concerted to anticipate the diligence of Henry, who, H*nr? in being apprized of the danger that threatened his fet{oa ' favourite capital, had immediately afTembled his troops, and landed already at Barneur with his Bra- bantins, reinforced by a thoufand Welih auxiliaries. M 4 He i63 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. c. 1174. He carried over with him the king of Scotland, the earls of Chefter and Leicefter, and fome other confiderable captives, and fecuring them at Caen and Falaife, advanced to Rouen, which he entered in triumph on the Sunday that fucceeded the perfi- dious attempt of the French. He forthwith or- dered the gates to be thrown open, and the in- trenchments between the city and the enemy's camp to be rilled up, fo as to form a road of fufficient breadth to admit a'front of two hundred men, that he might have room enough to attack the befiegers. He made fome fuccefsful (allies : his Welfh troops intercepted a great convoy of provifions defigned for the French camp : and Lewis was overwhelmed with confirmation ; for he found himfelf in the jnidft of an enemy's country, destitute of fupplies, furrounded 'with woods and mountains, and ex- pofed to the vigilance of an active monarch, at the head of veteran troops accuftomed to victory. In this diftrefs, he had recourfe to artifice and nego- ciation. He fen t the archbifhop of Sens and the count of Blois with overtures of peace j and though Henry had been duped .on a former occafion, by the infmcere infinuations of thefe very ambafifadors, he was fo averfe to war, and unwilling to act againft Lewis, whom he considered as his lord and fupe- rior, that he agreed to their propofal of a confe- rence to be held at Maulauny, and a truce in the mean time, which they confirmed by oath in the name of their fovereign. On the faith of this agreement, Lewis retreated through the foreft, un- molefted, towards the place appointed ; but, infteacl of waiting for the conference,xlecamped at midnight, - and marched homewards with fuch expedition, that next day, when his departure was known, it was with great difficulty that the Braban'tins overtook the ftragglers of his rear, who were cut in pieces. In * a few days, however, the two ambafladors returned to Rouen ; and, after having made an apology for their HENRY II. 169 their king's retreat, propofed another conference at A. 0.1174, Gifors, where a truce was concluded, after they had agreed upon a final meeting at a place near Amboife, in order to adjuft the articles of a folid peace, which could not now be eftablilhed on ac- count of the abfence of prince Richard, who was empoyed in attacking his lather's caftles in Guienne. One of the articles of this truce imported, that Henry mould be at liberty to reduce this rebellious fon, who mould have no affiftance from Lewis or his brother. Thus left to his own efforts, he was hunted by his father from place to place j and finding himfelf abandoned by the French king, he repaired to Poitiers, where he humbled himfelf be- fore his parent, who pardoned his unnatural con- duel:, and received him with all the' warmth of paternal affection. Thus reconciled, they went c } Mat. Pans. together to the conference ; and peace was con- Hoveden. eluded on fuch conditions as the king of England 5f ned - A , b , b * , , r ., *? Uuet.Coll. thought proper to preicnbe. Thus Henry, by his admirable prudence, un- "S y S tf " fhaken fortitude, invincible courage, and amazing 'hejebei activity, triumphed at laft over all his enemies, af- pnlonc " ter having defeated a confpiracy, perhaps the moft dangerous and perplexing that ever was formed againft any prince of Chriftendom : and no part of his conduct fhone with fo much fplendonr, as the magnanimity and moderation he manifefted in his behaviour' towards thofe who had exerted all their endeavours for his deftruction. Far from offering hecatombs of the vanquifhed to juftice or revenge, and deluging the land with the blood of his 'rebel- lious fubjects, after the flames of civil war had been extinguished, his generofity and greatnefs of foul difdained fuch cruel victims ; his companion operated in behalf of the diftreffed offenders ; he did not fay afide the father to exert the judge, but it 170 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. c, ii 74 . in his judgment remembred mercy. There was not one fcaffold moiftened with the blood of a nobleman ; there was not one gibbet occupied by a rebel of plebian rank. He releafed above nine hundred knights without ranfom ; he beflowed a new grant of a yearly penfion upon the count of Flanders, who gave up the conventions he had made with young Henry ; and he readmitted his own undutiful children into his favour, as if they had never tranfgrefTed. When the princes of Galloway fhook of the Scottifh yoke, and afierted their inde- pendency, he had from the dictates of found policy, fupported them in their revolt ; and Roger de Hoveden the hiftorian, who was one of his chap- lains, had been fent to treat with Gilbert, and the other chieftains of the country, who offered an an- nual tribute of money, cows and hogs, for his protection and affiftance, in refcuing them from the dominion of the Scots ; but, when Henry heard how barbaroufly that prince had put his own bro- ther Uchtred to death, he broke off all connexion with fuch inhuman people, and compromifed his difference with William king of Scotland. k^ngofScot- That prince did homage to him for Scotland, land, does and all his other territories; undertaking that all Hemyfor ms nobility and clergy mould fwear fealty to the *ii hk do- king of England; that the church of Scotland minions. ^^ be fa^ft tQ that Q f ng l an( J . t h at Englifh felons, flying to Scotland, mould be delivered up to the king's officers of juftice ; and that the caftles of Berwick, Roxburgh, Jedburgh, Edinburgh, and Stirling, fhould be ceded to Henry, as a fecurity for the performance of articles. David earl of Huntingdon, who likewife took the oath of allegi- ance, was given as an hoftage, together with four earls and fixteen barons, to be detained until the caftles fhould he furrcndered ; and all the Scottifh prelates H E N R Y II. " 171 prelates and nobility engaged to ftand by Henry, A - c -"74 even againft their own king, (hould he, contrary J^ n ^' r Abb * to his oath, infringe this convention. Thefe treaties being concluded and ratified, Ref ondHa- TT , , . .*-';, | | f T-< tion Let ween Henry had an interview with the king or b ranee Henry and at Gifors, where all matters in difpute between the [^ eldeft two crowns were fettled to their mutual fatisfac- tion. The fortrefies erected during jthe war were now demoliflied, and the caflles of Anjou and Poitou fecured with ftrong garrifons ; but the king ftill found his eldeft fon fullen, and averfe to a hearty reconciliation. He feemed to doubt his father's fmcerity ; and refufed to obey when he was fummoned to court : perhaps his father-in-law en- couraged and infufed thefe fufpicions. Confcious A. c. 1175. of his own ingratitude and mifconducl, he could not believe himfelf heartily forgiven, and gave out that there was an intention to confine him to clofe prifon. He would not releafe the prifoners he had taken without ranfom ; and plainly demonftrated, both by his words and actions, that he wanted nothing but power to renew the rebellion. Henry was mocked at his unnatural difpofition, and fent feveral mefTages to convince him of his paternal tendernefs. At length he feemed to be iatisfied, and coming to Bures, fell upon his knees, implor- ing the king's forgivenefs. He was joyfully re- ceived ; took the oath of allegiance, at his own earneft requefl ; was allowed to make a iliort vifit to the court of France ; and, at his return, accom- panied his father to England. Deut. Coil. At Weftminfter they found Richard archbifhop Difputesbc- of Canterbury prefiding in a fynod, which enacted '*<*" the feveral canons for facilitating and enforcing the pay terLry and mentof tythes, reforming the morals and habit of the Ycrk - clergy, and regulating prefentations, rites, and cere- monies. In this aflembly, the king's letter, notifying his reconciliation with young Henry, was read in pre- fcnce i 7 2 HISTORY OF ENGLAND; A. c. 1175. fence of that -prince, who took the oaths of homage and allegiance, and publicly renounced all affiftance from the king of France and his brothers, the pre- lates and monks of England, Normandy and Gui- cnne, provided he mould ever deviate for the future from his filial obedience. Upon this occafion, the difpute .was renewed between the archbifhops of , Canterbury and York, touching the privileges of the two fees. Richard had obtained the primacy of all England, and a legatine power within his own province. Roger of York, was vefted with the fame - authority over Scotland, and pretended to the right of carrying his crofs erect within the jurifdiction of Canterbury. They envied and took all occafions of mortifying each other. Richard excommuni- cated the clergy of a chapel belonging to the pro- vince of York, for contempt of his orders. He fufpended the dean of Waltham ; and appointed an abbefs at Winchefter, in fpite of the nuns, who had the right of election. The archbifhop of York appealed to the pope, from fome of his cen- fures and claims. Cardinal Hugozun was fent over to terminate thefe difputes. Richard was fain to retract his cenfures, and refign his pretenfions. Gcdfry, bifhop of St. Afaph, relinquifiied his fee, pnribii?cr bb ' becaufe it was not worth keeping. That of Nor- wich, and twelve abbeys, being now alib vacant, the king ifTued writs, requiring the chapters and convents to fend deputations to Oxford at a certain day; to fill up thofe vacancies ; and in the mean time he vifited the marches of Wales. raakvf- At Gloucefter he fummoned a general council riousregu. of the nobility -, hither came Refe ap Griffith, btlons< -prince of South Wales, and feveral lords of that county, to do homage to the king , and they en- gagsd with the Englilh barons of the marches, in a -mutual oath, to afilft each other in cafe they fhould be attacked by the Welfh, who did not own HENRY II. i 73 own liis royal authority. From hence Henry re- A ginning of the year. That prince now returned from his own country, attended by all the prelates, nobility, knights, and freeholders of his kingdom, who, with their fovereign, % did homage, and fwore fealty to the king of England and his fuccefibrs for ever. The treaty being executed in the cathe- dral of York, Henry reftored the caftles of Stirling, Edinburgh, and Jedburgh ; but Berwick and Rox- burgh lying convenient for the defence of the Eng- lifh dominions, were yielded to the crown of Eng- land. In return for this ceflion, he permitted William to invade and reduce Gilbert prince of Gal- 174 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. c. 1175. Galloway, whom he accordingly fuhdued, to fhtf M?nt? de 8 reat advantage of the Scottifh nation. The affairs The peace with Scotland being firmly eftablimedj f Ireland. Henry returned to Windfor, where he convoked a council to deliberate upon the affairs of Ireland, which were re-involved in confufion. Richard Strongbow, Robert Fitzftephens and fome others of the firft adventurers, had been called over to affift the king, and done fignal fervice both in Eng- land and Normady. In their abfence, the Irifh, provoked by the depredations of the foldiers left under the command of Harvey de Montmorency, and encouraged by the weaknefs and diminilhed number of their oppreffors, revolted in many places ; fo that the whole country was thrown in confufion. Henry having triumphed over his enemies, fent Richard back to Ireland, with the title of guardian, and a grant of Wexford and Wicklow, as a re- compence for his fervices. Raymond le Grofs was at his own de-fire joined with him in the commifilon ; and this colfeague had no fooner taken poffefiion of his poft, than he made an incurfion into the coun- try of O Phelan, from whence he carried off a great booty. This was conveyed by fea to Waterford in a fleet of mips, which, in their voyage, obtained a complete victory over an armament equipped by the Eafterlings of Cork. He himfelf marched by land with the reft of the plunder, amounting to four thoufand head of cattle, and defeated Dermot Maccarty, prince of Defmond, in an engagement near Lifmore. After thefe fucceffes, he was, by* the death of his father William Fitzgerald, obliged to crofs the fea into Wales : and, at his departure, the command reverted to Hervey de Montmorency. This officer prevailed upon Strongbow to undertake an expedition into the country of Limerick ; but :i reinforcement of four hundred Eafterlings, re- cruited at Dublin for that fervice, were, in theii' anarch HENRY II. i 75 march to join him, furprifed and cut in pieces by A.c.u 7j ;, Donald O Bryan, prince of Thomond , fo that the earl was forced to retire in all hafte to Waterford, where he was in a manner beileged. The Irifh, elevated with this advantage, ran to Thegaiian- arms in all quarters : Roderic king of Connaught, So'/R^I paffing the Shannon at the head of a numerous mondle army, ravaged the country of Meath ; while the exdtSthe* Englifh, abandoning the fmall garrifons of Trim J ealouf y *" and Dulcke, retired to Dublin, without daring to face the natives in the field. Richard, alarmed at thefe proceedings, wrote a letter to Raymond, to whom he promifed his filter in marriage, if he would return immediately with all the fuccours he could raife. The propofal was embraced, and Raymond em- barking with thirty knights, one hundred horfe, and thrice the number of Wellh archers, arrived at Waterford, from whence he accompanied the earl to Wexford, where his marriage with the fair Bafilea was confummated : then he marched into Meath, compelled Roderic to retire, and repaired the caftles which had been difmantled. The king of Connaught, dreading a vifit from this enter- prifmg commander in his own territories, fent the archbifhop of Tuam, and two other clergymen, as ambaffadors to the Englilh monarch, to fue for peace and rene\v his fubmifTion. To thefe Henry granted an audience at Windfor, where a treaty was effe&ed, on condition that Roderic fhould own the king of England as his liege and fovereign, and pay every tenth hide of the cattle within his dominions -, and that all his Irifh fubjetfts, holding under Roderic, fhould, on payment of the fame tribute, be confirmed in their poffeflions. Roderic HiI>efIU was, by virtue of this fubmiflion, fecured from Ex pug n. the attacks of Raymond, who marched againft Do- l nald prince of Thomond, pafied the Shannon in the face of the enemy, and reduced Limeric by aflault j ? 6 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A, c, 1175. afiault. The fame of his exploits excited the envy of Montmorency, who infmuated to the king, that Raymond harboured a defign of conquering the kingdom for himfelf ; and Henry, who was never deaf to fuggeflions of this nature, fent over four commiffioners, two of whom were ordered to re- turn immediately with Raymond, and the others directed to remain in Ireland, and watch the con- duct of Strongbow. Thefe commiffioners having arrived in Ireland, and fignified their orders, Ray- mond began to prepare for his departure, and was juft ready to embark, when Richard received ad- vice that Donald prince of Thomond had inverted Limeric , and that the garrifon, being very ill pro- vided, flood in need of immediate relief. Richard would have begun his march without lofs of time v but the troops refufed to ferve under any other com - mander but Raymond, who, with the leave of the commiffioners, undertook the expedition. In his route he was joined by a body of Irifh, under Murchard and Donald, kings of Kilkenny and OfTory, while the prince of Thomond, being ap- prifed of his motions, raifed the fiege, and advanced to meet him at a narrow pafs, which he fortified with trees and trenches; Raymond forced his way through thefe difficulties at t^ie firft onfet, routed the enemy, and entered Limeric in triumph. The princes of Connaught and Thomond fubmitted to the victor, fwore allegiance to king Henry, and gave hoflages for their fidelity. Then Raymond marched to the affiftance of Dermot Maccarty, prince of Defmond, who was in danger of being depofed by his own fon Cormac O Lechan : the Englifh general advancing towards Cork, expelled the unnatural rebel, re-eftablimed the father in his dominions, and returned to Limeric laden with Hifcem. EX- riches and glory, puga ' Richard HENRY II. i 77 Richard Strongbpw, earl of Pembroke, had been A - c - "75' dangeroufly ill for fome time ; and now dying at Dcath of Dublin without male iffue, his daughter Ifabel be- snoipbow, came heirefs of all his pofTeflions in Leinfter. His wi'"~i ) - fifter Bafilea carefully concealed his death, until fhe could fend advice of it to her hulband Raymond, who finding it abfolutely neceflary to repair to Dub- lin, to aflume the reins of government, and draw thither the greateft part of the forces, in cafe an infurrection fhould enfue, had no other chance for preferving Limeric but that of leaving it in the hands of Donald prince of Thomond, as a vaffal of the Engliih crown, from whom however he ex- acled hoftages, and a new oath to defend the place, 3nd reftore it to the king upon demand. Inftead of regarding this obligation, however, Raymond had fcarce patted over the bridge, when the other part of it was broken down, and the city fired in four different places. The commiffioners, in con- fequence of Richard's death, returned to England, to make the king acquainted with the alteration of affairs. Henry appointed William Fitzaldhelm and John de Courcy procurators, or juftices of Ireland, and they were accompanied by Robert Fitzflephens and Miles Cogan. Fitzaldhelm being the firft in commifiion and fenefchal, Raymond, at his arrival in Wexford, furrendered to him the government, cities, forts, and garrifons of Leinfter, together with the hoftages of all Ireland. A - c - TI ~ 6 - During thefe tranfaflions, Henry's attention was Regulations chiefly employed in regulating the civil policy of England. He fummoned a great council at Nor- thampton, where the conftitutions of Clarendon, with regard to laymen and criminal matters, were amended and confirmed, and fome of the eld Saxon laws revived. Further meafures were taken to prevent murder, robbery, clipping and coining, and to punifh incendiaries, and harbourers of con- . N y . 14. N viclcd 1^8 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. 0.1176. vicled criminals: it was decreed that they fiionld lofe the right hand as well as the foot j and that rufties iliould not efcape, though acquitted by the water ordeal, but be banifhed the kingdom, no- withflanding this trial, provided they were reputed guilty in the opinion of the neighbourhood. That juftice might be duly adminiilred, the realm was divided into fix circuits, and to each of thefe three juftices were affigned, that they might make a yearly progrefs, and determine pleas of the crown and civil cauies. They were upon this occafion enjoined to enquire into alldifieifins^ fince the king's laft return to England ; to adminiller the oath of fealty to all noblemen, knights, freeholders, and hulbandmen ; to profecute to an outlawry all perfons who had fled out of the kingdom, unlefs they mould return within , an appointed term to (land trial in the kine's court * Bened. Ab. , rr ... - - . * Jioveden. to bamfh recufants, and to fupenntend the entire cianviiie. demolition of the caftles which had been difmantled. The Scot- To this council of Northampton the king of Scot- r 1 efufe?o PS ^^ wasfummoned, with feveral abbots of that king- own fubjcc- dom, to acknowledge their fubjeclion to the Englifh c'hurS II? church; but this they refufed to profefs, and aflerted England, their own independence. Roger archbiihop of York produced inftances of fuch fubjeclion to his fee, paid of old by the bifhops of Withorne and Glafgow, and bulls of divers popes, eftabliming and con- firming the primacy of York over all the fees of Scotland ; but he was warmly oppofed by the arch- bifnop of Canterbury, who infilled upon their being fubjed to his church, though he could advance no plaufible argument to ilrengthen his claim ; and Henry put an end to the difpute, by allowing the Scottifh prelates to return to their own country, without having acknowledged the primacy of either. Another quarrel was revived between the two me- tropolitans, in their conteil for precedency, which Richard claimed as the undoubted right of his church, HENRY It. 179 t-liurch, by an ancient and invariable cuftorn ; A>Ct n7 *' while Roger pretended to it from the priority of his confederation, according to a constitution of Gregory the Great. At a fynod held in the chapel of St. Catherine in Weftminfter, by Huguezun, the pope's legate, Roger, entering the place before his rival, took poflefiion of the feat on the cardi- nal's right hand j but Richard coming, refufed to fit on the left hand. The moft virulent altercation enfued, though the king was prefent j and the fuffragans of Canterbury proceeding to immediate action, Roger was pulled from his place, thrown clown, trampled under foot, and treated with other indignities. Huguezun was fcandalized at this violence and indecency, in confequence of which the fynod immediately broke up j and, fuppofing the outrage to have been pre-concerted by the arch* bifiiop of Canterbury and his dependants, furn- moned him to anfwer for it before the pope, to whom Roger alfo appealed. But Richard with a furh of money appeafed the legate.; and the king called another council at Winchefter to compromife the difference between the two prelates, who agreed to refer the difpute to the arbitration of the arch- bifliop of Rouen and fome other foreign prelates, and to wait five years for their decifion. Henry's ecclefiafacal troubles were no fooner pacified, than his domeftic difgufts revived. His deleft fon ftill retained his jealoufy and averfion to his father's government ; and this was fomented by the paralites, who had infinuated themfelves into his confidence. He could not refide with any pleafure in England , and therefore, on pretence of devotion, deiired to make a pilgrimage to James of Compoftella : the old king endeavoured to di- vert him from his purpofe ; but, finding him in- flexible, granted the permifliori he defircd, and he was already at Portfmouth waiting for a fair wind, N 2 when iSo HIS TORY OF ENGLAND. A. c. ii ? 6. w hen his brother Richard arrived from the conti- nent, to follicit fuccours for maintaining war with the barons of Guienne, who refufed to part with their caftles, according to Henry's orders. The king immediately fent for his eldeft fon to Win- chefter, where he perfuaded him to poftpone his pilgrimage, and affift his brother in the reduction of Guienne, towards which he fupplied Richard with a large fum of money. The two princes fet fail together ; but no fooner arrived at Barfleur, than Henry and his queen repaired to the court of France, leaving the burthen of the war upon Richard's moulders. This young prince levying a flroQg body of forces in Guienne, defeated the Brabantins in a pitched battle, between S. Megrin and Bouteville ; then advancing into the Limoufin, reduced the caftle of Aix, and the city of Limoges, and returned to Poitiers, to hold a council with his brother Henry about the further operations of the campaign. Richard's The two brothers undertook the fiege of Cha- Gufenne!"" teauneuf ; but Henry, after having flayed about a fortnight in the camp, returned to Poitiers, and took into his family and fervice a number of French and Norman knights, who had been the profefled enemies of his father. Thefe necefTarily iniligated him to renounce his duty and allegiance by another revolt ; and one Adam de Cherchedun, his chan- cellor, wrote an account of their conduct, to be forwarded to the king ; but his letters being in- tercepted, young Henry would have put him to death, had not he claimed the privilege of an ec- clefiaftic, which was afierted by the billiop of Poi- tiers. This, however, could not fcreen him from the raoft painful and ignominious punimment. He was ordered to be dripped ftark naked, with his hands tied behind him, and fcourged through the ftreets of Poitiers ; he underwent the fame 4 ihameful HENRY II. 181 fhameful difcipline in all the towns through which A - c - "7*. he pafTed in his way to Argenton, where he was kept in clofe prifon, until the king, hearing of his misfortune, fent four knights of his houfhold to bring him fafe into England. Mean while Richard profecuted the war with vigour; and, after having taken clivers fortrefies, inverted An- goulefme, which was defended by the count in perfon, and his fon, the vifcounts of Limoges, Ventadour, and Chabannois. The fiege was car- ried on with fuch vigour, that in fix days they were fain to capitulate, and furrender at difcretion ; and Richard fent them over to his father, who re- mitted them to his cuflody, until he himfelf fhould crofs the fea into Normandy. While Richard gathered laurels in the war of The king Guienne, the old king thought he could not em- 'favou^f ploy himfelf better than in taking precautions for ctcisfiafticj. the defence of his government againft the machi- nations of his eldeft fon, with which he was well acquainted. He took- into his own pofTeffiqn all the caftles belonging to his barons, and committed them to the care of his own warders. He gave his daughter Eleanor in marriage to Alphonfo king of Caltile ; and beftowed the other, whofe name was Jane, upon William king of Sicily, to whom cardinal Huguezun had made a very advantageous report of her beauty and merit. This legate came over into England to abfolve Henry of the vow he had taken to go on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land ; and he was ordered by the pope to exercife his legatine power in avifitation of the churches in England, and by infifting upon the execution^ of the ftipulations made at Henry's abfolution, after the murder of Becket. The king had confented that no clergyman mould be called to anfwer be- fore a lay judge, for any crime or tranfgreffion, pxcept thofe of the foreft laws, and in cafe of lay N 3 &es * HISTORY OF ENGLAND. e. ii? 6 - fees which owed fervice.tothe fovereign or lord pa- ramount. He had promifed that no prelacy fhould be kept vacant longer than one year-, and exempted the clergy from the hardship of deciding their right by duel ; a privilege which he had already granted to the laity by the inilitution of the grand affize. Hitherto the murderers of clergymen were only punifhed with excommunication , but now rh>: king enacted a h'.v, ordaining that the murderers of ec- clefiaftics fhouid be tried in hi:, court, before the judiciary of the realm, in" presence of the bimop of the diocefe or his official-, and, beiiu p : 'he ufual punifhment incurred by thcfe convicted of mur- dering laymen, forfeit, for themfelves and their heirs, all their real eftates and lands of inheritance. In return for thefe concefTions in behalf the- clergy, the pope gave up the prerenciecTexempticn, infilled upon by Becket when 'he refilled to plead in the king's court , and in a bull, dated at Fraicati, ex- prefly declared, that all caufes about eftates and pofFeffions belonged to the cognizance of the royal tribunal. Huguezun having fmiihed his vifitation in Eng- ^ anc ^> i et fad ^ or Normandy on the fame errand ; and in lefs than a month after his departure, car- dinal Vivian arrived at Dover, with the character of legate in Scotland, Ireland, and the neighbour- ing illands : he was lent over at the requeit of the Scotrifh bifbops, who, in order to avoid all fub- }ec~tion to the church of England, had put them- felves under the pope's protection. Henry, having received an intimation of the defign, fent the bifhops of Winchefter and Ely to ftop the legate at North- ampton, to demand how he prefumed to enter the kingdom without a licence , and hinder his pro- ceeding until he fhould promife, upon oath, to take no Hep to the prejudice of the Englifli church. Vivian, terrified at this peremptory mcffrge, .took 1 the H E N R Y II. 183 the oath accordingly; and being furniihed by 'A.C. n 7 6. Henry with a pals, and letters of recommendation to the bifhops and abbeys in his way, he continued his journey towards Scotland. He met the king of that country on his way to Henry's court, with Gilbert lord of Galloway, whom he had reduced, and now brought along with him, to do homage and fwear fealty to the, king of England. He at the fame time paid a thoufand marks of filver, either by way of prefent, or fine for the death of his brother, delivered his fon Duncan as an hoftage for his future behaviour, and was received into the protection of Henry, who re-eftablifhed him in the pofTeflion of all his territories. Bened. Abb. After this tran faction, the king made a progrefs A.C. 1177. through the North, and returning to Northampton, ^rofitj! held a great council to fettle the affairs of the ** rari'of kingdom before he mould depart to Normandy. W. de Cahaines, vaflal to the earl of Leicefter, who was ftill in difgrace, pretending to hold his barony of the king, whofe favour he hoped to ac- quire by this pretence, the earl was brought to an- fwer the allegations, and behaved with fuch modefiy and fubmifiion, that Henry reflored to him all the lands he had formerly porTefled : at the fame time, he indulged Hugh earl of-Chefter with his whole eftate, except the caflle ; and bellowed upon Wil- liam de Albiny the earldom of Arundel or Suflex. With the pope's confent, he converted the college of fecular clergy at Waltham crofs into an abbey of canons regular, and depofed the abbefs of Am- brefbury for her iacontinence. He fupplied Philip ch. Gerv 4 $, count of Flanders with five hundred marks to- wards the expences of his expedition to the Holy Land, and fent twice the fum for the fame fervice, by William de Mandeville earl of Eflex,,who, with other Englim noblemen and knights, em- barked in the fame enterprize. N 4 The 1 84 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. c. 1.177. Henry is tween the cS ieL Navarre, The next meafure of importance purfued by . - T - i i ^ r i Henry, was an inquifition into divided hers, their tenures m capite and fervices ; which was made by all the fherifFs and bailiffs of the kingdom, and tne re p ort delivered into the excheo/uer. He then iflued orders to all the earls, barons, and knights of the realm who held of him in capite, to meet him at London, with their horfes and arms, in order to be tranfported into Normandy, where they mould ferve a whole year at their own ex- pence. In all probability, he forefaw a rupture with France ; but, this not happening fo foon a* ened. Ab. he expected, the rendezvous was poilponed. In the interim Alphonfo, king of Caftile, and his uncle Sanchez king of Navarre, appealed to Hen- ry's arbitration in a difpute about fome territories which the uncle had ufurped during his nephew's minority. They agreed to refer the difference to the decifion of the Englifh monarch, and obliged jhemfelves to abide by his award : feveral bifhops and noblemen came over from both parties to maintain their pretenfions, with learned advocates to plead their caufe, and two famous champions for fingle combat, in cafe he mould adjudge the contefl to be decided in that manner. The king aflembled all his prelates, earls, and barons at London, to examine the merits of this extraor- dinary appeal ; and the facts being fairly ftated on both fides, he awarded to each party the territories which the other had ufurped , and the determina- tion being approved by both kings, he difmirTed Brcmpton. the ambaffadors with magnificent prefents. Appoints Since the fuppreffion of the great rebellion, jphn n iord Henry feems to have taken no ftep without the of Jre'iand. concurrence of the great council of the nation, which he aflembled almoft every month. In one of thefe aflemblies at Oxford, he exacted another path of allegiance from Refe ap Griffith and David HENRY II. 185 ap Owen, princes of South and North Wales, and A c - "77- the principal nobility of thofe countries, and be- llowed his natural fitter Emma in marriage upon David, with the territory of Ellefmere : at the lame time he created his youngeft fon John lord of Ireland, and diftributed among his noblemen the lands of the Irifli who had lately revolted in con- fequence of the depredations they fuffered from the Englifh. Meath was given to Hugh de Lacy, Bened. At>. the kingdom of Corke divided between Miles Cogan and Robert Fitzftephens, and Limerick was beftowed upon Philip de Braoufe : he retained, however, in his own hands, the cities of Dublin, Corke, Waterford, and Wexford, the governments of which he conferred upon Robert Poer, William Fitzaldhelm, and others in whofe fidelity he could confide ; and he ordered Hugh Kevelcock earl of Chefter to affift in fubduing the country, where he might have an opportunity to juftify, by his fer- vices, the generofity of the king who had pardoned him for his rebellion, and reftored him to his honours and eftates. By this time the mutual jealoufy and difguft Henr> fends fubfifting between the kings of England and France, 'J^SSi drew towards a rupture. Henry had fmarted fo demand the feverely by matching his eldeft fon in the family of StST Lewis, that he had no inclination to fulfil the con- tract of marriage between Richard and the French king's daughter Alice, which had been fettled at the pacification. He had a very good pretext for poftponing this alliance, becaufe Lewis had not fulfilled his part of the agreement, in ceding the Vexin to young Henry, and the city of Bourges to Richard. The old king refolved to avail him- Benea< Ab< felf of this handle ; and delaying the rendezvous of his troops by a proclamation, fent the archbifhop of Rouen, with the bilhops of Winchefler and Ely, his ambaflfadors to the court of France, to demand the iS6 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A - c - "77. the execution of the articles ; and that h.is daughter- in-law Margaret, who had gone thither without his knowlege and confent, fhould be reconduifted to Normandy, as her pregnancy was then far ad- vanced. To thele demands no fatisfadory anfwer was returned , and all the affairs of the kingdom being fettled in an afiembly at Winchefter, at which William king of Scotland affifted in obedience to a royal mandate, Henry repaired to Stoke, in the neighbourhood of Portfmouth, where his fleet lay ready for the embarkation of his forces. There he was detained by contrary winds, until a mefienger arrived with advice from Richard GifFard, whom he employed as an agent in France, that cardinal Peter, ele<5t of Meaux, and legate in that king- dom, had received orders to lay his dominions under an interdict, unlefs he would immediately confent to the confummation of the marriage be- tween Richard and Alice. He returned immedi- ately to Winchefter, where he confulted his prelates and friends upon this fubjed-, and the archbifliop of Canterbury, with his fuffragans, appealed to the- pope againft this intended fentence of the le- gate ; while a meffenger was difpatched to the arch- bifhop of York, defiring he would take the fame ftep in his province, without delay. Thus fecured againft the bad effects of the papal cenfure, he em- barked at Portfmouth, with his fon Geoffry, and landed next day in Normandy, from whence the young prince fct out immediately for Bretagne, to quell fome difturbances in that province -, while his father repaired to Rouen, where ^he was vifited by cardinal Peter. This prelate, having fignified the orders of his holinefs, propofed an interview be- tween Henry and the French king, who met ac- cordingly at Gue S. Renu, near Nonancourt, where the king of England offered, to complete the mar- riage between Richard and Alice, provided Lewis i would HENRY II. iS; would cede Bourges to that young prrncc, and put A - c - wi- his eldelt fon in pofieflion of the country lying be- tween Gifors and Pontoife, according to the llipu- lations of the laft treaty. The French king refu- ling to perform thefe articles, the difference could not be compromifed, though the legate found means to engage both kings in a new crufade , and in the mean time they promifed to lufpend all acts Jb;d , of animofity. R.deMonte, This temporary accommodation being effecieS, Henry's Henry returned to Vernueil, where, in a general Bmy/ 3 "* council, he enacted an ordinance, exempting the effects of vafials from being feized for the debts of their lords, tinlefs they engaged as fureties, and ordering their rents to be paid to the creditors, in lieu of that diftrefs : a law which in fome meafure afcertained the liberty of the commons ; and which was publifhed in the form of a charter through all his dominions, at home and abroad. He had Beaed. Ab; fent his elded fon to fupprefs an infurrection in Berry ; but, hearing he made flow progrefs in his operations, he himfelf marched thither at the head of a ftrong army, and reduced Chateaux-roux. Then he refcued a rich heirefs, the daughter of Ralph de Deols, who had been carried off by the lord of La Chaftre, and quelled an infurrectiori in the Limou- fin, Thence he repaired to Greiflac, in Auvergne, where, in the prefence of the French king, the at- fembled ftates of that province declared, that their country belonged of ancient right to the counts of Guienne, except the bifiiopric of Clermont, which was under the patronage of France. Lewis diflent- ing from this verdict, the dilpute was left to the ar- bitration of twelve referees ; and in the mean time, Henry took pofleflion of the caftle of Turenne, and received homage and allegiance from the barons and knights of La Marche, which he purchaied for fix thouland marks of filver, of count Audibert, who had engaged in an expedition to the Holy Land, i88 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A.C. 1177. L anc j. His next care was to provide for the fecu- rity of his Norman frontiers, towards which he procured letters of protection from the French king, according to the practice of thofe times, in which mutual afllftance of this kind was never re- ^Amt* fufed by princes who had taken the crofs together. . h * d , At his return to England he knighted his fon conqulfo in Geoffry, with great folemnity, at Wodeftock ; and Cu c n ii' 8 l ^ at P r * nce immediately went abroad to fignalize ' himfelf in tournaments, ambitious of emulating the renown of his elder brothers, who were celebrated for their flrength and dexterity at thofe exercifes. Young Henry was fo fond of fuch achievements, that they engroffed his whole attention for three years, during which he conforted with knights only, .and courted popularity, at a prodigious expence. .Richard was more honourably engaged in oppofing the ravages of the Banditti, compofed of Bafques, Navarrois, and other mountaineers inhabiting the Pyrenees, who infefted Guienne, and occafionally joined the barons when they revolted. Thefe he defeated in feveral encounters : he invaded Gaf- cony, where he reduced the count de Bigorre : Guy de Rancone, lord of Pons in Saintonge, and the count of Angoulefme, underwent the fame fate : the caftles of Genfac, Martellac, and feveral others, were fubdued , and he took by ftorm the ftrong fortrefs of Taillebourg, which was deemed im- pregnable. His brother Geoffry met with the fame fu'ccefs in Brittany, where Guiomar, vifcount of Leon, and his fons, had raifed an infurrection. Geoffry attacked them with fuch vigour, that after having feen all their caftles taken, they fled for fhelter into forefts, from whence they ravaged the neighbouring country ; till tired of fuch a vaga- Ben. Abbas, fcond'life, they fubmitted at difcretion. guhrtfoMrf Mean while the old king was employed at home ^Hce^ljd * n P un ^ n S venality and extortion, and redre (Ting ftreft laws. the HENRY II. the grievances of his people, by wife regulations, A.C. in the eilablilhment of which he exceeded all the princes of his time. Cadwallon, a Welfti prince, being aiTaffinated in his return from court, to which he had come under a fafe- conduct, Henry con- demned to the gibbet all that were concerned in this outrageous breach of the public faith. Tref- paffes on the foreft laws were punifhed with fines or imprifonment ; traitors were baniflied ; felony was attoned with the amputation of limbs ; and death was the lot of all convicted of murder, rape, and robbery. As the country incurred an infupport- able expence, from the progrefs of the itinerant judges, who, being barons of great quality, tra- velled with numerous retinues, the king, in a ge- neral council at Windfor, divided the kingdom into four diftricls, to each of thefe appointing five juf- ticiaries, comprehending two ecclefiaftics and three lay-barons, in order to adminifter juftice in their feveral departments. Deut.c Pope Alexander, having at lad compromifed all Pope A} his differences with the emperor Frederic, refolved JJjJjJj to hold a general fynod in the church of St. John fynodat de Lateran in Rome, to which he fummoned the Rooic> II?0 * the fame time, took the field ; but, neither party caring to hazard an engagement, a negotiation was begun, and a treaty concluded, on condition that the queen of France mould return to Paris, and receive feven Jivres a day for her fubfiftence during the life of her hufband, and after his death enjoy the lands affigned for her dower. At this conference the count of Flanders did homage to the king of England, on the renewal of a former con- vention, by which he received from Henry a pen- fion of a thoufand pounds, in confideration of his furnifhing five hundred knights to ferve the king forty days, whenever required. The count de Cler- mont likewife fwore fealty to the Englifh monarch ; the articles of the lafc peace between the two crowns were confirmed, and the kings renewed the mutual Kymer's protection of their realms. During Henry's refidence at Le Mans, he or- " f "JJJ K dered the officers of the Englifh mint to be profe- S q "nts, cuted and feverely fined for adulterating the coin, JjJ^J^ which was new cad, of a different form and true exercifeof ftandard : and Ralph de Glanville, chief judiciary arms - of the kingdom, publifhed fome of the ConfefTor's laws, ordaining that the tenants of the church mould be fued only in the ecclefiaftical court ; that churches and parfonage houfes mould be held as fanctuaries : though, in cafes of rapine, the of- fenders Ihould either make re dilution or abjure the country ; that wives, innocent of the crimes com- mitted by their hufbands, mould not forfeit their dower ; nor children be deprived of their inheritance. for 192 H I S T O R Y o F E N G L A N D. A - CiljSl - for any crime perpetrated by their father, before they were 'born or begotten. The king, at this period too, iffued a proclamation, commanding all freeholders and burgeiTes of his dominions on the continent, to provide themfelves with arms offen- five and defenfive *, in proportion to their fub- \ ftance -, an ordinance which afterwards took place in England, according to the regulation of the aflize of arms, which was executed under the in- fpection of the itinerant juftices. This law plainly demonftrated how much the king depended upon the affection and loyalty of his fubjects, and how much better they were qualified to defend their own property Jthan thofe venal mercenaries who are found neceffary to tyrants, and trample upon that liberty which they undertake to defend. Henry, having effected an accommodation between the French king and the count of Flanders, who had quarrelled about the influence of the queen mother, embarked at Cherbourg for England j and foon after his arrival convoked a great council at Nottingham, in which William king of Scotland, with his earls and barons, affifted. Geoffry the king's natural fon, who had been elected bilhop of Lincoln, tho' never confe- crated, refigned his fee into the hands of the arch- bifliop of Canterbury, and was created chancellor of the realm ; and Roger, archbifhop of York, dying * E very perton poffefled of a knight's bois or quilted coat; and no perfon fee, was obliged to have a coat of maih could fell, pawn, or lend his armour j an helmet, ftield, and lance ; and fuch nor could a lord take it from his vaf- a fuit for every fee he poffefled. Every fal, by forfeiture, gift, fecurity, or free layman, pofTefied of effects or rents under any pretence whatfoever : when to the value of fixteen marks, was the poffeflbr died, the armour de- bound to have the fame fott of ar- fcended to his heir ; and during ami- mour ; and thofc who had not above nority, the guardian took it in charge, ten marks were excufed for a flighter and provided a man for fervicr, until coat of mail, an iron fcuH-cap, and a his ward was able to fervc in perfon- lance. Burgefles were equipped with Benedict, p, 365. aa iron cap and lance, with a warn- im- HENRY II. i 93 immenfely rich, the king feized all his treafure, A c. n8i. as the effects of an int^flate ecclefiaftic, by vir- tue of a bull which Roger himfelf had procured from pope Alexander, importing that no clergyman could devife any part of his effects upon his death- bed. Mat. Paris. The peace concluded between the king of France, A - c - llS * and the court of Flanders, was of very fhort dura- tion. Stephen count of Sancerre, one of Philip's uncles, took poflefllon of fome laads which he re- tained by force, in contempt of the king's orders, and did homage to the count of Flanders for the caftle of St. Brue, that he might have a title to his protection. Accordingly, when the king expelled his uncle and refufcd to reftore the eftate, the count invaded the territories of the count de Clermont, and engaged a number of the French nobility in his faction : he likewife follicited the emperor of Ger- many to make an irruption into the territories of France. Young Henry railed an army to aflift his brother-in-law, and the old king refolved to make another voyage to the continent, in order to ttsnry* adjuft the difference. But before his departure, he J^" 1 " 3 made a will, in which he bequeathed twenty thou- fand marks for the defence of the Holy Land -, and the chriftians of Paleftine being diftrefied by the arms of Saladin, fultan of Egypt, he fent im- mediately five hundred marks of gold, and two and Henry's forty thoufand of filver for their relief. When he j^'JSi arrived in Normandy, his firft care was to procure of saxony, an interview between the king of France and the. fromWs^ count of Flanders, where, by his mediation, a dominions, treaty was concluded to their mutual fatisfaction : and the difference v/as fcarce compromifed, when the king of England was vifited by his ibn-in-law Henry duke of Saxony, who, with his wife, children, counts, and. barons, had been expelled from his dominions by the emperor Frederic Bar- baroffa, becaule he hud reftrfed to ftundto the jucig- NUMB. XV. .O meat 104 HIS TJO RY OF ENGLAND. A.C. uSi. ment o f t h e imperial court, in a quarrel with the archbimop of Cologne. He was a proud, impe- rious and rapacious nobleman, who had broke his faith on a great many different occafions, injured the emperor and empire, oppreiled his neighbours, and incurred the hatred of all his countrymen. His father-in-law interceded in his -behalf with Frederic, who allowed his vaifals to return, abridged the term of his exile, and indulged his dutcheis with the full enjoyment of her dower. The king of England difmiiled the duke's adherents with fump- tuous prefents, and, -for the maintainance of him- Rob. Je felf and his dutchefs, affigned an appointment of Monte. three hundred and fifty angevin livres a day. Henry was extremely benevolent to his children ; between the but notwithstanding all his generofity and affection, Sn Hni his ^ e met W ' t ^ notn ^ n g but returns of ingratitude from his fon Henry, who now retired with his wife to the court of France, and from thence fent an info- lent melTage to his father demanding the immediate ceffion or Normandy. This propofal being reject- ed, he pretended a defire of embarking in the cru- fade, hoping his father, out of his paternal ten- dernefs, would grant all he alked to divert him from this refolution : but being, difappointed in this fcheme, he agreed to take an hundred and ten livres a day for his fubfiftence ; and the king promifed to pay a year's appointments to an hundred knights of his houfhold. Thus fatisfied, he, and his bro- thers accompanied their father to Angers, where they fwore to maintain perpetual amity with one another; and Geoffry, having now obtained pof- fefilon of Brittany by his marriage with Conftance, did homage to his elder brother for that dutchy : but when the father propofed the like fubmiffion for Guienne, Richard at firll refuted to comply with his defire : he was at length, however, pre- vailed upon to offer homage to young IHknry, .l.-y whom it was rejected with dii'dain. High words cnfuedy f I E N R Y II. I 95 c'nfued j and this was the beginning of a quafrel, A C - IJ *3. in confequence of v/hich, Richard retired to his province and fortified his caftles. As he had ruled with great feverity^ and debauched the wives and daughters of his barons, they now engaged in a conipiracy agairift him, and offered their allegiance to Henry, who countenanced their revolt, and, in conjunction with his brother GeofTry, refulved to drive Richard out of Guicnne. With this view, Henry inverted it on one fide, and Geoffry on the other, while the barons appeared in open rebellion. In this emergency, Richard had recourfe to his fa- ther, who forthwith railed a numerous army, and marched to his affiftance. He entered the town of Limoges, though the cattle was in the hands of his eldeft fon, who, finding it would be imprac- ticable to cope with his father in the field, pretended to fubmit and reconcile the barons of Guienne with his brother Richard : under pretence of effecting this accommodation, he and Geoffry held private conferences with thofe revoltera, in which they con- certed meafures for the king's deftruftion. He was fp Jittle apprehenfive of their defign, that he had dif- miffed the greatefl part of his forces ; and while he (laid at Limoges in full fecurity, the foldiers in the caftle tutored for the purpofe, fent a flight of arrows againft him, one day while he took the air on horieback, fufpe&ing no danger. One of his knights was wounded by his fide, and hi$ own horfe mot through the head, with a (haft that would have pierced the king's body, had not the animal toffed up his head by accident. Alarmed at this Ch. cr; treachery, he now fufpecled his fons of a defign, againft his life, and took immediate meafures for his own prefervation. Young Henry, thus baffled in his perfidious fcheme, took the crofs, and infifted upon going to the Holy Land ; and the king confented to the expedition, affuring him that fo equipage Ihould Q 2 fur- *c/6 HISTORY OF ENGLAND; A.C. i:8 3 . farpafs in magnificence, that of any prince who had embarked in fuch an enterprize. But, before he could execute his refolution, he was taken ill of a fever at Martel, a caflle in Turenne, and appre- hending that his life was near a period, earneftly "defired to fpeak with his father. The king, fuf- pecling fome treachery, fent a biihop, who found him in extremity, and received his dying requeft, that his father would forgive all his offences and ingratitude ; pay the wages due to his knights and attendants, and deal mercifully with the barons of Guienne. In a few hours after this communication, he died a penitent; after having exhibited repeated proofs of an ungrateful and unnatural difpolition towards an indulgent parent, againft whofe life he had refolved to draw his fword in battle on the Monday after he fickened. The king's af- fection glowed even to a vicious extreme; for, when he was informed of his fon's death, he fainted away in three fucceffive fwoons, and poured forth fuch lamentations as the lofs of fuch an undutiful child could by no means juftify. He had more reafon to rejoice at his deceafe, by which a dangerous con- 'fpiracy was difiblved : the rebellious troops imme- diately difperfed, and were purfued by Richard :, the caftle of Limoges was taken ; the nobles of Guienne fubmitted, furrendering their fortrefTes, , which were razed to the ground ; and the peace of the province was re-eftablifhed before the arrival of the king of Arrngon, who had marched with an army to the king's affiftance. Young Henry died GUI. Neub, without ifTue, and his widow was in a few years Bencdift. married. to Bela king of Hungary. A. c. 1184. This lady was like to cccafion another rupture whTj^ijce with .France: for king Henry had fcarce returned z bout the to Normandy, when her brother Philip demanded Mlrglrct, her jointure, and Gifors, with all its dependencies, ti.0 .widow which had been given with her in marriage. Henry Henry? 8 Pledged, that the fettlemerrt was ifoid, as aligning ' lands H E N R Y II. i 97 lands which belonged to queen Eleanor, whom he A. c; 1184.. now releafed -, and he claimed Gifors as an appen- dage of Normandy. This difpute produced a long negotiation, which at length ended in an accom- modation at Gifors, where both kings agreed, tha: Margaret mould relinquifh her claim to the dower, in confideration of an annuity amounting to two thoufand feven hundred livres ; and that Gifors Ihould be given to either of Henry's fons, as the portion of Adelais or Alice, who had been defigned for Richard, and educated at Winchelter. After this accommodation, Henry returned to England, where he was vifited by William king of Scotland, who demanded in marriage Maud the daughter of the duke of Saxony -, and the propofal was accept- ed, though the marriage did not take place, becaufe the parties were related within the prohibited degrees of confanguinity, and the pope's difpenfation could not be obtained. Refe ap Griffith, who had flain Ralph Poer, in revenge for fome injuries he had received from that nobleman, and made feveral in- curfions upon the Englifli territories, appeared at the king's court in Worcefter -, excufed what he had done, as the effect of the moft provoking wrongs ; reftored the caftles he had taken in the king's abfence, renewed his oath of fealty, and promifed to fend his fon and nephews as hoftages for his good behaviour. At the death of young Henry, Richard, fucceed- The arch-] ing as heir apparent to the throne, was defired by cS^'ar- his father to refign Guienne to his youngeft brother rives in John, who had been brought to Normandy for this Enein ' purpofe ; but Richard, defiring time to cor.fuh his friends, withdrew privately into his province, from whence he wrote a letter to his father, refuf- ing to part with his pofieflion. When the king returned to England, Geoffry and John invaded Guienne, ravaging the country as they proceeded ; O 3 and i 9 r HISTORY OF ENGLAND, A. c. 118.5. a nd Richard, in revenge, made incurfions into Brittany : till at length their father commanded them to fufpend their hoftilities, and come over to England, when they were reconciled, and Richard fubmitted to his determination. About this period the archbifhop of Cologne arriving in this kingdom, on a pilgrimage to Becket's tomb, propofed a match between Richard and the emperor's daughter, which was actually fettled, though afterwards rendered ineffectual by the death of that princefs ; and Henry feized this opportunity of compromifing the diffe- rence between his fon-in-law the duke of Saxony and this prelate, who not only forgave him for the injuries he had received at his hands, but alfo un- tfgrtook to be his advocate with Frederic ; at the fame time he engaged in his behalf pope Lucius, whom he had occafion to oblige in a very fmgular manner. That pontiff, having been expelled from Rome by an infurrection from the people, made application to the different princes and churches in Europe for fuccour in his diilrefs ; and Henry had lupplicd him with a large fum of money : fq that he readily ufed his good offices, in favour of the Saxon, with the emperor, who next year re- called and reftored him to the poffeffion of great Baned. Ab. part of his territories. Baldwin, The next affair that engaged the king's attention \vtrc P efter, was the vacancy of the metropolitan fee, by the eieftedarch- death of archbiiliop Richard. Ralph de Glanville Canterbury, the chief judiciary, and feme bifhops, were fcnt to prepare the convent for an election j and the monks pitched upon the abbot of Battel, and four Other ecclefiaftics, who were rejected by the king at a council held at Reading. A difpute enfued, between the delegates of the convent and the fuffra- gan bifhops about the right of electing, and di- vers councils were convened before the matter could' be brought to a determination. At length the Vlhops HENRY II. 199 bifhops chofe Baldwin of Worcefter, who was con- A - c - IlS 4' firmed by the king-, bur, as the monks retired without giving thdr afTent, Henry went in perfon to Canterbury, and perfuaded them to acquiefce in the choice, after they had been indulged with the formality of another election. In confequence of this permifiion, the dekgates afiembiing in the chapter-houfe at Weftminfter, chofe Baldwin, fang Te Deum, led him to the altar, faluted him on the cheek, and prefented him to the king and his fons, who repeated the falutation of the kiis, which he had received at his firft election. Hitherto the foreft laws had been very much neglected, through tke indulgence of the king ; but the Jubjeft abuled hi.s lenity to fuch a degree, that in each department of the kingdom, he appointed two gentlemen of his houfnold, as verdurers, with full authority over all his forefters, and thofe belonging to his knights and barons. There was a new affize of the foreft eftablifhed, cautioning all perfons againft tranfgremng the foreft laws of Henry I. which he was determined thenceforward to put in execution ; though he allowed his earls, barons, and free te- nants, to cut wood for their own ufe, without chr Gerv , wafte, and under the eye of his forefters. Deuu coif. Henry, while at peace with his neighbours, was Affnof generally employed in meafures for the advantage llt of his fubjefls, or of his own family , and no prince was more ungratefully treated by both. His young- eft fon John, having now attained the age of man- hood, was knighted by him at Windlbr, in order to be fent into Ireland, that he might make an en- tire conqueft, and enjoy the crown of that king- dom, The Iriih affairs had b^en hitherto l^ft chiefly to the management of private adventurers, who, being difunited among themfelves, had not made fuch progrefs as he expected from their va- lour : they feemed to aim rather at independent O 4 fettle* 200 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. c.i 184. fetdements, than at a national advantage. There was a fort of jealoufy between the king's officers and the private proprietors of the conquered lands, which much retarded the conqueft of the country ; for their mutual jars and indifference towards one another, occafioned a relaxation of difcipline, and a want of that punctual exertion of authority, which was neceflary to reprefs the inconftant difpo- fklon of the Irifh. William Fitz-a!dhelm, ap- pointed lord juftice, had employed hicifelf in no- thing but fchemes for curtailing the pofieffions of private adventurers, for his own advantage : Miles Cogan, governor of Dublin, had made a fhort ex- pedition into Connaught, but was obliged to retreat vriih precipitation, after having loft feveral men in an ambufcade near the Shannon. Philip de Braoufe remained inactive in Limerick: Robert Fitzftephens and Miles Cogan planted feven cantreds near the city of Corke , and left the other twenty-four in pofleffion of Dermoi Maccarty, prince of Defmond : but a quarrel happening on account of the death of Miles, and Ralph the fbn of Robert, who were treacheroufly murdered by Mactyre, Dermot af- lembled an army, and invefted Corke, which was bravely defended by Robert, until his nephew Rai- mund arrived with fome troops from Wales, and railed the fiege. This reinforcement, and another, under the command of Philip Barry, and Richard, brother to Miles Cogan, enabled Robert to defeat the Trim in feveral encounters, until that part of the country was reduced to obedience. Hugh de Lacey fettled colonies throughout the whole country of Meatji, and built a number of caftles for their pro- tection : he reftored thole who had been violently ejected from their pofleffions, and governed with fuch equity and relblution, that the people became happy under his adminiftration ; and, laying afide their 'barbarous cuftoms, began to live together in =, towns HENRY H. 201 towns and villages. He fucceeded Fhz-aldhelm, A * c - " 8 4- who was recalled, as fole guardian of the kingdom, and fettled Leinfter, as he had before cultivated JMeath; encouraging the arts of peace, and conci- liating the affection of the Jrifh by his generofity, affability, and equitable government. At length he became extremely popular, .and marrying the daughter of Roderic O Conor, king of Connaught, king Henry was fo alarmed at the alliance, that he fent over John, conftable of Chefter, and Richard de Pec, to anume the adminiftration, and keep a watchful eye over Hugh's conduct : but perceiv- ing he had nothing in view but the public good, they returned to England, and made fuch a favour- able report of his integrity, that he was re-efta- blifhed in the government, and Robert de Shrewf- bury joined with him in the commiffion. During thefe tranlactions, no attempt was made to extend the EnglSih conqueft, but by John de Courcy, a nobleman of gigantic flature, great ftrength, and the moft enterprifing courage, to whom Henry had granted a patent for ail the lands he mould conquer in the unfubdued parts of Ireland,, joining him at the fame time with Fitzaldhelm in the government. John, leaving the civil power with his colleague, began his march into the province of Ulfter, with two and twenty knights and followers, and three hundred private foldiers. On the fourth day of his march he arrived at Downe, in which refided king Dunleve, who fied at his approach ; fo that he took the town without refiftance. The legate Vivian, who at that time held a council in the town, endeavoured to mediate a peace between John and Dunleve, which laft promifed to pay a tribute, if the other would leave the country ; but his pro- pofal being rejected, he refolved to hazard a battle, and, aflembling a body of ten thoufand men, ad- yanced to Downe, where De Courcv lay encamped The 202 H I S T O R Y o F E N G L A N D. A. 0.1184. The engagement was bloody and fevere, and the victory continued long doubtful : but at length the half naked Irifh, yielding to the arms and fu- perior difcipline of the Englifh, were utterly de- feated. Neverthelefs they afterwards returned with a ftronger army, and were routed in another battle ; after which the vi&or creeled two caftles, for the fecurity of his conqueft, at Ferney, in the county of Monsghan. Thefe he committed to the care of Macmahon, the chieftain of a lept who had fub mitted and fworn fidelity ; and Courcy's back was no fooner turned, than he levelled them with the ground. John, incenfed at this inftance of per- fidy, ravaged his territories, and drove away his cattle to an incredible number, in three divifions, taking up as many miles in length. In paffing through deep roads, furrounded with bogs and woods, the Irifh, who had concealed themfelves in ambufh, rufhed fuddenly from the bumes, with luch hideous (hours as affrighted the cattle, which turned upon their drivers, and occafioned univerfal diforder among the Englifh, who were difperfed and moftly cut in pieces. John de Courcy him- felf was obliged, with a few followers, to fight his way with incredible valour for* two days together, until he reached a fort, which ferved as a rendez- vous for his fcattered party. This was immedi- ately inverted by the enemy, who elated with their fuccefs, encamped in a carelefs manner, without watches, guards, or patroles ; and John, apprized of their ram fecurity, fallied upon them in the night, when they were half afleep ; fo that making no refinance, fuch a carnage enfued, that not above two hundred of their whole number efcaped. They ventured two other battles, and were de- feated in both, firft at Dundalk, and afterwards near the bridge of Ivory : then John married the daughter of Gothred, king of Man and the ifles ; 6 and HENRY H. 203 and this alliance depriving the enemy of all hope A - c -"84-. of fuccour from that quarter, he, in a little time, H-bem. EX, completed the conqueit of Ulfter. p"e n - King Henry hoping the prefence of his fon John J^?f?J ohn would unite the Englifh intereft, and haften the Ireland, and reduction of the country, fupplied him with four J^J^^ hundred knights, twice the number of horfemen, and a (Irong body of archers, with whom he began his march to Miifordrhaven, and there embarking arrived next day at Waterford. Immediately- after his landing, he was vifhed by the moft conilder- able of the Irifh nobility refiding in thofe parts, who had lived peaceably under the Engliih go- vernment; but, inftead of being gracioufly received, they met with the moft indecent infults and deri- fion from his giddy favourites, \vho laughed at their habit and addrefs, Ihook them by their long beards, and committed other fuch outrages, that the natives, who were remarkably proud and im- patient, retired in the utmoft indignation to their own homes, from whence they removed their fa- milies and cattle into the territories of Limerick, Corke, and Connaught. The report they made of the infolence with which they had been treated, by the ftrippling prince and his Norman compani- ons, had fuch an effect: upon the princes of thefe dominions, that although they had reiblved to fubmit, they now renounced all thoughts of fub- jeclion to the Englifh govern merit. Inftead of going to offer their ler vices and iubmiflion to John, the petty princes hitherto at variance engaged in a league for their common defence, and the refugees ferved them as fpies and guides to the Engliih quarters, into which they made repeated incurfions. At the arrival of the firft adventurers, the Irifh had no cfefenfive armour, and uied no other weap- ons than fhort lances, (lender darts and hatchets, rnapaged with one hand : fo that they could not Hand 204 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. c. us 4 . ftand the (hock of heavy-armed troops, under- ftood nothing of horfe fervice, and dreaded the ar- rows, which wounded their naked bodies at a di- A,c. n8 5 , ftance. But, by this time, they had profited by their experience ; they had procured fome defen- five armour and long fpears, and cautioufly avoid- ing a pitched battle, formed ambufhes in woods and moraffes, from whence they fallied out upon de- tached parties, encumbered by that very equipage which rendered them fo formidable in the open plain. The firfl adventurers were hardy Welm- men, bred up in woods, bogs, and mountains, and inured to danger and fatigue ; but as thefe were flighted by the young prince, all the military expe- ditions were undertaken by the Normans, who though addicted to luxury and averfe to labour, were inftigated to action by avarice, and in a little time greatly diminifhed by thofe flight fkirmifhes, in which the enemy always obtained the advantage. Prince John was void of experience, reflection, and oeconomy; he fquandered away the money intended for the fubfiftence of the foldiers ; faw their number greatly reduced ; and the enemy, em- boldened by fuccefs, hampered his- troops in fuch a manner, that they found great difficulty in pro- curing forage and provifion. The king, being Hoveden. informed of thefe circumftances, recalled John and his youthful counfellors, and left the management of affairs to John de Courcy, who, keeping his troops in continual action, attacked the enemy in all quarters, and fcouring the countries of Corke, Limerick, and Connaught, in a little time com- pelled them to be quiet. Thep2tri- " Immediately before John fet out on his Irifh ex-. arch of je- pedition, Heraclius, patriarch of Jerufalem, and Irrivrin the great mailer of the Knights-hofpitallers, arrived En s la " d > in England, with letters from pope Lucius, folli- aud otters . . . r r . \- r c \ the crown cjting Henry to go in perlon to the relief of the to Henry. Holy HENRY IT. 205 Holy Land, which was almoft intirely reduced by A - c .u85. Saladine. Baldwin IV. who fat upon the throne of Jerufalem, was difabled from acting by an in- veterate leprofy ; his fon was a minor, and a com- petition between Guy de Lufignan, and Raimund, count of Tripoli, for the management of affairs, had well nigh excited a civil war among the chri- ftians. Nothing could prevent the impending ruin of the kingdom of Jerufalem, but the arrival of fome powerful European prince ; and in this emer- gency, Baldwin turned his eyes upon Henry, to whom he was nearly related. He had begun a progrefs to the North, when the ambafladors ar- rived ; but no fooner heard of their landing, than he returned to Reading, where he gave them audi- ence, receiving from the patriarch the keys of the holy fepulchre, and the royal banner of Jerufalem, which he re -delivered to Heraclius, to be kept until he mould have confulted the prelates and nobility of his kingdom. He accordingly convoked a great council at Clerkenwell, in which the king of Scot- land and his barons affifted, and fubmitted the patriarch's propofal to their confideration : when, after having duly deliberated on the fubjecl:, they were unanimous in their opinion, that the king, in accepting the crown of Jerufalem, and engaging in an expedition to Paleftine, would hazard the fafety of his own kingdom. The ambaffadors thus difappointed of the father, defired that he would at leafl fend one of his fons to their relief 5 and John, throwing himfelf at the king's feet, ear- neftly begged he might be employed in that fervice. But Henry's affection for his children witheld his conlenf, and indeed he had already projected that prince's armament for the conqueft of Ireland. He therefore offered a large fum of money for prefent fuccour to the chriflian crufades, but deferred tak- ing any other refolution, with regard to that affair, until A.C. 1185. until she mould have confulted with the king of France ; for which purpofe, Henry fet out with the patriarch for Normandy ; and the two kings conferring upon the fubjecl at Vaudreuil, agreed to fend large fupplics of men and money, but nei- ther would go in perfon. Queen Eiea- ft would have been a very rafli undertaking in iibmj." Henry, and altogether inconfiilent with his ufual prudence, to embark perfonally in fuel} an expedi- tion, while his family was divided by difTentions, which, in his abfence, would have made his domi- nions fcen.es of blood and defolation. Richard had, in tlfe beginning of the year, left England and re- turned to Guienne, where, forgetting the oath he had lately taken, he fortified his caftles and invaded his brother's territories of Bretagne ; fo that Henry was now obliged to levy an army to reduce him to obedience : though, in order to prevent the effufion of blood,, he had recourfe to an expedient which anfwered his expectation. \Ve have already ob- ferved, that queen Eleanor had been fet at liberty ; and the king kept a court at Windibr, for her and her daughter the dutchefs of Saxony. She was now brought over into Normandy, and Richard ordered to furrender the whole county of Guienne as her inheritance, otherwife he mould be compelled Richard to ^ k er j u fti ce by force of arms. The prince, furrendcrs though rough, violent, and headftrong, loved his Guienne. mo t ner with the molt warm affection , and the fub- jeds of Guienne, reflecting her as the heirefs of their ancient princes, he ceded the whole country, with all the foi treffes, to her officers ; and, fub- mitting to his father, took up his refidence at the Englifh court, where he conducted himfelf with fuch feeming duty and moderation, that Henry re- folved to truft him again with the management of that province. Raimund count of Thouloufe had imprifoned feveral merchants of Guienne, and Richard HENRY II. 207 Richard was fent ro take fatisfaflion for the injury : A. c. use. he forthwith railed an army, and wafted the terri- tories of the count, who, in vain follicited the king of France for afilftance. Philip's hands were tied up by a treaty, which he had lately concluded with the king of England. The annuity of his fifter Margaret was confirmed, together with the contract of marriage between Richard and Adelais ; and Philip renounced all claim to Giibrs and its depen- Moved, dencies. Benedict. Henry, having thus fecured the peace of his wiiiiam foreign dominions, returned to England, where, in siofhnd a council held at Oxford, he propofed to William "f"^'" king of Scotland, that, as he could not marry TeSLJ Maud daughter of the Saxon, on account of con- [jJJjj'JJ'jj fanguinity, he would efpoufe Ermengarde, grand- terof Henry daughter of Rofcelin, vifcount of Beaumont le Ro- L ger, and Conftance, the natural daughter of Hen- ry I. king of England. The propofal was em- braced by William, who, while ambafladors were lent for the lady, returned to his own country, in orcfcr to reduce Roland, the fon of Uchtred, who, at the death of his uncle Gilbert, had leized the iucceiTion of Galloway, to the prejudice of Gilbert's fon Duncan, who redded at the Englifh court as an hoftage, under the protection of king Henry, This monarch no fboner received intimation of his having ufurped his coufm's dominions, and flaugh- tered all the barons who prefumed to oppofe his in- vafion, than he advanced at the head of a numerous army to Carlifle, where he was vifited by Roland in peifon, who fubmhted and fwore fealty, on con- dition of being allowed to poilefs his paternal ellate, and promifed to (land to the award of the king's court, with regard to his claim to the dominions of Gilbert. "The Scottifti king, and his brother David, with the principal nobility of that kingdom, obliged theinfelves by oath to make war on RolancJ, Ihould 2oS HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. c. n86. /hould he renounce the fealty he had fworn -, and the bifhop of Glafgow engaged to fubject him to the fentence of excommunication. William's marriage was afterwards folemnized at Wodeftoke ; upon which occafion, Henry gave a rent of an hundred marks, with forty knights fees, as a por- tion to Ermengarde, and, at the fame time, deli- vered up the caftle of Edinburgh, which he had hitherto kept in his own hands fince the treaty of Ch.MaHr. York Death of Before the celebration of this marriage, the king cioffry. of England was deprived of his fon GeofFry ; a prince of equal pride, diffimulation, and perfidy, who had been deeply engaged in all the unnatural fchemes of rebellion which had broke out in the courfe of his father's reign. He had lately de- manded the county of Anjou, and met with a de- nial, becaufe Richard would not confent to the alienation of that province. Exafperated at the re- fufal, he retired to the court of France, and agreed to hold Brittany in vaflalage of Philip, and make off all fubjection to his father, provided the French monarch would affift him with an army to invade Normandy. But the execution of his perfidious defign was anticipated by death : he was unhorfed in a tournament, and bruifed in fuch a manner that he fell ill of a fever, and died in a few days, very little regretted by his father's good fubjecls, among whom he was generally diflinguifhed by the appel- lation of " the child of perdition," on account of Duct. Coir. his undutiful difpofition. He left a daughter, Wat. Pans, named Eleanor, the wardlhip of whom was imme- diately claimed by Philip, as lord paramount of Brittany, who was incenfed at this juncture againft Henry, in confequence of a fray that happened be- tween Henry de Veir, governor of Gifors, and Ralph de Vaus, a French knight, who loft his life in the encounter. The French king therefore threatened HENRY It. 209 threatened to invade the province, in cafe his de- A ' c -s*t mand mould be rejected ; and the Englifh king fent ambafladors to terminate the affair in an amicable manner : fo that both parties agreed to a truce, whih was afterwards prolonged. At the fame time a difturbance was railed in Brittany, by Guiomar de Leon and his brother ; but the dutchefs Con- ftance being delivered of a poflhumous fon, who was called Arthur, the Bretons were fo pleafed with this event, that the rebellion immediately fub- fjded. A conference being opened at Gue St. Remi, be- Rupture tween the kings of France and England, in which Jj* ** cardinal Oclavian and Hugh Nonant, the pope's Fiance, legates, acted as mediators for the eftablifhment of a iblid peace, Philip's demands were fo unreafona- ble, that the negociation broke off, and both princes prepared for hoitilities. Henry levying a numerous army, divided it into four bodies, commanded by the princes Richard and John, the earl of Albe- marle, and his natural fon Geoffry ; and thefe divi- fions were detached to defend the different quarters of his dominions. The French king had recourfe to the arts of perfidy, and tampered with Urfe de Fretteval and the count de Nevers, who revolted openly, after this laft, who was under particular obligations to Henry, had furrendered Yflbdun to Philip. Thus encouraged, that monarch invaded Berry, and laid fiege to Chateauroux, and the princes Richard and John marched immediately to the relief of the place. The two armies were in A.C. n-3| fight of each other, and actually ranged in order of battle, when the legates denounced anathemas againft him who fhould firft begin the engagement ; and by their mediation, fupported by the prelates and nobility of both kingdoms, a truce for two years was concluded. chr. N. 15. P Imme- 210 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A.C. 1187. Immediately after this agreement, Richard ac- b a b u!h P es de ~ companied the king of France to Paris, where he Richard was carefled in fuch an extraordinary manner, and Siqgiimce. f ucn an intimacy enfued between him and Philip, that Henry took the alarm, and fufpefted fome- thing was hatching to his prejudice. In thefe fen- timents, he fent feveral fucceffive mcflengers to re- call Richard, whom he promifed to gratify with every thing he could demand in realbn ; but, inftead of complying with the king's requeft, he went and feized his treafure at Chinon, and thence repairing to Guienne, fortified his caftles, and let his father at defiance, unlefs he would forthwith confent to his coronation. Henry had fullered too much by the experiment of that fort, which he tried in favour of his eldeft fon, to repeat it in behalf of the proud imperious Richard, who feemed fo ftrongly con- nected with his inveterate foe : he therefore rejected the propofal, and made fuch remonflrances to his fon upon the evil confeqnences of his attachment to Philip, and his own undutiful behaviour, that he feemed fenfible of his errors, fubmitted and did homage to his father, and promifed upon oath that he would never deviate from his allegiance ; yet, in a very little time after this reconciliation, he re- ceived the crofs from the archbifhop of Tours with- Duet. Col. out the king's confent or knowledge. A.C. us?. Henry pafled the Chriftmas at Caen, and had The kings already proceeded as far as Barfleur in his way to ald^nghnd England, when he was given to understand, that f take the the king of France threatened to lay wafte his do- minions with fire and fword, if he would not im- mediately reftore Gifors, or complete the marriage of Richard with Adelais. In confequence of this information, he propofed another conference, which was held as ufual between Gifors and Trie, under a vaft elm that fhaded feveral acres of ground. At this interview between the two kings, attended by i Richard, HENRY It. Richard, ths prelares and nobility of both nations^ the arcbbifhop of 'Tyre pronounced fuch a melan- choly account of Saladine's iuccefs in the Holy Land, and the miferies of the chrifbians in that country, that the whole audience was aftecled with the relation ; and the two kings, laying afide their animofity, agreed to convert their whole attention to the relief of thofe adventurers. They received the crofs from the hands of the archbifhop, refolv- ing to go thither in perfon ; . and their example was followed by Philip count of Flanders, and a great number of the prelates and nobility then prefent. A plenary indulgence was publifhed in the pope's name, for all that would make a fair confemon of their fins, and engage in the cruiade. The dif- ferent nations afiurned croffes of different colour : rules were efcablifhed for preventing riot, luxury, and diforder ; the two monarchs refolved to levy great armies for the occafion ; and, in order to defray the expence of the expedition, impofed a tax of a tenth upon all rents and chatties belong- ing to the clergy as well as the laity, an impofi- tion known by the name of the Saladine Tythe* which Henry gave immediate orders for levying throughout his dominions on the continent. With a view to raife the fame tax in Englandj Tax called and make the necefTary preparations for his cru- fade, he took {hipping at Dieppe - } and landing at Winchelfea, fummoned a general council at Ge- dington, where it was refolved to levy a tenth of all rents and moveables belonging to Jews as well as Chriftians -, though every perfon, whether ecclefiaftic or laic, that engaged in the crufade, was exempted from the tax, and even permitted to mortgage his eftate. Hugh bifhop of Durham, and fome other noblemen, were lent to defire Wil- liam king of Scotland would fubject his kingdom to the fame impoiition, and he feemed very well P 2 inclined 212 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. c. n88. inclined to the expedient j but his prelates, earls, barons, and free tenants, being convened to deli- berate on the fubject, abfolutely refufed to faddle themfelves and their country with fuch an incum- brance, notwithftanding all the remonftrances of their king, and the perfuafions of the Englifh ambafladors. 'PMiip in- While Henry was thus employed in taking ades Berry. mea f ure s for the relief of Palcftine, his good bro- ther Philip king of France, who had fworn to fufpend all hoftilities with the king of England, and to protect his territories until the crufade fhould be finiflied, difregarding this folemn obli- gation, began to tamper with the barons of Berry, a good number of whom he debauched from their allegiance : Richard, who feems to have acted in concert with him, pretended to quarrel with the count de Thouloufe, and made an incurfion into his country, in order to afford a pretence to Philip, who, being follicited to affift the count, invaded Berry, and was received without oppofition into the moft important towns and fortreflfes of that dutchy. He made himfelf matter of the greateft part of Auvergne in the fame manner ; and then, entering Touraine, extended his conquefts with Dat. Col. furprifing rapidity. Henry, alarmed at this breach of ftipulations, fent Baldwin archbifhop of Can- terbury, with the bifhops of Lincoln and Chefter, as ambafladors to the court of France, to complain of thofe hoftilities, and demand reftitution of the places he had taken. Fmitiefs Philip added infult to injuftice, and refufed an "'' audience to thofe prelates ; fo that Henry was ob- liged to arm in his own defence. Having aflem- bled a ftrong body of Englifh, reinforced with feveral thoufands of Welfh infantry, he tranfported them without delay into Normandy, where they were joined by the troops of that dutchy : but, before HENRY IT. 113 before he would commence hoflilities, he dif- A - c - IlM - patched the archbifhop of Rouen to Paris, with another demand of reftitution, or, in cafe of a refufal, to renounce all fealty to Philip, in Henry's name, and to declare that the king of England would for the future look upon him as his mortal enemy. To this mefiage Philip anfwered, that he Bened. AI*. was determined to profecute the war, until he fhould have reduced Berry and the Vexin Nor- mand ; and Henry, feeing no profpect of a peace, began his march towards the French territories. Having burned S. Clair fur Epte and fome other towns, he advanced to Mante, where he underftood the French army was encamped , but, Philip a- voiding a battle, he marched to Ivry, from whence he fent out detachments to ravage the French frontiers -, and Danville, with Dreux and feveral other places, were reduced to afhes. The French king, finding himfelf unable to cope with fuch an adverfary, was fain to fue for peace, and offered of his own accord to reftore all the places he had taken in Berry. A conference was immediately opened, and continued three days, during which Philip, in all probability, took umbrage at the nature of the debates ; for the negociation did not fucceed ; and the king of France wreaked his re- lentment on the fpreading elm, which, being within his territories, he ordered to be cut down, becaufe Henry delighted in fitting under its made. The counts of Flanders and Blois, with feveral noble- men of France, difgufted at the pride, obftinacy, and unreafonable demands of Philip, laid down their arms, declaring they would never ufe them againft Chriftians, until they mould have returned from Jerufakm ; and the French monarch, thus weakened, defired another conference, in order to make a parade of his pacific difpofition. This too proved ineffectual, from his infolent demand of P 3 the HISTORY OF ENGLAND. the caftle of Pacey, as a fecnrity for Henry's per-r forming the other articles to which they agreed ; 3, propofal which very ill became a prince who had fo often broke the faith of treaties ; whereas the king of, England had always performed his con- trades with the utmoft punctuality. Though the conference did not produce an im- mediate accommodation, the parties {till negociated by deputies, with fucfi a profpect of fuccefs, that Henry fent back his Welm troops, and difbanded the mercenaries -, and another interview was ap- pointed at Bon-Moulins, for putting the finifhing itroke to the treaty. At this meeting Henry pro- pofecl, that inftead of protracting a troublefome difpute, they mould reftore what had been feized on both fides fince they took the crofs, and con- clude at once a folid and equitable peace. This propofition was warmly oppofed by Richard, who refufed to part with his conqueits ; and Philip, though he offered to give up the places he had taken, infilled upon his filter's being immediately married to Richard j and required that all the fub- jects of England, Normandy, and Henry's other dominions, fhould take the oath of allegiance to $hat young prince. The king of England replied, that the marriage mould be immediately confum- mated, provided Philip would cede Bourges, and perform all the articles of the contract ; but the other derr\and he abfolutely rejected, as an infult upon his authority. Richard, hearing this refufal, was tranfported with fury and indignation -, and throwing himfelf at Philip's feet, did inflant ho- mage for Normandy, and all the other provinces holding of France, of which he now received the inveftiture. While Henry fat motionlefs and con- founded at this extraordinary fcene, Philip and his new vafTal retired, to the amazement of the fpec- tators, who plainly perceived, that this was q. preconcerted HENRY II. 215 preconcerted fcheme between the French king and A -c.nss. Richard. His father foon recollected himfelf from his He n \ra a confufion ; and, in order to prevent the defigns of "JjJJ^" a " his enemies, marched immediately into Guienne, father. s ' after having difpatched his chancellor Geoffry to fecure the caftles of Anjou againft the attempts of the confederates. Cardinal Albano, fent by pope Clement III. as his legate, to confolidate a peace between the two crowns, excommunicated Richard, as the chief obftacle to the treaty : and this prelate dying, the pope, uneafy at the delay of the expe- dition to Paleftine, invefted the cardinal of Anagni with the legatine power, as well as with inftruc- tions to effect a reconciliation between the two monarchs. This new prelate arriving in France, prevailed upon both parties to refer their difputes to the arbitration of him and the archbHhops of Rheims, Bourges, Rouen, and Canterbury ; and this laft was, in the mean time, fent to reclaim Richard with gentle remonftrances. But all his endeavours proved ineffectual : he had been in- fected with jealoufies by his patron of France, and believed, or pretended to believe, his father de- figned to difmherit him in favour of his younger brother. PofTefled of this idle conceit, which had no foundation, and confident of his own merit, he rejected all overtures towards a reconciliation, and employed all his intereft in raifing up enemies againft his father. He debauched from their alle- giance many noblemen of Normandy, Anjou, and Guienne, who took this opportunity of worihip- ping the rifing fun. The turbulent barons of Brittany, who had been concerned in every rebel- lion againft Henry, now declared for Richard, who derived great advantage from a dangerous diftemper that feized the king, already broken with infirmities and vexation. A great number of ba- P 4 rons, 2 i6 HISTiQRYoFENGLAND. A. c. ji83. ronSi w ho had hitherto obferved an exact neutra- lity, underftanding that Henry's life was in immi- nent danger, made hade to ingratiate themielves with the heir, whofe party became more and more Bened.Abb. formidable by a daily acceffion of partifans, and a GUI'. N e eu V b. we N concerted plan of operation, projected and Mat. Paris, fupported by the king of France. He draws At the expiration of the truce which had been wH>n*the agreed upon in the beginning of the laft confer- pope'sk! ence, this confpiracy manifefted itfelf in action, and Richard made fome incurfions into his father's territories ; but thefe were interrupted by a renewal of the truce, at the inftance of the mediators ; and Henry derived great hopes of a lafting peace, from the abilities and good will of the legate. By his interpofition another conference was held at La Ferte Bernard, where Philip not only repeated his former demands, but added another condition ; namely, that prince John mould accompany his brother to the Holy Land, an expedition from which the father was excufed on account of his 2ge and infirmities. His pretence for making this propofal was, that John might not take the advan - tage of Richard's abfence to mount the throne at his father's deceafe : but Philip's real motive for making this unreafonable demand, feems to have been a defire of obstructing the peace, and widen- ing the breach between Henry and his heir, whofe jealoufy was confirmed by his father's rejecting the proportion. The king of England obferved, that; Richard had taken the crofs without his know- ledge ; and that if his fon had been guilty of an indifcreet action, it was no reafon that he Ihould commie a greater, in expofing his dominions to the ambition of a foreign invader, in cafe he himfelf fhould die during the abfence of both his children. The legate, who could not help afleming to the juftice of his plea, exerted ajl his eloquence to- wards H E N R Y ft 217 wards a pacification : but finding the French king A>c - Ij8$ - inflexible, he threatened to lay an interdict upon his dominions. Philip heard him with filent fcorn; but the furious Richard unfheathing his fword, would have facrificed the cardinal on the fpot, had not the other members of the affembly interpofed, and prevented him from executing his frantic pur- pofe. Henry, dubious of the event of this con- ference, had fent Ralph de Glanville to England, to fetch over all his knights in whofe loyalty he could confide amidft the defection of his Norman fubjects, who dropped away daily at the profpect of his diftrefs : but his enemies did not allow him time to avail himfelf of this reinforcement. Immediately after the conference, Philip and King Henry Richard retired to Nogent de Rotrou, where their furpr?f?at army was cantoned. There affembling their troops, they advanced with great expedition, and reduced La Ferte Bernard, Monfort, Maieftable, Beau- mont, and Balon. Then taking the route to Tours, wheeled about unexpectedly, and marched directly to Mans, where Henry was quartered with feven hundred knights, and a fmall body of forces. Their fudden appearance threw his followers into fuch confufion, that Stephen de Tours, fenefchal of Anjou, fetting the fuburbs on fire, the flames were allowed to fpread over the walls, and occa- fion a conflagration in the city. Geoffry de Bru- ilon endeavouring to (top the progrefs of the enemy by breaking down a Hone bridge over the Sarte, was attacked, wounded, and taken prifoner j and his men flying in diforder, were purfued by the French to the city, which they entered along with them pell-mell. Henry, feeing it impracti- cable to rectify the diforder occafioned by the fir-e and the enemy, retired with his troops towards Frenelles, leaving thirty knights and twice that number of foldiers in the tower of Le Mans, which, 2 1 8 HIS 1*O R Y OF ENGLAND. A.L'.nSS. which, after having been battered three days, was obliged to furrender. The king difpatched Wil- liam Fitz-Ralf, fenefchal of Normandy, with Wil- liam Mandeville earl of Eflex, and Aumale, to defend that province -, and ordered his chancellor Geoffry to march with the bulk of his army to Alencon, while he himfelf repaired with a fmall train to Angers, and was in a little time joined by a reinforcement of knights at Savigny. Philip and Richard mean while met with no oppofition. A number of towns and caflles fubmitted at the firft fummons , till at length, fording the river Loire, they invefted the city of Tours, which they took by fcalade, while the inhabitants locked themfelves up in their houfes, not dreaming of Atatr ' Conferences had flill been carried on at Azay concluded at ^y ^ legate, prelates, and nobility of both king- doms , and the count of Flanders, with the duke of Burgundy, and the archbifhop of Rheims, ar- rived at Tours with the articles of peace, which A. c. n8 9 . had been fettled. Thefe being qualified by Phi- lip, were by the fame ambafTadors carried to Sau- mur for the approbation of Henry, who was in no condition to refufe any terms which his adver- fary might have thought proper to propofe. He Jaw his forces diminjfh daily by defertion, his cities and fortreiTes given up to trie enemy ; he fufpected treachery on all fides, and, as he knew not whom to truft, agreed to ratify the articles. Thefe ob- liged him to renew his homage to Philip, which he had renounced in the beginning of the war ; and to deliver Adelais into the hands of five per- Ibns nominated by Richard, who mould efpoufe that princefs after his return from Paleftine. He agreed that all his vaffals mould take the oath of fealty to Richard before his departure, and to pay thoufand nurks of filver to the king of France HENRY IT. 2I9 France for defraying the expence of fortifying A - c - Il8 9* Chateauroux. Philip, on the other hand, engaged to reflore all that he had taken in Berry ; but he r>en A bb- was permitted to retain the cities of Le Mans and '->". Coil.' Tours, with the caftles of Trone and Chateau de pha^JS;; Loir, until all the articles fhould be fulfilled. G. Neubng, This treaty was firft concluded at Azay, and in Death f a few days after the agreement figned in another Sng^o"' conference at the fame place, from whence the EnsUnd. king, in a very ill (late of health, was removed to Chinon. He had been long infirm, and was now feized with a fever, which was fuppofed to be the immediate effeft of vexation. He had formerly feen his .children rebel ; but now he faw his fon his conqueror : he lav/ himielf bereft at once of his, power, his authority, and faculties ; reduced to the condition of a fugitive, and almoft of a fup- pliant in his old age, by the ingratitude of his own iflue ; and to complete his chagrin, prince John, upon whofe fidelity and affection he had repofed himfelf with full confidence, deferted him in his retreat from Le Mans, and joined his adverfaries. This was the fevereft ftroke he had hitherto felt, and doubtlefs co-operated with his diftemper, of which he died at Chinon two days after the ratifi- cation of the treaty. His corpfe was conveyed by his natural fon Geoffry to the nunnery of Fontev- rault ; and next day, while it Jay in the abbey- church, Richard chancing to enter, was ftruck with horror at the fight. This indeed was aug- mented by an accident, which the fuperftition of the times interpreted into a preternatural portent. At his approach the blood gufhed out at the mouth and noflrils of the corpfe, to the terror and amaze- nient of all the fpeclators , and Richard's own fa- vage heart was moved at this phenomenon. He afiiited at the funeral rites with great decorum, and 220 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. c. nS 9 . anc } mar k s o f rea i contrition ; and after the obfe- quies, Geoffry delivered up the great feal, which had been carefully depofited under the feals of all Bened. *? c ^ e Darons wno were prefent at his father's Cambrenf. deceafe. His charac- Thus died Henry, in the fifty-feventh year of his age, and thirty-fifth of his reign ; in the courfe of which he had, on fundry occafions, difplayed all the abilities of a politician, all the fagacity of a legiflator, and all the magnanimity of a hero. He lived revered above all the princes of his time ; and his death was deeply lamented by his fubjefls, whofe happinefs feems to have been the chief aim of all his endeavours. He not only enacted wholefome laws, but faw them executed with great punctuality. He was generous even to admiration, with regard to thofe who committed offences againft his own perfon, but he never for- gave the injuries that were offered to his people; for atrocious crimes were punifhed feverely, with- out refpedt of perfons. He was of the middle fta- ture, and the moft exact proportion; his counte- nance was round, fair and ruddy ; his blue eyes were mild and engaging, except in a tranfport of paffion, when they fparkled like lightening, to the terror of the beholders. He was broad chefted, ftrong, mufcular, and inclined to be corpulent, though he prevented the bad effects of this difpo- fition, by hard exercife and continual fatigue ; he was temperate in his meals, even to a degree of abftinence, and feldom or never fat down, except at fupper ; he was eloquent, agreeable, and facetious ; remarkably courteous and polite ; compaffionate to all in diftrefs ; fo charitable, that he conftantly allotted one tenth of his houmold provifions to the poor ; and in a time of dearth which prevailed in Anjou and Le Maine, he maintained ten thou- fand HENRY II. 221 fand indigent perfons, from the beginning of fpring A. 0.1189. till the end of autumn. His talents naturally good, he had cultivated with great afTiduity, and delighted in the converfation of learned men, to whom he was a .generous benefactor. His memory was fo furprifmgly tenacious, that he never forgot a face nor a circumflance that was worth remem.bring. Though fuperior ,to all his cotemporaries' in ftrength, riches, true courage, and military fkill, he never engaged in war without reluctance ; and was fo averfe to bloodfhed, that he exprefled uncom- mon grief at the lofs of every private foldier. Yet was he not exempted from human frailties : his pafiions, naturally violent, often hurried him into excefs ; he was prone to anger, tranfported with the luft of power, and in particular accufed of in- continence, not only in the affair of Rofamond, whom he is faid to have concealed in a labyrinth at Woodftock from the jealous inquiry of his wife, but alfo in a fuppofed commerce with the French princefs Adelais, who was bred in England as the future wife of his fon Richard. This infamous breach of honour and hofpitality,. if he was actu- ally guilty, is the fouled ftain upon his character, though the fact is doubtful, and we hope the charge untrue. He was educated with high notions of the kingly prerogative, which he maintained with amazing fortitude againft all the artillery of Rome, and all the machinations of treafon ; for the caufe of royalty happened to be connected with the in- dependency of the Englifh church, for which he manifefted the moft inviolable attachment : yet his exertion of the prerogative never interfered with the liberties of his people, which he in- trenched with many excellent laws and regulations, that rendered their burthens eafy and their proper- ties fecure. In a word, he was the king, the prieft, 222 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A.C. 1189. pfieft, the father of his country, and one of tire mod powerful and illuftrious monarchs that ever flouhfhed on the Englifh throne *. * By his queen Eleanor he had five fons and three daughters ; namely, William, who died in his infancy; Henry, whofe hiftcry \v.e have re- corded; RicharJ, who fucceeded to his father's throne; Geoftry, who died at Paris, as we have mentioned above ; and John, furnamed Sans Terre, who afcended the throne after Richard's death : MauJ, married to Henry the Lion, duke of Saxony and Bavaria ; Eleanor, wife of Alphonfo VIII. king of Caftile ; Joane, match- ed with William II. king of Sicily, and, after his death, married to Ra<- mundVI. count of Thoulouie. Henry had likewifc t y the fair Rofamond, William Longue Efpce, created earl of Salisbury ; and Geoffry, bi/hcp elel of Lincoln, and afterwards chan- cellor. There was a'fo one Morgan* a Welfhman, prOvoft of Beverley, wh'o pretended to be his natural fon, by the la y of a knight named RaJf Bloet ; but this pretence fcems to haye been founded on nothing rut the man's own vanity and madnefs. Angl.a Sacra RICHARD -7. RICHARD I. Surnamed Cceur de Lion. i RICHARD fucceeded without oppofition to A - c - Il8 9- his father's throne, and began his reign with Sdt' fnch an act of tyranny and oppreffion, as muft have Lion, afforded a very uncomfortable omen to his fubjects. ^J the His father's obfequies were fcarce performed, when he ordered Stephen de Tours, the late king's fe- nefchal, to be arrefted and loaded with fhackles, until he had delivered up, not only the treafure committed to his charge, but alfo his own fortune, amounting to five and forty thoufand Angevin livres : then he caufed him to be divorced from his wife, becaufe fhe was a gentlewoman, and he of ignoble defcent; and declared he would, by his own authority, annul all fuch unequal marriages. This man, however, whom he knew to be a faith- ful fervant of his father, he would not difmifs from his employment ; for he continued ftill to manage the revenue of Anjou , and indeed it muft be owned for the credit of Richard's good fenfe, that he retained in his fervice all the loyal adherents of the late king , and difcarded thofe who had deferted their mafter, even in his own favour. Thefe, whether ecclefiaftic or laymen, he expelled from his court, and ever after defpifed as perfidious trai- tors -, and when fome barons, who had ferved him in his laft revolt, demanded reftitution of their lands and caftles, which they had forfeited in for- mer rebellions, he ordered them to be reftored ac- cording to his promife, but he ejected them the very next day, obferving, that thofe who deferred their Crompton . legal fovereign fhould always be rewarded in this Bened. AS. manner. 1 n ^ 224 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A.C. nSg. Th e affairs of Guienne and Anjou being fettled Sfohled IS acc ording to his pleafure, he repaired to .Normandy, jnvefted,and and was, by the archbifhops of Canterbury and vour^on Rouen, abfolved at Seez of the crime he had com- divers no- mitted in taking up arms againft his father, after biemen. having engaged in the crufade. After his abfolu- tion he was inverted with the ducal fword and ban- ner, and received the homage of all the nobility in the province ; upon which occafion he difplayed his generality in divers acts of favour. He be- llowed his niece Maud upon Geoffry, fon of Rocrou count de Perche : he gave the daughter of Richard Strongbow in marriage to his favourite William Marefchal ; and to Gilbert, the fon of Roger Fitz- Rainfray, Eloifa, daughter and heirefs of Willhm de Lancafter, baron of Kendal. He confirmed his brother John in pofleffion of the four thoufand marks a year in England, and the county of Mor- taign in Normandy, which had been fettled upon him by his father, befides the honour of Gloucester, by virtue of his marriage with the late earl's daugh- ter ; and gave the royal aflent to the eledion of his natural brother Geoffry to the fee of York, though he afterwards feized his caflles in Nor- mandy, which he obliged him to redeem with a nrs inter- confiderable fum of money. In a few days after phiiip W of h hi* inauguration, he had an interview, between France. Chaumont and Trie, with the king of France, who reftored the places he had taken in the late war, and waved his demand of Gifors, on Richard's Dueto. Col. promifing to add four thoufand marks to the twenty Matth. Par. thoufand, which the late king had agreed to pay : ned.Abb. Having regulated his foreign affairs, he refolved to vifit his Britifh dominions, which, fmce his fa- ther's death, had been governed by his mother Eleanor, whom he had impowered to publifli an ad; of grace*, in favour of all prifoners and tranf- grefiorsj R I C H A R D I. 225 ^reffbrs, except fuch as had turned evidence againfl A - c - 8 ? their accomplices, which informers had no benefit of this indulgence. Robert, earl of Leicefter, now retrieved his caftles, which Henry had kept as fe- curity for his good behaviour ; and other forfeited barons were indulged with the like reftitution. The appenage of prince John was considerably increafed by grants of lands and caftles ; and by marrying the heirefs of the late earl of Gloucefter, though within the prohibited degrees of confanguinity, he became mafter of a very confiderable part of the realm. All the freemen throughout the kingdom had, by order of the queen-mother, taken the oath of fealty to Richard before his arrival, and now the fame was taken by the prelates and nobility at his coronation, which was folemnized in the abbey of Weftminfter, Ralph de Dueto, .dean of St. Paul's, officiating in the room of the bimop of London, becaule the fee happened to be then vacant. Richard had iflued a proclamation forbidding all Jews to enter the church, during the coronation credit, a " fervice, or intrude into the palace while he mould ^" n> be at dinner. Not with (landing this prohibition, sStS**, which feems to have been intended merely for the an- York prevention of a crowd, a few wealthy Hebrews, inftigated by curiofity, endeavoured to pafs un- obferved in the multitude 5 but were detected, and roughly repelled. This violence produced a fray, in which feveral Jews were trodden under foot and flain, as that people were extremely odious at this juncture, when tr;e fuperftition of the Chriftians was inflamed by the preaching of monks in favour of the crufade. The populace of London, hear- ing the king had ordered the Jews to be extermi- nated, immediately took to arms, and btfieged the merchants of that nation in their houfes, after having murdered all the Ifraelites that fell in their No. 15. Q^ way. * 2 6 HISTORYoF ENGLAND. A. c.iiS 9 . wa y, xhe king was no fooner apprifed of this tu- mult than he lent Ralph de Glanville, the chief jufticiary, and other noblemen, into the city, to quell the difturbance, and prevent further rnifchief ; but all their endeavours proved ineffectual ; and they were obliged to fly for the fafety of their own lives. The rabble finding it impracticable to force the ftrong houfes to which the Jews had retired, fet them on fire ; fo that a conflagration began at different corners of the city ; and the mob taking advantage of the confufion and terror which they produced, plundered Jews and Chriftians without diftinction. The former perimed either by the flames or the fury of an enraged populace ; a great number of citizens were burned out of their habi- tations, and utterly ruined; and the difturbance continued till morning, when the rabble difperfed. Richard ordered the ringleaders of this outrageous tumult to be apprehended, and tried by the laws of the land : ai^d they being convicted and execut- ed, he publifhed a proclamation, prohibiting fuch tumults for the future, and taking the Jews under r,.Neubrig. his royal protection. Notwithftanding this precau- t ' on ' c ^ e J ews were afterwards mafiacred at Lyme, Stamford, and York, though avarice feems to have been more concerned than religious zeal, in thofe inftances of barbarity j for many gentlemen of the province were concerned in the carnage of York, who, having been indebted to the Jews, no fooner made an end of butchering that unhappy people, to the number of five hundred, than they repaired to the cathedral, where their bonds were depofited, compelled the officer to deliver thefe obligations, and burned them in the church with great folem- nity. The king, incenfed at this infult upon his authority, which alfo affected his revenue, inaf- much as he was heir to the perfohal eftates of ufurers, ordered the bifhop of Ely, at that time 6 juf : k I C H A R t> 1. 22? justiciary of the realm, to make levere examples of A* c. 11191 the guilty : but, before he arrived in Yorkfhire, the principal offenders had fled into Scotland ; and the citizens of York imputing what had happened to the fury of the ungovernable multitude, the pre- late contented himfelf with depriving the high fhe- riff and the governor of their offices, and levying fines upon the weahhieft of the inhabitants. Richard, in the firft aflembly of his prelates and nobility convened after his coronation, at the abbey to rai of Pupeweli, in Northamptonfhire, filled up the vacant fees of London, Winchefter, Sarum, and Ely ; and deliberated upon meafures for enabling him to equip a powerful armament againft the in* fidels, who had over -run the Holy Land. Geoffry Riddel, late bifhop of Ely, dying inteilate, the king had feized his effects to a confiderable value : he found in his father's treafury at Winchefter, gold and filver, jewels, and rich utenfils, to the amount of nine hundred thoufand pounds : but even this van: fum was infufficient for the purpofes of hi3 expedition. He fold the earldom of Northumber- land to Hugh, bifhop of Durham, for; his natural life, and the honour of Sudberg to him and his fucceffors in that fee, for ever. He fet up to fale the offices of high-meriffs, keepers of forefts, and many other lucrative pofts and dignities. He re- ceived confiderable fums from the barons of Bed- fordfliire, and the knights of Surry, for disforefling parts of their country, which he had converted into foreft-ground. Liberties, charters, caftles, and ma- nors of the crown, were given away to the higheft bidders ; and when fome of his friends demon- ftrated to him the bad effects of fudi alienation, he told them he would fell the city of London, if he could find a purchafer. Ralph de Glanville, finding him deaf to all honeft advice, and fquan- dering away the crown demefnes in fuch a profufe, 2 un- 228 H I S T O R Y o F E N G L A N D. A.C, 1189. unthrifty, and pernicious manner, refigned his place of judiciary, and engaged in the crufade ; and his poft was filled by Hugh, bifhop of Durham, and William de Mandeville, earl of Efiex and Albe- marle, the former of thefe giving a thoufand marks Duet. Coil, for this employment. Befides thefe expedients for raifing money, Richard obtained a bull from pope Clement, impowering him to excufe from the crufade all thofe whom he fliould judge necefiary to be left at home for the defence of the kingdom ; and a great number of people who had taken the crofs in the firft tranfport of enthufiafm, were now glad to embrace this indulgence. By thefe means the king raifed a greater fum of money than any one of his predeceflbrs had been known to poflefs. The Welch, upon the death of the late king, had, under Refe ap Griffith, and his fon, reduced feveral caflles, and ravaged the counties of Pembroke and Car- marthen ; but this prince afterwards obtained a fafe- conduct from John, and came to make his fub- v mifiion in the king's court at Oxford , Richard, however, refufed to fee him, and he returned to his own country meditating revenge. To anticipate his attempt, John was diredd to march into Wales Fowl's w ^k a bwty f f rces i an d a fcutage was levied Hift.of throughout the kingdom, to defray the expenceof Wales< this expedition. Ambafla- While Richard was employed in making prepa- dors from r . - i - - -,. j f France. rations for carrying his grand defign into execution,- Rotrou count of Perche, and other ambafladors, came over to "notify the refolutjori of the French king and his barons, who had fworn in a general council held at Paris, -to meet by the clofe of Eafter at the general rendezvous near Vezelay ; to which place Richard and his people were fummoned, that the two kings might let out together for the crufade. The king immediately convoked a gene- ral aflembly at London, where the earl of t.flex fwore, R I C H A R D I. 229 fwore, in his name, that he would repair to the A - c - II89 place of rendezvous, and meet Philip at the time appointed. A difpute arifing at this period, be- f p Be- tween Baldwin, archbifliop of Canterbury, and the n^nkl f C monks of Chrift-church, about a college of fecular S hri{ !" r jj T T j i i church and canons rounded at Hakmgton, the monks com- Baldwin, plained to the pope, that this new foundation was " f c caS intended to deprive them of the right of electing bury. l the archbifliop of Canterbury, and throw that power Hovcden< into the hands of the fuffragaris. Clement efpouf- ing their caufe, fent a legate to determine the con- troverfy ; but the king, unwilling to fee fuch an inftance of papal authority exerted in his dominions, prevailed upon the complainants to refer the difpute to his own decifion. He forthwith repaired to. Canterbury, with a vaft number of his prelates and nobility, and decreed th.at the new foundation Ihould be demolimed : then the cardinal Anagni, legate from the pope, who had been detained a whole fortnight at Dover, by the king's exprefs order, was invited to Canterbury, and honourably received, though Richard would not allow him to exercife his legatine authority, except in remov- ing the interdict which Baldwin had laid upon the lands of prince John, when he married the heirefs of Gloucefter. During Richard's flay at Canterbury, he was Richard, for vifited by William, king of Scotland, who, taking ^ y of re . advantage of his impatience to. proceed on this ex- JTouS ha pedition to the Holy Land, and his eager defire of ^ r ;j r e ity amaffing money for that purpofe, prefented him kingdom of with ten thoufand marks fterling, in confideration Scotland - of his furrenderingthe caftles of Berwick and Rox- burg, renouncing the fuperiority of the kingdom of Scotland, delivering up the inftrument con- taining the fubmifiion of him and all his barons, and receiving William's homage for the northern counties, as it had been formerly paid by his pre- deceffors. 230 HISTORYoFENGLAND. A. c.i 189. decefTors. His next care was to provide for the A^oint^' a dminiftration of the realm in his abfence : and in guwdians to this provifion he a6ted from the dictates of his own &T!i^!r ca P rice againft the advice of the nobility, and the stance, fenfe of the whole nation. The guardianfliip of the kingdom he conferred on William Long- champ, bifhop of Ely, a Frenchman of low ori- ginal, without influence or authority; and with him joined the bifhop of Durham, asjufticiary in the northern counties. To the former, he com- mitted the cuitody of the Tower of London ; to the latter the cattle and foreft of Windlbr ; and Hugh Bardolph, William Marefchal, Geoffry Fitz- piers, and William Briwere, were appointed their afliftants and counfellor in the exercife of govern- ment. jUp.irs Thefe precautions being taken, Richard, accom- ' rt nd* r ~ P ar " e d by the legate, fee fail from Dover, and landed the fame day at Gravelines, where he was met by the count of Flanders, who attended him into Normandy. There he practifed a low arti- fice which difgracecl his character, though it an - fwered his purpofe of extorting money from his fubjects. He pretended to have loft the great feal, that he might have a pretence for ifiuing a procla- mation, that no credit ihould be given to any deed, grant, or inftrument, until it fhould receive the fandion of the new feal, which he ordered to be made for that purpofe : at the fame time he ordered all perfons poflefled of fuqh grants to bring them in, that they might be fealed anew, and levied large fines for this indulgence. To crown his ava-r rice, he directed the bifhop of Ely, veiled with the legatine power, as well as the royal authority, in England, Wales, and Ireland, to oblige every abbey and crown manor to furnifii one palfrey and fump- leaed. Abb. ter horfe, and every city in the kingdom to find Aht, pans. Double the number, for the purpofes of the expe- R I C H A R D I. 231 dition. The queen of France dying in the interim, A c< n *9* the rendezvous was deferred till Midfummer ; but Hn;n in order to adjuft matters in fuch a manner as would wkh'he prevent all difputes, the two kings agreed to aeon- k ; ngt~ ference at Gue S. Remi, where they, and their prelates and nobility, mutually fwore to maintain peace, and defend each others territories , and in cafe either of the princes mould die on the expedi- tion, it was determined, that the furvivor mould fucceed to the command of his troops and money, for the advantage of the fervice. After this inter- view, Richard fent for his mother Eleanor from England, together with Adelais, the fifter of Phi- lip, his own brother John, the two archbifhops, and all the other prelates, before whom he exacted an oath of John, and Geoffry archbimop of York, importing, that they mould not fet foot in England for three years, before the expiration of which he propofed to return from Paleftine: but at the re- queft of his mother he releafed them both from this obligation. His large fleet aflembled from different ports of the kingdom, being well manned, vic- tualled, and fupplied with {lores for. the expedition, he, by the advice of his prelates and nobility, enacted a body of regulations for the maintenance of peace, order, and difcipline on board, appoint- ing five judiciaries to fee them punctually executed, and iflued orders for its failing to Marfeilles, where he propofed to embark his army. n?Abii. When the time appointed for the rendezvous Richard approached, he received the fcrip and ftaff from JJJJJ^J the archbimop of Tours, and marched to Vezelay, where he was joined by the king of France. From thence they, took the route to Lyons at the head of one hundred thoufand men , but finding it ex- tremely inconvenient for fuch a vaft body to march together, the two kings parted at this city, Philip proceeding to Genoa, and Richard turning oflfto- wardf 232 HISTO.RY OF ENGLAND. A. c. u8 9 . warc j s Marfeilles, where he found a great number of pilgrims, who, having fpent all their fubilance in waiting for a paflage, made him a tender of their fervice, and were retained. Having waited a whole week for the arrival of his fleet, he hired three large vefiels and twenty gallies, for his houmold, with which he embarked for Sicily, and putting in at Salerno,, remained in that place, until he was informed that his fleet had arrived in the harbour of Mefima. Thither he immediately followed it, and, finding the king of France lodged in the town, took up his quarters in the fuburbs. As he propofed to pafs the winter in this ifland, he . feized two ftrong caftles fituated on the Fare, one of which he afilgned for the accommodation of his fitter, widow of the late king of Sicily, and the other he converted into a magazine. l^nfuited ^^ e c j t j zens ]yj e fli na alarmed at thefe pro- Meffinefe, ceedings, which feemed to denote a defign of con - theirdty'by quering the ifland, took occafion to quarrel with fiauit. tne Englifh, who happened to be within the city, expelled them with great infolence, fhut their gates, manned their walls, and fet Richard at defiance. Next day the king of France, accompanied by his own prelates and nobility and thofe of the ifland, repaired to his quarters, in order to compromife the quarrel : but, in the midft of their delibera- tions, the Meflenians made a falley, and after hav- ing killed a good number of men and horfes, at- , tacked the quarters of Hugh le Brun with great impetuoiity. Richard, enraged at this infult, took to his arms immediately, and charging the citizens, ^ not only repulfed them to the gates, but afiaulted the city itfelf with fuch fury, that notwithstanding the refiftance of the inhabitants, reinforced by the French troops quartered within the walls, the place was taken by aflault, and the ftandard of Englancj Dt. Coil, diiplayed upon the ramparts. The king of France, \vliQ R I C H A R D I. 233 who had entered the city immediately before the at- A - c - IJ 9* tack, exerted all his vigour in the defence of the place, and fhot three Englifh foldiers with a crofs- bow from the walls , fo that Richard had great caufe to complain of his behaviour ; neverthelefs, his conduct on this occafion was remarkably mo- derate : far from mole (ting the French quarters, he quitted the city, and encamped within a fortification which he erected in the fuburbs. This condefcen- fion, however, could not appeafe the refentment of Philip, who regarded the affault as an infult offered to his dignity ; and from this period conceived an im- placable rancour againft the king of England. This grudge however he thought proper to conceal for the prefent, and agreed with Richard in making ordi- nances to be obferved by both armies, for the preven- tion of gaming, clipping money, and dearth of pro- vifions: as alfo for the choice of wholefome victuals, the regulations of markets, and the reduction of immoderate profit on merchandize. Richard, in order to render providence propitious to the under- taking, granted a charter in behalf of his Englifh fubjects who fhould fuffer by fhip wreck, giving up in their favour the right which the crown had to the goods faved in fuch difafters : at the fame time he put himfelf. in a courfe of penance for his fins, and indulged the clergy of his Norman do- minions with another charter, exempting them wholly from fecular tribunals. Durt'.'coii.' The Meffinefe had fmarted feverely in their quar- Ri-hard rel with the king of England, who had permitted t c r c n a c t lu j^ the foldiers to plunder the city ; and their king Taned, Tancred found himfelf extremely incommoded by s^ y / the difpute, in confequence of which an hundred thoufand flaves had efcaped to the mountains, from whence they made incurfions, and ravaged the whole country. The Sicilian prelates had laboured to effect an accommodation, and the king, in effect an ufurper, whofe crown was difputed by Henry VI. em- 234 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A.C. n 9 o. em p eror o f Germany, in right of his wife Con- fiance, unwilling to incur the refentment of fuch a powerful prince as Richard, made uncommon ad- vances towards a treaty of peace. This was at length concluded, on condition that Tancred mould pay to Richard twenty thoufand ounces of gold, in lieu of legacies bequeathed to Henry of England, by the late king William II. who had married his daughter ; that he mould beftow one of his daugh- ters in marriage on young Arthur duke of Brittany, whom Richard had declared his fucce-fibr, in cafe he himfelf mould die without ifllie ; and that twenty thonfand ounces of gold fhould be forth- with dcpofited as her fortune, to be reftored, pro- test. Coil, vided the marriage Ihould not take effecl:. As for the inhabitants of Medina, Richard ordered the plunder to be reftored ; but knowing them to be a faithlefs mongrel race, defcended from Greeks, Lombards, and Saracens, he ordered them to pull down their gates, and deliver hoftages for their peaceable behaviour. Then he built a ftrong caftle upon the top of an high mountain that overlooked the city, diftinguiming it by the appellation of Mate- Griffon, or Griffon -Slayer, alluding to the name of Griffons, beftowed as a term of reproach upon the inhabitants of Memna. Here while he enter- tained Hugh duke of Burgundy, and a great number of French noblemen, on Chriftmas-day, he and his guefts were obliged to rife from table and quell a tumult, arifing from a quarrel between fome Englim and Pifan failors ; but which was re- newed next day, upon a Pifan's murdering an Englimman at church. Both fides fought with equal fury, and many lives were loft, before the kings of France and England could advance with Ben. Abb. tne j r f orces? anc } p ut an end to the battle. In a few days after this difturbance, a trifling incident ferved to denote the impetuofity of Ri- chard's difpofition. Having rode out to take the air, R I C H A R D I. 235 air, accompanied by feveral French and Englifh A - c -'9- knights, of which number was William de Barre, icbar ex- 240 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. c. n 9 T. extremity; and Saladine, finding it impracticable' to raife the fiege, allowed them to furrender upon the beft terms they could procure. The capitula- tion they obtained did not even fecure their lives ; for they obliged themfelves to remain in cuftody, until their heads fliould be redeemed with two hun- dred thoufand Byzantines ; and, in a failure of this ranfom, within a certain time, they were to be at Hoveden. the mercy of the conquerors. The king of The city being furrendered, and Philip having tnnutohft taken pofieffion of his fhare, according to the de- own domi- termination of the arbitrators, he defircd Richard would confent to his return, as the air of Afia did not agree with his conftitution, and he fliould cer- tainly die, unlefs reflored to his own country. Un- der this pretext, he harboured the defign of making himfelf matter of Flanders, and perhaps of invading Normandy. All the princes of the army exclaimed againft his deferting them before the crufade fliould be finifhed ; but he perfifted in his refolution, and renewed his demand upon Cyprus, which he thought Richard would buy off with his confent to Philip's retreat. Accordingly he became fo importunate on both fubjects, that the king\>f England granted his requeft, upon his taking a public oath on the evangelifts, that he would abftain from all hoftili- ties againft the territories of Richard, and even protect them againft all invaders, to the utmoft of his power. Having thus quieted the apprehenfions of his rival, who accommodated him with two of his beft gallies, he fet fail from Aeon, leaving his troops under the command of the duke of Bur- gundy -, and, in his pafTage through Italy, com- plained to pope Celeftine III. that he could not aft in concert with Richard, whofe infolence was alto- gether intolerable : he therefore defired his holinefs would abfolve him of his original vow, which he had not performed, as well as of the oath he had fworn to the king of England, that he might re- 3 venge RICHARD* I. 241 venge himfelf upon that haughty prince. The A - c - 11 9*> pope gratified him in the firft part of his demand, but forbade him to invade the territories of Richard, on pain of excommunication ; a prohibition which he had already refolved to disregard. Hoveden. After Philip's departure, the whole charge of the Ri c ], ard <&. war devolved upon Richard, who found himfelf tains two in a very perplexed fituation, occafioned by the ove'sS*. conteft between Guy de Luzignan and Conrade, dinc - marquis of Montferrat, about the crown of Jeru- falem. An accommodation had been effected by the interpofition of the other princes, and it was agreed, that Guy mould porTefs the kingdom for life : that the fucceffion mould fall to Conrade and his heirs ; and that in the mean time they mould equally mare the revenues. Notwithftanding this pacification, Conrade ftill maintained a correfpon- dence with Saladine, and avoided a junction with the king of England, who having repaired the for- tifications of Aeon, began his march for Joppa, along the fea-coaft, for the convenience of being fupplied with provifions by the fhipping. Saladine hovered with his army upon the mountains, ready to attack him with the firft favourable opportunity, and at length gave battle to the Chriftians, .as they pafled a river in the neighbourhood of Csefarea. Here he was routed with the flaughter of forty thoufand men, chiefly by the valour and conduct of Richard; and he forthwith ordered Caelarea, Joppa, and Afcalon, to be'demolifhed. The king of England, however, repaired the fortifications of the two firft of thefe towns, and re-peopled them with part of the inhabitants of Aeon. Then he advanced towards Jerufalem, and defeated Saladine again, in the plains of Rama ; when he might have made himfelf matter of the city, had not he been diverted from his -purpofe by the Templars, who, being in the French intereft, perfuadec-1 him N*MB. XVI. R to 242 H I S T O R Y o F E N G L A N 0. A. c. n 9 f. to negleft the opportunity, and march towards Af- NT u "b d r 'i^ bb ' caln, which he fortified at his own expence. The maiad- While Richard thus gathered laurels in Paleftine, t5on' ft [nfo k* s kingdom of England groaned under the op- lence/and prcflive adminiftration of William bifhop of Ely, "P5 ci "[- whom he had left guardian of the realm. Inftead ftelsofW:!- - . .t> Ham hi/hop or co-operating with the bifhop or Durham as his c M ea g lie J ne na d arrefted the perfon of that pre- late, who was obliged to ptivchafe his releafe by delivering into his hands the caftles of Windfor, Newcaftle upon Tyne, the manor of Sadberg, with the county of Northumberland ; and giving his own fon and Gilbert de la Ley, as hoftages for his quiet fubmiffion. Hugh complained of this treat- ment in letters to the king, who received them at Marfeilles, and fent orders to William to reftore the places he had wrefled from the bifhop , but he refufed to comply with thefe inftruftions, on pre- tence of knowing the king's mind better than it eould be explained in writing ; and he demeaned himfelf in all refpeds with the moil intolerable pride and arrogance. He expofed every thing to fale with the moft mameful venality : he deprived both, clergy and laity of their churches, lands,, and pof- ieflions, with which he enriched his own relations- and dependants : he exhaufted the king's revenue, by making purchafes for himfelf , infomuch that he bought every eftate that was to be fold : the vacant churches and abbeys he either kept for his own ufe, or bellowed on his own creatures* among whom likewise he diftributed caftles and ports, which he extorted from others by dint of menaces and perfection-. In his vifitation of the religious- houfes, he travelled with a party of fifteen hundred horfe, and fuch a retinue of knights, clergy, fer- vants, minftrels, dogs, and horfes, that the convent in which he lodged, could fcarcely, in three years* recover the damage fuftained in one night's enter- taininent.- k I C H A R D 1. 243 tainment. The nobility truckled to him with the A - c - o* mod abject complaifance, expreffing the utmoft ambition to marry his nieces and relations, though, like himfelf, fprang from the dregs of the people ; and even prince John was treated by him with fuch indignity, that he appealed to his brother for re- clrefs. In a word, the civil and legatine powers Mat. Pam: vetted in his perfon, had elevated him to fuch a CuJ - Neub * degree of pride, infolence, and indifcretion, that he acted as if he had thought himfelf not only a real king, but even a defpotic emperor. Richard, though informed of thefe particulars The b;fho from different correfpondents, while he relided at of Ely, i n . Medina, was fo bigotted to his own choice, that ^m^of ke would not depofe this haughty viceroy ; but dif- Lincoln, patched Walter archbifhop of Rouen, and William Marefchal earl of Strigul, with pofitive orders to the chancellor, implying that nothing mould be done in the adminiftration without their advice, and that of the counfellors whom he had appointed be- fore his departure : but, when they arrived, they durft not deliver their credentials ; fo that William proceeded in his ufual career. Among other acts of arbitrary power, he diverted Gerard de Cam- ville of the meriffdom of Lincolnfhire, and com- manded him to furrender the caftle of which he was hereditary caftellan. When he refufed to com- ply with this order, the chancellor began his march with a body of troops to reduce it by force ; but, before he could atchieve the enterprize, he received a mefTage from prince John, threatening to vifit him at the head of an army, if he would not in- ftantly defift from his undertaking ; and this was followed by another piece of intelligence, which effectually damped his courage. He received in- formation of the pope's death, in confequence of which his legatine power vanifhed, fo that he found himfelf deprived of the bed half of his authority j R 2 and, 244 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. c.n 5 i, anc j, perceiving that the noblemen in his army were well affected towards prince John, he the more willingly lent an ear to propofals of accommoda- Bened. Ab. tion. This was accordingly effected, on condition compjo- tnat William mould retain the caftles and the admi- Sifpu S te with niftration, but in cafe the king mould die without prince John, jf^ tne y were to b e delivered to John as the fuc- c Neubrig ceffor , and this article was ratified by the oaths of Bened. Ab. all the prelates and nobility. His cruelty, The cruel and arbitrary difpofition of this upftart, Jj5 1 JJ e ^ t i- a PP eare d m nothing more flagrant than in his be- tide, 1 "? 3 1 haviour towards the king's natural brother Geoffry, SchbShop m wno f e fervice he had lived, and to whom he was ef Ycrk. bound by an oath of homage and fealty. That prelate had appointed him his official in the arch- deaconry of Rouen, even contrary to the inclination of the late king, who always regarded Longchamp as a perfidious mifcreant. Geoffry had been for fome time elect of York -, but Baldwin of Canter- bury claiming the prerogative of confecrating the archbifhops of that fee, and the other refufmg to give up its independency, the fuffragans were for- bid to perform the ceremonies of conlecration, and the temporalities were fequeflered in the hands of the chancellor. W hen queen Eleanor parted with her fon Richard in Sicily, the king defired her to follicit pope Celeftine for the confirmation of Ge- offry's election ; and that pontiff had ordered the archbimop of Tours to perform the office of his confecration, immediately after which he received the pall with a bull of privilege, exempting the fee of York from the jurifdiction of all legates, except thofe who mould be fent occafionally into England a latere. Thus confirmed, Geoffry pro- ceeded for Witfand, in order to embark for Eng- land ; but when he reached the caftle of Guifnes, he underftood that the countefs of Flanders had, at the defire.of Longchamp, given orders to pre- vent R I C H A R D I. 245 vent his paffage. As this reftriclion did not ex- A - c - "9 1 * tend to his retinue, they were fent over in a Bo- logne fhip ; and he himfelf going on board of a fmall Englifh veflel, landed at Dover, where he was immediately taken into cuftody by the chancel- lor's directions. He made fhift, however, to efcape from the party by which he had been arrefted, and took refuge in the church of St. Martin, a privi- leged place belonging to the monks of Canterbury. Here he was inverted by a body of Brabantins, who at length dragged him in his pontificals from the altar, and imprifoned him in the caftle, after they had plundered his baggage and fent his horfes to the chancellor. The whole nation exclaimed againfl this unpro- voked violence, offered to the perfon of an arch- bifhop who was univerfally beloved. The bifhop of Lincoln excommunicated all concerned in the outrage; afentence which was afterwards confirmed kingdom in i i / i TT i dugraoe. by the reit of the prelates at Reading, where prince John, commonly ftiled count of Mortaigh; -fum- moned a general affembly. He had likewife efp'oufed the caufe of Geoffry , and the biihops of London, Coventry, and Norwich, threatened the land with an interdict, in cafe of his being detained in prifon : fo that Longchamp thought proper to fet him at liberty, and he repaired with the other prelates to Reading. Here Walter, archbifhop of Rouen, read the king's letters, appointing him to fuperin- tend the election for filling up the fee of .Canter- bury, and with his colleagues to aflift William in the adminiftration. As the chancellor had pre- vented tfte vacancy from being filled, he refufed to admit him and his colleagues into his councils, in diametrical oppofition to the king's pleafure ; op- prefled the people, and, in particular, treated the archbifhop of York with fuch indignity ; he pro- pofed that Longchamp fhould be depofed from the R 3 govern- *4* HISTORY OF EN GLAND, A. c. n 9 i. government, according to the tenour of the king's letters, which he produced ; and William, then re- fiding at Windfor, was fummoned to meet them the next day at Lodbridge, between, that place and Reading. William prom i fed to meet them at the appointed rendezvous, and had actually proceeded two or three miles with an armed force, when his heart failing him, he took the road to London, and flint himfelf up in the Tower, the fortifica- tions of which he himfelf had repaired : but being invefted by the nobility and citizens before he could fupply the place with a fufficient Here of provifions, he endeavoured to engage prince John in his in- tereft by dint of magnificent promifes. That expe- dient mifcarrying, he was forced to fubmit to the judgment of the prelates and nobility, who, after a full hearing, deprived him of his pofts and caflles, except thofe of Dover, Cambridge, and Hereford, which he poflefled before the king's departure , and the places of chancellor and judiciary were fup- plied by the archbifhop of Rouen, a prelate of un - common abilities and untainted integrity. William, unwilling to part with the caftles which he had ufurped, retired to Dover, from whence he en- deavoured to make his efcape beyond fea, in wo- man's apparel ; but, being detected by the populace, to whom he had rendered himfelf extremely odious, they treated him with great indignity, and, at laft, confined him to a dark cellar. The archbimop of Rouen pitying his condition, fent an order to re- leafe him, with a licence to leave the kingdom ; in confequence of which he crofied over to Nor- mandy, where he was received as an excommuni- e. Neub. cated perfon, all divine fervice ceafing wherefoever p B .t.Co!i. herefided. Hejio fooner arrived on the continent, than he follicited pope Celeftine to renew his legation, and complained in letters to his holinefs and the king, RICHARD!. 24? that he had been deprived of the adminiftratlon by A ' c - "9* the faction of John count de Mortagin, who had "^^j adefignupon the kingdom. The pope, believing with a new his remonftrances, appointed him legate of Eng- JjS'Jbrt land, and ordered the biihops of the realm to ex- (Train to- communicate the count, and all that were con- 4 cerned in the privation of Longchamp. Of thefe William lent over a lift to Hugh bifhop of Lin- coln, together with the pope's mandates ; which, however, no prelate would execute. On the con- trary, the justiciaries feized all the rents of the fee of Ely, in the king's name, as fome for,t of fatif- fadlion for two years royal revenue which he had embezzled. Mean while he found means to pur- chafe John's favours, and refolved to repair to Eng- land with his legatine drgnity. He accordingly took fhipping and landed at Dover, from whence he fent mefiengers to the queen-mother to notify his legation and arrival. A council was immediately aflembled, and John difcovered his partiality in fuch a manner as fcandalized Eleanor, who repri- manded him publicly for his attachment to fuch a villain. It was judged proper, however, to take off the edge of this attachment with a fubfidy of two thonfand marks from the exchequer ; then the prince viewed the mattter in a different light , and it was unanimoufly decreed that an appeal mould be made to the pope again ft the legation of Long- champ, who was ordered to quit the kingdom im- mediately as a difturber of the public peace. Wil- iiam, being informed of this determination, laid his own diocefe under interdict, and returned in great confufion into Normandy, where he exerted all his endeavours with the court of Rome and the king of ^giS'et France to the prejudice of England. Hoveden. Philip the French king, immediately after his John's i n - return from Paleftine, propofed a conference with jiJJJ" J|* g William Fitzralph, fenefcha! of Normandy, and of France. R the 248 H I S T O R Y OF EN G L A N D. A.-C. ugt. the prelates and nobility of that dukedom-, a con" ference was accordingly held in the ufual place, where he demanded his lifter Adelais, with the caf- tle of Gifors, and the counties of Eu and Aumale, which he pretended were ceded to him by the treaty of Meflina. The Normans replied, that they had no orders on that fubjecl:, and therefore could not comply with his demand : he threatened to do him- felf juftice by force of arms , and they made pre- parations for a vigorous defence. Baffled in this project, *he tampered with John count de Mor- taign, whom he invited to a conference, offering to beftow upon him his fifter Adelais in marriage, and to put him in pofleflion of all Richard's domi- nions on the continent immediately after the folem- nization of the nuptials. John was ripe for any defign againft Richard, who had declared Arthur his iucceffor, not only in his treaty with Tancred, but in letters to Longchamp, who entered into a ne- gotiation with William king of Scotland, in order to fecure this fucceflion. That prelate now changed his party, and employed all his addrefs to corro- borate the propofals of Philip, which John em- braced without hefitation, and was on the point of croffing the fea in compliance with Philip's invita- tion ; when his departure was prevented by, the re- monftrances of the queen-mother, together with the menaces of the judiciaries, who threatened to feize all his lands and caftles mould he prefume to leave the kingdom. At the fame time, all the pre- lates and nobility were fummoned to London, where they renewed their oath of fealty to Richard ; a circumftance that greatly damped the hopes which John had conceived. The French king, difap- pointed in this quarter, formed the defign of in- vading Normady ; but his nobility would not join him in fuch an expedition, contrary to the oath they had taken. The pope had fent. Octavian, bilhop of R I C H A R D I. 249 of Oftia and Jordan, abbot of FofTa Nova, as his A - c - "9 X< legates to compromife the difference between the archbimop of Rouen and William Longchamp - t but the fenefchal of Normandy would not allow them to enter the dutchy, which, during the .pil- grimage of the king, was exempted from all lega- tine jurifdiction. Though Octavian, at the defire of Philip, excommunicated this officer and all his abettors, and laid the dominions under an interdict, . Jordano refufed to join in tjiefe cenfures, and for that reaibn was expelled from the territories of France ; but his conduct was approved by the pope, who repealed the fentences, and refufed to take any ftep to the prejudice of a prince who was fo laudably employed at a diftance from his own dominions, in A c> tl 4> fighting the battles of the Lord. Bened.Abb. The factions of Guy de Luzignan and Conrade The affairs divided the Chriftians in fuch a manner, that no ef- of Paleilinc - fectual fervice could be performed againft the Sara- censj and there was no other profpect of union, than that of Conrade's elevation to the throne of Jerufalem ; but, as Guy could not be expected to refign his kingdom without an equivalent, Richard generoufly prefented him with the crown of Cyprus, which was enjoyed by him and his defcendants. This expedient removed all obftacles to an accom- modation ; and Conrade being perfectly well fa- tisfied with his fortune, refolved to join the crufards without further delay, when he was flabbed in the flreets of Tyre by two aflaffins, who for this pur- pofe had infmuated themfelves into his fervice. They were fubjects of a petty Saracen prince, whofe territories Jay in the mountains of Phoenicia, and who was known by the name of the old Man of the Mountain. He was an artful prince, who knew very well how to turn the fuperiiition of Mahomet to his own advantage. As he could not defend jiimfelf from the encroachments of his powerful neigh* 250 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. C..IT9-. neighbours, by open force, he contrived an effec- tual method to revenge the injuries he fliould fuf- tain. He maintained a band of enthufiafts, who implicitly obeyed his orders, though hedged with the moft imminent danger, in full perfuafion, that Jhould they die in the execution, paradile would would be their recompence. Thefe he difpatched occafionally to murder thofe princes who had done him wrong : and they purfued their aim with in- credible fortitude and perfeverance ; fo that all the potentates of that part of Afia were afraid of giv- ing umbrage to the lord of the mountain. One of his fubjects being driven by flormy weather into the harbour of Tyre, was plundered and (lain by Conrade, order of Conrade. The Sheic, or old man, de- king f manded fatisfadtion, and the blame was laid upon SfoaS. Reginald, lord of Sidon. This charge was ex- amined, and found falfe by the Sheic, who fent another mefienger for redrefs to Conrade, who not only refufed to do juftice, but was, with great dif- ficulty, reftrained from putting the meflenger to death. In revenge for this outrage, the aflaffms were difpatched with inftructions to murder the of- fender, and executed their orders with great delibe- ration. Being apprehended, they avowed the com- mand of their lord, who afterwards fent a letter or manifefto to the European princes, explaining and jultifying his conduct:, and clearing Richard from v . the imputation of being concerned in this murder, Neubng.' which had been fixed upon his character by his ene- Fadwa* m i es - Conrade was fucceeded in the throne by Henry, count of Champagne, who married his widow, and marched to the afll fiance of Richard, who had juft reduced the ftrong fortrefs of Darum, in the plains of Paleftine. Thus reinforced, he be- gan his march to Jerufalem, which he refolved to beikge , but, when they approached the city, the fiege was judged impracticable, from the difficulty of R I C H A R D I. 251 of receiving fupplies of provifion ; and the duke of A - c - "9* Burgundy retreated with the French troops to Tyre ? from whence he propofed to embark for Europe. The Englifh troops being diminifhed by continual fatigues and repeated engagements, all hope of making new conquefts vanifhed ; and Richard hav- ing received divers letters from the regency, folli- citing his immediate return to prevent the diforders that threatened his kingdom, he refolved to take his leave of Paleftine, in which he had enabled mi- racles of valour, to the terror and admiration of the infidels. Saladine ftill commanded a vaft army among the mountains, ready to fall upon the ma- ritime towns as foon as the king of England fhould quit the country , and accordingly Richard, on his arrival at Aeon, underftood that the town of Joppa was taken, and the caftle reduced to extremity. Jie no fooner received this intelligence, than he ordered his forces to march thither by hnd, while he himfelf with a handful of troops was tranfported by fea, and compelled the Saracens to raife the fiege, by the terror of his name, and a feries of the moft daring exploits, in which he expofed his per- fon to the utmoft danger. As he could not, how- _, ' Y> t "JL- L i V'&ories ot ever, remain in Paleitine, with any regard to his Rkhard, own intereft, or, indeed, with any profpect of ac- "J, 1 ^" compliming the great aim of the expedition, he truce with Agreed upon a truce for three years with Saladine, Saladine - on condition that Afcalon mould be demolifhed ; that the Chriftians mould fortify Joppa, and inha- bit all the places on the fea-coaft, while the Sara- cens mould remain in pofleffion of the hilly country. Duft.Coi'. Thefe ftipulations being ratified, and the affairs He returns of Paleftine fettled in the beft manner the circum- * J"jJ' fiance of the times would permit, Richard returned pri&ned by to Aeon, where he embarked for Europe. Not caring to pafs through France, or the territories of 7 holoufe., he direfted his courfe to Ragufa, from whence 2 5 2 HISTORY o F E N G L A N D. A. c. 1192. from whence he determined to travel incognito thro* Germany ; but he was difcovered in a village near Vienna, by Leopold duke of Auftria, who, glad of this opportunity to revenge an affront which he had fuftained from Richard at Aeon, ordered him to be arrefted and loaded with fhackles, to the dif- grace of honour and humanity. His avarice was, in all probability, as much concerned as his revenge in this ungenerous infult ; for he expected a mare of the ranfom, and even ftipulated for the fum of fifty thoufand marks, when he delivered him to the emperor Henry VI. who received the prize in a tran- fport of joy, though the two nations were at peace with one another, and he could not find the flighteft pretence for detaining a prince whofe perfon ought to have been held facred, confidering the fervice he had done to the chriftian caufe in Paleftine. Henry looked upon Richard with an evil eye, fince his treaty and alliance with Tancred king of Sicily, to whofe dominions the emperor laid claim, in right of his wife Conftance ; and here his revenge coin- cided with his intereft ; for he had already grafped an immenfe ranfom in idea : and with regard to the e Newb injuftice and difgrace, the practice of the times Duetto col. kept him in countenance. pHpcejohn Philip of France being informed of Richard's wftf wi?h* captivity, renewed all his offers to John, count of ;he French^ Mortaigne ; and fent ambafladors to Canute V. i^ouT 1 " king of Denmark, to demand his fifter Ingeburga ** othw - in marriage, defiring no other portion with that princefs, than an affignment of Canute's claim to England, and the affiftance of an armament in his endeavours to conquer that kingdom. The pro- pofal was accepted, and the lady married at Amiens to Philip, who repudiated her the very next day, and a formal divorce was afterwards obtained on pretence of confanguinity between this princefs and Philip's former queen. This affront, in all proba- bility, RICHARD I. 253 bility, detached the Danes from the intereft of the A - c - "M- French king, who derived no affiftance from that quarter ; though prince John embarked in his mea- fures without hefitation, and crofled the fea in order to confer more intimately with his ally. The fe- nefchal and barons of the dutchy, having no fufpi . cion of his defigns, invited him to a conference at Anjou, to confult about his brother's ranfom, and the defence of the dominions threatened by the French monarch -, but he gave them to underftand, that he would not concur in any meafures againii Philip, unlefs they would fwear fealty to him as their fovereign ; and this propofal they abiblutely rejected. He forthwith engaged in a treaty with the king of France, who agreed to give him his fifter Adelais in marriage, with the county of Ar- tois, which had lately devolved to France at the death of the count of Flanders , and John, in re- turn, ceded to him all Normandy north of the Seine, except Rouen and feveral other places, and did homage for all his brother's foreign dominions. This contract being ratified, he left his ally to invade Normandy while he returned to England, where he hoped to raife a flrono- faction in his fa- P- Danfci. Kvrner. VOUr. Hovcdrn. Philip having found his nobility fo averfe to this philip in _ expedition, when it was lafb propofed, had recourfe vadcs Nor- to a low artifice, by which he perfuaded them to mandy " affift him in the execution of his fcheme. He af- fected to be afraid of his perfon, raifed a company of life-guards armed with brazen maces, and would not allow any ftranger to appear in his prefence ; having excited the wonder and curiofity of his fub- jects by this ftrange alteration in his demeanour, he called an affernbly of his peers at Paris, and ex- prefled his apprehenfion of being aflaflinated by the emiflaries of Richard, who he affirmed was the pro- jector of Conrade's death j and, not contested with that 254 HIS rORYo? ENGLAND. A.C. 1193. t ] iat mur der, had hired afTafiins in the eaft to di patch him in the midft of his court at Paris. The wifer part of the afiembly doubted the truth of the imputation, and advifed that no hoftilities Ihould be committed againft the dominions of the king of England, until that prince mould return, as he (till wore the badge of the crufade ; and an invafion of his territories in his abfence would not only fcandalize all chriltian powers, but alfo fub- ject the invaders to the pope's cenfure. This opi- nion was over ruled by the majority of the council ; and Philip entered Normandy at the head of a nu- merous army. As he and John carried on an intel- ligence with fome barons of the county he made himfelf mafter of Gifors and feveral ftrong places, without oppofition ; the governors not only be- trayed their trufl, but joined the enemy, who re- duced the counties of Eu and Aumale by treachery, and advancing to Rouen, fummoned the inhabi- tants to furrender on pain of being put to the fword. The citizens, encouraged by the prefence of Robert earl of Leicefter, juft returned from Pa~ leftine, where he had fignalized his valour in a very extraordinary manner, defpifed the threats of Phi- lip, and obliged him to raife the fiege, after he had been repulfed by various afiaults. He had met with indifferent fuccefs in a negotiation with the emperor, whom he offered to bribe with a large fum of money, if he would deliver his valTal Richard into his hands ; but this fcandalous contract was oppofed by the princes of the empire. The pope threatened to excommunicate Philip, and lay his kingdom under an interdict, if he would not im- mediately withdraw his troops from Normandy; and John had not fucceeded according to his ex- pectation in England. Thefe concurring reafons induced the French king to hearken to the propo- fals for a truce, which he granted, on condition that RICHARD!. 255 that he (hould receive twenty thoufand marks at A ' c -"9j- different payments, to commence after Richard's releafe ; and, in the mean time, be put in poffef- Rymer . fion of certain caftles by way of fecurity. Hovedcn. John had carried over to England a great num- j hn fes ber of foreigners, and expected a further reinforce- a . n infu " ec - r r- i i T-M i i j- i tionmEnt- ment of French and Flemings : at his landing he land. feized the caftles of Windfor and Wallingford ; and, pretending his brother was dead, required Walter archbiihop of Rouen, and the other jufti- ciaries, to take the path of allegiance, and proceed to his coronation. The regency giving no credit to his aflertion, he folicited the nobility for their afliftance, fortified his caftles, and ravaged the de- mefnes of his brother. The judiciaries hearing his auxiliaries were ready to embark at Witfand, ordered bodies of troops to march down to the fea-fide, and fecured the ports in fuch a manner, that the mercenaries durft not venture to attempt a defcent. They raifed another army, with which they befieged and took Windfor. A third body was arTembled in the North by Geoffry archbifhop of York ; the caftle of Tikehill was invefted by Hugh bifhop of Durham ; and John, rinding him- felf unable to cope with the power and authority of the regents, was fain to purchafe a truce by giving up the caftles of Pec and Wallingford. During this ceffation John withdrew into France, and Hubert Walter bifhop of Salifbury arriving in England, with letters of recommendation from the king, was, by the unanimous fuffrages of the bifhops and monks, elected archbifhop of Canter- bury. This prelate was left guardian of the king- chr. dom in the abfence of the archbifhop of Rouen, who accompanied the queen- mother to Germany in order to pay the king's ranfom. Richard had been cruelly treated at his deten- Tax an Scotland chofe this unfeafonable juncture to fojlicit Duet> Co1 ' a grant of Northumberland, Cumberland, Weft- moreland, and Lancashire, on pretence that thefe counties had been enjoyed by his anceftors j and his petition being refiifed, he offered fifteen hun- dred marks for the county of Northumberland alone. The king would have embraced the pro- pofal, with a refervation of the caftles ; but Wil- liam would not receive it on thefe terms, and went away difTatisfied, though not before he had obtained a charter entitling him to a certain funi to defray his expences in coming to attend the great council of the kingdom. G, NwWg, S Richard 260 , HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. c. 1194. Richard having received confiderable fums from Repairs to York and other cities, by way of free gift and con- Normandy. . .. * 5 r j j i r> rt. gratulation on his return, and periuaded the Celter- tians to part with another fhearing, refolved tovifit his foreign dominions, and oppofe the progrefs of the French king, who had invaded his territories in concert with prince John and his rebellious fubjects. . He accordingly embarked at Portfmouth with a ftrong body of forces in a fleet of one hundred fhips, and landing at Barfleur, proceeded to his is reconciled palace of Bures, near Bayeux. Next morning his tfacrjoha." brother John appeared in his prefence, and throw- ing himfelf at his feet, implored his majefty's par- don, which was granted at the interceflion of the queen -mother-, though no part of his eftate was reftored till the fucceeding year, when he obtained the reftitutkm of the counties of Mortaign and Gloucefler, with the honour of Eye, and an an- nuity of eight thoufand livres, in lieu of his other poffeflions. The king having appointed the ren- dezvous of his troops at L'Aigle, went thither and advanced immediately to the relief of Ver- neuil, which was belieged by Philip, to whom he refolved to give battle. But that prince declined an engagement, and retired in the night with pre- cipitation. The breaches were immediately re- paired : he directed his march to Montmirail, which the Angevins had already taken and demo- limed : from thence he repaired to Tours, where he received a free gift of two thoufand marks from the citizens ; and, marching forward to Loches, took the place by aflault. The king of France propofed a conference, and the place was fixed ; but, while the Englifh commiflioners waited for the French deputies, Philip took the caftle of Fon- taines near Rouen, and in his retreat furprifed the earl of Leicefter in the neighbourhood of Gournay : he afterwards "burned the town of Evreux, and then R I C H A R D I. 261 then made a motion to Fretteval. In this place A - c -"94- Richard refolved to attack him, and advanced as ^h nw far as Vendome ; but, the French king not daring Fmtevai. to (land the mock, retired in great confufion j fo that he was overtaken and routed with great (laugh- ter by Richard, and narrowly efcaped with his life. All his baggage and treafure, his feal and portable chapel were taken, with the contracts figned by the rebellious barons who had obliged themfelves to fland by Philip and John againft their own fove- Duet. Coi. reign. Hoved. Immediately after this victory, the king marched Richard rets with incredible expedition into Guienne, againft ^^tUto the count of Engoulefme and Geoffry de Rancon-e the mifma- lord of Pons, who had raifed an infurreftion in S5S favour of Philip. In fixteen days he reduced all their towns and caftles, and the number of his prifoners amounted to three hundred knights, and forty thoufand foldiers : fo that the revolters were obliged to fubmit ; and Philip fued for a truce of three years ; but as Richard would not agree to fuch a long ceflation, it was concluded for a fliorter term, to be in force from the latter end of July to the feaft of All-faints in the following year. The c.N.ubig. king of England employed this interval in regu- lating his revenue, which, he had reafon to believe, was mifmanaged and embezzled in his abfence. The itinerant juftices were directed to make a mi- nute fcrutiny into the demefnts of the crown, the lands of wards, efcheats, and forfeitures, as alfo into the wealth of the Jews, w]io were obliged, on pain of forfeiture and imprifonment, to deliver true inventories of their eftates ; and all their pawns, bonds, and fecurities were lodged in a public office, in order to prevent their frauds and exorbitant ufury. The fame fcrutiny was carried on in his foreign dominions. The offkers of his revenue in Aniou and Maine were feverely fined S 3 for a6 2 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. c. 1194. for their mifmanagement and corruption. William bifhop of Ely was deprived of his office of chan- cellor, and a new great-feal being made, all char- ters were renewed, and the fees produced a confi- derable fum of money. Though the pope had lent a deaf ear to the remonflrances which were made by the prelates and nobility againft the lega- tine power of Longchamp , his holinefs no fooner underftood that he was in difgrace with the king, than he fuperfeded his commifiion, and created Hubert archbifhop of Canterbury his legate over all the realm, notwithftanding the exemption which the late pope had granted to the church of York. permits the Richard, on the very day of his deliverance at tc x " cf Mentz, had difpatched Salt de Bruel with letters to Henry king of Jerufalem, importing, that he would certainly return to the Holy-Land before the expiration of the truce with Saladine ; and as the war was chiefly carried on in that country with cavalry, he indulged his fubjects with the practice of tournaments, which had been for fome time forbidden in England ; becaufe he forefaw that this excrcife would qualify them for the fervice of the campaign. Thefe diverfions had been prohi- bited in England and fome other countries, on ac- count of the mifchiefs which they had produced ; for, exclufive of accidents, which often befel the combatants, individuals, who entertained private animofity againft each other, took this opportunity of deciding the contention, and fought to extre- mity, becaule no punilhment was adjudged againft him who flew his antagonift in the tournament ; for the law fuppofed that fuch death was the effect Death of of accident. It was in an exercile of this kind dukeof that Leopold duke of Auftria fuftained a fall, in Aufim. vshich his loot was crufhed to pieces, a gangrene entueci, and he fufFeird amputation without fuc- ccfs. Defpairing of recovery, he defired he might be R I C H A R D I. 2 6 3 be abfolved of the fentence of excommunication A - c - "94- which the pope had fulminated againft him, for his cruelty and injuftice to the king of England. Before he could obtain this favour, he was obliged to releafe Richard of all conventions made during his captivity ; he ordered the money which he had received for his ranfom, to be reflored, and the Englifh hoftages to be fet at liberty. His fucceffor was very unwilling to execute thefe bequefts, and allowed his father's corpfe to lie a whole week un- buried, before he would releafe the hoftages : but the clergy refufmg to perform the funeral rites until thefe articles mould be ful ailed, he difmuTed them at lad, and made them a tender of four thoufand marks to be reftored to Richard ; but they refufed to charge themfelves with fuch a con- fiderable fum of money, on account of the length and dangers of the journey , the king however was chr. Gerv. difcharged from paying the remainder of his ran- ^ ro J r ton * fom, amounting to twenty thoufand marks. A^'ng^ During Richard's captivity, the emperor had Rich** offered to him the kingdom of Provence, and the phj!^ an countries about the Rhone, which- had formerly ravages his been imperial fiefs, provided he would take the S trouble to conquer them from France. Since than period, Henry had marched into Italy, and con- quered Apuglia, Calabria, and Sicily, of which he was crowned king, in right of his wife Con- fiance. Upon his return from this fortunate ex- pedition, he formed a plan for re-uniting to his fway all the kingdoms and provinces which for- merly held of the weftern empire , and confidering Richard as a neceffary ally towards the execution of this project, he fent an ernbafl'y with the prefent of a golden crown to that prince, and the propoial of an offenfrve and defensive league againft Philip, who had provoked the king of England by divers infractions of the truce, and even hired fifteen S 4 Saracens 264 HISTQRYp? EN G LA N D. A.C. 1195. Saracens to take away his life. Richard had found very little benefit from the penfions he had paid to fome German princes for their affiftance againft France, and was dubious of Henry's fmcerity : but that he might not, on bare fufpicion, avoid an advantageous alliance, he fent the bifhop of Ely to found his real fentiments, and adjuft the particu- lars of the treaty. Philip difcovering thefe tranf- actions, endeavoured to intercept the bifhop in his paflage ; but failing in the attempt, he declared that this correfpondence was a breach of the truce, which he therefore renounced ; and made feveral incurfions in Normandy, where he demolimed di- vers caflles, of which he had made himfelf matter by treachery in the beginning of the war. Vau- dreuil was on the point of undergoing the fame fate, when Richard advanced with an army ; and Philip, afraid of contending with him in the field, had recourfe as ufual to a mean ftratagem : he amufed the king of England with a conference, while his engineers were privately employed in un- dermining the fortifications, which tumbled down all at once with a hideous crafh 4 Richard, hear- ing the noife, was tranfported with indignation ; he ftarted up with fury in his afpect, and putting himfelf at the head of his troops, attacked the French fo fuddenly, that they had fcarcely time to retreat beyond the Seine. Phi'lip was almoft drowned in paffing a bridge which broke down with the weight of him and his attendants , and the king of England advancing into France, laid wafte the country with fire and fword. His progrefs was a little interrupted by the ar- rival of ambafiadors from the king of Caftile, who having been routed, and afterwards befieged in Toledo by a vaft army of Moors, follicited the affiftance of the chriftian powers. Another nego- tiation was begun between France and England, and Hovet'en. Neubrig. Peace con- cluded be- tween France and England. R I C H A R D I. 265 and the plan of a treaty digefted ; but as Richard A - c - "9S* did not know the emperor's real fentiments, he poft- poned the conclufion of the peace, and, in the mean time, delivered up the princefs Adelais, who was immediately married to the count of Pon- thieu. The two kings agreed to a conference in the neighbourhood of Verneuil ; but Philip, in- fread of repairing to the place appointed, fent the archbimop of Rheims to amufe Richard, while the French troops took this opportunity of his being at a diftance, to ravage part of Normandy, and burn the town of Dieppe, with all the fliips in the harbour. The war was inftantly renewed. Ri- chard's Brabantins took the count of Auvergne, and furprifed YfTodun. Philip marched thither to befiege the place ; the king of England advanced to relieve it ; and terms of accommodation were again propofed. By this time the biihop of Ely had returned from the court of the emperor, whom he found wavering and irrefolute, though he ex- horted Richard to continue the war, and offered to remit feventeen thoufand marks of the ranfom that ftill remained unpaid. The king of England chofe to pay the money, rather than act as the inftru- ment of fuch a fickle uncertain ally. Though he had by a fudden march hemmed in Philip fo as that he could not retreat without imminent danger, he liflened to the propofals of that monarch, with whom he held a conference between Yflbdun and Charoft : there the articles of peace were adjufted, and the treaty afterwards ratified at Louviers in a numerous afiembly, compofed of the prelates and nobility of both kingdoms. In confequence of this convention, the king of France retained Gi- fors, theVexin Normand, with levenil other places; and reflored to Richard the counties of Aumale and Eu, with fome caflles which had been wrefted from him during his captivity. The limits of France 266 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. c. 095. France and Normandy were marked by a line drawn from the Eure to the Seine. The king of England relinquifhed his claim to Auvergne ; the prifoners on both fides were releafed , and a penalty of fif- Hoen. teen thoufand marks awarded againft that prince GUI. Neub. w ho mould firft infringe the articles of the treaty. The arch- During thefe tranfactions, the abbot of Caen had CaterWy found means to perfuade the king, that great part excrcifeshis o f t h e revenue was embezzled by the officers of the Jegatine . , . . . t - i power inthe crown : and that it might, by good oeconomy, be yS? f doubled without grievance to thefubjecl. He was ac- cordingly fent over to England with a commiflion, empowering him to infpect the accounts of all con- cerned in the revenue ; and orders were ifllied, for all fherifFs and officers to come at an appointed time with their accounts to London : but he died before the day, to the unfpeakable fatisfaction of thofe collectors ; nor was his death much lamented by Hubert archbifliop of Canterbury, who upon the abbot's arrival, had defired to refign his poll, on account of his age and infirmities : and, at the death of that prelate, offered to retain his office of guardian of the realm. In order to efface the im- preffions which the abbot's fuggeftions had made upon Richard, he gave that prince to underftand, that he had, in the two laft years, remitted to him eleven hundred thousand marks out of England \ and the king, ftruck with the greatnefs of the fum, was glad to leave the patrimony of the crown to the management of fuch a good oeconomift. Hubert indeed filled all his pofts with dignity and prudence ; though he took advantage of Geoffry's ablence to exercife his legatine power in the pro- vince of York, which was now deprived of its ex- emption by pope Celeftine, who was incenfed at Geoffry for the little regard he expreflfed for the fee of Rome. That prelate difcountenanced all ap- peals to his holinefs, flighted the papal decrees, 6 and R I C H A R D I. 267 and adhered to the old laws and cuftoms of the A. 0,1195. realm. He had imprifoned and deprived feveral ecclefiaftics, who made appeals, and obtained the pope's decrees in their favour. A difpute fubfifting between him and his chapter, about the right of electing a dean, he had been fummoned to appear at Rome, and anfwer fome articles exhibited againft him , and, neglecting this citation, was in difgrace : fo that Hubert could not have found a more fa- vourable juncture to exercife his legatine power Hoveden. over Geoffry's province. A.C. n 9 6 Howfoever the nrchbifhop of Canterbury might Account f have ufurped in this particular, he certainly ex- erted himfelf with great diligence and juftice in the adminiilration of the government. He totally fupprefied the dangerous gangs of robbers, who fhdtered themfelves in the large forefts that over- fpread the kingdom, and infefted the whole coun- try ; but he found greater difficulties in quelling the tumults that arofe between the rich and poor citizens of London. The populace was headed by a chief, called William Longbeard, who had been bred to the law ; but being an idle profligate vagabond, he renounced his profeflion, acculed his elder bro- ther of treafon, becaufe he refufed to fupply his extravagance , and having wriggled himfelf into the magiftracy of London, affected to efpoufe the caufe of the poor with uncommon zeal and feeminej enthufiafm. He ililed himfelf their faviour , and even went over to Normandy, where he reprefented to the king, that the poorer fort of citizens were oppreiled by an unequal afTeffment of the taxes, and obtained a mitigation. By thefe means he ac- quired a dangerous degree of popularity, and ex- cited frequent tumults againtt the wealthy Lon- doners, who were befieged in their houles, and even afiaulted in churches. A proclamation was ifTued out againft thefe diiturbances j but, by this time, a68 HISTORY OF EN G L AND. A. c. 1196. t j me> above fifty thoufand people had engaged in an afibciation to defend and obey William, who murdered his fellow-citizens without remorfe ; and provided a great quantity of iron tools to force open the doors of their warehoufes. Hubert, afraid of employing the civil power at once againft fuch a powerful confpiracy, convened a common-hall, and in a fpeech to the citizens, after having com- plained of the diforders daily committed within their precincts, and reprefented the dangerous con- fequences of fuch licence and irregularity, per- fuaded them to give hoftages, as a proof of their peaceable intention, which would convince the king of the falfhood and malice of the reports he had heard to their prejudice. He no fooner gained this point, than he fummoned William to appear before the council, and anfwer to an accufation exhibited againft him for murder and fedition ; but he came with fuch a formidable train, that the trial was poftponed. Hubert afterwards fent two citizens, with a guard, to apprehend this defperado, who flew one of them, and fought his way with an halbert to the church of St. Mary le Bow, attended by his concubine, and fome of his accomplices, who had, by this time, murdered the other citizen. There he was fupplied with arms and provifions, and expected to be joined by the populace ; but thefe were intimidated on account of the hoftages they had given, as well as by a numerous body of well armed forces, by which the church was imme- diately inverted. William ftill refufmg to fubmit to a legal trial, Hubert ordered the foldiers to force the body of the church ; fo that he and his men were obliged to retire into the fteeple, from whence he was driven by a fmoke of wet ftraw kindled for the" purpofe. He was then taken, tried, convicted, and, being drawn at a horfe's tail through the ftreets of London, was hung in chains, with nine f RICHARD I. 2% of his accomplices. The lower clafs of people A - c - ll & revered him as a martyr, and began to believe re- ports of his having wrought miracles. The gibbet was ftolen, as rivalling the crofs in fanctity. The turf on which it flood was carried away, and kept as a prefervative from ficknefs and misfortune ; and infinite crowds of people reforted to the place, ei- ther from curiofity or devotion. In a word, this ruffian was in a fair way of being deemed as great a faint as Becket, when the archbifhop fet a guard upon the fpot to keep off the multitude ; and prac- tifed fome wholefome feverities, which put an end ^ eul>r ' ; i r c i r c n Mat. fans. to this lenlelels iuperitition. - chr. Gerv. Hubert having quieted thefe difturbances, held Hubert a conference at York with William king of Scot- ^ r jj* lel land, in order to fettle a marriage-contract which in had been propofed between that king's eldeft daugh- ter Margaret, and Otho, younger fon of Henry the Lion, whom, in confequence of this match, William intended to declare his fuccefibr. Earl Patric and the Scottim nobility oppofed this fettle- ment, and declared for the fuccefilon of Edward earl of Huntingdon ; alledging, that the crown of Scotland never defcended to a daughter, when the king had a brother alive. William however was refolved upon the match, and now ftipulated with . the archbimop, that Otho mould immediately re- ceive with his daughter the province of Lothian, and be put in poffeflion of the counties of Nor- thumberland and Carlifle by the king of England. But this treaty was broke off by the pregnancy of William's queen, who brought forth a fon to in- herit his dominions ; and Richard, in order to con- fole Otho for his difappointmerit, beftowed upon him the county of Poitiers, by way of acknowledg- ment of the fer vices he had done him during his captivity. About this period the archbifhop march- ed againft Rees, prince of South Wales, who had 4 burned 2?d HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A'.c. u 9 6. burned Caermarthen, reduced feveral caftles, and defeated Roger Mortimer and Hugh de Say, in a pitched battle. Hubert took the field in perfon at the head of a great army ; but the Welch prince would not hazard a battle, fo that he could do nothing effectual', but befieged the caftle of Gwenwynwyn, which at laft furrendered upon an honourable capi- tulation , though Hubert no fooner retired, than the Welch retook it on the fame terms. Rees dy- ing in the courfe of the fucceeding year, a quarrel arofe among his fons about the fucceflion, and in- volved the whole country in the miferies of a civil war, till Hubert finding an opportunity to feize Griffith the eldeft, effected an accommodation to Ccr. Coi, the fatisfaction of all parties, PhiHp of Mean while Brittany became a fcene of confu- SiTiwfti ^ I0n * Conftance had, after the death of Geoffry, litiesin married Ralph Blundeville earl of Chefter, who Normandy. k ac j un j er t j ie j ate kj n g adminiftred the affairs of that dutchy. He lived at variance with the prin- cefs -, and his government was fo odious to the Bre- tons, that they drove him out of the country, and he had retired to his eftate in Normandy. The king, defirous of effecting a reconciliation between him and Conftance, fent for this princefs, who was furprifed on the road by her hufband, and confined In his caftle of S. James de Bevron. Richard claimed the guardianmip of her fon Arthur, now in the ninth year of his age , and certainly had the belt title to that office, both as his uncle, and duke of Normandy, of which the dutchy of Brittany was a fief. But Conftance, defirous of referving to herfelf the charge of his education, recommended him to the protection of fome lords who were in the French intereft, who conveyed the young prince to S. Paul de Leon, in the Lower Brittany, and follicited Philip's affiftance. Againft thofe noble- men Richard detached Marcaddee with his Braban- tins, R I C H A R t> t 271 fins, and Stephen de Turnham, at the head of a A - c -9 - body of forces faifed in Poitou, Anjou, and Le- maine, who were worfted in a battle fought near Carhaes, in the diocefe of Cornouaille. Philip took this opportunity of Richard's being unfumiftied of troops, to renew hoftilities ; and as the abbots of St. Denis, Marmoutier, and Cluny, with the prior of La Charite, had been his fureties for ob- ferving the peace, he was no fooner guilty of this infraction, than Richard feized the lands belong- ing to thofe convents in England, until they Ihould pay the penalty of fifteen thoufand marks which they had forfeited. The French king invading Normandy at this juncture, met with very little oppofition, and took Aurrtale, with feveral other places, while Richard was obliged to act on the defenfive, at the head of a fmall body, till towards the latter end of the campaign, when his affairs afiumed a more favourable afpect. The Bretons were fain to fubmit and give hoftages for their fidelity : Conftance being enlarged, was entrufted with the guardianihip of her fon, after fhe had fworn to do nothing without the advice of the king of England ; and the long quarrel between Richard and Raimund count of Tholoufe, was now hap- pily terminated by his marriage with Jane queen ,j ' c c- -i Rob.de dowager of Sicily. The peace of Guienne being thus fecured, the king refolved to ftrengthen the frontiers of Nor- mandy, and gave orders for erecting a fortrefs at Andely, through which the French had always found an eafy entrance in their incurfions. The ground belonged to the fee of Rouen, and Richard offered to maive reafonable fatisfaction to the arch- biftiop i but that prelate, inflexibly devoted to the rights of the church, even when they clafhecl with the public good, rejected the equivalent, appealed to the pope, and laid all Normandy under an inter- dict. 2 HISTORYorENGLA N D. C. i 9 -. diet. Richard fent agents to Rome to juftify his conduct ; and the caufe being heard, his holinefs decreed than Andely mould be conveyed to the king for lands of an equal value. In conformity with this decifion, he granted to the fee of Rouen, three towns and other poffefiions, to the amount of five hundred livres a year more than the revenue of Andely, the fortifications of which were com- pleted ; and this, together with the famous Chateau Gaillard erected at the fame time, ferved on that fide as the bulwark of Normandy. As a dreadful dearth, and its attendant peftilence, prevailed over all the weftern parts of Europe, it was impractica- ble to bring great armies into the field j confe> quently the war was maintained in flight incurfions. Richard making an irruption into Picardy, took the town of St. Valery on the Somme, deftroyed the caftle, feized all the mips in the harbour, and among thefe, finding five Englifh corn verTels, caufed the matters to be hanged as traitors, for fup- plying the enemy with provifion. The caflle of Melly in Beauvoifis, was invefted by John count of Mortaign, and Marcaddee, general of the Braban- ebJftop tins; and being taken, was demolimed. Peter de ^Tri^' Dreux bimop of Beauvais, and firft coufm to the erYand French king, advancing with a body of troops to 4 n s b * ts re ^ f> fe-i * nto an am bufh, was routed and taken bard. prifoner. Richard ordered this infolent prelate to be clofely confined at Rouen, and even fettered him as a mark of difgrace : and two of his clergy pe- titioning that he might be ufed with lefi feverity, the^ king told them, that he treated the bifhop in this manner, by way of retaliation for the repeated injuries he had done him in the Eaft, and during his captivity ; obferving that, in confequence of Peter's admonitions to the emperor, he himfelf had been loaded with as many chains as an horfe could carry. The bifhop follicited the pope to intercede with R I C H A R D i. 273 with Richard in his behalf; but that pontiff de- ^c. ng 7 . clined the office, becaufe he had been taken in arms like a foldier ; and the king refufed to releafe him until he fhould pay ten thoufand marks for his ranfom. As Philip had taken all occafions to retrench the privileges and cruih the exorbitant power of the one r ear nobility, a fpirit of difcontent had diffufed itfelf b^we^n through fome of the firfb families in France, and Francean ^ Richard did not fail to take the advantage of this difTatisfaction. Among thefe malcontents, the mod powerful was Baldwin count of Flanders and Hain- auk, a third part of whofe territories had been feized by Philip, at the death of his predeceffor. With him the king of England engaged in an offenfive and defenfive league againft France, that fhould fubfift for ever, and be obligatory on their defcendants. Richard immediately fupplied the count with a lum of money, that enabled him to raife a flrong body of forces, with which he reduced a number of fortreffes, and at laft inverted Arras. Philip ad- vancing to the relief of the place, the count raifed the fiege, and retired before him, until the French king had penetrated a great way into the country, when he found that Baldwin had very artfully fent de- tachments to break down the bridges, open the fluices, and take pofleffion of the paffes in his rear; fo chat he could neither be fwpplied with provifion, nor retreat without the moft imminent danger. In this emergency he propofed terms of accommoda- tion to the count, reminding him of his duty as a vaflal of France, recapitulated the loyalty and lervices of his anceftors, and promifed to reftore all he had taken from Flanders, if he would re- nounce his alliance with the king of England, the inveterate enemy of the French monarchy. Bald- win, thus cajoled, allowed him to retreat unmo- lefted ; but, being afraid of breaking with Richard, N*. 16. T to ?74 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. c. 1197. to w hom he had given hoftages for the performance of articles, he acted the part of mediator, and per- fuacied the king of England to agree to a confe- rence, at a place between Gaiilon and Andely, where, though the two monarchs, mutually exaf- perated againft each other, would not conient to a perfect reconciliation, the prelates and nobility, who bore the burthen of the war, interpofed their authority fo effectually, that a truce for one year was concluded, and the prifoners on both fides were ierv< rcleafed, for a reafonable ranfom. Stz^Ters ^7 this time Richard perceived how little he treated chief could depend upon the count of Flanders ; and his "England! * condudfc,. on this occafion, was not fo much in- fluenced by Baldwin's perfuafions, as by the re- monftranees of Hubert archbilhop of Canterbury, whom he had fent for to the continent, to confult about the affairs of England. At that prelate's return, he iffued a proclamation, fixing the ftan- dard of the currency ; and appointing one fet of weights and meafures to be ufed all over the king- dom, under fevere penalties , at the fame time, cer- tain regulations were made for the prevention of frauds in the woollen manufacture. Then he made a progrefs to the marches of Wales, changing the governors of the frontier caftles ; thence repairing to Coventry, he turned the fecular canons out of the priory, and reftored the monks, who had been expelled by Hugh Nonant bimop of that diocefe. While he thus exercifed legatine power, pope Ce leftine died, and his fucceifor Innocent III. would never renew his commiffion. This pontiff was pre- judiced againft the archbifhop, by the infinuations of the monks of Chrift-church, who fufpecting Hubert of a defign againft them fimilar to that of his predecefTor Baldwin, reprefented him as an enemy to the papal authority. Innocent, alarmed at their fuggeftions, ordered them to demolifti a chapel RICHARD I. 275 chapel he had rmimed at Lambeth, and refign the A.C. n 97 . poft of chief judiciary, which by the canons was incompatible with the ecclefiaftical character. In Hoveden; this office he was fucceeded by Geoffry Fitz-piers, v who had been juftice of the king's court, and in- herited the barony of William de Mandeville, late earl of Efiex. Under this new jufticiary's admi- niftration, the affize of the foreft was publifhed, re-eftablifhing the fevere penalties of the game-laws enacted by Henry fon of the Conqueror ; and a grievous talliage was exacted from the fubject, at the rate of five millings for every hide or hundred acres of land in the kingdom. This was the fe- A heavy tax vereft tax which had been impofed fince the reign |j' e d "P "^ of William the Conqueror , and falling upon the foccage tenants and farmers, produced great cla- mour and diftrefs. The clergy were likewife fub- jected to this impofition -, they at firft refufed to fubmit to the authority of the general council, but being deprived of the protection of the king's court, and difabled from recovering debts and for- feitures, they at length confented to pay their pro- portion of the talliage. After this unpopular tranf- action Geoffry marched into South -Wales, to raife the fiege of Caftle-Payen, in Radnorfhire, in which William de Braoufe was inverted by Gwenwynwyn, lord of Powis, whofe kinfman Vaughan had been treacheroufly put to death by William's con- trivance. Gwenwynwyn rejecting all overtures of Gwenwyn- peace, the jufticiary fet at liberty his profefTed ^^ enemy Griffith ap Rees, who raifing his vaffals and prmce joining the Englifh, a battle enfued, in which routcd - Gwenwynwyn was routed, above three thoufand of his followers were (lain, a great number of his men taken prifoners, and Geoffry returned in triumph to the capital. Mean while Henry VI. emperor of Germany othoeiefted dying, Richard was fummoned to the diet at Co- n?rof * *-* . Oermany. T 2 logne, HIS TORY OF ENGLAND. 197. longe, as king of Provence, or a prince holding of the empire, to afiift at the election of a fuc- ceflbr to the imperial throne. He did not chufe to go thither in perfon^ but fent ambafiadors to employ their beft endeavours in behalf of his ne- phew Otho, who was afterwards crowned at Aix la Chapelle -, though his election was many years contefted by Philip of Suabia, brother to the late emperor. The caufe of this competitor was ef- poufed by the French king, who engaged in a league with him againft Otho, Richard the archbifhop of Cologne, and the count of Flanders -, while thefe, on the other hand, together with the duke of Lou- vain, the counts of Braine, Boulogne, Guifnes, Perche, Blois, and Tholoufe, entered into a con - federacy againft France, and mutually promifed upon oath to reject all terms of peace, except with the common confent of the aflfociation. Richard The truce with Philip was no fooner expired, ce than Baldwin count of Flanders invaded Artois, at vei- an d took St. Omer, while the French king ravaged at" the frontiers of Normandy, and ordered all his prifoners to be deprived of their eye -fight ; a bar- barous practice, which provoked Richard to a reta- liation. The two kings had now taken the field, infpired with perfonal animofity againft each other, and at length they met between Carriages and Ver- non. They engaged immediately with great fury on both fides ; but victory foon declared for Ri- chard, who routed his adverfary, and purfued him to the very gates of VernOn, from whence he re- tired to Mante, in order to recruit his forces. The victor improved his advantage by the reduction of feveral caftles, and at length took Courcelles by affault '. but the French king being ignorant of this event, and having by this time reaffembled a numerous army, refolved to attempt the relief of that important fortrefs. For this purpofe he be- gan RICHARD I. 277 gan his march from Mante, with four hundred A. 0.1198. knights, a thoufand efquires on horfeback, and a large body of militia ; but when he had advanced to the neighbourhood of Courcelles, he was attacked by Richard ; and being again defeated, fled in great . diforder to Gifors. In crofilng the river Epte, the bridge being overloaded by the number of fugitives that crouded after him, broke down, and a great number of people, including twenty knights, perifhed by its fall ; the king himfelf narrowly efcaping with his life. This accident cutting off the retreat of the French forces, they were almoft all killed or taken ; and among the prifoners were Matthew de Montmorency, Alan de Bouffy, and Fulk de Gilerval, whom Richard un- horfed and took by his own perfonal prowefs. Brompton. In confequence of this victory, Marcaddee, with ^2 ec f " his Brabantins, made an incurfion into Picardy, fi ve years as far as Abbeville, where he found an immenie p h 7J n an4 booty, and took a number of merchants, who paid Richard, large fums for their ranfom. Richard erected the fortrefs of Boutavant in an ifland of the Seine, and Philip raifing a new army, burned the town of Evreux, and feven villages in the neighbourhood. Tired, however, of an unfuccefsful war, he made overtures of peace, and offered very advantageous terms to Richard, who could expect no advantage from hoftilities ; he follicited the pope's interpofi- tion towards an accommodation between him and the king of England ; and Innocent knowing the Chriftians of the Holy Land could not be effectu- ally relieved, while the war between the two crowns continued, readily complied with his requeft, and lent Peter cardinal of Capua as his legate to medi- ate a reconciliation. Though Richard loudly com- plained that the pope had refufed to excommuni- cate the king of France for having feized his ter- ritories, while he was engaged in the crufade, he T 3 wa5 278 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. 0.1197. was pleafed with an opportunity to oblige that pontiff, whom he wanted to engage in the intereft of his nephew Otho, and confented to the legate's propofal of an interview with Philip. They met between Vernon and Andely, Richard appearing in a boat, and the French king fitting on horfe- back on the bank of the river. Here they agreed to accept the mediation of the pope, and fixed the time and place for another conference in prefence of the cardinal, prelates, and nobility, of both nations. At this fecond meeting they concluded a truce for five years, and the troops on both fides were difmiffed. Marcaddee, in marching with his Brabantins to his quarters, was attacked by four French noblemen at the head of a flrong body of forces, and feveral of his people were (lain. Ri- chard, confiding in the truce, had repaired tq Guienne, and Philip taking the advantage of his abience, erected a fortrefs between Gail Ion and Boutavant, and ordered an adjoining foreft to be cut down, though it belonged to the king of A * c - ""* England. Richard was not a prince to put up with thefe indignities : he returned forthwith to Normandy ; and fent his chancellor Euflace bifhop of Ely to demand fadsfadtion, and declare that he would hold the truce as difTolved, unlefs Philip would order the new caflle to be immediately de- molimed. The French king difavowed the injury done to the Brabantins, and promifed to difmantle the fortrefs ; but Richard infifted upon a final dif- cuffion of all difputes. Several conferences were held, and at laft both parties fignified their appro- bation of a plan of pacification, propofing that the king of England fhould give his niece Blanche of Caftile in marriage to Philip's eldeft fon Lewis, together with Gifors and twenty thoufand marks of filver ; that all the other places taken from Richard 1 mould bs reflored ; that, as an indemni- ficatioi} R I C H A R D I. 279 fication for Gifors, Philip fhould convey .to the A' the count of period, hurried him into an act or injuitice and indifcretion, that was attended with very trouble- fome confequences. Ifabel, daughter of Ay mar Taillefer, count of Engoulefme, was affianced to Hugh le Brun, count of La Marche ; and John, chancing to fee the young lady in this expedition, was fo captivated with her beauty, that he de- manded her in marriage of her father, who yielding his confent to fuch an advantageous match, re- nounced his treaty with the count of La Marche, from whofe cuftody he conveyed his daughter to Engoulefme. John had been long tired of his own wife, and refolved to procure a divorce from her, on account of her barrennefs , in purfuance of this refolution, he had fent the bifhop of Lifieux, and three Englifh noblemen, as ambafladors, to de- mand the daughter of the king of Portugal in marriage : but now, without paying the leaft regard to his honour or his inteieft, he obtained the fen- tence of divorce from the archbifhop of Bour- deaux, affifted by the bifhops of Poitiers and Sain- tes, and was, by the firft of thefe prelates, married to Ifabel of Engoulefme. This precipitate mar- riage incenfed the king of Portugal to fuch a de- gree, that the fafety of the embafiadors was en- dangered : the pope took umbrage at a match founded upon a divorce which he had not been folli- cited to confirm ; and the count of La Marche, being robbed of a princefs who had captivated his affection, was fo enraged at the injury and difap- pointment, that he devoted his whole attention to 7 revenge, JOHN. 293 revenge, and had frequent opportunities of annoy- A - c - Iao - ing John in the fequel. Hoveden . The king of England, in his return from this Tax and expedition, vifited Angers, where he exacted one fJ7 hundred and fifty hoftages from the citizens -, and cr then repaired to England with his fair bride, who was crowned at Weftminfter by Hubert arch- bifhop of Canterbury, who had lately held a fynod in that place, contrary to the orders of the judi- ciary, and enacted feveral canons for the reforma- tion of abufes, which had crept into the admini- ftration of ecclefiaftical affairs. Each of thofe new regulations concluded with a falvo of the honour and privileges of the church of Rome > a form that Hubert feems to have adopted to ingratiate himfelf with pope Innocent, who was a pontiff of great refohmon and abilities, calculated for extending the papal authority. After having kindled the en- thufiafrn of the people by the fermons of his emif- faries, he, on pretence of relieving the Chriftians of the Holy Land, laid a tax of the fortieth part of all ecclefiaftical revenues in Italy, Sclavonia, Germany, France, and the Britifh ifles, for the maintenance of a new crufade to be undertaken againft the Saracens ; and fent Philip, a Roman notary, to collect this impofition in England. While the pope thus exercifed his power over the clergy, he did not fail tp exhort the laity to make a voluntary contribution for the fame laudable pur- pofe. The king of France raifed the fame propor- tion in his territories ^ and John not only granted the fortieth part of his revenue for one year, but alfo authorized the fame collection from all the ba- rons, military tenants, and freeholders, throughout Bar the kingdom. Immediately after the new queen's coronation, John,whowas extremely defirous of acommodating U 3 mat- 294 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. c. 1200. m -atters with William king of Scotland, that, in? wiiiiam flead of a dangerous enemy, he might become a -scodMd ufefal a ^.V> fent a fplendid deputation of noblemen, does ho- to invite that prince to his court at Lincoln, where Snat ^ e P ro Pfed to receive his homage. The Scot Lincoln, obeyed the fummons ; and arriving with Roland, lord of Galloway, did homage to John in public upon Brehill, fwearing on the crofs of archbi- fhop Hubert, that he would be his liegeman, and bear faith to him, of life, limb, and terrene ho- nour, againft all men, faving the rights of his own crcwn. This ceremony of fubmiffion was, in all probability, performed for the counties of Lothian and Galloway, which had formerly belonged to the Cumbrian kingdom, as William, at this time, pof- fefied no fiefs in England ; for his claim to the northern counties was not yet admitted, but the examination of that affair poftponed to another op- portunity \ fo that the Scottilh king retired, not a chr. Hem- |j(- t | e diffatisfied, to his own dominions. John had Hovedcn. the lefs to apprehend from his refentment, as a re- Trivet 1 ' 8 "' P onc ^ a ti n was now effected between him and his natural brother Geoffry, whom he had difieized of his temporalities, on a fuppofition that he carried en a correfpondence with William, to the prejudice of his government. Having made a progrefs thro* the northern counties, he kept his Chriftmas with great feftiyity at Guilford, and repaired at Eafter to Canterbury, where, in imitation of the ancient kings, he and his queen were crowned at that feftival in the cathedral by Hubert, affifted by the bifhops of Dub- lin, London, Rochelter, Ely, and Norwich. mm SO*. While John thus revelled in feafting, and the barons to .delights of his new marriage, the bad effecls of attend him . ... , . f+ . irtoNur- that alliance began to appear in Guienne, where a thr^ViTc* 1 commot ^ on was raifed by the count of La Marche, t obey his and his brother Ralph de Yfibudun, pofTefled of rders. the JOHN 295 the county of Eu in Normandy. John, apprifed A - c - <> of thefe difturbances, diipatched orders to Guerin LM. Mar- g g ^ s ^ -^ m ^ ^ y OUt ^ a jj at once difappeared i cui.Brho. and his uncle induftripufiy circulated a report of his having JOHN. 301 having perifhed in the river, in attempting to make A -c. uo 3 . his efcape. All the world believed that the young prince was murdered by his contrivance ; and what leemed to juftify that fuppofition, was its being committed two or three days after the death of his mother Eleanor, during whofe life he durft not have executed fuch a barbarous defign ; befides, he, ac this period, made an hafty voyage to England, and was crowned at Canterbury, as if, confcious of the murder, he thought that ceremony would confecrate him anew, and purify him from the guilt. On this occafion, he carried along with him Arthur's fifter Eleanor, now heirefs of Brittany, therefore fur- named La Brette, who inheriting her brother's title to the crown, was now become the object of John's jealoufy, and clofe confined her at Briflol, under the guard of four knights, that Ihe might have no opportunity of engaging in a clandeftine mar- riage. Dugdale. The perpetration of this horrid murder, not only The Breton* rendered the tyrant deteftable in the eyes of all y evolt > aad mankind, but was the immediate caufe of Brittany's jTKf being for ever difmembred from the Engliih crown. murder {n T i r r i i i i i the court of John, in coniequence or his nephews death, de- thepemof manded the adminiftration of that dutchy, as guar- Fiancc ' dian of Eleanor, who was then in his power : but the ftates of the province received his propofal with horror ; and, far from complying with his demand, they appointed Guy de Thouars, the laft hufband of Conftance, the chief of their council of government, and guardian to his infant daughter Alice, whom they propofed to acknowledge as their dutchefs, provided her elder filler Eleanor could net be de- livered from captivity. They ftrongly follicited the releafe of this princefs ; and finding their remon- flrances difregarded, in an aiTembly at Vannes, drew up articles of impeachment againft John, whom they accufed of murder and parricide, lodg- ing 3 o2 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. c. 1203. j n g their accufation in the court of peers of France, and deputing the bifhopof Rennes, and Richard' de Marefchal, to carry on the procefs. John was ac- cordingly fummoned to vindicate himfelf from the charge , and failing to appear, condemned by the unanimous fentence of the peers, couched in thefe terms : " Whereas John, duke of Normandy, for- 46 getting his oath to king Philip his lord, has " murdered his elder brother's fon, an homager of 48 the crown of France, and the king's kinfman, " and perpetrated the crime within the figniory of " France , he is found guilty of felony and treafon, oz H;ft " and adjudged to forfeit all the territories which he de cret'agne! " holds by homage." phiii con- Philip was extremely incenfed againft the author quers great of fuch a cruel tragedy, which he determined in LTtnd "" ^amefl to revenge. He aflembled a body of troops, Pouou. and marching towards Anjou, almoft all the barons of that province and Poitou, revolting from John, put themfelves under his protection : the tyrant had already been abandoned by feveral noblemen of ap- proved fidelity, who would no longer ferve fuch an infamous matter. Juhael de Mayene, a powerful lord in Bretagne, left him immediately after the murder, and joined his countrymen in the profecu- tion , and William de Roches, fenefchal of Maine and Anjou, deferted him on the fame occafion, and took Angers by furprize : in a word, the defection became general, and John, giving way once more to his brutal difpofition, ordered all their hoftages to Trivet. ke put to death, in the fury of revenge. Philip having, with the affiftance of the Bretons and Poi- tevins, reduced a number of fortreffes beyond the Loire, and on the borders of Normandy, difmified his forces ; and John feized this opportunity to in- veft Alencon, which the count had put into the hands of the French king. When he had made fome progrefs in the fiege, Philip understanding there was a vaft concourfe of knights at a tourna- 3 menc JOHN. 30:5 Went in the neighbourhood of Moret, went thither, A - c. 1*03. and perfuaded them to march to the relief of Alen- con. They were glad of fuch an opportunity to fig- nalize their courage, and advanced with fuch expe- dition, that John raifed the fiege, and retired with great precipitation, leaving his machines, tents, and baggage to the enemy. The victor then turned his arms agalnfl Nor- John mnkes mandy, in which he took feveral fortreffes, and l! was admitted into others; and about the middle relieve chi- ef Auguft, he undertook the fiege of Chateau- S; Gaii " Gaillard, on the banks of the Seine, built by Ri- chard, and fuppofed impregnable, John, though at the head of an army equal in number to the French, was afraid of hazarding a battle, partly from cowardice, the confequence of his guilt, and partly from a fufpicion of his foldiers. He had ibllicited the pope's mediation, and his holinefs fent two abbots to negotiate a peace, Thefe deputies, by virtue of the papal authority and injunctions, commanded both princes to affemble their prelates and nobility, in order to adjuft the articles of a pacification, and to repair the churches and mona- iteries which had been demolished in the courfe of the war between the two kingdoms. Philip dif- patched fome of his prelates to Rome, where they reprefented John in fuch colours, that Innocent was prevailed upon to fufpend his interposition in the quarrel ; and the king of England having nothing farther to expect from his holinefs, refolved at length to make an effort to throw fupplies into the caftle of Gaillard. For this purpofe he detached the earl of Pembroke, with a itrong body of horfe and foot, to attack and amufe the befiegers, while a fleet of feventy fiat- bottomed veflels, loaded with provifion and ammunition, and manned with three thoufand Flemings, was rowed up the river, to deitroy a bridge of boats formed by the French, and 304 HISTORYoF ENGLAND. A. c. 1203. an d fuccour the befieged. The fcheme was well laid ; but, this armament moving (lowly againft wind and tide, the earl of Pembroke arrived at the fcene of action long before it reached the bridge ; and attacking the enemy's camp in the night, filled it with dilbrder and conflernation. His Braban- tins, however, were more intent upon plunder than defirous of improving the advantage they had gained, and the French perceiving them difperfed and bufy in pillaging the camp, rallied and charged them with fuch vigour, that they were immediately routed, and fled, in great confufion. The fleet did not appear t'A day-light, when the whole force of the French, being united againft its efforts, the commander found it impracticable, either to de- molifh the bridge, or throw fupplies into the place, and was obliged to fall down the river with all GUI. Bnto. poffible expedition. Sn S a Nor" This was t ^ ie ^ attem P t ^ at John made for mandy. the defence of his foreign dominions : while Phi- lip blocked up the caftle of Gaillard, took Andely, and even reduced Radepont, an important place in the neighbourhood of Rouen, the king of England indulged himfelf in riot and (loth, faying, when reminded of Philip's progrefs, " Let him proceed j " I fhall recover more in one day than he can conquer " in a whole twelvemonth." Such was his indolence and feeming tranquility, in this alarming fituation, that people could not help believing he was bewitch- ed : and the Englifh nobility at his court, forefeeing nothing but difgrace and danger, as the refult of this infatuated behaviour, defired leave to vifit England* from whence they promifed in a little time to return. He would not, however, put them to that unne- celfary trouble j for, after having difmantled fe- veral ftrong towns, fo as to lay the country open to the incurfions of the enemy, he ordered four fhips to be privately prepared for his paflage, and quit- J O H N. 305 quitting Normandy, fet fail for England. Philip A - c - 120 3- Mat. Paris. An. Waver. did no: fail to improve this opportunity ; he now Matt Paris> extended his conquefts without oppofition ; for the Normans confidered John's departure as a renuncia- tion of the dutchy to the lord paramount : befides, they were incenfed at his leaving the command to Arches Martin, and Lupecaire, two of his Bra- bantin chiefs, under whom the Norman nobility difdained to ferve upon any principle. Though all the Vex in frontier, and a great number of places were reduced by the French king, Chateau-Gail- lard ftill held out, through the courage and con- duct of Roger de Lacy, conftable of Chefter, who commanded the garrifon. At length Philip, with incredible labour, filled up a hollow way between this caftle and an oppofite rock, fo that he could bring his machines to act againft the walls ; and, at the fame time, he employed a great number of miners to fap the foundation. Thefe endeavours fucceeded, the fort was taken after a fiege of fix months, and the governor made prifoner, with the remains of his garrifon, by this time reduced below two hundred fighting men. Philip treated him A . c. 72044 with great refpect, for the gallant defence he had made, and even allowed him to live at liberty in Paris upon his parole -, but he would not releafe him entirely, until he had paid fix thoufand marks for his ranfom. The French king having reduced this important Normandy fortrefs, refolved to befiege Falaife, the bulwark [J^ of Lower Normandy , but, before he had begun to O f France, open his batteries, Lupecaire the governor furren- dered the town and caftle, and, with his Braban- tins, entered into the fervice of France. All the other places in that part of the country fubmitted without oppofition ; while Guy de Thouars, with a numerous army of Bretons, invaded Normandy on the other fide, reduced caftles, and committed JN. .17. X ter-j 3 o6 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. c, I20-. terrible ravages. John, though he had not fpirit enough to oppofe the French king in his conquefts, was fo nettled at this incurfion, that he equipped an armament of Englifh, who made a defcent upon Brittany, in Guy's ablence, took feveral towns, pillaged the country, and, at the approach of Thouars, with a reinforcement "of French troops, re- embarked at Cancale with a confiderable booty. Rad. Niger. The whole dutchy of Normandy was now fubdued, except Vernueil, Arques, and Rouen, which en- gaged in a league for their mutual defence. Rouen, the capital, was the firft of the three which Philip invefted j it was a ftrong populous city, and ex- tremely averfe to the French government. When the king of France appeared with his army, the popu- lace marTacred fome of his fubjects who happened to be in the place ; when they were fummoned to furrender, they declared they would defend them- lelves to the laft extremity, and immediately fent deputies to England to follicit affiftance. John had, by an embafiy to the court of France, fued for peace, which Philip would not grant on any other condition, than that of his giving Eleanor in mar- riage to his younger fon, together with all the do- minions that he held of the crown of France. Such terms the king of England would not embrace : the negotiation proved fruitlefs, and he refigned all thoughts of defending Normandy -, fo that he de- fired the deputies of Rouen to furrender on the bed terms they could obtain. Notwithilanding this permifilon, the inhabitants flill continued to act bravely in their own defence, until the Barba- can, a fort that covered the bridge, being taken, they agreed with Philip to deliver up the city, if peace fhould not be made before the end of the month. As this was noc the cafe, they and the ether two afibciated cities took the benefit of the capitulation j and Normandy was re united to the king- JOHN. 3 kingdom of France, after a reparation of two him- A - c - dred and ninety-two years. Thilip likewife com- pleted the conqueft of Anjou, Maine, and Tou- raine, except the cafcle of Chinon, which was * gallantly defended by Hubert de Burgh, till the enfuing fummer, when he was taken in the place, Ri?. ca after having been dangeroufly wounded. S Mean while, John feemed utterly infenfible of JJj^? the damage and difgrace which he incurred by the beuayed rapid progrefs of the French king. He gave him- JJJ^TJ felf up to the enjoyment of his young wife; and fonrrw feemed to renounce all active meafures, except Towcr thofe of confifcating the Englifh eftates of the Norman barons, who had fubmitted to the king of France. He likewife confoled himfelf with .the gratification of his perfonal animofity towards John tie Courcy, the conqueror and lord of Ulster, who had refufed to do him homage, and openly acculed him of murder and ufurpatkm. Walter de Lacy and his brother Hugh were directed to feize the perfon of this nobleman ; and as they were unable to reduce him by open force, they had recourfe to ftratagem. Walter invited him to a conference, and fell fuddenly upon him with a body of troops prepared for the purpofe , fo that after the greateft part of his retinue was (lain, he took Ihslter in Hugh's caftle, into which he was decoyed by the moil warm profefllons of friendmip. Here, how- ever, Hugh detained him, until John's followers ravaged the lands of the Lacys in fuch a manner, that they were obliged to fet him at liberty. After his releafe, he defeated them in a pitched battle ; but they refolved to effect by treachery what they could not obtain by valour. They corrupted the integrity of his people, who feized him on Good Friday, while he was employed at his devotion in church ; and being delivered to Hugh, he was brought over to England, and committed clofe X 2 pri- HISTORY OF EKGLANO. P r tf ner to tne Tower : while Lacy obtained a grant of of the earldom of Ulfler. Ireland. K j ng J ohn affeC^ tQ comp l a i n Joudly of the nt"d S by re ~ noblemen who had left him at Rouen, as if their the nobility retreat had occaftoned the lofs of Normandy ; and, ing'die"*" n this pretence, extorted from them a feventh part kingdom. o f tne j r moveables : he likewife contrived means for laying impofts upon the convents and parifh churches ; and aflembled a great council at Oxford, * .- in order to deliberate upon meafures for retrieving his dominions on the continent. To defray the expence of this expedition, a fcutage was charged upon the nobles and military tenants ^ nor were the. prelates and clergy exempted from this burthen. Mat Paris. ^ ut tne ^ e a ^ s were employed in fupplying his own A. c. 1205. extravagance. During thefe transactions, Robert de Turnham, and Savary de Mauleon, ftruggled manfully in Poitou, againft the other barons fup- ported by Philip, until Poitiers was reduced, Ro- bert taken prifoner, the caftle of Loches obliged to furrender, and the whole province in the moft im- minent danger of being totally fubdued. In this extremity, the few barons that ftill adhered to his intereft in that eounty, follicited immediate fuccour , and John equipped a powerful armament, with a view to crofs the fea in perfon. He had already repaired to Portfmouth in order to embark, when the archbifhop of Canterbury reprefented the indif- cretion of trufting his perfon among the fickle PoU tevins -, and of leaving his kingdom defencelefs, at a juncture when a defcent was threatened by the duke of Louvaine and the count of Boulogne, fup- ported by the king of France. He lent a deaf ear to their remonftrances, and they entreated him on their knees to relinquilh, or at lead poftpone the expedition : but finding him ftill inflexible, they changed their ftrain, and plainly threatened to de- tain him by force, rather than the country fhould be J O H N. 30? IDC expofed to ruin by his departure. This menace A< c< uo s- had an inftantaneous effect : he forthwith promifed to be ruled by their advice ; which was to fend his brother William Longuepee, earl of Salifbury, with a ftrong body of forces, to the afiiftance of the Poitevins. He accordingly difmified great part of his troops and vefTels ; and repaired to Win- chefter : but repenting of the ftep he had taken, he returned to Portfmouth, and immediately em- barked. However, his difpofition being more fickle than the weather, he landed near Wareham in Dorfetmire -, and of this attempt made a handle to fqueeze large fums of money from his fubjects, who had refufed to follow him to the continent, in Jj'pSjJ?' order to recover his dominions. A.C. i a0 6. Guy de Thouars governor of Brittany, growing He hnd* jealous of the power of Philip, who not only con- JJJJ^ quered the adjoining provinces, but alfo formed a ftrong party among the Bretons, began to wifh that John was re-eftablifhed in the dominions he had loft, fo as to form a ballance againft the exor- bitant power of the French monarch, and confirm Guy's own authority in Bretagne, which was at this time very precarious. He had conferred on this fubject with his brother Aimery vifcount of Thouars, whom Philip had created fenefchal of the province ; and he afiendng to Guy's propofal, they formed a fmall aflbciation of barons, who enter- tained the fame fentiments, and invited John to come over and take poffeflion, A treaty was im- mediately concluded, and John embarking with a great army at Portfmouth, landed at Rochelle, where he was joined by the two brothers and their forces. But, inftead of reducing Brittany to his obedience, he marched directly towards Montau- b.an in Quercy, belonging to his brother-in-law the count of Tholoufe, who had fided with Philip, aod, inverting the place, took it by aflault: on X 3 which 3 io HIST OR Y OF EN G LA N D. A. c. izc6. v /hich occafion the Englifh are faid to have behaved with incredible valour ; and this was amply re- warded by an immenfe booty, and a vaft number "M. Par's, of prifoners of the firft quality. Purpofe; Philip had, upon receiving intimation of John's conference f . , ,-* -\ ^r-i j J T> WithPhii-p, treaty with Guy de Thouars, invaded Brittany, ** d s[ ves taken Nantes, and compelled the governor of the him the . f. , . r . i i r i_ flip. province to fubmit : but immediately after his re- turn from this expedition, being informed of John** arrival at Rochelle, he directed his march into Poitou, when, hearing the Englifh army was em- ployed in the liege of Montauban, he fortified Mire- beau, Loudun, and fome other places, and then retreated towards Paris. After the reduction of rvlohrauban, John advanced to Angers, which he took and reduced to afhes, after having ravaged all the adjoining country : then he undertook the fiege of Nantes , but abandoned the enterprize, and pe- netrated into Thouars, in order to protect Aimery from Philip's refentment. "While he lay encamped on this territory, the French king advanced to give him battle; but John, inftead of hazarding an engagement, fent deputies with propofals of peace-, both princes agreed to a conference, and in the mean time John retreated with his army to Ro- chelle, where he embarked for England. Not- withftanding this affront offered to Philip, the pope, whole mediation John had follicited, em- n. unto, ployed an abbot fo effectually, that the French mo- H.ft.deBrct. iiarch agreed to a truce for two years, in hope o MWt e d . C being able to adjuft the articles of a treaty, during. Ryicer. that cefTlition of hoftiiities. The pope But John, in (lead of improving this interval, otS^rlcc" either in negotiation, or preparing for a vigorous war, rehpfed into his former icilenefs, and Itemed v/hoJly to forget that he was at variance with any of his neighbours. Nevertheless, when the truce expired, the Engliih troops furprifcd the ftrong cattle JOHN. 3II . caftle of Guerplic, conveniently fituated on the coaft A - c - 12 6 * of North Bretagne, for protecting troops in land- ing or embarking : but this place was foon retaken by Juhael de Mayenne, fenefchal of Brittany, and the count of St. Pol, who had marched with a re- inforcement of French troops to the afliftance of the Bretons. Mean while Philip, with another army, entered Poitou, where he reduced feveral towns and caftles ; and Henry Clement his maref- cha], in a rencounter with John's party, took Hugh de Thouars, Henry de Luzignan, and fe- veral other Poitevin barons in the Engliili intereft. This would have proved an irreparable blow, had not pope Innocent again interpofed his good offices- for another truce, which was accordingly con- cluded. The pope, notwithftanding his quarrel with John, was very defirous of effecting a durable peace between the two crowns, that the French might not be diverted from the profecution of a war which he had kindled againft the Albigenfes in Languedoc, and fanctified with the name of a crufade. A.C. tzo*. Whatever inconvenience attended a war on the ceoffry continent, it was ib far agreeable to- John, as it af- jjj.yjij'j forded pretences to raife heavy exactions from his fates to pay fubjects, with which he gratified his own avarice the alli B c & and leave* and extravagance. At his return from Poitou, he the king. affembled a general council, in which the prelates dom> and nobility granted him a fubfidy, amounting to a thirteenth of all rents and moveables throughout the nation ; and this was levied from the tenants of the clergy, as well as from the laity. Geoffry archbifhop of York, inilead of fubmitting to this impofition, not only refnfed to pay his proportion, but alfo excommunicated all perlons who mould collect fuch a grievous tax upon the poffeffions of the clergy in his province, and all invaders of ecclefiaf- tical effects; and then withdrew from the kingdom. . X 4 Not- 3' 2 I S T O R Y o F ENGLAND, Difputes about the election of an archbi- fhop of Canterbury A. c, 1*07. Notwithftanding this cenfure and pretext, the talliage was actually levied, and Geoffry's moveables con- fifcated for his prefumptuous behaviour ; but the metropolitans remonftrated fo warmly againft this expedient of raifing money, as an intolerable grie- vance unknown in former ages, that John was Mat. Paris, prevailed upon to remit the whole exaction. John's character was fo irregular and unfettled, that his conduct could not be confident or uniform. He was by turns frightened into compliance, and provoked into the moft obftmate oppofition. This p er j O( ^ g ave bi rtn to his quarrel with the pope, which involved himfelf and the nation in fuch ca- lamities. Hubert archbimop of Canterbury dying at his palace, the younger monks of Chrift-church, aflembling that very night, chofe Reginald, their fub-prior, for his fucceffor, fung Te Deum, and placed him upon the archiepifcopal throne. This new elect fet out before morning, with fo.me of the monks for Rome, where he hoped to be confirmed ; and all concerned in the clandeftine election took an oath of fecrecy, on which their fuccefs was fuppofed to depend. Reginald, without regarding this obli- gation, no fooner arrived on the continent than giv- ing way to the dictates of vanity, he promulgated his elevation, as well as the intent of his journey ; and, when he arrived at Rome, Innocent refufed to confirm him, until he mould be better informed of the affair. Mean while he fent a bull to the fuf- fragans of Canterbury, defiring they would not create a difpute on this fubject with the convent of Chrift-church , and when they infifted upon their right of electing the archbifhop, he heard the caufe before his own tribunal, and declared the right of election vetted in the convent alone. Mean while the monks concerned in Reginald's election, were incenfed at his folly, in divulging the fecret ; and, as the whole order had not been convened for the ceremony, JOHN. 313 ceremony, they now united in fetting him afide, A - c - lao ?- and applying to the king for leave to proceed to another election, John granted their requeft with- out fubjecting them to .any reftriction -, but gave them to underftand in private, that he fhould be ex- tremely pleafed if their choice fhould fall upon John de Grey, bifhop of Norwich, who was accordingly elected in all the forms, approved by his majefty, and put in pofieffion of the temporalities of the archbifhop. Twelve of the monks were deputed to Rome for his confirmation, which, however, the fuffragans oppofed, becaufe he had been elevated without their concurrence. Innocent, whofe aim was to fubject the church of England to the papal authority, that he might govern and tax it with- out controul, took this opportunity of annulling both elections, and of preferring a prelate, whom he knew devoted to his defign. This pontiff had already, on pretence of reliev- ing the Chriflians in the Holy -Land, laid a tax upon the Englim church, which being levied with- out murmurs, he was encouraged to exert the fame power for his own private advantage. With this new he had, during the vacancy of the metropoli- tan fee, fent John Ferentino as his legate into ling-, laid , and a national fynod was called at St. Alban's, though a royal mandate put a flop to their proceed- ing; : but while John was abroad in Guienne, the lega;e convoked another at Reading, where he laid an itipofition on the clergy, amounting to a con- fiderile fum, with which he made his retreat be- fore tl king's return. This was fuch an agreeable fampleof what might be drawn from England, that Iniocent refolved to fill the vacant archbifhop- ric with^ne of his own creatures, who would fup- port his iuthority. He therefore recommended to the deputy of the convent, Stephen Langton, a Roman cadinal of Englifh defcent, though bred in 3 4 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. c. 1207. in Paris j and when the monks obferved that their commifllon did not extend to an election, which indeed they durft not undertake without the king's confent, and exprefs powers from their convent ; the pope over-ruled all their objections, and com- manded them to chufe Langton, on pain of ex- communication. Thus threatened, eleven of the number complied ; and Stephen was confecrated by Innocent at Viterbo. The ceremony being performed, the pope wrote a courtly letter of recommendation in his favour to the king, whom he prefented with a few baubles to avert his indignation : at the fame time, the monks of Chrift- church were enjoined upon their obedience to receive Langton as their archbimop ; and other letters were written to the chief nobility, folliciting their good offices with the king, in behalf of that prelate. All thefe precautions were infufHcient to appeale the wrath of John, who forthwith fent a body of troops to expel the monks of Canterbury, and hang them, mould they refufe to quit the kingdom immediately. They were obliged to embark for Flanders without delay , their effects were feized, their tenants ejected, and their place fupplied with fome monks belonging to the abbe/ of St. Auguftin. In anfwer to the pope's letter, John gave him to underftand, that he was deter- mined to maintain the honour of his crown, Jnd iupport the election of the bifhop of Norwch ; and that if his holinefs mould thwart him ir this particular, he would fuffer no appeals in eclefiaf- tical difputes to be carried before any foreiai court of judicature. Innocent, far from beinginrimi- dated by thefe menaces, fent orders to th' bifhops of London, Worcefter, and Ely, to e-hort the king in his name to receive archbifhor Langton, and recal the monks of Chrift churc 1 ; and, in cafe f his ref trial, to lay the kingdon under an interdict. JOHN. SI . interdicts John was terrified by the declaration of A - c - Iac 7* thefe prelates, and offered to obey the pope's or- der, with a falvo of his rights, dignity, and pre- rogative : but Innocent would hear of no falvo, or other terms, than his delivery of the regalia with his own hand to archbifhop Langton, and his making immediate and full reftitution to the convent. The king rejected his propofal ; and the three prelates having laid the kingdom under an interdict, retired to the continent, whither they were followed by the bimops of Bath and Here- ford. A flop was immediately put to divine fer- vice, and the adminiftration of all the facraments but baptifm : church -doors were Ihut, and the dead buried in ditches and high-ways, without the ufual rites or any funeral folemnity. Notwith- ilanding this interdicl, the Ciftercian order conti- nued to perform divine fervice publicly : the cen- fure was flighted by the bifhops of Winchefter and Ann Norwich : ibme of the parochial clergy ftill offi- Mat.'paiS[*| dated, and leveral learned divines preached againft : A "'V Eccl - , . . n . r , , F Wi' horn. the mjultice of the pope s proceedings. lohn was equally enraged and terrified at the pro- At Cg I2 8 * r n r i j r J ohn takc s ipeft or being excommunicated by name, and lee- images ing his fubjeds abfolved of their allegiance. He frr ) m l . hls ordered all the prelates, clergy, and their abettors, "1^ m ak who obferved the interdicl, to leave the kingdom, [{"^'^ and leized their lands and revenues -, though this Scotland* order was foon revoked. He fent armed troops to all the nobility, whom he fufpecled of difaffeCtion, to demand their children or relations, as holtages for their fidelity ; and they generally complied with his demand : but when thofe officers repaired to the habitation of William de Braoufe, lord of Breck- ncckfhire, on the lame errand, his wife refolutely told them, me would never truft her children in the hands of a man who had fo bafely murdered his own nephew and rightful fovereign. John was io provoked 316 HISTORY or ENGLAND, A. c. 120?. provoked at this flinging reproach, that he fent an- other body offerees to feize the perfon of William, Mat. Paris. wno fl e j into Irejand with his wife and family. The king, in purfuance of his fcheme for preventing an infurre&ion in England, in cafe the pope fhould put his threats in execution, refolved to compromife all difputes with William king of Scotland, that the rebels might find no afiiftance in that kingdom. The Scots being in pofiefiion of Berwick, which was the key or pafs to England, had fome time ago com- mitted depredations in Northumberland ; and the 'A. 0.1209. Englifh, in order to prevent thefe inroads, had, at divers times, attempted to erect a fortrefs on their own fide of the river, at Tweedmouth ; but the work was twice interrupted by the Scots, who fur prifed the guards, and demolifhed the fortification. William not only countenanced thefe outrages, but afforded Ihelter in his dominions to the malcontents of England. John therefore made fome overtures of accommodation, and thefe being rejected, marched at the head of a great army to do himfelf juftice by force of arms , the Scot ported himfelf at Roxburgh to cover his dominions from infult : but neither fide being much inclined to a battle, they renewed the negotiation, and a peace was concluded, on condition that the unfinimedcaftleof Tweedmouth ihould be demolimed ; that John's fons, Henry and Richard, mould efpoufe Margaret and Ifabcl, the daughters of William, who were immediately de- livered to the king of England, to be educated at his court, together with fifteen thoufand marks by way of portion ; ^and that the fealty and homage due to the Englifli monarch, for the lands which the Scottifn king poffefled in England, fhould, for the future, be paid by the prince of Scotland. In confequence of this agreement, William made a formal refignation of thofe lands to John, who be- ftowed the inveftiture of them upon young Alex- ander ; JOHN. I7 ander ; and that prince did him homage at Alne- A. c. 1*09. wick. The king of England, at this period, ex- acted the fame oath and fubmiffion from all.hisvaf- fals and freeholders, above the age of twelve years ; fo that even the Welfh were afkmbled for this pur- For ^n. pofe, and fwore fealty at Wodeftock. Johnfeemed to think this new fubmifllon of his Heis- fubjects entitled him to a defpotic power in his go- ^ vernment : for he deprived his nobles of their fa- vourite diverfions, by ifluing a fevere prohibition, againft hunting, hawking, and fowling : ordered all the mounds of his forefts to be levelled, and the ditches to be filled up, that his deer might have free liberty to range about, and eat up the corn and fruits of the hufbandman ; and a woman being kil- led by accident at Oxford, he granted a warrant to arreft, and imprifoned three innocent clergymen, who were afterwards hanged without any form of trial : an act of opprefllon, in confequence of which three thoufand ftudents immediately quitted Oxford; fo that the place was almoft totally abandoned. Such outrageous acts of tyranny would have been highly impolitic at any time ; but they feemed to be theeffedt of abfolute frenzy at this juncture, when the fentence of excommunication hung over his head, and his people were on the brink of being ab- folved from their allegiance. lie had fent the ab- bot of Beaulieu, a convent of Ciflercians, which he had lately founded in Hampfhire, as his am- baflador to Rome, to avert the pope's indignation, and accommodate all differences with the Roman fee , and Innocent had given inftructions to the bifhops of London, Ely, and Worceiier, to fettle the terms of pacification! Thefe prelates came over to England by virtue of a fafe- conduct, and John appointed feme bifliops and noblemen to treat with them at Canterbury. The articles were foon ad- julled and figned by the deputies on both fides : but John 3:i 8 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. . A, c, 1209. John objecting to that which obliged him to re- ftore all that had been taken from eccltfiaflics, the three prelates refufed to admit of any alteration, and retired to the continent. The king endeavoured to negotiate a more favourable treaty with Langton himfelf, who, arriving at Dover, was met by Ge- ofFry Pitz-piers and other noblemen, with propofals from John, which he abfolutely rejected, and left the kingdom immediately. He was afterwards in- vited to return, with promife of full fatisfaction : but he refufed the invitation; and the three bifliops, delegated by the pope for this purpofe, denounced the fentence of excommunication againft the perfon of John king of England. It was publiihed in France ; but though feveral Engiifh bilhops and abbots were enjoined to promulgate the cenfure in all conventical churches throughout the kingdom, on prelate or clergyman would venture to obey the order. Geoffry archdeacon of Norwich, and one of the barons of the exchequer, obferving to his col- leagues, that it was unfafe for beneficed perfons to continue in the fervice of an excommunicated prince, retired from the bench -, but John being informed of his declaration, ordered him to be apprehended, imprifoned, and loaded with a leaden cope, the in- tolerable weight of which is fatd to have put an end to his life. Hugh archdeacon of Wells being pre- ferred to the fee of Lincoln, and having obtained leave to go abroad, and receive confecration from the archbifhop of Rouen, went directly to the abbey of Pontigny, where he was confecrated by Stephen Langton, to whom he made profefiion of canonical obedience. John immediately feized his revenue, and gave his poft of chancellor to Walter de Grey ; and, as the cenfure was not yet publifhed, pro- ceeded with the utmoft feverity againft all thole who paid the lead regard either to that or the inter- dict. The nobility feemed to have approved of his 6 meafures JOHN. 3 , 9 meafures ; for a fuller afTembly was never known A - e - I2 9' than that which attended his court when he paflcd Ann'vS' the Chriftmas- holidays at Windfor. Mat.'pJSI.' It was on this occafion that he exacted vafl fums, H embarks on pretence of making an attempt to recover Nor- for.fccisnd. mandy ; and of fettling the affairs of Ireland, which were now in great confufion. How willing foever the laity might have been to grant fubfidies, the clergy were certainly fleeced by dint of violence and extortion : without impoling a regular tax, he ex- acted money, by way of compofition, from mo- nafleries, canons, templars, and hofpitallers -, and the Jews were oppreffed with great cruelty. By means of thefe extraordinary aids, he raifed a great army, with which he embarked at Wales for Ire- land, and landed fafely at Dublin, where he received the homage of above twenty Irifli lords, v/ho went thither to meet and offer him their voluntary alle- giance : but as Cathol king of Connaught refufed to fubmit, he marched againft that prince, and re- duced his whole country. In order to civilize the people, he eftablifhed the laws of England through- out the nation, and appointed proper judges to fee them put in execution. John Grey bifhop of Nor- wich was created jufticiary, and ordered the money to be new coined of the fame value with that of England, for the convenience of carrying on a traffic between the kingdoms. Thefe meafures be- ing taken, John advanced againft Lacy earl of Ulfter, and his brother Walter, who had protected William de Braoufe when he fied into Ireland ; their caftles were reduced, and themfelves compelled to quit the kingdom; William efcaped into France, and died at Paris ; but his wife and elded ion were feized in Galloway by Duncan dc Carrick , and that nobleman delivered them to John, v> r ho com- Rymrr. mitted them to clofe prifon, where they are laid to chTbJSfT have died of famine. A. c. m*. John 320 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. c. izia. John having regulated the affairs of Ireland, j;e-' He fleeces turned to England, and convoking an aiTembly ot Lidhumbies all the abbots and chiefs of religious orders through L k^iiyn tne kingdom, extorted from them above an hundred North thoufand pounds fterling. The Ciftercians plead - waies. ing their privilege, and refufmg to pay their pro- portion, he fleeced to fuch a degree, that almoft all their houfes were reduced to beggary, except the convent of Beaulieu in Hampfhire, which he him- felf had founded, as an act of penance for the mur- der of Arthur, and that of Margam in Glamorgan- mire, where he had been fumptuoufly entertained irt his way to Ireland, and at his return : thefe were exempted from the impofitions ; but all the other Ciftercians were not only impoverimed, but de- barred all correfpondence with their order abroad. Indeed an embargo was laid upon the fhipping in all the ports of England, to prevent an intercourfe of perfons between this kingdom and the continent, without an immediate licence : and a proclamation was publifhed, requiring all Englim bifhops and ecclefiaftics, redding in foreign parts, to return at a certain time, otherwife their benefices would be feized for the king's ufe ; the prohibition was like- wife renewed, againft all exercife of the papal au- thority in England, on pain of corporal punimment. Not contented with fetting the pope at defiance, and the contributions he had already received, he laid another talliage on the clergy, to defray the ex- . pence of an expedition againft the Welfh, who had made fome incurfions over the Englim borders. He accordingly aiTembled a numerous army at Of- weftre, and advancing along the fea-coalt as far as Conway, burned Bangor, and committed fuch ravages in the country, that Llewellyn prince of North- Wales, who had retired with his people, cattle, and effects, into the mountains of Snowdun in Caernarvonihire, feeing his country deiblate, 5 fent JOHN. 321 fent his wife Jane, the king's own natural daughter, A - c - "" to fue for peace, which was granted, on condition of his paying twenty thoufarid head of cattle, forty horfes, delivering hoftages, and doing homage; fo that John returned in triumph to Whitchurch i and 5* at - a 7'* i i f 111-1 ,11 Powel s I levied a fcutage upon all knights who had not at- Hiftoryof tended him in the expedition. The pope, at his requeft, had fent Pandulf, a Deputies Roman fubdeacon ; andDurand, a knight templar, from the into England, to accommodate all differences be- fn EngU^ tween the regal and pontifical powers ; and John now aflembled a general council of his lay nobility at Northampton, to treat with thefe deputies : but, as he ftill refufed to make full reftitution to the clergy, they returned to France, after having pub- lilhed his excommunication. Neverthelefs, he did A.C.UU, not defpair of being reconciled to the pope upon eafier terms, and ordered fome of his chaplains to accompany the nuncios to Rome, with powers and instructions for effecting a folid peace. Mean while, in a conference at Durham, he renewed the alliance with William king of Scotland, whofe fon Alex- ander, now fourteen years of age, attended him to London, where the king knighted him at Clerken- well ; and, at the fame time, received the homage of Alan lord of Galloway, for a large tract of country, given to that nobleman in the north of Ireland. Fordun. The pope, incenfed at John's rejecting the pro- The pope pofals of peace, which had been offered by his Jjjj| nuncios, and paying very little regard to the pro- from their mifes he made by the mouths of his deputies, iilued a 8 ' aac a bull, abfolving all his fubjects from the oath of allegiance, and ordering all perfons to avoid him on pain of excommunication : at the fame time he wrote letters to the king of France, and other princes on the continent, to fall upon his territories, and diftrefs him as an enemy to the church. Among No. 17. Y others, 322 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. c. izn. others, he exhorted Llewellyn prince of North Wales, to invade England; abfolved him from the homage he had lately taken, and releafed his country from the interdict which it had hitherto undergone in common with this kingdom. The Welfh prince, who could not brook the lofs of Flintmire and Den- bighfhire, which he had ceded at the laft peace, was glad of this opportunity to oblige himfelf and his holinefs ; and engaging in an aflbciation with the other princes and barons, fell upon the Englifh marches with great fury, taking caftles, maflacring garrifons, burning towns, and ravaging the Ann. wav. country, from which he carried off an immenfe Mat. Paris. b ootv> John is ter- John being infopmed of thefe. hoftilities, marched rifled by ad- j nt g \y a les, and Llewellyn retired at his approach. vices ola T T * T i /i i r\ t i dcfign Having demolimed a caftle or t\ o that were not formed worth keeping;, he returned to Nottingham, where, agamfthis . . &' . i i -i r i i i ' ife. receiving a more circumltantial detail or the barba- rities committed by the Welfli prince, he ordered all the hoftages, confiding of the principal Welfh nobility, to be put to death, to the number of thirty. His revenge being ftill unfatisfied with this cruel facrifice, he refolved to exterminate the whole race of the ancient Britons, and had actually con- certed meafures for the expedition, when the king of Scotland gave him notice of a dangerous con- fpiracy formed againft his life ; and he received an in- timation of the fame nature from his natural daugh- ter, who had married Llewellyn. Alarmed at this intelligence, he fliut himfelf up in the caftle of Not- tingham, and, for a whole fortnight, fuffered none to approach his perfon , but his fears fubfiding, he re- fumed his enterprize, and advanced as far as Chefter, where he received other letters of intimation, im- porting that, if he fhould proceed farther, he would be certainly affaffinated by his own nobles, or be- trayed JOHN. 323 trayed to the enemy : here too he ftrft underftood, A - C - I2I: . that his valfals and fubjects were abfolved from their allegiance , and thefe concurring tidings ter- rified him to fuch a degree, that he difmiffed his forces and returned to London. Ann. Marg. He had no reafon to expect extraordinary proofs His nobility of attachment from his nobility, who generally def- ] piled his character, and abhorred his adminiftration. gainfthim. He had debauched their wives and daughters, im- poverifhed them by taxes, feized their eftates, and infulted their perfons : he had even ventured to make a general inquifition into the demefnes of the crown, as pofiefied by his predeceflbrs : an odious meafure at all times j but extremely alarming in the reign of fuch a tyrant as John, who they knew would feize the lead flaw or defect in their titles, as a pretence for depriving them of their fortunes ; fo that he v/as at once the object of their terror and contempt. Wanting nothing but an opportunity to make off his yoke, they were rejoiced at the cen- fures pafled againft him by the pope, who they ima- gined would purfue his blow, and fend an army to their, relief, in imitation of the crufade which he had raifed againft the Albigenfes. Had Simon de Montfort completed the reduction of this people, in all probability the pope would have fent ;hat re- nowned general, with his victorious forces, into England ; but, as the war in Languedoc was ftill unfinished, the Englilh nobility, impatient of de- lay, entered into an aifociation againft John ; and, by an authentic deed, figned and iealed by every in- dividual of the confederacy, invited Philip king of France to come over, and receive the crown of Eng- land, which they would aflift him in wrefting from the ufurper, Mst - *** John being apprized of this confpiracy, without Ke fortifies i J . i i r J ' himfelfwith knowing the particular perfons concerned in it, ex- ,- crcign ^ acted hoitages from all the nobility he fufpected 5 , Y 2 and 3 2* HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A.C. 1212. anc j by means of thefe, made himfelf matter of their caftles. Stephen Ridel, late keeper of the great feal, was banimed, and GeofTry de Norwich, one of John's own chaplains, confined to clofe prifon, where he died; Robert Fitzwalter, whofe daugh- ter the king is faid to have poifoned, becaufe me would not fubmit to his embraces, fled into France ; and Euftace de Vefci, his accomplice in the plot, retired into Scotland. John feized their lands, and fent their knights, as well as thofc belonging to the exiled prelates, to afiift his friends in Poitou ; and from thofe who chofe to flay at home, he ex- torted a compofition : he demolimed Robert's caf- tles, and deftroyed his woods in Efijex ; and became fo timorous, that he never ftirred abroad without a body -guard of foreign bowmen, hired for the de- fence of his perfon. Influenced by this apprehenfion, he endeavoured to conciliate the affection of his people by fome popular regulations. He made a fevere enquiry into the conduct of high-fherifrs, who had embezzled great part of the public reve- nue. Some were imprifoned, fome were fined, and others fled, to avoid profecution : he fet on foot an examination into the behaviour of the fo- refters, who had committed flagrant acts of op- preflion : the fines they had impofed were remitted ; and they promifed, upon oath, to exact no more than what was ufually paid in the reign of Henry II : a tax laid upon the fea-ports, which had pro- duced great clamour, was withdrawn ; and the king, affecting compaflion and humanity, received the petitions of the widows and the poor, and pro- mifed gracioufly to redrefs all their grievances. A. c, 1213.. With a view to decoy the pope into a pacification, he fent other agents to Rome, to follicit an ac- commodation on the terms which the nuncios pro- poled ; and, with refpect to the article of reftitu- tiqn, produce^ acquittances from all the abbots, convents., JOHN. 31J convents, and fecular clergy, which they had given A - c. 1213, upon compulfion. To anticipate the bad effects of another mifcarriage in this negotiation, he re- folved to fortify himfelf with foreign alliances ; he engaged his nephew Otho the emperor in his in- tereft by large fubfidies, in confideration of which that prince promifed to affift him with all his power. He retained in his fervice, by confidera- ble penfions, Renaud de Dammartin count of Bou - logne and Mortaign ; Theobald count of Bar, with his fon Henry William count of Holland ; Henry duke of Saxony ; the duke of Limburgh ; Ferrand count of Flanders, fon of Sancho king of Portugal j and Henry duke of Louvaign : thefe princes entered into a league with John, who gra- tified them with confiderable annuities and grants of lands in England ; for which they did him ho- mage, and undertook to furnifh him with a certain ch - J- Petr - I r f* Rvrner* number or forces. Trivet. While John thus extended his alliances, and Thepope fhielded himfelf againft the machinations of his P ronounccs i t -r -11 . i i i ^ z fentence of enemies, cardinal Langton, with the exiled bimops depofition of London and Ely, repaired to Rome, and ear- a s ainfthim - neftly intreated the pope to proceed to the depofi- tion of John, whom they reprefented as a monfter and tyrant, the object of univerfal hate and abhor- rence. Innocent, in compliance with their requeft, aflfembled a council of cardinals and prelates, in which he folemnly depofed John, and declared the throne of England vacant : then he wrote to Philip king of France, enjoining him to execute the fen- tence, and unite England to his dominions for ever. He at the fame time publifhed a crufade againfh the depofed monarch all over Europe, exhorting the nobility, knights, and all men whatfoever, to take up arms againft that perfecutor of the church, and enlift under the banners of Philip, beftowing upon them the fame indulgences that were granted Y 3 to 326 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. c. 1213. to t} 10 f e W j 10 engaged againft the infidels in the Holy -Land : and, laftly, he appointed Pandulf, his legate a latere, to fee the fentence put in exe- cution. Not but that he fupplied him at the fame time with inilructions and powers to make peace with John upon certain conditions, which if he fhould delay accepting, till a certain day fixed for his final refolve, the legate was ordered to return immediately. Langton and his two fuffragans having obtained their defire in the femence of de- pofition, returned to France, in order to inftigate Philip to execute the pope's mandate ; and they found that monarch as forward and fanguine as they could have wiflied. He had already formed the defign of conquering England, and propofed the enterprize in a general council of the prelates and nobility at SoifTcns, where he found them very well difpofed to embark in the undertaking. He had effected a match between his coufm Peter de Dreux and Alice heirefs of Brittaay, by which alliance the whole naval force of that province was at his difpofal -, he employed a whole year in building fhips, and equipping a fufficient armament for an expedition of fuch importance. Euftace, a pirate who had been in the fervice of John, deferted to Philip with five flout veflels ; he laid an embargo on all fhips that were in the ports of France ; he aflembled a fleet of feventeen hundred fail at Bou- logne, and fixed the rendezvous of his army at Rouen, where all his barons and vafials were or- dered to meet on the twenty- firfl day of April, on Mat. Paris, pain of being deemed traitors, and forfeiting their J^ nmakes Mean while the king of England wreaked his rations to *revenge on Langton and the bifhop of London, USfionof ky cutting down the woods belonging to the fee of Philip. Canterbury, and demolifhing the caflle of Stor- ford j and having thus exhaufted the firft tranfports of J O H N. 327 of his choler, began to prepare for oppofing the Ai c - "'3. invafion. He ordered all the mips of burthen in England to be brought by their refpective ma- fters to Portfmouth, ready manned, armed, and victualled, there to enter into his pay and fervice, on the twenty- fourth day of March. He appointed Dover, Feverfham, and Ipfwich, as places of ren- dezvous, to which he fummoned all his earls, ba- rons, knights, efquires, and vaffals, with horfe and armour, before the twenty-firft day of April, on pain of being branded for cowards, and de- graded. Such numbers aflfembled on this occafion, that by far the greateft part was fent home as un- neceffary, though thefe were moftly of the com - mon people. The biihop of Norwich arrived from his government, with five hundred knights, and the fame number of light cavalry, and the whole force, afTembled on Barham-Down near Can- terbury, amounted to fixty thoufand men, well armed and appointed , yet, powerful as this body was, he placed his chief confidence in the fleet he had provided, which was fuperior in ftrength and number to that of the enemy. During this paufe of expectation, two knights- JJn ft*- templars arrived with a meflage to the king from pM p l5! Pandulf, a/Turing his majefty of his hearty defire P^ S of to employ his good offices in his behalf, and pro- pe pofmg a conference to fettle the terms of his recon- ciliation with the church. John immediately em- braced the propofal, and met the legate at Dover, where in a conference Pandulf expatiated upon the prodigious armament of Philip, the influence of the exiled prelates and nobility, who would ac- company that monarch in his expedition, and the diftatisfaction of the Englilh, who had invited him to engage in fuch an undertaking. John, confci- ous of his own guilt and unpopular character, was frightened ac the picture he drew : he forthwith Y 4 fufpected 3 28 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. c. 1213. fufpected every nobleman in his court and army j and his apprehenfions were augmented, by an idle prophecy of a hermit called Peter of Pontefract, who pretended to foretel that John would be de- pofed before the end of the year , a prediction which, whether it was the effect of knavery or fuperftition, made a very deep imprefiion on the minds of the people, and operated ilrongly to the prejudice of the king's affairs. In a word, John was fo terrified by thefe concurring confiderations, that he agreed to the legate's propofals of peace ; and fwore to the obfervance of them, in prefence of the count of Boulogne, the earls of Salifbury, Warenne, and Ferrers, who likewife promifed, upon oath, to concur in the execution of the ar- ticles, to the following effect : King John mall admit into his favour archbifhop Langton, and be reconciled to the exiled prelates, who mall refume their functions, and exercife their authority with- out interruption ; Robert Fitzwalter, Euftace de Vefci, and all others both of the clergy and laity, concerned in the afibciation, mail be pardoned, and reftored to their honours and eftates ; full reftitution mail be made of all liberty and pro- perty which hath been taken away in the courfe of this ciifpute ; eight thoufand pounds mail be im- mediately remitted in part of reftitution to the exiled prelates, for the payment of their debts and the expence of their return -, and their agents mail be put into immediate pofTeffion of their effects and temporalities John mail rekafe all homage exaded from their vaflals fmce the interdict ; re- verfe all fentences pronounced againft clergymen or laymen on account of this difpute ; and oblige himfelf to refrain from iffuing writs of outlawry againft churchmen for the future -, all difputes about damages mail be determined by the legate, or be to t-he pope's, decifion. Though JOHN. 329 Though this reconciliation with the pope re- A - c ->2'i- moved all ecclefiaftical cenfures from the king and J ohnref >e n kingdom, and freed John from all the odium and to'thl"*, danger which attended the refentment of the clero-v and c nfuiti & , , , o f r-i .1. OO to hold it as it could not prevent the mvaiion or Philip, nor ap- a vatrai to peafe the difcontents of the nobility, who had en - c RomaB gaged to affift that monarch in his endeavours to afcend the Englifh throne. Thefe alarming cir- cumftances ftill remained ; and it required a very extraordinary expedient to prevent the mifchief that might enfue. No fcheme occurred fo feafible as that of putting his kingdom under the protection of the Roman fee, by which it would be fcreened from all the attempts of chriftian invaders ; at lead it would tranflate the odium from John to his ene- mies ; and perhaps the artillery of the church might become as terrible to the monarch of France, as it had been to the king of England. John, find- ing himfelf reduced to the alternative of reigning as a vaflTal to the pope, or of being depofed alto- gether, and treated as a murderer, ufurper, and tyrant, had no room for hefitation. He rcfolved to do homage to Innocent -, and the ceremony was performed in the houfe of the Templars at Dover. He refigned his crown to the pope's legate, and re- ceived it again as a prefent from the fee of Rome, to which he fwore fealty a-s a vaffal and feudatory. He obliged himfelf and his heirs to pay an acknow- ledgment of the pope's fuperiority, and in lieu of fervice an annual tribute of feven hundred marks for the kingdom of England, and three hundred for Ireland : but, even in this act of fubmiffion, he referved to himfelf and his heirs the power of adminiilering juftice, and all his rights and rega- lities. This fhameful ceremony was performed on Min P , n - s< afcenfion-day, in the midft of a great concourfe of c ' (it - '5- people, who beheld it with fhame and indignation. ;'^ Pu ^ John, in doing homage to the pope, prcicnrcd a fum 33 o HISTORY QF ENGLAND. A. 0.1213. f um of money to his reprefentative, which the proud legate trampled under his feet as a mark of the king's dependence. Every fpe&ator glowed with refemment ; and the archbifhopof Dublin ex- claimed aloud againft fuch intolerable infolence. Pandulf, not fatisfied with this mortifying aft of fuperiority, kept the crown and fcepter five whole days, and then reftored them as the fpecial favour of the holy fee, John was defpifed before this ex- traordinary refignation ; but now he was looked upon as a contemptible wretch, unworthy to fit upon the throne : while he himfelf feemed altoge- ther infenfible of his difgrace j nor did his pride and cruelty abate in confequence of this humiliation : he feemed to triumph in his having preferved his crown in fpite of the prediction of the hermit, who had been imprifoned with a view to punifh him, in cafe he mould be found to have deceived the people with a falfe prophecy ; .and now, though it was plainly verified, he ordered him to be hanged as an impoftor. 21^4" Pandulf having obtained this refignatiort, which fcftroys AC was confirmed by the oaths of twelve principal ba- Tons, and three prelates, together with a charter exempting clergymen from outlawry, and the fum of eight thoufand pounds for the exiled bilhops ; he retired to the continent without removing the interdiction, or abfolving John of his excommuni- cation. Philip, who had undertaken this expedi- tion at the inftances of the pope, and expended an immenfe fum in the naval armament he had prepared for the conqueft of England, was ex- tremely chagrined when the legate informed him of the tranfaclion between him and John at Dover, and cautioned him againlt invading the patrimony of St. Peter. He knew the confequence of an in- terdict, and fentence of excommunication. This very refignation was a recent example of the papal autho- JOHN. 33I authority ; but, at the fame time, he was fenfible A.C.MIJ. of having a great advantage over John, in the af- fection and efteem of his fubjedts ; and refolved to profecute the war in fpite of the pope and all his cenfures. He would not however make a defcent upon England, until he fhould reduce Ferrand, count of Flanders, John's ally, who might invade his dominions in his abfence ; and therefore he be- fan his march along the coaft from Calais, while is fleet fupplied him with provifions as he ad- vanced. Having reduced Caflel, Ypres, and fome other places, he undertook the fiege of Bruges, and his navy lay at anchor at Damme, about two leagues from the place. Ferrand, in this emer- gency, follicited fuccours from England ; and John fent immediately to his relief, a fleet of five hun- dred large (hips, well provided, befides eight hun- dred fmaller veffels, with feven hundred knights, and a great body of forces, under the command of W. Longue-Epee, earl of Salifbury, and Renaud, count of Boulogne. When they approached the French fleet at Damme, it appeared fo numerous, that they were ftartled, and began to think it would be impracticable to attack it with any probability of fuccefs 5 but, receiving intelligence, that almoft all the French forces were on fhore, employed in the fiege of Ghent, which Philip had undertaken after the reduction of Bruges, they attacked the {hipping with great fury, took above three hun- dred vefiels laden with provifion, arms, and am- munition -, burned an hundred that ran a-fhore, while the reft, being farther out at fea, faved them- felves by flight. The Englifh, flufhed with this fuccefs, landed in order to reduce Damme, and deftroy the veffels that were in the harbour ; but they met with fuch a warm reception from a body of French forces, which Philip had detached to the place at their firft appearance on the coaft, that they commu- 332 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A.C. 1215. they were oblige^ to re-imbark with precipitation, and confiderable Jofs. This advantage was too trivial to confole the French king for the damage he had fuftained. His defign upon England was abfolutely defeated : he ordered his remaining (hips, that were in the harbour of Damme, to be unloaded and let on fire, that they might not fall into the hands of the Englifh : he exacted hoftages from Ghent, Ypres, and Bruges, for the payment of the ranfom to which they agreed, and marched back to his own dominions. Ferrand, who had TUmer. retired to Holland, immediately returned with a M. Paris, body of forces, and recovered all the places which S! r Dunft. na d been taken , a tafk facilitated by the afiiftance G. Brito. of the Englifh, and the favour of the inhabitants. John is ab- . Philip's expedition to England being defeated ftnteLe f f e - for one y ear J hn dii " miffed ^ troops he had af- fembled for the protection of the coaft ; and pro- jefte^ i n hj s turn, an invafion of France on the fide of Flanders by Ferrand, reinforced with part of the Englilh troops already in that country ; and the emperor Otho promifed to furnim a confidera- ble army for that purpofe , while John himfelf propoied to land in Poitou, and attack France on that quarter. With this view he fummoned his barons, knights, and valTals, to meet him at Portf- mouth; but they refufed to fight under his ban- ners, until he fliould be abfolved from the fentence of excommunication. He, therefore, wrote to Langton, and the exiled bifhops, to come over with all expedition ; fent an honourable convoy to con- duct them into the kingdom, together with letters from four and twenty noblemen, who promifed to protect them from all damage or infult. Thus foil ici ted, aflured, and attended, they landed at Dover ; and, repairing to Winchefter, were in their way to the cathedral, met by the king, who accompanied them to the chapter-houfe of the con- vent cnne. JOHN. 332 vent, where the archbilhop obliged the king to r^- A - c - 2I 3' new his oath of fealty to pope Innocent , to fwear he would love, defend, and maintain church and clergy, againft all their adverfaries ; that he would revive the laws of king Edward ; and make full restitution before Eafter to all concerned in the in- terdict, on pain of relapfmg into the fentence of excommunication. This oath being taken, John was led to the church-door, where he was publicly abfolved ; and next day he iffued out precepts, order- ing four relponfible men, with the reeve, to come from every town of his demefnes, to St. Alban's, on the fourth day of Auguft, to give an account of all R the damages which the exiled bifhops hadfuftained. 15 jch.*" John fubmitted to every thing that Langton was The barons pleafed to propofe; and having fmarted fo ieverely rcfufetofc!- by his quarrels with the clergy, refolved for the * future to avoid intermeddling in their affairs. ti: n toGui Whenever a fee became vacant, he granted the Conge d'Elire to fill it up, and left the election en- tirely to the chapters and convents, without pre- fuming to recommend any particular perfon. Per- haps this tamenefs encouraged the infolence of Langton, who, though he had never received the leaft provocation from John, feems to have come over with a view, not only to augment the papal authority, but alfo to embroil the nation, and dif- trefs the king's affairs. He poffefied all the pride, ar- rogance, and turbulent difpofition, of Becket whofe example he affected to imitate ; he grafped at the dif- pofal of all ecclefiaftical dignities, and wanted to act as fovereign, even in civil affairs. The ceremony of John's abfolution being performed, and every other neceffary ilep taken for the fatisfaction of the clergy, that prince returned to Portfmouth in order to pro- fecute his expedition ; but his vaffals having al- ready attended the greateft part of the forty clays they were obliged to ferve, gave him to imderftahd* that their money was almoft exhaufled, and they could HISTORYorENGLAND. n ot proceed without a fupply from his ex- chequer. This propofal he rejected; and, on the fuppofition that they would follow him of their own accord, embarked with his own houlhold, and fet fail for the ifland of Jerfey. He had appointed Geoffry Fitzpiers, and Peter bifhop of Winchelter, regents of the realm in his abfence, and enjoined them to confult the archbifhop of Canterbury in all affairs of confequence. Thefe judiciaries fum- moned a council at St. Alban's, where the king's peace was proclaimed, reviving the laws of Hen- ry I. abrogating thofe that were oppreffive, abolifli- ing alefchots, or drinking booths, kept by forefters to extort money, on pretence of informing againft the people for tranfgreffions ; and forbidding^ on fevere penalties, all fheriffs, foreflers, and other officers of the crown, to extort money, on any pre- tence whatfoever. en* Immediately after this council, John returned with a from Jerfey tranfported with indignation againft the 11 " barons, who had refufed to ferve in the expedition ; and as thefe were generally from the North, he forthwith affembled an army to chaftife them for their difobedience. With this view he had advanced as far as Northampton, where he was overtaken by Langton, who forbade him to proceed, obferv- ing, that he could not make war without the con- fent of his clergy, unlefs he had a mind to infringe the oath he had taken at his abfolution. John re- plied, that this was a fecular affair, in which the clergy had no concern ; and next day continued his march to Nottingham ; but thither he was pur- fued by the archbifhop, who threatened to excom- municate him and all his followers, unlefs they would immediately defift from this enterprize ; and John was fain to comply. He difmiffed his troops, and fummoned the barons to anfwer in his court, which was held at Wallingford ; and there he was reconciled to them through the mediation of cardi- j nal JOHN. 335 nal Nicholas, bifhop of Frafcate, who had juft arrived A - c - 12I 3- in England, as the pope's legate a latere, to adjuft the cier.uunft. eft i mate of the damages fuftained by the clergy. Ann> Wav * This prelate was fent over, at John's requeft, by Acwifpiw. the bifhop of Norwich, whom he had fent ambaf- agJnftj3 fador to Otho, and directed to proceed from the b ? the ba - imperial court to Rome, with complaints againft North un- Langton, who had entered into a confpiracy with d "f hed |: i 1-1- CL i i A f > f i . rcdionof the nobility agamit the king. At a lynod of his Lj g un. prelates and clergy convened in St. Paul's, on pre- tence of examining the lofles of the exiled bifhops, Langlon had conferred privately with a number of barons, and formed an aflfociation againft John, from whom they intended .to extort conceffions, in the name of their ancient liberties, according to the charter granted by Henry I. at his coronation. John had received fome intimation of this confpi- racy, which was confirmed by the oaths of all par- ties concerned, who fwore to afiert thofe liberties with their lives and fortunes, while the archbifhop promifed to affift them with all his ecclefiaftical power and influence: this was the caufe of the king's march, and this was the fpring that actuated Langton in his efforts to fruflrate the expedition. The pope, whofe intereft it was to maintain this weak prince upon the throne, efpoufed his caufe with great fmcerity j ordered his legate Nicholas to deftroy the letters and bulls againft John, which had been trufted to the charge of Langton, and wrote to the king, alluring him of his favour and protection, provided he would avoid all difputes with the bifhops and clergy : at the fame time he fent letters to the king of Scotland and the nobility, conjuring them to preferve their allegiance to John, as a prince under the immediate protection of the holy fee ; and the legate was directed to annul all Rymer . $ confpiracies and afibciations formed on account of Fdera. the interdict. Nicho- 336 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. c. 1213. Nicholas, immediately after his arrival, received l y y n h ' ld t* 16 kin g' s homage in the church of St. Paul, to- P pe's legate gethcr with the firft year's tribute of a thoufand refStUn 6 mar ks according to a new inflrument of John's re- in favour of fignation and fealty, fealed with a golden buil. The !fliops led palates and nobility were affembled, as well for this ceremony as with a view to fix the eftimate of the damages, which was attended with fome diffi- culty from the contradictory accounts that were produced by the king's officers, and the commif- fioners of the exiled prelates. John offered to pay, in the mean time, an hundred thoufand marks, and give fecurity for what further fum mould be found due, after a candid inquifition. But this propofal was rejected by the bifhops, who wanted to protract the affair, until the king mould be tired into a compliance with all their demands. Accord- ingly it was canvaffed in three fucceffive councils, till at length in an a-ffemblyat Reading, the bifliops ac- cepted fifteen thoufand marks in part of their de- mands, until the whole difpute could be deter- mined ; and the legate made a progrefs through A. . lau. the kingdom, vifiting the monafteries, and filling chr. Dunft. up fa e vacancies according to the direction of his iviat. Jraris. >* holmefs. Sn'imlT While the legate was employed in this vifitation, Poitou. John, being preffed by his foreign allies to fulfil his engagements, refolved to profecute his expedi- tion to Poitou, according to the promiie he had made to Raymond count of Thouloufe, and Guy count of Auvergne. Raymond, together with the counts of Flanders and Boulogne, had vifited him in the winter to receive their penfions, and concert the operations of the eniuing campaign. The em- peror Otho had promifed to join the count of Flan- ders, in order to invade France from that quarter, and John refolved to fend thither the earl or Salif- bury with a body of forces : while he himfelf fliould J H N. , /hould carry the war into Poitou, in conjunction A - c. 1114*. with his friends of that province. Having there- fore made the necefiary preparations, and left Peter bifhop of Winchester, as jufticiary of the realm, which was likewife put under the legate's protection, he fet fail from Portfmouth in the beginning of February, and about the middle of the month landed at Rochelle. He was joined by Savary Mauleon, when he entered Poitou, where he took divers caf- tles, and reduced feveral powerful barons, among whom was Geoffry de Luzignan, who did homage to John at Parthenay, together with Hugh count de la Marche, and his brother the count D'Eu, in confequence of a treaty by which John promifed to reftore the lands in England, formerly belonging to this laft nobleman, and to beftow his daughter Jane in marriage upon Hugh's eldeft fon, with a rental of two thoufand pounds flerling. Rymer. Poitou being thus fecured in the interefl of John, John ft> . he marched into Anjou, where he reduced Beaufort prince of"* with fome other inconfiderable places ; leaving di- France, rections for fortifying Angers, he advanced to be- fiege the fortrefs . of La Roche in Maine, from whence he detached parties to ravage the Pais Nan- tois, and in a fkirrnifli took Robert, eldeft fon of the count de Dreux, and fourteen French noble- men. In order to flop the progrefs of his conquefts, and relieve the fortrefs which he had invefted, Lewis prince of France, and the marefchal Henry Clement, took the field with a body of horfe and foot-, and though John was greatly fuperior to them in number, he no fooner heard of their ap- proach, than he raifed the fiege, and retired with fuch precipitation, that he left his tents, baggage, and military engines, to the enemy, loft a good number of .men in eroding the river Loire, and marched eighteen leagues in one day without halt- R ; gor< !. ing. Thus did John lofe by his cowardice all the c. Brit* NUMB, XVIII. Z footing HISTORY OF EKGLAN0. 1*14. footing he had gained in Anjou ; while his allies in Flanders fuftained a total defeat from Philip, at Bovines : where the emperor Otho, being van- quimed in a pitched battle, narrowly efcaped cap- tivity ; and the counts of Flanders, Holland, and Boulogne, with the earl of Salifbury, were taken prifoners. This victory, obtained over an army of one hundred and forty thousand men, effectually prevented a revolt, which had been concerted by fbme of the French nobility with- the barons of Anjou, Maine, and Normandy. They now de- fpaired of fuccefs ; and Philip, marching imme- diately into Poitou, received at Loudun the fub- million of the vifcount de Thouars y to whom he was reconciled by the mediation of Peter de Dreux, duke of Brittany. John, feeing all his fchemes baffled, and terrified at Philip's progrefs, follicited the good offices of Robert de Guifon* an Englim-* man, who refided at the court of France as the pope's legate, afiuring him that he intended to un- dertake an expedition for the relief of the chrif- tians in the Holy Land. Robert employed his in- tereft and remonftrances fo effectually, that the French king agreed to a truce for five years, dur- ing which every thing fhould remain on each fide in its prefent fituation ; and, Robert de Dreux be- ing exchanged for the earl of Salifbnry, John re- r. turned to England, after a very inglorious cam- d. paign. te be- During his abfence, a difpute had arifen between and" tne l e g ate Nicholas and the archbiftiop of Canter- on bury, from which he reaped fbme advantage. n b ' C Langton taking umbrage at the other's filling up all the ecckfiaftical vacancies without his concur- rence, a-rTembled his fuffragans at Dunftaple, and with their conient inhibited Nicholas frbm fupply- ing the vacancies within the province of Canter- bury, appealing to the pope from any ftep he fhauld JOHN. 339 fhould take contrary to this exhibition. The le- A ' c ->*4< , gate paying no regard to this declaration, conti- nued to fill up the vacant benefices ; and, in the mean time, difpatched Pandulf to oppofe the appeal at the court of Rome. Innocent was already pre- poflefled againft Langton and his fuffragans, who, he underftood, made a practice of embezzling the greatefl part of the Peter- pence collected within their refpective diocefes ; he had even directed Ni- cholas to call them to account for this alienation, and compel them to refund, by dint of ecclefiafti- cal cenfures, if they mould be found neceflary ; and now Pandulf giving a favourable account of John's conduct, and a difadvantageous idea of Langton's turbulence and pride, the pope believed every fuggeftion to their prejudice. Indeed he was influenced by more fubftantial proofs than bare affertion. He faw the golden bull of refignation and homage; touched the firft annual payment, and was allured that Nicholas freely exercifed his legatine powers without any interruption from the crown. He therefore lent a deaf ear to all the reprefentations of the archbifhop's brother, Simon Langton, and the other agents fent'to juftify the appeal ; and favoured John with a grant, exempt- ing his perfon from excommunication, and his royal chapel from an interdict, without a fpecial mandate from his holinefs -, fo that he could no longer be diftrefled by the cenfures of the metro- politan. At the fame time, he directed Nicholas Mat. Paris, to deliver the nation from the interdict, upon R y mer * John's giving fecurity for paying twelve thoufand pounds a year to Langton and the other bifhops who had been exiled, until the whole mould amount to forty thoufand marks, at which he rated their damages. The legate, in confequence of this or- der, convoked a council at St. Paul's, and John finding fureties for what remained unpaid, the in- Z 2 terdict, 340 HISTORY OF EN GLAND. A. c. 1*14. terdift, which had continued fix years, was re- moved, to the unfpeskable joy of the nation in general ; though this decifion was by no means Mat. Pan?, fatisfactory to the bifhops, who had formerly re- chr. Dunft. jected a larger fum by way of compenfation. The barons This difpute was no fooner terminated, than the demand the na tion was involved in other troubles of far greater connrma- r ,. . r r s r tion of the'r coniequence. I he barons or Langton s conipi- raC y affembled, on pretence of devotion, at St. Edmundfbury, where they bound themfelves by oath at the great altar, to demand of the king the confirmation of their liberties contained in the , 'charter of Henry I. and the laws to which it re- ferred; and to compel him to do them juftice by force of arms, mould he refufe to comply with their requeft. Purfuant to this obligation, they repaired in the beginning of January to London, in, a military garb and equipage, and prefented their demand to the king, obferving, that he had promifed to grant it when he was abfolved at Win- : chefter. Far from complying with their requeft, the king refented their prefumption, and infilled upon their promifing, under their hands and leals, that they never would demand or extort fuch liber- ties, either from him or his fucccfibrs : but rinding that all the noblemen about his perfon, except two or three, refuted to obey this order, as an unpre- cedented act of power , and that the other barons were not only inflexible, but already prepared to fupport their petition with force of arms, he began to be apprehenfive of his perfon, and, in order to gain time, defired he might defer his anfwer upon fuch an important affair till the latter end of Ea- . fter, when they mould have fatisf action. The reigns of weak princes have always been favoura- ble to the natural rights of mankind. Liberty has often fprung from delpotifm and ufurpation. A king confcious of his own weak title to the throne, is J O II N. 54I is glad to compound with his fubjects. A tyrant A - c - Iai s- drives them to defpair, in confequence of v/hich they fometimes recover their freedom. The Saxon barons enjoyed original privileges from a fair com- pact between the people and the king, on whom they conferred the fovereign authority. The Nor- mans had no title to the benefit of thole laws, which were infringed by the very nature of their tenure ; for they poflefled their lands by the eject- ment of the rightful proprietors ; but Henry I. reconciled them to his ufurpation by granting this charter, which he nev*er intended to obferve. The fame bait had been offered to them by Stephen for the fame reafon ; and though he had likewife neg- lected the performance of his promife, they looked upon thefe grants and promifes as legal rights to be aflerted with the firft convenient opportunity. They could never have found a more favourable conjuncture, than the reign of a weak, capricious prince, like John, univerially hated and defpifed by his fubjects. He was very fenfibk of the dangerous predica- Both fide, ment in whrch he flood, and began to take pre- 3 t ^ cautions againft the impending mifchief. He ex : acted a new oath of allegiance from all perfons throughout England : he courted the favour of the clergy by granting a charter, eftablifhing the right of free elections in all churches, monasteries, ca- thedrals, and conventual focieties ; aflumed the crofs that he might enjoy the benefit and privilege annexed to thofe who dedicated themfelves to the fervice of God againft the infidels ; and fent Wil- liam Mauclere to Rome, to complain of the con- fpiracy, and crave the pope's particular protection. The barons, at the fame time, difpatched b'.uftace de Vefcy, and other agents, to juftify their con- duct, and follicit the mediation of his holinefs, towards the recovery of their undoubted rights and Z 3 privileges-. 342 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. c. W5 . privileges ; they afiured the pope, that not only the northern barons, who firft avowed the demand, were concerned in the confederacy, but it was the general caufe of the whole nation ; and in order to engage him in their behalf, they exaggerated their own merit in fupporting the liberty of the church, while the kingdom laboured under the interdict. Innocent, who confidered John as his own pupil, whom he could at all times govern, wrote letters to the prelates and barons of England, reproach- ing Langton and the bifhops for favouring thefe diflenfions, and commanding them to promote peace between the parties : he exhorted the barons to fue the king in humble manner, in which cafe he would interpofe his good offices in favour of all their juft petitions ; but in the mean time he an- Rymw. nulled their aflbciation, and forbad them to engage Mat. Pans. j n an y f ucn confederacy for the future. The barons Neither bifhops nor barons paid the leaft regard fow/and to tne pope's remonftrance, or to John's privilege make them- of pilgrimage. They reviled him as a fcandalous ftlre^r*" vaflal of the pope, to whom he had given up the London. independency of the kingdom. They employed all their arts and emhTaries to kindle a fpirit of re- volt in the nation; and as every baron faw his own advantage connected with the fuccefs of their fcheme, there was hardly a nobleman of any confe- quence in the kingdom, who did not either perfo- nally engage in the defign, or at leaft wifli well to. the undertaking. The confederates appointed their rendezvous in Eafter-week at Stamford, where they aflembled to a prodigious number of horfe and foot ; and marched to Brackley, about five leagues diftant from Oxford, where John at that time re- fided. Hearing of their approach, he fent the archbifhop of Canterbury, the earl of Pembroke, and others of his council, to know the particulars pf their demands, and they delivered a fchedule, containing JOHN-. J+| containing their ancient rights and privileges, ex- A. c. 1215. meted from Henry's charter, and the Jaws of Edward the confefibr. Thefe were deemed fo ex- orbitant by John, that he exprefied his wonder they had not afked the kingdom and all ; and flatly re- fufed to comply with their defire. Then they chofe Robert Fitzwalter for their general, dignifying him with the title of marefchal, or conftable, of the army of God and holy church ; and advanced to Northampton, the caltle of which they could not take for want of military engines. Thence they moved to Bedford caftle, into which they were ad- mitted by William Beauchamp; and there they received advices from London, importing, that if they could come directly to that capital, they might reduce it without opposition. In purfuance of this intelligence they made another motion to Ware, and marching all night, arrived at London early ,on Sunday morning. Finding the gates open, they entered by Aldgate, and, being joined by their friends, took poflefiion of the city, while great part of the inhabitants was employed at their devotions. Their guards and ftations being pro- perly difpofed, and all fufpicious perfons fecured, they wrote circular letters to all the nobility and gentlemen, who had not yet declared in their fa- vour , inviting them to efpmafe their caufe, and iight for their liberties ; and threatening, in cafe of refufal, to deftroy their caftles and eftates ; an alternative which had fuch an effect upon thofe to whom it was propofed, that the majority of them repaired forthwith to London to engage in the Rymer. afibciation. Mat. Park. When they rejected John's offers to abolifh any The barons evil cuftoms which might have been introduced in jjjj the his reign, or in that of -his brother Richard, and chana, an* to redrefs their grievances by the advice of his -council, he appealed to Langton and his fuffra- Z 4 gans, 344 HIS TOR. Y or E N .G L A N D. A.C. 1x15. gans, defiring them to fulminate the thunder of the church upon thofe who had taken arms againft a prince engaged in the crufade, whofe perfon and dominions were accounted facred. Pandulf thought his requeft was reaibnable : but the arch- .bifhop declared, he would not pafs any cenfure upon the barons, while John expreiTed a fufpicion of the fidelity of his own fubjects, in fending for a body of mercenary auxiliaries from the continent; though if he would difmifs thofe foreigners, he would not only excommunicate his enemies, but even join him peribnally in oppofmg them. Lang- ton himfelf was at the head of the confederacy, and made this propofal on purpofe to deprive John of all foreign affiftance. The fcheme fucceeded. The king dilbanded a great body of Germans and Flemings, whom he had retained in his iervice : but $ill the archbilhop refufed to excommunicate the revolting barons. Finding himfelf thus outwitted and betrayed, and the defection a'moft univerfal, he thought it was better to reign as a limited prince, .than facrifice his crown, and perhaps his life, to the prerogative. He offered to refer the difpute to four noblemen chofen from each party, under the arbitration of the pope ; and this propofal being - rejected, he fubmitted at difcretion, promifing to grant their demands, and defiring they would meet his comrniflTioners to conclude the treaty on Run- namede, between Staines and Windfor. There the barons appeared with a vaft number of knights and warriors, on the fifteenth day of June -, and com- miffioners on both fides being appointed, the con- ferences began : but as the king's agents were ge- nerally in the intereft of the barons, no debates enfued ; and, in a few days, by the mediation of . ^ Langton, they adjufted the articles of the two fa- mous charters, called Magna Charta, and Charta de Forelta, which are the foundation of the Eng- lim JOHN. 345 Irm liberty and conftitution ; or rather the confir- A. 0.1175. mation and augmentation of thofe rights and pri- vileges, which the prelates and barons had enjoyed under the Saxon monarchs *. The great charter confirmed that which was The r rin- lately granted to the clergy, touching the freedom Jf 1 ,^ 1 * 1 of elections , allowed peribns to leave the king* '' >- dom without a fpecial licence, except in time of ftl war ; ordained that no clergyman mould be amerced in proportion to his ecclefiaftical benefice, but only according to his lay tenement ; fecured to the lay nobility the cuftody of vacant abbies and convents, which were under their patronage ; fixed the reliefs for earldoms, baronies, and knights fees, which before were arbitrary ; decreed that barons fhould recover the lands of their vaflals forfeited for fe- lony, after they mould have been a year and a day in poffefiion of the crown ; that they mould enjoy the wardfliips of their military tenants, who held other lands of the crown by a different tenure ; that a perfon knighted by the king, though a mi - nor, mould enjoy the privileges of a full-grown man, provided he was a ward of the crown ; but fuch knighthood conferred upon the ward of a baron, mould not deprive that baron of the benefit of his wardfhip ; that widows mould not be forced to marry againft their inclinations, or pay any fine for their dowers , that the wardfliips of minors fhould not be fold ; that the guardians mould not take unreafonable profits from the lands of his ward, or commit wafte, but keep the houfes in good repair, leave the farms well (locked, and give away the ward in marriage without difparagement; * Thefe were, a right to difpofe of mefnes from talliage ; reduction of their perfonal eftates, and of their reliefs to a reafnnable lura ; vcfting daughters, filters, and nieces, in mar- the cuftody of minors in their nearcft riage, without paying a fine fora li- relations; and quitting claim to the cence ; the liberty of widows to marry; profits of the vjcanry of churches, exemption of the ploughs on their de- Mat. Paris. that 346 HIS TORY OF ENGLAND. A.C. wi 5 . tnat no fcutage or aid (hould be levied in the king- dom, without the confent of the common -council of the realm, except in cafe of ranfoming the king's perfon, knighting his eldeft fon, and mar- rying his eldeft daughter ; that no freeman mould be taken, imprifoned, or difieized of his freehold, liberties, or free cuftoms, but by the lawful judg- ment of his peers, or by legal procefs ; that meriffs mould not hold county-courts above once a month ; and that they, as well as caftellans, coroners, and king's bailiffs, fliould be reftrained from holding pleas of the crown : that the meriffs having the management of the crown revenue within their feveral diftri&s, mould not raife the farms of coun- ties, hundreds, and tythings according to their pleafure, except in the king's demefne manors ; that the people mould not be malicioufly profe- cuted and put to canonical purgations without legal proof, in regard to carriages, purveyance of victu- als, and other fervices -, that amerciaments mould be proportioned to the offence and circumftances of the offender, fo as not to affect his landed ef- tate, or difable him from following his vocation, but be rated by a verdict of twelve creditable men in the neighbourhood. The Charta de Forefta was intended to prevent the extortion of forefters ; to allow freeholders to improve their lands and woods within the limits of the foreft ; to disforeft all lands taken in fince the coronation of Henry I. except the crown demefnes j to regulate the foreft courts ; to exempt thofe that lived without the forefts from the trouble of attending thofe courts, except when fummoned for fome tranfgrefiion ; to annul all outlawries for fuch tranfgreflions ; and to convert the penalty for killing venifon, from a capital punifliment to a fine, or in cafe of infolvency Mat. Paris, to a year's imprifonment. The JOHN. 347 The barons knowing the proud, imperious, A -C-"'5. vindictive, and inconftant difpofition of John, who would certainly have renounced thefe articles of compulfion with the firil opportunity, if not fur- ther reftricted to his good behaviour, infilled upon his confent to their chufing five and twenty of their number, to fee the charters duly obferved. Pro- vided that any article of the charters fhould be in- fringed by him or his judiciary, four of thofe con- fervators were empowered to demand reparation within forty days ; and fhould this be neglected, to inform the reft, who, with the community of the nation, might feize his caftles, lands, and poflef- fions, until fatisfaction mould be obtained, faving the perfons ofhimfelf, his wife, and children. All perfons might fwear to affift them in thefe compul- fory proceedings, and obey the orders of the five and twenty, or the majority of thefe confervators. John himfelf ifTued writs, obliging all his merirTs, officers, and others, to affift them on fuch occa- fions, on pain of feeing their eftates feized, .and all their chattels fold within a fortnight after refufal, for the benefit of the chriftians in Paleftine. It was agreed, that twelve knights mould be chofen in every mire at the .next court, to enquire into evil cuftoms and corrupt practices of meriffs, fo- refters, and other officers, that they might be abo- lifhed according to the intent of the charters, to the obfervance of which, in all particulars, John and the barons bound themfelves by oath. As a fur- ther fecurity, the governors of the caftles of Nor- thampton, Kenilworth, Nottingham, and Scar- borough, were ordered to take an oath of obedience to the confervators ; and it was determined that the barons mould keep pofieffion of London, and the cuftody of the Tower be lodged in the hands of archbifhop Langton, till the fifteenth day of Au- guft, within which time, the king engaged that 5 all 24 S HISTORYorENGLAND. A.C. KI$. all things fhould be rcfbored to the barons, accord- **~i~"Et ing^to the orders of the five and twenty-; in w?iich Ryrer. cafe they reverted to his majefty. Thefe: articles, being eftabliihed, a. number of ***- the nobility applied to John for the reftitution of lands, and the government of cafiies which be- longfd to them by hereditary right; and he ap- pointed an inquifition to examine their pretenfions ; but, in the mean time, he gave up the caftle of Rocbefbrr to archbifhop Langron, as a government which of old belonged to the lee of Canterbury. Or- ders were now ifibed for the observance of the peace, and the charters over all England: John remiired all crimes and tranlgreffions committed from the fore- going Eafter to the conclufion of the treaty -, and the barons renewed their homage, which they had publicly renounced at the beginning of their revolt. Nevertheleis, they would not comply with his de- foe, of having a certificate of this homage under their hands and leak-, and be was not a little alarmed at their refufal. They returned to Lon- don, after having gained this great point, where the liberties thus obtained, they gave a loofe to joy, and appointed a folemn tournament at Stam- ford -, tho* the fcene of this diverfion was afterwards fhifted to Hounflow-heath, by the advice of Ro- bert Fitzwalter, who fufpected a plot for delivering London to John, while they mould be holding tlirir tournament at Stamford. The more caution they had ufed to hamper that prince, he grew the more impatient under his re-, firidions, and burned with defire to fbake off the fetters with which he had been His favourites, being moftly foreigners, concurred in exafperaring his relentmenr, by exaggerating the infolence of the barons and the dishonour of his iub- miflion : his heart rankled with revenge, which his hand JOHN. 349 hand durft not execute , he revolved a thoufafld A - c - fchemes for difcngaging himfelf from the net in which he was entangled , and as no feafible expe- dient occurred, he felt all the bitternefs of difap- pointed hate -, he became contemptible in his own eyes , grew folitary, filent, and referved , and was overwhelmed with the moft melancholy chagrin : this was encreafed by the outrageous behaviour of fome barons and other turbulent people, who, dif- liking the treaty, endeavoured to reinvolve the kingdom in confufion. They plundered the coun- tries through which they pafled ; mal Treated the fheriffs and other officers employed to collect the revenue , burned the king's houfes, demoHlhed his park walls, cut down his woods, and feemed intent upon provoking him to a renewal of hoftf- lities. Thefe violences, which were chiefly com- mitted in the North, alarmed the bifhops to fuch a degree, that they propofed a meeting with the king at Oxford, in order to take effectual meafures for the prefervation of the peace. There the barons appeared with a vaft train of followers ; but John fent deputies to complain of the injuries he had re- ceived, and excule his not coming in perfon to an afifcmbly, in which he did not think his life would be fecure. They afterwards met at Staines, where his commiffioners protefted, in his name, againft the infractions of the treaty, and conjured the bi- Ihops to publifh the fentence of excommunication againft all who difturbed the peace of the king and kingdom ; which fentence John had obtained of the pope, to whom he had appealed in private im- mediately after the confirmation of the charters. He had lent copies of them to his holinefs, repre- fenting them as violent usurpations upon the right of the pope, as lord paramount of the kingdom ; and begged he might be abfolved from his oath, fo as to leize the firft opportunity of freeing him- felf 350 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A.C. izv$. felf from fuch a difagreeable and fhameful reftraint. His remonftrance had the defired effect upon In- nocent. That pontiff received thefe tidings with equal furprize and indignation ; he inveighed againft the prefumption of the barons, who dared to extort fuch charters from a vaflal of the Roman fee, and take arms againft their own fovereign, even while he was intitled to a particular venera- tion as the foldier of Chrift. He fwore that their infolence mould not pafs unpunilhed : he annulled the two charters, releafed the king from his oath, wrote letters to the barons, commanding them to recede from the privileges they had extorted ; and his orders being neglected, fulminated a fentence of excommunication againft them, and directed cardinal Langton to publifh the bull. This pub- lication was what the king's agents now demanded : but Langton pretending the pope had been mifin- formed, refufed to obey the mandate, until he fhould have informed his holinefs of the whole tranfaction. Upon his refufal, Pandulf and the bifhop of Rochester, the pope's commifiaries, pub- limed the bull, and fufpended the archbifliop, ac- Aft. Pub. cording to the orders they had received. This cen- fure was very little regarded, becaufe it was couched in general terms, without including any particular perfon by name. The barons began to prepare for war, providing arms and ammunition, repairing their fortrefles, and raifing foldiers in the different counties ; and Langton delivering the caftle of Rochefter to William d'Albiney, fet out for Rome, to juftify his conduct to Innocent. The pope Mean while John, after having exercifed his pa - SfpSionof tience and invention for fome time, contrived a wchbi&op fcheme, by which he hoped to recover his indepen- Lanston ' dency. He fent fome of his confidents to France, Germany, and the Low-Countries, to enlift vo- lunteers in his fervice, on the contingency of con- quering JOHN. 35 , quering the barons, and dividing their pofieffions: A.C.IMJ. nay, he even empowered his emifiaries to make au- thentic grants of the Englifh eftates to thofe adven- turers beforehand, in imitation of William the Conqueror ; and, in the mean time, for the fake of privacy, he retired to the Ifle of Wight, to wait for the effect of thefe meafures. There he refided three months, during which he converfed with none but fimermen and failors, among whom, how- ever, he acquired great popularity ; while his fub- jects could not divine the myftery of his retirement, but ridiculed his conduct with farcaftic raillery. As for archbifhop Langton, he arrived at Rome, M. Pfcj where, inftead of vindicating his character to the pope's fatisfaction, he was convicted of holding in- telligence with the rebellious barons : his fufpen- fion was confirmed ; his brother Simon's election to the fee of York was vacated ; and Innocent charged the deputies of the chapter to elect Walter de Grey bifhop of Worcefter, who received the pall upon giving fecurity for the payment of ten thoufand pounds fterling. The fufpenfion of the archbifhop was publifhed in the abbey of St. Al ban's, and thence notified to all the cathedrals and churches in England : another bull of excommu- nication was iflued againft the chiefs of the re- volters by name, and all their lands, together with the city of London, were laid under an interdict. Ch. MaiJr. During thefe tranfactions, the envoys of John I hn '" re - met with incredible fuccefs, in engaging adventu- i" army of Irers on the continent. Hugh de Boves is faid to <^ mw - have enlifted forty thoufand men, with whom he embarked at Calais ; but, being overtaken by a ftorm, the whole fleet was deftroyed, and every individual perifhed. Notwithftanding this difafter, John aflembled fuch an army of Germans, Bra- bantins, and Flemings, at Dover, that he found himfelf in a condition to take the field againft the barons. ,352 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. c. 1215. b arons< With thplb auxiliaries he inverted the caftle of Rochefter, which Robet Fitzwalter at- tempted ineffectually to relieve ; the bridges were broken down, and all the ports occupied in fuch a manner by the enemy, that he was obliged to re- turn to London. William d* Albiney the gover- nor made an obftinate defence for two months, during which, provifions failing, the garrifon ate .all the horfes in the caftle , till at length, even this refource was cxhaufted, and the defences being .ruined by the military engines of the befiegers, he furrendered at difcretion. John was ib incenfed at the tofs he had fuftained before the place, that he would have put all the garrifon to death without exception, had not he been diverted from this barbarous purpofe by Savary de Mauleon, who reprefented th*at the barons would undoubtedly make a retaliation, ib thafr a barbarous practice would be introduced to the difgrace of humanity, and the prejudice of his majefty's affairs. Thus ad- vifed, he fent William d'Albiney, and the othev .-prifoaers 'of quality, to . different caftles, and or- dered all the common foldiers, except thecrofs-bow Knyghton. men, to be hanged in terrorem. John com- .Tikis i was 3. terrible blow to the confederacy ; JJ r a v r ~ges -and the pope's fecond bull of excommunication ar- inthe t riving at the fame time, {truck fuch a damp upon the party, . that it was deferted by fome of its moft confiderable fnpports, and in particular by Gilbert -Fitz-Rainfroy, and the conflable of Chefter, who returned to the king's fervice. John, after the reduction of Rochefter, found his affairs in fuch ja flourifhing condition, that he formed two ftrong armies, with one of which he marched to the Northward, leaving the other under the com- mand of the earl of Salisbury and Falcafius de Bre- .ant, who reduced the caftles of Bedford, Hunflape, and Tunbridge, and having fupplied thofe of Wind- JOHN. 353 Windfor, Berkhamftede, and Hertford, with ftrong A, c. 1315. firrifons, to hamper the Londoners, marched into (Tex, where they reduced the caftles and plun- dered the lands belonging to the revolted barons. John proceeded in the fame manner in his march, till he arrived at Nottingham, from whence he fummoned the ftrong caftle of Belvoir to furrender, threatening, in cafe of a refufal, to put the owner William d'Albiney to death ; and the governor de- livered it up without capitulation. The foreign mercenaries committed horrible cruelties in their march, and ravaged the country in a dreadful manner. Thefe outrages provoked and exafperated the nobility of Yorkfhire, who leaving their eftates at the mercy of thofe bloodhounds, retired to Scot- land, where they did homage and fwore fealty, in the chapter- houfe of Melrofs, to Alexander king of that country. That prince, though no more than eighteen years of age, had already made an irruption into England, and received the oath from the malcontent barons of Northumberland. John purfued them in their retreat, and, as if he had been marching in the territories of fome barbarous defpotic enemy, laid wafte the whole country as he advanced. The caftles of the fugitives were fecured by garrifons ; the feats, farms, villages, and towns, were pillaged and utterly deftroyed ; the noblemen of Northumberland followed thofe of Yorkfhire into Scotland ; the towns of Milford, Morperh, Alnwick, and Werk, were reduced to aflies -, and Roxburg, Berwick, Haddington, and Dunbar, underwent the fame fate, by the exprefs direction and example of John himfelf, who, with his own ch Mai!r< hand, fet fire to every houfe in which he had lodged M. Pans, during this inglorious expedition. Having thus defolated a vail trad: of country, and reduced all the caftles belonging to the northern barons, except one in Yorkfhire belonging to Robert de Ros, he committed the government of the whole country, N. 18. A a between 354 HISTORY OF EN GLAND. A.C. ii 5 . between the Teefe and the Tweed, to Hugh deBa- liol and Philip de Huicote, with a good body of forces to over awe the malcontents, and marched inperfon to the borders of Wales, where he reduced a good number of caftles, fome of which he demo- lilhed, and others he fecuredwith ftronggarrifons. SkeTew- Tne barons were now reduced to a deplorable is, fonof fituation. Inftead of recovering their privileges, of Fran k c 'e ng tnev ^ aw tne * r e ft a es ravaged, and parcelled out to come and among foreigners, and the king triumphing in the throne of* vengeance he had taken. In this emergency, they England, were in their turn infpired with the fury of revenge, and took a defperate refolution, which had well nigh been productive of their own flavery and their country's ruin. They fent deputies to Philip, king of France, with an offer of the crown to his fon Lewis, provided he would come over and aflift them with a force fufficient to dethrone the tyrant by whom they were opprefled. This was a very agreeable invitation to the French king, who waited only for an opportunity to refume the defign of an- nexing England to his dominions , he therefore embraced the propofal of the barons, of whom, however, he demanded five and twenty hoftages for the performance of their promife ; and thefe being fent over, he began to prepare in earned for Mezmi. t ne expedition. John, at his return from the North, hovered about London, as if he meant to befiege that city, fo that the barons demanded an imme- diate reinforcement. Philip fent over a detachment of feven thoufand men, commanded by the caftel- lans of St. Omer, Arras, and Giles de Melun, who arrived fafely at London, after having deftroyed a fleet of pyrates that blocked up the river. Then John, defpairing of fuccefs in his attempt upon the capital, marched into Kent, with a view to engage the Cinque-ports in his intereft, and oppofe the landing of Lewis, for whofe defcent great pre- parations were making in the ports of France. The JOHN., 353 The pop<*, being informed of Philip's intention, A ' c - T2 '5' difpatched one Gualo as his legate to the French Sm!S!.. court, with a mandate, forbidding the French king nicates or his fon to invade England, which was part of Jj^ r ^ the patrimony of St. Peter. But this prohibition ^dia ys had no effect upon the French monarch, who pro- fcjftSTST ceeded with the equipment of his armament, which terdia. being completed, his fon Lewis embarked the troops, and fetting fail with a fleet of feven hun- dred vefTels, landed without oppofition at Sand- wich ; John retreating from Dover to Winchefler, after having left a ftrong garrifon in the caflle, un- der the command of Hubert de Burgh, a biave and trufty adherent. In this retreat, he met the pope's legate juft arrived from France, who ex- communicated Lewis by name, together with all his followers and abettors : and this cenfure was rxtended to the clergy of London, and particularly to Simon Langton, who had encouraged them to perform divine fervice in their churches, notwith- itanding an excommunication and interdict iffued againft the city by the pope, and publifhed by the abbot of Abingdon. Lewis had endeavoured to pacify the legate, and avert thofe cenfures by trump- ing up a lame title to the throne, in right of his wife Blanche of Caftile, who was grand-daughter to Henry II. fupported by the confent and invita- tion of the people, groaning under the tyranny of an ufurper, and convicted of homicide : but Gualo paying no regard to thefe reprefentations, he re- iblved to fet the pope at defiance, and marched im- mediately againit the caftle of Rochefter, which he foon reduced. An ' Waver * Thence he advanced to London, where the ba- Jhebarom rons and burghers did him homage, and took the andfwei" oath of fealty, after he had fworn to leave every ^? t perfon in pofieffion of his inheritance, :md re-efta- London, blilh the privileges of the nation, Though he was A a 2 never 356 HI STORY OF ENGLAND. A. c. 1215. never crowned king of England, he exercifed th fovereign authority, under the title of Domini Re- gis Francias Primogenitus, granting charters for Tri ^ rt - lands and honours, and created Simon Langton his Hymer. high chancellor. This prince law the number of his partifans daily increafe, while thofe of John diminifhed in the fame proportion ; for all the Flem^ ings and vafials of the crown of France, in the king's pay, abandoned his fervice, rather than fight again ft the fon and heir of their natural fovereign ; fo that John was difabled from keeping the field, and having garrifoned his caftles, retired towards Briftol and Gioucefter. Lewis did not fail to take the advantage of his weaknefs ; he detached Vvil- liam Fitzpiers, Robert Fitz waiter, and William de Huntingfield into Eflex and Suffolk, great part of which they fubdued, while he himfelf reduced all the caftles of Suflex, and then marched to Win- chefter, where he received the homage of Hugh de Neville, who delivered up the caftle of Marlbo- rough. All the country fubmitted to him as far as Corfe caftle in Dorfetfliire , and he beftowed the earldoms of Wilts -and Sufiex upon the count de Nevers, who oppreffed the people in fuch a man- ner, that they imprecated curfes upon him and his mafter, whofe intereft he never failed to betray when it came in competition with his avarice ; for, when he had reduced the caftle of Windfor to ex- tremity, he fuffered himfelf to be bribed by the dir.punf. governor and raifed the fiege. Lewis ic- Lewis met with no refiftance but from William "a'e'of " ^ S Collingham, who, with a body of archers, re- Aie an.kr tired to the woods and faftneffes, from whence he 'i. felled upon the French, whom he defeated in dif- ferent encounters , nor could all the power of Lewis fubdue this bold adventurer. John's affairs feeming defperate, he was deferted by the earls of Warenne, bahilraiy, ARindel, Al^emarle, and Oxford -, and Lewis, . J O H N. 357 Lewis, elevated by his profperity, convoked a ge- A. .1115, neral council at London, to exact the oath of alle^ glance from all the prelates and nobility of Eng- land. Among others, Alexander king of Scotland, was fummoned to this affembly; and according to the order he received, raifed a ftrong body offerees, with which he reduced the city of Carlifle ; from thence he marched to London, and did homage to Lewis, after that prince and the Englifh barons had fworn that they would not make peace without his concurrence. About this period, however, John's affairs be- Aaivityaai e II c n mi fitcefsof gan to put on a more favourable alpcct. i he John's ad- northern barons in befieging Barnard caftle, had hercnts - the misfortune to lofe Euftace de Vefci, who was the foul of their confederacy ; and though Wil- liam Marefchal the younger had prevailed upon the city of Worcefter to declare for Lewis, it was afterwards recovered to John by that nobleman's own father the earl of Pembroke, who, in con- junction with the earl of Chefter, and Fulk de Breant, retrieved alfo and fortified the ifle of Ely. The Cinque-ports, having equipped a fleet for the king's fervice, intercepted a great reinforcement deftined for the French prince, and cut off the com- munication with London by fea, while Hubert de Burgh, governor of Dover caftle, made continual excurlions, and ravaged the lands of the barons. Lewis, after the reduction of Winchefter, inverted this fortrefs, which was fo gallantly defended by the vigilant caftellan, that he made very little pro- grefs in the fiege ; he was repulied in feveral at- tacks with great {laughter, and fo continually har- rafled by the failles of the befieged, that he fwore, in a tranfport of rage, he would not quit the place until he mould have taken the caftle, and feen the garrifon hanged. Mat. Paris. A a 3 While '3S* HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. c. 1215. \Vhile he fpent his time in this fruitlefs enter- The barons prize, and another army commanded by the barons Sfikhthe was em ply e d in reducing the country of the Eaflr- conduft of Angles, John carried on the war in the marches u ' of South Wales, againil Reginald de Braoufe and Llewellyn, who had declared for his enemies. Hav- % ing taken their caftles, and aflembled an army in the Weft, upon whofe fidelity he could depend, he marched into Norfolk, ravaged the lands belong- ing to bis adverfaries, and compelled Gilbert de Gand, whom Lewis had created earl of that county, to raife the fiege of Lincoln. By this time, Lewis had loft the affection of the principal noblemen who had hitherto fupported his caufe : he not only ex- cluded them from his councils, but bedewed all his favours upon foreigners, and thefe treated the Englifh with the moft fupercilious contempt. This partiality and infolence was fo much refented by the barons, that they began to repent of having invited a foreign prince intft the kingdom. He xvas deferred by the earl of Salisbury, William Marefchal, Walter Beauchamp, and feveral other noblemen , and their defection alarmed him with filfpicions concerning the fidelity of thofe that re- mained. Thus actuated by jealoufy and refent- rnent, he is faid to have formed a plan of vengeance, v/hich was difcovered to them by the vifcount de Melun, one of his chief confidents. That noble- cpreffed rons that were left in the capital, and told them, that he could not die in peace until he mould dif- charge his conference, by difcovering an affair in which they were deeply interefted : then' he gave them to underftand, that Lewis had refolved to punifh all the Englifh barons, who had fought in his caufc, as traitors to their natural prince, on whofe JOHN. 359 whole fidelity he could have no dependence. The AC< 12I >- barons, ftartled at this information, which fcemed to tally with their own remarks, communicated the dying words of this Frenchman to their friends and confederates, that they might be upon their guard, and take the firfl convenient opportunity to detach themfelves from fuch a perfidious and ungrateful chief; they began to think ferioufly of reconciling themfelves to their own fovereign, and upwards of forty had already given John afiurances of returning to their obedience, when death pre- vented him from reaping the fruits of their good intention. That unfortunate monarch, after having ravaged John lofes the lands of the revolted barons in Norfolk, re- g " tired to Lynne, which was the rendezvous of all his forces ; and, allembling a numerous army, re- folved to penetrate into the heart of the kingdom, Ai and hazard a decifive battle, hoping to be joined in his march by thofe who were difcontented with Lewis. Thus determined, he departed from Lynne, which, for its fidelity, he had diftinguiflied with many marks of his favour : his route lying over the wafhes between Lincolnshire and Norfolk, which are overflowed at high water, he judged his time fo imprudently, that the tide rumed in upon him, and he loft the greateft part of his forces, together with all his treafure, baggage, and regalia. He himfelf hardly efcaped with life, and arrived at the abbey of Swineftead, where he was fo deeply affected with his irreparable lofs, that his grief pro- duced a violent fever. Next day, being unable to ride on horfeback, he was carried in a litter to the caftle of Seaford, and from thence removed to Newark, where, after having made his will, he died on the nineteenth day of October, in the fifty- firft year of his age, and the eighteenth of his reign. His bowels were buried in the abbey of A a 4 Crox- 36*0 HISTORYorENGLAND. A. c. 1215. Croxton, and his body in the cathedral of Wor- Rad. Niger, cefter, between the graves of St. Ofwald and St. S. Wulftan. His cha- John was in his perfon taller than the middle fize, rafter. o f a good fhape, and agreeable countenance. With reflect to his difpofition, it is ftrongly delineated in the tranfactions of his reign. If his underftanding was contemptible, his heart was the object of de- teftation : we find him flothful, mallow, proud, imperious, fudden, ram, cruel, vindictive, perfi- dious, cowardly, libidinous, and inconfbant : abject inadverfity, and overbearing in fuecefs ; contemned and hated by his fubjects, over whom he tyrannized to the utmoft of his power ; abhorred by the clergy, whom he opprefled with exactions ; and defpifed by all the neighbouring princes of Europe. Tho* he might have palled through life, without incur- ring iuch a load of odium and contempt, had not his reign been perplexed by the turbulence of his barons, the rapacioufnefs of the pope, and the am- bition of fuch a monarch as Philip Aiiguftus, his character could never have afforded one quality that would have exempted him from the difguft and fcorn of his people. Neverthelefs it muft be owned, that his reign is not altogether barren of laudable tranfactions. He regulated the form of the civil government in the city of London, and feveral other places in the kingdom : he was the firft who coined fterling money, introduced the laws of Eng- land into Ireland, and granted to the Cinque-ports thofe privileges of which they are (till pofTeiTed *. * John was firft married to I'abel, Eleanor, wife of William Marefchal daughter of William, earl of Glou- the younger, earl of Pembroke, and cefter, by whom he had no iflpe. By afterwards married to Simon Mont- tile fecond of the fair.e name, he had fort, earl of Leicefter ; and Ifabel, two ions ; namely, Henry, \vhofuc- matched with Frederic II. emperor cecded him ; Richard, earl of Corn- of Germany. His natural children- wall ; and three daughters; Jane mar- were Richard, by a daughter of the tied to Alexander king of Scotland j earl of Wafrenne j Gccftrv fitzroy. JOHN. 36, who died in Poitou ; John, preben- dary of Shirburn j Henry, lord of the manor of Waltham j Ofbert Giffard ; Oliver de Durdent, by Avice Tracy ; Joane, by Agatha, daughter of Ro- bert carl of Ferrers, married to Lle- wellyn prince of North Wales j Re- ginald, Swynulf, and Eudo. Carte. The moft remarkable events that happened during this reign, were the reduction of Conftantinople by the French and Venetians j and the cru- fade againft the Albigen r es, which gave birth to the inquifition. With rcfpeft to the ftory of John's having offered to hold his kingdom of the Miramemolin of Morocco, and turn Mufiulman, it is generally be- lieved to be a legend invented by the monks to blacken his character, as there is fo little probability in the im- putation ; and it is mentioned by no author but Matthew Paris, who takes all occafions to revile him with the znoft rancorous virulenca. THE T H E HISTORY O F ENGLAND. BOOK THIRD. From the death of king JOHN to the death of EDWARD III. HENRY HI. Surnamedof WINCHESTER. A. c. 1215. -W o H N had bequeathed the crown to his eldeft LTby U<> fon Henry ; but that prince being only ten his fon */ years of age, the kingdom was left without u cSne? a ruler, in a (late of anarchy and diftradtion ; and at ciou- the royal family had very little to hope from the very fmall number of noblemen who adhered to the late king, and a mercenary army of foreigners, in \vhofe fidelity John himfelf had never fully con- fided. The nation was averfe to the memory of that unhappy prince ; the barons were ftill under thofe arms which they had aflumed for his deftruc - tion j and the greateft part of the kingdom had fob- JH. HENRY III. 363 mitted, and taken the oath of allegiance to Lewi^ A - c - 12I s- of France. It was well for the Englifh that this impolitic prince made fuch an unpopular life of his profperity. Had he behaved with a fhew of im- partiality and moderation, the country would, in all probability, have been enflaved ; but he had al- ready forfeited the efteem of the people, by his haughty deportment, contempt of their perfons and manners, and unjuft partiality to his own country- men, at whofe infolence and extortion he connived. The commonalty inveighed in public againft the in- folence of thofe ftrangers ; and the mutual confi- dence which at firft fupfiilect between Lewis and the nobility, was now quite deftroyed. The majority of the barons had reiblved to renounce the French intereft, even before the king's deceafe ; and that event deprived them of all caufe of oppofition. As foon as that prince expired, the earl of Pem- broke, who was well acquainted with the fentiments of both parties, fummoned the barons to Glou- cefter ; and thofe that adhered to John being aflem- bled, he prefented young Henry, fey ing, " Behold " your king." He obierved, that whatever caufe the late king might have given for oppofition to his will, the innocent fon ought not to be charged with the faults of his father ; that it would be un- juft to wrefl the crown from a family which had pofiTeiTed it fo long, in order to beftow it upon a thanklefs foreigner, who would not fail to enflave the kingdom ; and that nothing would fecure them againft this impending flavery, but an unreferved union among themfdves, under a prince poffefled of an hereditary title. With regard to the invita- tion Lewis had received, he alledged that prince had ufed it to fuch bad purpofes by his arbitrary manner of proceeding, that he ought to forfeit all the benefit of their firft agreement ; and be defired to quit the kingdom which he feemed fo ill quali- i fied 3 6 4 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A.C. 1215. fied to govern. This remonftrance was fo well re- ceived by the afiembly, that they unanimoufly ex- claimed ; " Let Henry be king, let Henry be " king." In confequence of this declaration, he was crowned in the cathedral on the Eve of St. Si- mon and St. Jude, in prefence of the pope's legate ; and as the crown had been left in the wafhes, they uled a fimple fillet of gold for the ceremony, which was performed by the btfhops of Bath and Win- chefter ; becaufe Langton was flill at Rome, folli- citing the removal of his fufpenfion. The young king took the cuftomary oath at his coronation, and the legate infifted upon his doing homage to the holy fee ; a demand which the few nobles there aflembled did not think proper to refufe : then the barons fwore fealty to his majefty ; and his perfon was committed to the charge of the earl of Pem- broke, who acted as regent of the kingdom. A.C. 1216, xhis office could not have been conferred upon Marefchai, a nobleman of greater honour and capacity. He broke, is " had preferved his attachment to John, with the Appointed mo fl- inviolable fidelity, even in the midft of all his misfortunes. He was perfectly well acquainted with the caufe of the late troubles, as well as with the interefts and intrigues of thofe by whom they had been excited. He knew how ill affected the barons were to the prince whom they had invited to the kingdom ; was privy to the fecret negotiation between the late king and the forty barons, who had promifed to renounce the party of Lewis , and he did not doubt but that the confederacy would diflblve, as foon as they mould think themfelves fecure from the penalties of rebellion. In this hope he, by circular letters, notified young Henry's coro- nation to all the barons and communities of the kingdom ; and promifed a general amnefty to all thofe who mould return to their obedience. This ailurance, and the known probity of the regent, 4- HENRY III. 3 - made ftrong impreflions upon many barons of the A - c - I2l( " afibciation : and this was reinforcd by the fentence of excommunication againft Lewis, which the legate repeated every Sunday, and in which they themfelves were included ; for however they might have fet thofe ceniures of excommunication at de- fiance, when their paflions were inflamed with the firft glowings of hope and refentment, and their oppofition was encouraged by the vigorous union and fpirited meafures of a ftrong confederacy, thefe impulfes and concurring motives were now conli- derably weakened, and the tender confciences of fome among them began to feel the pangs of re- morfe and the horrors of ecclefiaftical cenfure. Lewis had long ago loft the affection of the The barons, and now he became the objecl: of their contempt. He had frequently attempted to cor- rupt the integrity of Hubert de Burgh, governor of Dover caftle, but ftill found his honour and courage equally invincible. He was employed in the fiege of this fortrefs at the death of John, which he thought would produce a change in Hu- bert's conducl : he fummoned him once more to furrejider, and reprefented, in a parley, that as he was now difengaged from the oath of allegiance he had taken, he ought to make no fcruple in ac- knowledging a prince whom his countrymen had received as their fovereign, and who would take pleafure in giving him particular marks of his fa- vour. The honeft governor anfwered, that the late king had left a fon and fucceflbr, whom it was his duty to obey , that he would ferve the young prince to the laft drop of his blood ; and, with regard to the promifes of Lewis, he faid the efteem of a magnanimous prince could never be purchafed by fuch infamous treachery. Lewis, finding him incorruptible, changed his battery, and threatened to take away the life of his brother,. who 366 HISTORY OF EN'GLAND. A. c. 1216. w | 10 was j n n i s power. . Hubert preferred his duty to his brother, and continued impregnable -, fo that Mat. Paris, the beficger was obliged to abandon his enterprize. He repaired to London, extremely chagrined at his mifcarriage ; and having taken meafures for fecuring his intereft in that capital, marched againft the caftle of Hertford, which fat-rendered after a faint refiftance. The cuftody of this fortrefs be- longed by hereditary right to Robert Fitzwaher, who demanded it accordingly ; and not only fuf- fered a repulfe, but had the mortification to fee the government conferred on a Frenchman, and the cattle garriibned with foreigners. This infulting acT: of injuftice produced a great clamour among the Englim : they were itripped of their inherit- ances by aliens, and even reviled as traitors, who could not be entrulled with any place of import- ance : they now believed in good earned the truth of what the count de Melun had difcovered on his death-bed, and looked upon themfelves as victims devoted to deftru&ion. Thus a general difco.n- tent prevailed among the Englim, who refolved to make him feel the effects of their refentment - t mean while he proceeded in his conquefts, and about the end of the year returned to London. lewis begin* The regent on his fide neglefted nothing which pound' could contribute towards the maintenance of his pupil's pretenfions. He notified his coronation to the pope, and folliched the protection of his holi- nefs in favour of the young prince, furrounded by- foreign and domeftjc enemies and Innocent, who was never wanting to his own interefl, exerted himfelf for the prefervation of England, as the patrimony of St. Peter. He fent new powers to the legate to aggravate the excommunication of Lewis and his adherents -, and that prince, being made acquainted with the mandate, protelied fo- letnnly againfc every Hep which mould be taken to his HENRY III. 367 his prejudice. In the mean time he appointed a AC - i:tl6 - day for receiving anew the homage of the Englifh A7- appeafed, the regent fent orders to all the magif- trates of the kingdom, to execute the two charters of king John, and punifh all thofe who Ihould refufe to conform to the articles contained in thofe conftitutions. The earl of Pembroke acted, in all refpects, like a great and good man, warmly at- tached to the intereft of his country : in order to fpare the fubjects the expence of men and money, for the reduction of Llewellyn, prince of Wales, who had acted as an auxiliary of the barons, he propofed honourable terms of accommodation, which were embraced by that prince, who was af- terwards abfolved by the legate, through the earl's interceffion. This was the lad exertion of legatine A. c. ix, power by Gualo, who was recalled by Honorius, the fucceflbr of pope Innocent ; and Pandulf was appointed legate in his room. In a little time after Gualo's departure, the na- The death tion fuftained an irreparable lofs, by the death ofjJJ 1 ^' 1 the regent, whofe valour, integrity, and prudence, broke, had preferved it from flavery : he was lucceeded by William de Roches, bimop of Winchefter ; and Hubert de Burgh, the defender of Dover, was created chief judiciary of England. As the king's A - c - I120> coronation at Winchefter had been performed in a defedtive and informal manner, it was thought proper to repeat the ceremony, in which cardinal Langton officiated, that prelate having, by this time, been freed from the fufpenfion, in confe- quence of which he had quitted the kingdom. Im- mediately after the coronation, Henry, with his new regent, made a progrefs through the different counties of the kingdom, in order to enquire into the management of the fervants belonging to the crown, and remove fuch governors as were thought averfe to the prefent adminiftration. None of thefe made any oppofition to the king's will, except B b 3 Wii- > 374 HISTORY OF ENGLAND, A. c, ,2zi. William de Albemarle, caftellan of Rockingham* Mat. Paris. w ho had erected himfelf into a fovereign, and af- Tyrrd. f e ft ec j to defpife the orders of the government. He William de r n r r j r !- J at firft refufed to refign his employment, and put himfelf in a poflure of defence-, but finding that all his neighbours offered their fervice to afllft the king in delivering them from his tyranny, his courage failed him, and he furrendered upon capitu- lation. After this expedition, the king returned to London, where with his own hand he laid the 'firfl ftone of the new abbey church of Weftminfter, which remains to this day. In the courfe of this year, the pope canonized Hugh bifhop of Lincoln, who died in the beginning of John's reign, and was faid to have performed miracles ; and Stephen Langton, archbifhop of Canterbury, infpired with the moft profound veneration for his predeceflbr Thomas Becket, whofe genius was congenial with his own, ordered the body of that apoftle to be re- moved from the ftone -coffin and vault, in which it was firft interred, to a rich fhrine of gold, befet with precious ftones. This ceremony was performed in prefence of the king, and Pandulf the pope's le- fite, with almoft all the prelates and nobility of ngland, furrounded by an incredible multitude of people, a great number of whom arrived from France, and other foreign countries, on purpofe to Mat. Paris, fee this folemnity. The king's Mean while William de Albemarle, thinking h ft maS c Wrofetf injured in the affair of Rockingham, inftead toAiexan- of obeying the king's order, when fummoned to a scodand. f general council at Weftminfter aflembled on na- tional affairs, raifed a body of troops, with which hefurprifed the caftle of Fotheringay in Northamp- tonfhire. Leaving a ftrong garrifon in the place, he returned to his own habitation at Biham, which he fortified againft all oppofition, obliging the mer- chants and travellers that paffed through the neigh- bourhood, HENRY III. ' 375 foourhood, to pay for his paflports, on pain of be- A - c - I22r - ing plundered by his detachments. The great council, informed of thefe violent and illegal pro- ceedings, fummoned him to appear and judify his conduct ; and he refufing to obey, affembled an army to befiege the caftle, refolving to puniih him with all the feverity of the law. William, under- Handing that the troops were in march againft him, retired to the northern parts of the kingdom, leav- ing the command of Biham to a governor, who did not furrender until he was reduced to the utmoft extremity : he himfelf afterwards found means to make his peace with the regent, who at the inter- cefiion of the archbifhop of York, forgave his re- volt, in confideration of his fervices to the late king. This difturbanoe being quelled, the king marched againft Llewellyn prince of Wales, who had inverted the caftle of Buelt, belonging to Re- ginald de Braoufe ; but he relinquifhed his enter- prize, and retired at the approach of Henry, who purfued him to Montgomery, where a caftle was built to prevent future incurfions. It was after his return from this expedition, that the king's fifter Joane, who had been betrothed to the fon of earl Marche, was removed from the cuftody of that nobleman, and married at York to Alexander king of Scotland. That prince's fifter, about the chr.Mwir. fame time, efpoufed Hubert de Burgh, judiciary of England ; a match by which he incurred the envy and jealoufy of fome noblemen, who took all opportunities to difturb him in the execution of his office. Among thefe were William earl of Salif- bury, and Rainulf earl or'Chefter, who being fuf- pefted of a defign to excite new troubles, the arch- bifhop of Canterbury affembled a council at Lon- don, where he effefted a reconciliation between the -earls and the jufticiary ; and, with the confent of B b 4 his ^6 HISTORY OP ENGLAND. A. c. mi. hj s f u ff r agans, threatened to excommunicate a!>i thofe who fhould interrupt the peace of the king- dom. A remark- xhe tranquillity of the nation was not yet fo WeftmTn^ firmly eftablifhed, but that fome turbulent indivi- A * r - duals took all occafions to excite civil broils and commotions ; nor was the party of Lewis as yet quite extinguimed in the realm, as appeared about this period in a riot at Weftminfter. The citizens of London having obtained the prize in a wreftling- match, appointed by the fteward belonging to the abbot of Weftminfter, this man repined at the glory which had been won from his tenants, and refolved to revenge the difgrace. With this view, he propofed a fecond contention, and a ram as the prize of the victors. The Londoners flocked in great numbers to this diverfion, and were fuddenly attacked by the fteward, and a band of armed rui- tics, whom he had afiembled for the purpofe. The citizens, being repulfed with great indignity, and a good number of them wounded in the fray, re- lolved to take immediate vengeance upon the per- fidious fteward, and took to their arms in a very tumultuous manner : Serle the mayor endeavoured to quell the commotion, and advifed them to com- plain to the abbot, from whom they would receive proper fatisfaction ; but this expedient was op- pofed by Conftantine Fitz- Arnulf, a rich, turbu- lent, and popular citizen, who had diftinguimed himfclf' as a partifan of Lewis and the barons. As he loved to filh in troubled waters, was ambitious of commanding the multitude; and believed that this difturbance might produce fomething that would revive the civil difTenfions of the nation, he harrangued the rioters, and having inflamed their paflions, propofed that they fliould march againft the abbot and his fteward, and raze their houfes to the HENRY III. 377 the ground. The fcheme being applauded, he put A - c - "" himfelf at their head, and proceeded towards Weft- minfter, exclaiming Mon joye St. Denis ! which was the war- word of the French ; and having de- molifhed feveral houfes belonging to the abbey, returned to the city in triumph. Hubert de Burgh, A. c. 1*21, the jufticiary, being informed of this outrage, ag- gravated by the traitorous exprefiions of Conftan- tine and the populace, repaired directly to the Tower with a body of troops, and fummoned the citizens to appear and anfwer for thofe riotous pro- ceedings : Conftantine going thither with great confidence, boldly juftified what he had done ; declared he would repeat the fame conduct on the like occafion -, and pleaded the indemnity which had been ftipulated for the partifans of Lewis, by the treaty of pacification. Hubert gave him to underfland, that nothing was ftipulated in favour of thofe who mould commit acts of fedition ; and that he, with his two chief accomplices, mould be hanged next morning. This fentence was accord- ingly executed, notwithftanding his offer to redeem his life with fifteen thoufand marks of filver ; and many citizens, concerned in the tumult, were pu- nifhed with the amputation of their hands and feet : nay, the king further exprefTed his refent- ment againft the city, by turning the magiftrates out of their offices, and appointing others by his fole authority. This exercife of feverity raifed an univerfal cla- mour among the people ; efpecially as it was prac- tifed in direct oppofition to the charters which had been fo lately confirmed-, for the punifhments were inflicted by the arbitrary fentence of Hubert, without any previous trial or legal conviction. Lewis affected to complain of it as an infringement Mat.Pam. of the peace; inibmuch that, when he afcended the throne of France, he made this tranfaction a pre- tence 3 ;3 H IS TOR Y OF EN GLAND. A> c. 1222. tence for refufmg to reftore Normandy and the other foreign dominions to Henry, according to his promife. So abfolute was the royal power, at this period, that the king exacted hoftages for the peaceable behaviour of the citizens ; and thirty of the principal inhabitants being nominated for this purpofe, the corporation obliged themfelves, by an authentic deed, to deliver them up whenever Thfnobiiity they mould be demanded. This exertion of de- thk?ngthe fp ot * c power, however, gave fuch umbrage to the execution of nation in general, that, in a fubfequent aflembly con'tainetin held at Oxford, the members infifted upon the thccharters. king's executing the charters, to the obfervance of which he had folemnly fworn. The court had, fmce the death of William earl of Pembroke, adopted new maxims ; and when this addrefs was prelented to the king, William Bruvere, one of his courtiers, laid it was unreafbnable to demand the performance of charters which had been extorted by force. The archbifhop of Canterbury, ftartled at this rafh declaration, replied, that if he really loved the king, whole intereils he pretended fo warmly to elpoufe, he would not feek to reinvolve the kingdom in frefh troubles ; and Henry himfelf, being then in the fixteenth year of his age, feconded Langton, and allured the deputies of his firm in- tention to obferve the charters with the utmoft punctuality. He accordingly ifTued orders all over the kingdom, for the exact execution of all the ar- ticles ; and the aflembiy was fo well pleafed with his behaviour on this occafion, that they indulged him with a very confiderable fubndy, that he might be enabled to relieve the chriftians in the Mat. Paris. Holy -Land. A. c. 12*3. Philip Auguftus king of France dying during thefe tranfactions, Henry's council fent over am- bafiadors to congratulate Lewis on his acceffion to the throne, and remind him of his promife touch- 6 ing HENRY III. 379 Ing Normandy, and the other dominions of which A - c - T2i 3- John had been deprived by his father , but he gave ^Fra!" 8 them to underftand, that :- looked upon himfelf renounces' as acquitted of that; obligation, by Henry's having *" firft infringed the articles of the treaty, in exact- meats to the ing exorbitant ranforhfrorn the prifoners, neglecting kSho to re-eftabliih the antient laws, according to the is convention, and in putting Conftantine to death, p for his attachment to the French intereft. In this manner did the arbitrary difpofition of the judiciary injure his mafter abroad, as well as at home, where he afiumed a prerogative, to which none of his pre- deceflbrs in that employment had ever afpired : nor was he contented with the great mare of power and authority which he engrafted, as being ftiil obliged to receive orders from the bifhop of Win- chefter, who had been declared regent of the king- dom, during the minority of Henry. Hubert, in order to abridge the term of this prelate's office, obtained a bull from the pope, declaring the king of age, authorifmg him to take the reins of go- vernment into his own hands, and enjoining all thofe who filled offices to refign them to their fo- vereign, that he might difpofe of them as he fhould think proper. This mandate the barons abfolutely refufed to obey, becaufe it was directly contrary to the laws of the kingdom, which limited the king's minority to the age of one and twenty. Hubert, thus difappointed, contrived another Hubert ftratagem, which fucceeded according to his expec tation ; he perfuaded the king to demand of him the nobility. fortrefles which were in his cuftody, and he actually furrendered the tower of London and Dover-caftle, the two moll important places of the realm : a good number of the barons followed his example, and found themfelves outwitted by the craft of the judiciary, to whom his governments were reftored, fls foon as the king \Vas ; in pofieffion of their caftles. Such 380 HISTORYoFENGLAND. A.c.ia 13 . Such a mean collufion not only provoked them againft Henry, but alfo impreffed them with an unfavourable opinion of his morals. They confi- dered his favourite as the author of this unworthy contrivance : thofe who enjoyed offices at court, unable to bear the infolence of the jufticiary, re- figned their places, and retired to their refpective homes, refolving to embrace the firft opportunity of exprefiing their refentment in a more effectual manner. Such barons as had not fallen into the lhare, Hubert endeavoured to intimidate, by threat- ning them with thefentence of excommunication ; and fome of them were thus terrified into compli- ance -, but others defpifed thefe menaces, and re- folved to maintain their rights and property, againft all the efforts of the king and his minifter. The Abb.d; principal malcontents were the earls of Chefter and M^! Paris. Albemarie, Fulk de Breant, and Robert de Vipont ; thefe, with fome other barons, held a council at Leicefter, in order to concert meafures for their mutual defence, and refufed to appear at a general affembly convened at Northampton, where the archbiihop of Canterbury and his fuffragans ful- minated a fentence of excommunication againft all difturbers of the public peace ; and threatened them, in particular, with that fentence from the pope, unlefs they would immediately refign the caftles belonging to the crown, which were in their cuftody. The cenfures of the church were fo formidable, that, rather than incur them, thefe noblemen fubmitted, and gave up the fortrefles, though they did not lay afide their enmity to the jufticiary, nor the de fire of humbling his pride and arrogance. Fuikd; Lewis was well informed of thefe inteftine com- TOiTs^ana motions, which itemed to be the prelude of a new hh oftieof rebellion, that might turn out to his advantage : iemolflsTd. mean while, inftead of fulfilling the articles of the peace> , H EN R Y III. 3 8, peace, which he had fworn to obferve* he confif- A. .1214. cated all the lands belonging to Englifh noblemen in his dominions, and marched .into Saintonge, where he made himfelf mafter of divers places : then he inverted Rochelle, which was immediately furrendered by Savary Mauleon, who embraced the intereit of France, out of refentment to the Englifii government, which,- when he demanded a fupply in money, fent him a cheft full of old iron. This unprovoked invafion, which Lev/is cloaked with the frivolous pretence of Henry's having omitted to appear at- his confecration, plainly demonftrated the neceffity of fending an army abroad ; and a general affembiy was convoked at Northampton, to confider upon ways and means to equip an arma- ment equal to. an enterprize of fuch importance. Their deliberations were interrupted by the exceiles p - of Fulk de Breant, who, in imitation of William de Albemarle, had creeled himfelf into a. palatine, and levied contributions upon the open conntry, in the neighbourhood of his caftle at Bedford. Com- plaints had been made of his tyranny ; and three judges being lent down to Dunftaple,- to take cog- nizance of his conduct, amerced him in one hundred pounds fterling, in lieu of damages to the people whom he had oppreffed. Incenfed at this determi- nation, he detached his brother William with a body of troops to apprehend the judges, two of whom efcaped , but the third, whofe name was Henry de Baybrook, being taken, was conveyed to Bedford, and treated with the utmoft indignity. The affembiy at Northampton, being informed of this violence, unanimoufly refolved to make an ex- ample of this penurbator of the public peace, and fufpended ail other deliberations, until he mould be punifh^d for his audacious behaviour. Forces were ievied for that purpoie, and Fulk was fummoned to furrender the caitlej but, inilead of obeying the order 3 S2 HISTORY 0? ENGLAND. A. e. 1124. order he retired into Wales, in hope being joined by other malcontents, who had promifed to fupporc him in his revolt, and left the caftie to the charge of his brother, who, after a defperate refiftance, was obliged to furrender at difcretion. Notwithftand- ing the interceffion of his friends, who folicited the king in his behalf with unwearied importunity, he was hanged, with four and twenty knights who were found in the place, and the caftie itfelf le- velled with the ground. Fulk, feeing himleif dif- appointed of the fuccours he expected to receive, had recourfe to the king's clemency, through the interceffion of the biihop of Coventry : and Hen-^ ry, in confideration of the fervices he performed to his father, granted him his life ; but he was com- mitted to the cuftody of the bifhopof London, till the year following, when by an ad: of the general council, his eftate was confiscated, and himielf ba- Mat. Pam. n jfhed the realm. A. c. 1225. They had granted a fmall fubfidy for this expe* Sccrnl^T 1 dmon -, but, as a great fum was neceflary for the isfentwith fupport of the war againft France, another general Cuh2ei nt council was convoked at Weftminfter, where Hu- bert de Burgh having expatiated upon the damage fuftained by the king and feveral noblemen in their porTefTions on the continent, and the necefiity of retrieving thefe lodes by force of arms, demanded a fifteenth of all moveables belonging to ecclefiaf- tics as well as laymen. The affembly promifed to grant this fubfidy, provided the king would order the charters of John to be more punctually ob- ferved ; and he forthwith appointed commhTaries to vifit the different counties, and fee the articles duly executed : a conceflion which operated fo fa- vourably on the minds of the people, that the tax was paid with great chearfulnefs j and the bifhops excommunicated all thofe who ftiould commit any frauds HENRY III. -383 Frauds in the collection. The Ciftercians added to A c - '"5- their proportion a free gift of two thoufand marks ; la'pSl" and the Jews prefented the king with five thoufand for his favour and protection. Thus fupplied, the king levied an army, and equipped a fleet for an expedition into Guienne, under the command of his brother Richard, whom he had knighted and created earl of Cornwal.- That young prince, accompanied by the earl of Salisbury and Philip d'Albiney, fet fail from England with a fleet of three hundred mips , and landing at Bourdeaux, was joined by a great number of adventurers whom he took into his fervice. Thus reinforced, he marched into Guienne, where he reduced feveral places, and, at laft, inverted the caftle of La Re- ole, which being ftrongly fortified, held out until the count de la Marche, general of the French ar- my, advanced to its relief. Richard being too weak to hazard a battle, abandoned the fiege, and retreated to the other fide of the river Dourdogne ; and while he remained on the continent, he at- tempted nothing further of any importance. Rigord. During thefe tranfadions in Guienne, Otho ar- Extravagant rived as the pope's legate; and an afTembly being convoked at his defire, while the king lay dange- roufly ill at Marl borough, he made a very extra- ordinary propofal, in the name of his holineis. He began his harrangue, by obferving that the holy fee had long lain under the reproach cf idling her favours for money j and that it was the duty of all good chriftians to remove the caufe of thac imputation, which was no other than the extreme indigence of the Roman church. He therefore propoled, that in order to relieve the prefling ne- ceffities of the holy fee, and enable it to diftribute its indulgences with generality and moderation, two prebends in every cathedral, and as many cells in every convent of England, mould be granted to the 384 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. c. 1225. t h e pope, by an authentic deed, confirmed by an aft of the general affembly. This demand was Ib unconfcionable, that the council, far from com- plying with it, would not even deign to anfwer the legate, until he complained of being treated with diirefpett ; then they told him, that the abfence of the king and fome principal members, would not permit them to deliberate upon a propofal of that A. c. 1226. nature. Otho, with a perleverance which was truly pontifical, defired them to continue the fetfion, until his majefty and the abfent members Ihould arrive , but they paid no regard to his intreaties, and broke up without even conferring on the fub- ject : fo that he found himfelf obliged to exert his patience till another opportunity. During this in- terval, he made a progrefs into die North, where, under pretence of the right of procurations *, he fleeced and harrafled the churches in fuch a man- ner, that the clergy complained of him to the pope, who recalled him immediately, rather than run the rifque of exafperating the Englifh at fuch a con- juncture. At the fame time, he directed the arch- bifaop of Canterbury to procure another convoca- tion of the aifembly, and demand a pofitive an- jwer to the proportion made by the legate. His mandate was obeyed by Langton ; and the king, with the advice of his prelates, declared to his ho- linefs, that, as the affair concerned all Chriften- dom as well as England, he would conform to the Mat. Paris, refolutions of his neighbour potentates. Mean while, Henry continued his preparations againft France, until he was obliged to interrupt them on account of the crufade againft the Albigenfes, which Lewis undertook to command in perfon, while the pope exprefsly forbade all chriftian princes * This was a right which legates whirh entertainment they now corn- had to free entertainment, while they muted for money, vifited churches and monafkries j to HENRY III. 3 8 5 Ct> invade his dominions, to the prejudice of this A - c - Iza6 expedition. Henry, by the advice of his council, relolved therefore to poflpone all hoftilities until the return of the French king, who was, by this time, employed in the fiege of Avignon ; after the reduction of which he died, not without fufpicion of being poifoned by the count de Champagne, who loved his queen to diffraction. Lewis IX. Succeeded his father, under the tuition of Blanche de Caftile, who, though a foreigner, had intereft enough to be declared regent of the kingdom. In the mean time, Henry of England having Difagrceabie been declared of age, before the time fixed by the H%* of laws of the realm, he began his reign with a fample of government which imprefTed the people with a very unfavourable opinion of his character. As he could not "demand money from the afTembly, after the large fubfidies he had fo lately received, he refolved to revive an expedient which had been practifed hy his uncle Richard, after his return from Paleftine. This was an order commanding all perfons who enjoyed charters to pay a certain tax for their being renewed and confirmed ; a griev- ance of which the monafteries, and the nation in general, loudly complained: not that the king was fo much blamed for this extortion, as the juf- ticiary, who had gained an abfolute afcendency over him, and attracted the odium of the people, which was not diminifhed by the death of the earl of Sa- lifbury, natural fon of Henry II. This noble- A, c. 2217. man had performed many fervices of the utmoft importance to the late king, and was confidered as a rival in power, or rather as a popular check upon the behaviour of Hubert, who invited him to an entertainment in his houfe, immediately after which he was leized with a languishing diftemper that conveyed him to his grave-, fo that the people iiifpected he had not met with fair play from his NUMB, XIX. C c en- 8 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. .C. iz2 7 . entertainer. As Henry advanced in years he dif- covered extreme avarice, inconflancy, caprice, weak - nefs of judgment and irrefolution, mingled with the principles of tyranny and oppreffion ; which af- forded a very difagreeable profpecl: to his fubjecls. Such a prince never governs in his own perfon : as he has neither maxims, knowledge, nor refolution, by which he can manage the helm of adminiftra- tion, he neceflarily becomes a prey to fome infi- nuating ambitious individual, who rules him and the realm as favourite and prime minifter. Henry was a flave of this fort to Hubert de Burgh, who being impatient of any controul or partition of in- fluence, prevailed upon the king to difmifs the bi- Ihop of Winchefter from his councils ; and that prelate was ordered to return to his diocefe. After his departure, the jufticiary perfuaded Henry to render himfelf independent of thofe reftridtions that hampered him in his adminiftration, and reign with abfolute authority. He found the king very well difpofed to follow his advice ; the effects of which were foon felt by the people of England. He ex- acted five thoufand marks from the city of London,, on pretence of that community's having lent the like fum to Lewis when he departed from the king- dom. Northampton was compelled to pay twelve hundred pounds fterling, on forrie other frivolous pretext ; and large fums of money were fqueezed from the monafteries, notwithftanding their appeals to his holjnefs : but what entirely alienated the af- fections of the people, was the unexpected revoca- tion of the two charters which he had fo folernnly fworn to obferve ; and which he now renounced, alledging that he could not be legally bound by Brady. any tranfaction of his minority. As for Hubert, J/" 6 '- . he feemed to laugh at the murmurs of the people ; Mat. Pans. , . , /- / i n i i and was in the courfe of this year mvefted with the earl- HENRY III. 387 earldom of Kent, as a recompence for having freed A - c -'2*7. his mafter from fuch uneafy fetters. This conduct of the king and his minifter pro- Rjchard earl duced an univerlal fpirit of difiatisfaction among Sf M ^san- the barons ; and prince Richard, lately arrived from ^racyof Guienne, took the advantage of this alienation to a^S the infult his brother, in conlequence of a quarrel a German whofe name was Walleran, on whom king John had beflowed fome Jands in Cornwall.. When Richard received the inveftiture of this coun- ty, he fummoned Walleran to produce his title ; and in the mean time feized his eftate. The Ger- man, inftead of fhewing his charter, complained to the king, in his brother's abfence ; and an order was iffued for putting him in pofieffion of his lands. The vafTals and agents of the earl eluded the exe- cution of this order till the return of Richard, who allured the king that he had no intention to injure Walleran ; and that he would refer the difpute to the judgment of his peers. Henry, incenfed at this declaration, which he conftrued into an appeal from his determination, chid him feverely for his pre- fumption, and commanded him to reftore the lands or quit the kingdom immediately. Richard replied that he would neither do the one nor the other, without the decifion of his peers ; and immediately retired to his own houfe. The jufticiary advifed the king to arreft him without delay ; but, while he wavered in his refolution, the earl fet out for Maryborough, where he communicated the tranfac- tion to William Marefchal ea/1 of Pembroke, who approved of his behaviour, and undertook to form an afibciation for humbling the pride of the jufti- ciary. With this view they vifited the earl of Chef- ter, and fome other noblemen, who embraced their plan without hefitation, and appointed a rendezvous at Stamford, where they were met by the earls of C c 2 Glou- 388 H ISTOR Y OF ENGL A N D. A.C. m 7 . G] ouce fi- er , Warenne, Hereford, Ferrars, and War- wick, with a great number of gentlemen, attended by a vaft number of armed vaflals. There they Jniblilhed a manifefto, containing their grievances , and demanded the confirmation of the charters, together with the difmiffion of Hubert from the king's councils. The judiciary forefeeing the dan- gerous confequences that might enfue from this in- furrection, advifed the king to convoke a general aflembly at Northampton, with promife to redrefs the grievances of the nation ; and in the mean time to detach prince Richard from the confederacy, by ceding in his favour fome claims to the effects of his mother, and adding to his appointments the lands which the count de Boulogne had poflefied in England. Thefe feafonable concefiions operated fo effectually upon the mind of the earl, that he renounced his engagements with the nobility, who, finding themfelves thus bereft of their leader, laid afide their defign, and fubmitted to the king, on his promife to govern according to the laws of the realm. A. c, 1228* About this period Gregory IX. fucceedcd to the Henry isin- papacy, at the death of Honorius III. who was fur- vitedto vived but a few months by Stephen Langton arch- make a de- Faris * the nuncio, or any of his agents, to fet foot within his territories. The king and the pope feemed to have had a fellow-feeling in this collection ; and in all probability fliared the money that was levied, according to a previous refolution to fleece the people in concert , for they afterwards fupported each other reciprocally, in all their mutual fchemes of extortion. Before the people had time to breathe, after this A. c. i Z 2 9 . grievous burden, they v/ere again opprefled with The king fubfidies, to enable the king to equip an armament ^ ol j" to againft France, now that he had no longer an op- Fnnce. portunity to profecute the war with advantage. He fummoned all the nobility and gentlemen of England to attend him at Portsmouth, immediately after Michaelmas, where they afTembled to a vaft ', multitude, from all parts of the kingdom, befides a great number of volunteers from Ireland, Wales, and Scotland. But all the fuccefs that might have been expected from fuch an army was prevented by the neglect of the judiciary, who had not pro- vided a fufficient number of veilels for its tranf- portation. Henry is faid to have been fo much in- cenfed at this omiflion, that he drew his fword, in order to facrifice Hubert with his own hand, and was hardly witheld by the noblemen who interpofed. This is a circumflance very incompatible with the C c 4 dif- 392 HISTORYopENGLAND. A. c. 1229. clifpofition of the king, who flood in awe of the jufticiary, and could fcarce have been provoked to fuch an effort of refolution. The enterprize feems to have been poftponed for want of money to pay fuch a multitude of foldiers, and in confequence of what was fuggefted by the count of Brittany, who had by this time arrived at Portfmouth, in order to conduct the expedition ; and difiuaded the king from hazarding a voyage in the winter feafon. The troops were accordingly difmifTed -, and the count having obtained a grant of the honour of Rich- mond, with a fupply of five thoufand marks in ready money, returned to his own country, where he publilhed a manifefto reprefenting his grievan- ces, and renouncing his allegiance to the king of France. A. c. 1130. The expedition being thus pollponed, Henry His info- made a progrefs to the North, and parted the iTdkVaTd" Chriftmas holidays at York, where he was vifited impoi'tk by Alexander king of Scotland. Then he con- Staif)-!" voked an aflembly, and obtained a confiderable fcutage for defraying the expence of another ar- mament. The rendezvous of his army was ap- pointed at Reading, for the beginning of April j from thence he marched to Portfmouth, and em- barking about the latter end of the fame month, arrived at St. Malo. There he was received by the count, who furrendered feveral ftrong places into his hands ; and a great number of the nobi- lity did homage to him as their fovereign. The king of France had already taken Angers, in the neighbourhood of which his army was pofted to obferve the motions of the Englifh, and oppofe their irruption into Poitou ; but feeing Henry did not move from Nantes, he advanced towards A- ' miens on the Loire, which he in veiled and took, together with feveral places in the neighbourhood of Henry's quarters, without meeting with the leaf* HENRY III. 393 leaft interruption from that prince, who fpent his time in feafting and riot, as if he had crofted the fea to take his diverfion. Notwithftanding the prudent adminiftration of the queen-regent of France, the difcontented noblemen, in hope of being fuftained by Henry, took this opportunity of their own king's abfence to excite frefh commo- tions, which obliged Lewis to quit Anjou, that he might reduce thofe malcontents , and this was a favourable juncture for Henry to recover the do- minions which his father had loft. The king of France had withdrawn his forces, and the Normans earneftly foliicited the king of England to take poffeflion of their country j but, inftead of march- ing into Normandy, he entered Poiton, where he made himfelf matter of Mirebeau ; then re- paired to Guienne, to receive the homage of the Gafcon barons ; and laftly returned to Brittany, where he relapfed into his former indolence, as if he had reftricted himfelf by oath from interrupting Lewis in the pacification of his realms. His con- duct was fo amazingly impolitic and abfurd on this occafion, that his minifters were fufpected of carrying on an intelligence with the enemy ; and Lewis effected an accommodation with the confe- derated barons, who faw they had nothing to ex- pect from the afiiftance of England. By this time Henry was heartily tired of the war, and his forces daily diminiming from intemperance, he agreed to leave four hundred knights, and a body of horfe, to affift the count of Brittany, while he mould maintain the war with France j and to remit fix thoufand marks for his fervice, as foon as he fhould arrive in England. His refolution to quit Brittany was haftened by the motions of the French king and the regent, who having appeafed the inteftine troubles of France, marched oack to oppofe the Englifh ; and Henry, at their approach, embarked fuddenly 394 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. c. i 23 o. fuddenly for England. Yet the earls of Chefter, Albemarle, and Pembroke, who were left behind with the troops above-mentioned, exerted them- felves with great activity and refolution after the king's departure. They made an incurfion into Rymcr. Anjou, where they took and demolilhed feveral Dadlery'T' caftles, and afterwards ravaged the frontiers of spicii. Normandy. He quarrels During Henry's abfence, Ireland had been in- rrc'hbi/hop volved in troubles. The king of Connaught of canter, knowing the befl of the Englifh troops were with- drawn from that kingdom, to ferve in the expedi- tion againft Brittany, refolved to take the advan- tage of their abfence ; and ailembling a vaft num- ber of vafials, invaded the lands of the Britifh proprietors, which he wafted with fire and fword, until he was encountered by Geoffry de Marifco jufticiary of Ireland, who took him prifoner after A.C. 1231, having routed his army with great (laughter. This event in fome meafure confoled the nation for the mifcarriage of Henry's foreign expedition, which he had fo difgracefully mifmanaged ; and yet he ufed it as a pretext for raifing further fubfidies. He had exhaufted his finances abroad in fuch an extravagant manner, that he was a meer beggar at his return ; and what the great council would have refufed to his demand at another time, they now granted to his indigence. There was nothing affable or engaging in the character of Henry ; fo that he never could attach a nobleman to his in- tereft by the ties of affection : but, as he feized all opportunities of exerting the odious prerogatives of his royalty, Richard archbimop of Canterbury having complained to him of the behaviour of Hubert de Burgh, who had feized the caftle of Tunbridge, though it was a fief of the archbifhop- ric, he replied, that the young earl of Gloucefter being a ward of the crown, he had a right to dif- pofe HENRY III. ; 9 5 pofe of the caftle during his minority ; and that A - c - 14 3. Richard was prefumptuous in pretending to difpute that privilege. The archbifhop, incenfed at this' reproachful refufal, excommunicated without di- ftinction all thofe who detained the effects of the church, and fet out immediately for Rome to claim the protection of his holinefs. chr. Dunft. Henry's imperious difpofition was about this His arbitrary time manifefted in another difference with one of jjjjjj' the firft noblemen of his kingdom. The earl of O f Pem- Pem broke dying in Brittany, was fucceeded by his brokf> brother Richard, who had accompanied him in the late expedition, and diftinguimed himfclf on di- vers occafions by his gallantry and conduct. Noc- withftanding his undoubted right and fervices, the king feized the eftate as foon as he received the news of the brother's death ; and the truce being afterwards concluded with France, Richard re- turned to England, and demanded the fuccefiion. Henry at firft pretended, that the late earl's widow was pregnant ; but that allegation being difproved, he charged Richard with having carried on a trea- fonable correfpondence with the enemy ; and or- dered him to quit the kingdom in fifteen days. Such an arbitrary and unjult fentence muft have incenfed any Englifli nobleman ; but it was particu- larly provoking to the fon of that earl of Pem- broke who had placed the crown on his head, and fupported him againft all the efforts of his enemies. Richard obeyed the order literally, in quitting the kingdom ; but he retired into Ireland, where he took poffefllon of the lands belonging to his fa- mily ; and affembling a body of troops, ravaged the crown demefnes ; and thus made himfelf amends for the damage he had fuftained. This was the moft effectual way of dealing with a prince of Henry's character. Alarmed at Richard's pro- grefs, he recalled him from exile, reftored his eftate, 396 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. Mrt'pS' eftate ' and invefted him with tne office of earl Br"Sy. PanS ' marefchal, which his brother had enjoyed. Henry's ma. Henry was timorous, rafh, and irrefolute, in frimomai every part of his conduct. Llewellyn, prince of Wales, having renewed his incurfions, the king allowed him to ravage the borders with impunity -, and, after he had returned with his plunder, marched againft him at the head of a numerous army : but he no fooner met with difficulties and oppoiition, than his ardour cooled, and he returned without having reduced the enemy, or done any thing worthy of notice. The fame inconftancy and rrrefolution appeared in the different fchemes of matrimony which he projected. He was now iii the twenty-fixth year of his age, and had pro- poied marriage to feveral princefles : he had en- gaged himfelf by oath to Yolante, daughter of the count of Brittany ; he had demanded the daughter of the duke of Auftria ; he had expreffed a defire of uniting himfelf clofely with the empire, by means of a match with the princefs of Bohemia ; and now he refolved to efpoufe the fecond daughter of William late king of Scotland. All thefe alli- ances mifcarried through Henry's own levity, ex- cept the laft, which was prevented by the remon- ftrances of the nobility, who reprefented the dif- grace that would attend his marriage with the Aft Pub. younger fitter of his jufticiary*s wife. He in the fequel propofed marriage to the daughter of the count de Ponthieu : the contract was fettled, and the ambafiadors on their way to Rome for the pope's difpenfation, when he fuddenly changed his mind, and fent meffengers to overtake them with orders to return. Edmund Richard archbimop of Canterbury, who had bim t o ed ?f h " re P a i re d to Rome with complaints againft Henry Canterbury, and his jufticiary concerning the caftle of Tun- bridge, did not meet with the fuccefs he expected : Henry HENRY III. 397 Henry had fent over an agent to juftify his con- A - Ct "i 1 - duct i and the pope, whofe intereft it was to oblige this weak prince, iflued a bull, forbidding the pre- lates of England to excommunicate the king's mi- nifters and officers, for maintaining the rights of the crown to caftles and other poffeflions. Richard dying on his return, the monks of Canterbury pro- ceeded immediately to a new election, and chofe Ralf de Nevilje, bifhop of Chichefter and chan- cellor of the kingdom, to fill the vacant fee ; a choice io agreeable to the king, that he forthwith approved of the election, and put him in pofleffion of the temporalities ; yet he could not obtain the confirmation of the pope, to whom Simon Lang- ton reprefented him as a prelate devoted to the pre- rogatives of the crown, in oppofition to the au- thority of the Roman church. His election was therefore fet afide ; and the monks were ordered to choofe another, who being as difagreeable to his holinefs as Ralf, they pitched upon a third, who was likewife rejected ; and at laft elected Ed- mund, treafurer of the church of Salilbury, who was chofen by the pope's own recommendation. Mat> Pans| The court of Rome had by this time ufed its Con ^^y influence in fuch an unpopular manner, that a Sm cie general clamour arofe all over England, againft w& ^ the practice of beftowing benefices upon Italian priefts, and inhibiting Englifh bifhops, and lay- patrons to prefent natives, until thofe foreigners fhoufd be preferred. This was confidered as a na- tional infult and grievance, and a number of afib- ciations were formed for delivering the kingdom from fuch Ihameful oppreffion. Circular letters were fent to bifhops and chapters, warning them againft favouring fuch encroachments, on pain of having their houfes burned, and their farms de- ftroyed. Cincio, a Roman prebendary of St Paul's, was apprehended, in the neighbourhood of St. Al- ban's, 398 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A.C. uy. ban's, by a number of men in vizards, v/ho con- fined him for five weeks, and obliged him to pay a confiderable ranfom for his liberty : the barns of the Italian clergy were broke open, and their corn either given to the poor, or fold in public ; and when the civil magiftrate interppfed, coun- terfeit warrants were produced by the rioters, who generally appeared to the number of fourfcore, on all fuch occafions. In this manner they proceeded for fome time without oppofition, and the foreign ecclefiaftics took refuge in convents for the fecurity of their perfons. The pope being informed of this violence, wrote a letter to the king, infilling upon his puniming the delinquents wich the utmoft rigour -, otherwife he would excommunicate his perfon, and lay his dominions under an interdict. Henry, ftartled at thefe menaces, appointed inqui- fitions in different parts of the kingdom where thofe diforders had prevailed ; and it foon appeared that they had been countenanced by every rank and degree of people in the kingdom. Bifhops, abbots, knights, fheriffs, and efquires, were found to have been concerned as acceflbries or abettors ; and the judiciary himfelf was fufpected of having connived at the pillage, and fcreened the rioters A.C. 1232. f rom profecution. At laft, Robert de Twange, a gallant young knight, \yho, under the name of W. Wither, had headed them in their excurfions, appeared in the king's prefence, and owned him- felf the ringleader in all thefe expeditions againft * the Romans, who, he faid, had endeavoured to deprive him of the only patronage he enjoyed. Henry was pleafed with his appearance and frank confeffion , and as the bifhop of London and an- other prelate had excommunicated all concerned in thofe riots, he fent him to Rome, with letters re- commending him to the pope's indulgence. Though HENRY III. 399 Though this young adventurer fully cleared A. c. J23 z. Hubert of all fufpicion, his profeffed enemy Peter e S"| de Roches, bilhop of Winchefter, infmuated to of Hubert de the pope, that the judiciary was actually concerned S^"' 1 in the outrages committed againfl the Italian clergy , and by thefe infmuations added the influ- ence of his holinefs to the confederacy which was already formed at court to the prejudice of Hubert. This nobleman had, by his pride and arbitrary difpofition, not only difgufled almoft all the peers of the realm, but alfo become difagreeable to the king, whofe ficklenefs difpofed him to novelty and alteration in minifters as well as meafures. The jufticiary's enemies no fooner found Henry's ears open to their reprefentations, than they affiduoufly calumniated the conduct and character of the mi- nifter ; they prevailed upon the king to recal the bifhop of Winchefter to court ; and that prelate captivated the heart and admiration of this weak prince by fumptuous entertainments and magnifi- cent prefents. As he gained ground in his ma- jefty's favour, he filled the court with. his relations and adherents ; and now that he was eftablifhed in his good graces, refolved to employ all his addrefs in augmenting his averfion to the jufticiary. The prince of Wales having made fome incurfions into the Englifh territories with impunity, the bifhop, who had fignalized his courage and military capa- city in the Holy- Land, expostulated with the king upon the difgrace of fitting tamely and feeing his dominions ravaged by a handful of naked favages. When Henry gave him to underftand that his finances were fcarce fufficient to defray the expences of his houfhold, much lefs to maintain a wir again.fl his neighbours, Peter loudly inveighed againfl the conduct of the prime minifter ; affirm- ing that his revenues were mifmanaged and em- bezzled j that the wardfhips of the crown were beftowed 400 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. >uaiz 3 z. bellowed upon individuals, without producing any advantage to the exchequer j that the income of vacant benefices was intercepted, as well as that of lands reverting to the crown by death or con fifcation , and that, by the help of honed officers and proper oeconomy, he might, like his prede- cefibrs, keep his coffers always full, and his fway independent of the general afiembly. This was a doctrine that founded very agreeably in the ears of Henry, who was equally indigent, rapacious, and averfe to national councils : he forthwith ordered all his fheriffs and officers of the revenue to pro- duce their accounts. Some of them being detected in frauds, were deprived of their offices, and irn- prifoned. Ralf Brito, treafurer of the chamber, was fined in a thoufand pounds, and his pod be- ftowed upon Peter de Riveaux, nephew to the bifhop of Wincheder. Thefe were previous deps which that prelate took to pave the way for the exe- cution of his grand project. Having thus removed the dependents of Hubert, whofe credit daily dimi- niflied, he at length prevailed upon the king to di- ved that minider of his office of judiciary, and confer it upon Stephen de Seagrave, the bilhop's creature and chief favourite, although Hubert had enjoyed it by a patent for life. Not contented with this triumph over his rival, he perfuaded Henry to call him to account for the fums of money which had paffed through his hands during his admini- dration ; and Hubert endeavoured to avoid this in- quiry, by producing a patent of king John, con- taining an ample difcharge for all the money he had received in the courfe of his faithful fervices to his fovereign. The bifliop of Wincheder, who was prefent, told him that fuch an acquittance could have no effect upon his adminidration fince the acceflion of his prefent majedy : and added, that this was not the only crime laid to his charge 5 5 for ti E N R Y III. 401 For he was accufed of divers crimes and mifde- A - C ' J *3* ; frieanours j and in particular of having given the king pernicious ccunfel, to the Unfpeakable pre- judice of his affairs. Hubert perceiving that this prelate Was bent upon his ruin, and that the king's heart was altogether alienated, defired that he might be indulged with time to prepare For his defence ; and this demand the bifhop could not fefufe, without running the rifle of difobligirig the barons, by excluding Hubert from a privilege he enjoyed in common with all the noblemen of the kingdom. The earl of Kent having ihtimation that Peter was determined upon bringing him to an ignominious death, and rinding it Very difficult to unravel a number of perplexed accounts, retired to the priory of Merton, in Surrey, where he took fandftuary ; and the king, whofe refentment againft him was now as rancorous as his former confidence had been unbounded and implicit, ordered the mayor of London to bring him from his retreat, cither dead or alive. This order being received in the evening, Roger Duke the mayor aftembled the populace with an alarm ball ; add having fig- nified the king's command, directed them to pro- vide arms, io as to march in the morning to ex- ecute the king's order. Nothing could be more 1 agreeable than fuch an office to the vulgar, whc) hated Hubert ever fnue the execution of their fa- vourite leader Conftantine ; and they difperfcd with joy to make preparations for the ertterpiize. Mean while leveral Citizens of diftihguifhed note .md dif- cretion, dreading the confequences of fuch a tu- multuary meeting, repaired to the bifliop of Win* chefter in Southwark, and even waked hiril front his (leep, to reprefent the danger that might enfue to the church of Merton and the city iifeif, from the licentioufnefs of fuch a dilbrderly multitude. The prelate, inftead of aftmg up to the duty of K e . JQ.. D d his 402 HISTORYop ENGLAND. A. c. 1232. hi s function, by interpofing his influence with the king, to procure a revocation of the order, told them, that whatever might be the confequence, they ought to obey his majefty's command. Thus encouraged, the populace, to the amount of twenty thoufand armed men, marched out in the morning, with colours flying, towards the church of Mer- ton, where Hubert fat on his knees before the altar, expecting his death with fortitude and re- fignation. What the bifhop of Winchefter ought to have procured without being follicited, was ob- tained by the remonltrances of the earl of Chefter, who, though a profefied enemy of Hubert, repre- fented to the king, that fuch tumultuary proceed- ings might produce a very dangerous fedition, and furnifh the world with a handle to reproach him with ingratitude to a nobleman whofe whole life had been dedicated, in a remarkable manner, to the fervice of himfelf and his family. Henry, confcious of the truth and honefty of this obferva- tion, and perhaps moved with the magnanimity of the earl, who could fo nobly facrifice his re- fentment to juftice, and the intereft of his country* fent a counter-order to the mayor of London-, and this, by the diligence of the bifhop of Chichefter, was difpatched in time enough to prevent mifchief ; fo that the multitude returned to London extremely chagrined at their difappointment. The archbilhop of Dublin and the bifhop of Chichefter were the only perfons of note who adhered to the earl of Kent in his adverfity ; and they feconded the re- monftranees of the earl of Chefter with fuch fuc- cefs, that they obtained -letters patent from the king, granting Hubert time to prepare for his trial before his peers. Tru fling to the protection of this indulgence, he fet out for St. Edmundfbury on a'vifit to his wife; and the king, being in- formed that he ' intended to efcape, fent a detach- ment HENRY III. 403 ment of three hundred men to apprehend and A v c J2 3 a - bring him back prifoner to the Tower. Godfrey de Craucombe, who commanded this party, found him in the chapel of Brentwood, with a crofs in one hand, and the facrament in the other : but, notwithftanding the fanclity of his fituation, he was dragged out by violence, and, his feet being chained under a horfe's belly, conveyed to prifon like a common felon. Such indignities offered to a nobleman who had fignalized his courage and fidelity above all his cotemporaries, and fat fo long at the helm of government, affected the very po- pulace affembled on the occafion ; even a black- fmith, whom Craucombe defired to faften the fet- ters, refufed the employment with difdain, and made an affecting fpeech on the occafion. Next morning Roger bimop of London went to court to complain of this breach of the church's privi- leges, and threatened all concerned in the outrage with excommunication, unlefs Hubert mould be immediately releafed. The king accordingly or- dered him to be carried back to the chapel , but, at the fame time, the fheriffs of Hertford and Effex were directed to raife the pofTe, and furround the place in fuch a manner, as that he mould nei- ther efcape nor receive fuftenance , nay, fuch was the virulence of Henry's hatred, that he forebade all his courtiers to intercede in his behalf; and the alternative he offered to Hubert was perpetual exile, perpetual imprifonment, or the confeffion of his treafon. The earl, confcious of his own merit and innocence, refufed to buy his life on fuch fcandalous conditions , and, after having remained a whole month in the chapel half famifhed, he furrendered himfelf to the fheriff, who reconveyed him to the Tower in fhackles. The king being informed that he had depoficed a confiderable trea- fure in the hands of the Templars, demanded it D d a. of 404 H I S T O R Y o p E N G L A N D. A. c. 1232. O f tne ma fter, wno refufed to deliver it without Hubert's order, which was immediately granted. Though this treafure furnimed his enemies with a new pretence for expatiating upon his fraud and extortion, it appeafed the indignation of Henry, who now affected to remember his great fervices ; and when he was urged to proceed againft the earl with the utmoft feverity, declared that he would never confent to the death of a nobleman to whom he and his father had owed fuch important obliga- tions. He now liftened to terms of compofition ; and Hubert, after having conveyed to Henry all his perfonal eftate, and the lands he held of the crown, was allowed to enjoy the reft of his for- tunes : in the mean time, the earls of Cornwall, Warrenne, Pembroke, and Lincoln, became fureties for his good behaviour j but he was ordered to re- main in the caftle of the Devizes, under the cuftody of four Templars, until he mould either be in a con- beat*. a dition to aflume the habit of that order, by the CH. Dunft. death of his wife, or acquitted by the unanimous Mat. Pans. c r . .... ' Lei. coil, content or the nobility. A. c. n 33 . The bifhop of Winchefter, inftead of taking ^- h w " fllop warn ' n g from the difgrace of Hubert de Burgh, ter'iubttnl feemed to think his own power eftablifhed, by that rycondwft. event, beyond any poflibility of being lhaken, and creeled an abfolute authority upon the ruins of that minifter. He perfuaded the king, that very few of his nobility were well affecied to his govern- ment ; and that he mould never render himfelf in- dependent, while they pofieffed the great offices of the kingdom : he therefore advifed him to under- mine their power gradually, by depriving them of their lucrative polls and governments, which he might bettow upon foreigners, who would always be devoted to his pleafure. Henry, who hated the barons, rdifhed this advice ; and, in a little time, above two thpufand knights arrived in England from HENRY III. 405 from Gafcony and Poitiers, the native country of A - c - T2 53- the bilhop, and his nephew Peter de Rivaux, who JJ?Jjj s n 5 had invited them to (hare the fpoils of the nation, foreigner! Thefe were provided with advantageous employ- ! nt " E 1|: i r i T-' i-/i i i r ' land> r " ments, taken from the Lnglilh barons : they were barons arc even intruded with the wardfliip of minors, by ^nftthe which they procured advantageous matches, to the king and prejudice of the natives. Thefe proceedings could " mini " not fail to produce clamours and difcontent, among the nobility. Richard, earl of Pembroke, was the firfl who ventured to complain openly of this im- politic attachment to ftrangers. He told the king, that this partiality to foreigners alienated the affec- tions of his people, and produced fuch difcontent as would be attended with dangerous confequences ; and frankly allured his majefty, that mould he con- tinue to lavifli his favours upon ftrangers, in pre ference of his Englifh fubjefts, the barons would be obliged to concert meafures for delivering the kingdom from fuch rapacious interlopers. The bifhop, who was prefent at? this expoftulation, im- mediately replied, that his infolence deferved chaf- tifement, for pretending to deprive his fovereign of the liberty to employ thofe whom he judged moil proper for his fervice ; and that if the foreigners already in the kingdom were not fufficient to re- duce his rebellious fubjefts, a greater number fhould be brought over for that purpofe. Such an arrogant declaration could not but be extremely Ihocking to the noblemen of England : they forth- with retired from court, and began to form affb- ciations for their mutual defence , while the bifhop feemed to defpife their refentment, confiding in his Poitevins, who now flocked over in great numbers. The earls and barons being fummoned to an afTem- bly or parliament at Oxford, to be held at Mid- fummer, they refufed to expofe themfelves to the infulrs and treachery of perfidious foreigners. They D d 3 received 4o6 HISTORY OF EN GLAND. A. 0.1233. received a fecond and third citation, with promife that their grievances fhould be redrafted ; but, un- derflanding that frefh fwarms of aliens arrived every day with military accoutrements, they, inftead of appearing perfonally, fent a deputation to the king, defiring he would remove Peter, bifhop of Win- chefter, and his Poitevins from his councils and kingdom , otherwife they fhould be obliged to ex- pel him from the throne, and find out fome more worthy prince to fvvay the fcepter of England. poXibe'd Henry himfelf was terrified at this meffage -, but astnutors. the bifhop foon difpclled his apprehenfions, by ex- aggerating his own military capacity, and the va- lour of his Poitevins, with whom he undertook to fubdue thofe infolent traitors, who treated their prince with fuch indignity. It was refolved, that they Ihould immediately feel the weight of his refent- ment and arbitrary power. Gilbert Bafiet being dif- porTefred of a manor, and applying to Henry for juf- tice, was infulted with the appellation of traitor, and ordered to quit the court on pain of being hanged -, his brother-in-law Richard Siward was imprifoned, on pretence of having married without the king's licence; and all the fufpected noblemen were com- manded to give hoftages for their peaceable beha- viour. The earl Marefchal receiving intimation from his fifter, the countefs of Cornwall, of a defign againft his life, retired to Wales ; but the other confederates appeared in parliament, properly armed for their own fecurity. No refolution was taken in this aflembly, on account of the earl's abfence ; but, in a little time after it broke up, Winchefter and Seagrave perfuaded the king to funimon all who owed him military fervices, to meet him in arms at Gloucefter, on the fourteenth day of Au- guft. The earl of Pembroke and the confederates refufing to obey this citation, Henry ordered them to be profcribed as traitors j their towns were burn- HENRY III. 407 ed, their caftles befieged, their lands ravaged, and A - c - 12 33- their eftates given to the Poitevin fubfidiaries. Perhaps the bifhop of Winchefter would not have proceeded to fuch extremities had not he gained over to his intereft the earls of Cornwall, Chefter, and Lincoln, by means of a thoufand marks art- fully distributed : at the fame time Baldwin, count de Guifnes, landed at Dover with a ftrong body of Flemings, who joined the king at Gloucester. By this time earl Marefchal, rinding himfelf abandoned by three fuch powerful confederates, engaged in a league offenfive and defenfive with Llewellyn, and the Welfh noblemen who had been for fome time on very precarious terms with England : and Hen- ry, reinforced by his foreigners, advanced to Here- ford, in order to befiege one of the earl's caftles. The garrifon defended it fo courageoufly, that the befiegers began to be in want of provifions, before they had made any progrefs in the enterprize. The king faw no profpect of taking the place by force of arms ; and, as it would be difgraceful to raife the fiege, fome prelates were fent to treat with the earl Marefchal, who agreed to furrender the caftle, on a folemn promife that it mould be reflored in a fortnight, and\ every grievance redrefied at the meeting of the parliament, which was convoked for the beginning of October. Winchefter and Sea- grave fwore to the performance of thefe articles ; but, notwithstanding their oath, the caftle was not reftored, until it was befieged, and retaken by the Maf Par . s< OWner. . Brady. The parliament aflembled at Weftminfter, be- fought the king to be reconciled to his barons, and complained of his profcribing Englifli noblemen as traitors, without trial or conviction. The bifliop of Winchefter not only pretended to juftify the king's conduct, but was fo imprudent as to affirm, that the Englifti noblemen were not intitled to the D d 4 pri- 40$ H I S T O R Y o F E N G L A N D. A. c. J233. privileges enjoyed by the peers of France. He had fcarce pronounced this hardy afieveration, when all the bifhops rofe up, and threatened him with the lenience of excommunication. He told them he v/as not fubjecl to their jurifdiction, as having been confec.rated by the pope, to whom he appealed from any Hep they might take to his prejudice ; yet, though they did not cenfure him by name, they excommunicated all thofe who alienated the king's affection from his fubjects : and, when Henry prefied them to fulminate the fame fentence againft the earl Marefchal, who had retaken his cattle, they refufed to comply with his requeft, obferving that it would be highly unjufl to cenfure a man for re- covering his own property. The king therefore finding himfelf under the necefTlty of attacking him in the field, ordered all his troops to rendezvous at Gioucefter, immediately after All -Saints ; and from thence began his march into Wales ; but the earl having taken the precaution to drive away the cattle, his army was, in a little time fodeftitute of forage and provifions, that he was obliged to change his route and enter Monmouthfhire, to prepare magazines for the fubfiftence of his forces. The earl, unuer- ftdnding that the king, and his principal officers were quartered at the caftle of Grofmont, while the army lay encamped without the walls, attacked them in the night, routed them at the firft onfet, and took about fix hundred horfes, with all the king's baggage , fo that he was fain to return to GloucefteK Then Pembroke undertook the fiege of Monmouth, which was defended by Baldwin de Guifnes, a Flemifti officer of great reputation, who laid an ambuJh for the earl, and actually took him prifoner, whilt he rede round obferving the place with a few attendants : but, luckily for the earl, Baldwin was mortally wounded with an arrow, as he conducted his p: iibner to the caftle. His troops halting HENRY III. ' 409 halting in confequence of this accident, Pembroke's A - c< "33* forces came up, and not only delivered their gene- ral, but either flew or took the whole party, which had Tallied from the caftle. During thefe tranfactions, Hubert de Burgh, Hubert de who dill continued a prifoner in the caftle of the ffcapesfrow Devizes, received an intimation, that the bifhop of ' h Devim. "Winchefter was determined to take away his life ; and that he might execute this refolution with the greater facility, was foiliciting the king for the go- vernment of the caftle. Alarmed at this intelli- gence, he communicated the nature of his dange- rous fituation to fome of the guards who attended him ; and they, commiferating the fate of this gallant man, connived at his efcape. Of this, how- ever, the governor was no fooner informed, than he detached a party in purfuitof the fugitive, whom they found at the foot of the altar in a country church, and carried back to the caftlr, after hav- ing buffeted and infulted him with the utmoft in- dignity. The bifhop of Salisbury, being informed A. 0.1234. of this violation, demanded him of the governor ; and, upon his refufal to furrender the prifoner, ex- communicated the whole garrifon. His complaints to the king were feconded by the bifhop of Lon- don, who reprefented this affront offered to the church, as a matter of fuch confequence to Henry, that he ordered Hubert to be reconveyed to the place from whence he had been taken, which was, at the fame time, furrounded by the fheriffand his pofTe comitatus : fo that the prifoner would have reaped no benefit from his removal, had not he been refcued by Richard Siward, and fome armed friends, with whom he retired to Wales, and joined the earl of Pembroke. chr - Dunft - This nobleman made great progrefs ^fter the J^J^^, king's retreat. He defeated a body of troops com- betrayed and jnanded by John of Monmouth, ravaged the lands J^ d m be- 410 .HISTORY OF EN. G LA N D. A. c. 1234. belonging to the king's counfellors, in the fron- tiers of Wales, and reduced the town of Shrewsbury to afhes ; while Henry, inftead of oppofing his ca- reer, retired to Winchefler, leaving the counties, on the Severne fide, to his mercy. He was ad- viied by the bimop to make an accommodation with the earl ; but this advice he rejected, at the inftigation of Wincheiter, unlefs that nobleman would throw himfelf at his feet, and own himielf a traitor. Indeed this prelate had a refource, of .which thofe counfellors were ignorant; he wrote letters, in the king's name, to Maurice Fitzgerald, jufliciary of Ireland, Walter and Hugh de Lacy, .Richard de Burgh, Geoffry de Mareis, and others, giving them to underfland that Richard earl Ma- refchai had been deprived, in the king's court, of all his honours and eftate ; and defiring that they would ravage his lands in Ireland, fo as to provoke .liim to go thither : in which cafe, if they would take him dead or alive, all his Irifh fortune mould be divided among them. Before they would en- gage in this undertaking, they demanded a patent .to confirm the partition ; and this being fealed and fent over, they began to wafte the lands belonging to Richard. He no fooner heard of this unpro- voked injury, than he croffed the fea with fifteen attendants, and, at his landing, was received by -Geoffry de Mareis, one of his own vaiTals, with all the exterior marks of fidelity and attachment. This traitor engaged to raife troops for his fervice, againft thofe who had invaded his eftate, and in- ye-igled him into a parley with his colleagues ; on which occafion, being deferted by all his followers, he received a mortal flab in the back with a poig- nard, of which he died in a few weeks, to the uni- Mat. Paris, verfal regret of all honeil men, who revered him as Brady. a nobleman of great valour, capacity, and virtue. While HE N R Y III. "While the bimop of Winchefcer and his adhe- ;' rents employed their influence to fuch infamous ^/ purpofes, the prelates, in order to avert the mif- > chievous confequences that muft have attended the male-practices of this wicked miniftry re- dis folved to exert themfelves in behalf of their coun- try. In a parliament at Weftminfter, Henry taxed feveral bifhops, and Alexander of Litch- field iii particular, with being engaged, in con- cert with the earl Marefchal, and the rebellious barons. The bifhop, in. .order to demonftrate the falfity of the charge, rofe up, and, in a folemn manner, excommunicated all thofe who were con- cerned in fuch treafonable practices, as well as the calumniators of the bifhops. Edmund, elect of Canterbury, not fatisfied with that cenfure, re paired with his fuffragans to court, and explained to Henry the ruinous meafures to which he had been mitigated by his minifters : he accufcd Pe- ter bifhop of Winchefter, as the author of thofe pernicious counfels which had diffufed a fpirit of difcontent through the v/hole nation ; he repre- fented the danger of entrufting mercenary foreigners with the cuftody of his own filler as well as Eleanor of Brittany, together with his treafuryand the chief fortrefles of the kingdom ; and finally infilled upon his removing thofe evil counfellors, on pain of be- ing excommunicated, with all his adherents. The king, ftartled at this remonft ranee, defired time to deliberate, and his eyes feemed to be opened all at once, to the danger that threatened him from his mifconduct and partiality : neverthelefs, he formed no refolution during this feffion of parliament. Before 'the next meeting Edmund was cbrifecrated ; fo that he renewed his addrefs with greater autho- rity, and the king granted him all the fatisfaction he could defire ; the bifhop of Winchefter wan fent to his diocefe ; Peter de Rivaux wasdifmilfeci from jiis poll of high-treafurer, and ordered to give up 4 ' l iis 412 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A.C. iz 34 . hi s accounts, together with the cafties in his cuf- tody ; Seagrave was diverted of his poft of juftici- ary ; the foreigners were obliged to quit the country, and the Engliili prelates and noblemen readmitted into the privy-council. Theconfe- Meafures immediately took a new turn ; three Mnfare 1 *" ^ im P s were ^ ent as ambafladoR, to conclude a reconciled to peace with Llewellyn and the earl Marefthal -, and the king. t j ie kj n g himfelf fet out for Gloucefter, that he might be at hand to forward the negotiation. In his way to that city, he ,was informed of Pem- broke's death, and could not help (bedding tears, when he underftood how that worthy nobleman had been betrayed. Llewellyn confented to the propofals of peace, on condition that the barons of his alliance mould be pardoned and reftored , and they repaired to court, where they met with a fa- vourable reception from his majefty, who, among the reft, diftinguiihed Hubert de Burgh with par- ticular marks of tendernefs and favour. The outlawries againft that nobleman and the other confederates, were, by proclamation, declared null and void : he recovered his honours, and his for- mer favour with the king-, Baffet and Siward were created privy -counfellors; Gilbert, brother to the earl of Pembroke, received the invefliture of the Englifh and Irifh eflates , and Henry, having firfi: knighted him, delivered into his hands the maref- chal's ftafF, at a parliament held in Worcefter. It was at this aflembly that Edmund, archbifhop of Canterbury, produced copies of the letters and for- geries which had been contrived, written, and fealed, for the deflruftion of the earl of Pembroke ; and the whole audience was filled with horror and in- dignation, when they heard them recited. The perfidious authors were fummoned to appear in court at Midfummer, and anfwer to this and other charges of mal-adminiftration : but, inftead of obeying the citation, Winchester and Rivaux took fane* HENRY III. 4,3 &n<5tuary in the cathedral of Wlnton ; Seagrave A.C. i 234 . retired to the church of St. Mary Newark in Lei- cefter; and Pafielewe, one of their accomplices, concealed himfelf in a cellar in London. Edmund, being averfe to all violent meafures, perfuaded the king to grant them a fafe-conduct ; in confequence of which they came forth from the places of their retreat, and were brought before the king for their examination. Peter de Rivaux appeared in the habit of a clergyman, under which a coat of mail and a ftiletto were concealed ; he fell upon his knees and fued for mercy, and defired time to re- gulate his accompts of wardfhips, efcheats, and other branches of the crown revenue. His requelt was granted, though his lay pofTeffions were fe- queftred, and his perfon was delivered to the arch- bifhop, who fent him to the cathedral of Winchefter. Seagrave, befides the other articles of his charge, was accufed by Henry, of having advifed him to put Hubert de Burgh to death, and banifh the nobility. He and Pafielewe, treafurer of the ex- chequer, endeavoured to palliate their offences, by alledging they only conformed to the direction of their fuperiors, to whom they were fubfervient. They were fined a thoufand marks each ; and Sea- grave was obliged to reftore feveral manors which had been alienated from the crown in his favour. As for the ringleader of this foreign miniftry, Peter bifhop of Winchefter, he Iheltered himfclf under his character, and was frnt abroad in order to re- new the truce with France , but, the pope, being at war with the citizens of Rome, fummoned him into Italy, where he hoped to avail himfelf of Pe- Hm^iii. tcr's military talents. Rym. While the king of England was thus employed Theccunt in regulating his domeflic affairs, the truce with f . n "^l- e France expired ; and, as the overtures made for a to Lewis renewal of the fufpenfion did not fucceed, Lewis Jj 6 in- 4i4 H I S T O R Y o r E N G L A N D. A. c. 1235. invaded the count of Brittany, who earneftly fol- licited fuccours from England : but Henry, far from fupporting this ally with that vigour which found policy required, fent over fixty knights and two thoufand infantry ; fuch an inconfiderable rein- forcement, that the count, finding himfelf unable to cope with his adverfary, fued for a truce of three months, which, however, he could not obtain, but upon condition of fubmitting at difcretion, pro- vided he mould not be affifted from England within the time prefcribed. During this interval, he ex- erted all his induftry and eloquence, to engage Henry in an expedition for his relief; but all his endeavours proving ineffectual, he did homage to Mat. Pans. Lewis for his dominions, having firft folemnly R\mer. renounced his allegiance to Henry, who confif- cated his Englim eftate. Though the king ne- glected his affairs upon the continent, his council were employed in making wholefome regulations at home : the fortrefies of the kingdom were put into the hands of Englim noblemen, well affected to their country ; the boundaries between the civil and ecclefiaflical policy of the kingdom were af- certained by certain reftrictions, that prevented a mutual incroachment ; and proclamations were if- fued, to enforce a due obfervance of the two char- ters of liberties. Henry, by advice of his council, granted to the parochial clergy the tythes of hay and mills, in all demefnes of the crown throughout England , he paid the tribute regularly to the pope ; and, by the mediation of his holinefs, another truce for five years was concluded with France, after Hugh count of La Marche had been gratified by Henry with a penfion of eight hundred livres, in lieu'of the ifle of Oleron, to which he had laid Henry's claim. It was alfo by the negotiation of pope Gre- SrriJj'to 1 g r y tnat t ^ ie k* n ^ E n gl an d acquired a power- the emperor fid ally in the perfon of the emperor Frederic II. ofGeimanv " FicdericII. ' HENRY III. 415 who demanded Henry's filler Ifabel in marriage. A ' "35- The propofal was embraced ; the articles of the contract immediately fettled - r the nobility granted a fcutage, by which thirty thoufand marks were levied as her fortune ; (he was fent with a numerous retinue into Germany, and there received with the utmoft magnificence ; and the nuptials were cele- brated at Worms with incredible pcmp, in pre- fence of four kings, eleven dukes, thirty marquirTes and earls, befides a vaft number of prelates and gentlemen. Mat. Paris, Henry having thus difpofed of his fitter, began Henry to think in good earned upon a match for himfelf. -.0* We have already taken notice of four different ne- fe n * ' godations on this fubject, which mifcarried through JhecoITnt^ his own levity , but, now having arrived at the Provence, years of difcretion, and perceiving the expediency of fettling the fuccefilon, in order to preferve the peace of the kingdom, he refolved to marry Elea- nor, the fecond daughter of Raymund Berenger, count of Provence, who had already difpofed of his eldeft daughter to the king of France. The prelates and' nobility approving of this alliance, Henry fent ambafTadors with formal propofals, which were very acceptable to the father. The >..c. ; 6. young lady was conducted by the ambafTadors into England, where fhe arrived in the beginning of the year ; the marriage was celebrated at Canter- bury on the fourteenth day of January, and on the Sunday following fhe was crowned at Weftminfter. Rymer. In the aflfembly, convoked for this coronation, S atuteof r i i i j i Merton feveral regulations were made, and, among the enacted. reft, the famous ftatute of Merton, relating to the dowers and wills of widows, the improvement of wafte, the exemption of heirs from ufury, vduring their minority, for debts contracted by their fa- thers, the limitation of writs, and other articles calculated for the eafe and fecurity of the' people. Upon 4 i6 HISTORY OF ENGLAND; .A. c. 1236, Upon this orcafion too, the bifhops propofed to eftablifti a confutation of the canon law, by which* all children born before the marriage of their pa- rents fhould be deemed legitimate by trm^fubfe- quent union : but, as fuch an alteration would affect the fucceffion of titles and eftates, and intro- duce confufion into families, the lay nobility de- clared they would never alter the laws of England. The fame fortitude and resolution they manifefted in perfuading the king to refufe the requeft of the emperor, who fent an embaffy to defire that Ri- chard earl of Cornwall might be fent over to the imperial court, where he fhould be fupplied with, troops to attack France, already embroiled by the king of Navarre, and recover the territories that were wrefted from his father. The nobility inter- pofed with great warmth, and even protefted againfl ,expofmg the prefumptive heir of the crown to the dangers of war in a foreign country ; and the em- peror's propofal was accordingly rejected. The barons The weaknefs of Henry foon reappeared, not- monftrancT withftanding all the pains which the new miniftry couStf to k to re g u ^ ate hi s conduct. William de Savorie, fbiignen. bifhop elect of Valence, and uncle to queen Elea- nor, whom he had conducted into England, infi- nuated himfelf fo artfully into the king's confidence and affection, that he refigned himfelf intirely to the guidance of this foreigner, and managed the helm of government by his fole direction. The Englifh were always impatient of foreign counfels ; and as the nation ftill fmarted from the pernicious mea- fures of Winchcfter and his Poitevins, the nobility refolved to crufli this new influence before it fhould increafe fo as to affect the welfare of the nation* When the next parliament was convened at Lon- don, this was the firft object of their confederation ; and they prefented a remonftrance to the king, whc* was fo terrified at the addrefs that he retired to the HENRY III. 4I; Tower, where he propofed to finifti the bufinefs of A - c - ^s 6 - the fefilon , but the members refufing to aflemble in a place commanded by the very ftrangers againft whom their addrefs was levelled, he returned to his palace; and affairs were carried on in the ufual channel. Notwithftanding the truce with Wales, mutual incurfions had been made ; and Llewellyn feemed inclinable to an open rupture with England. Alexander king of Scotland chofe this conjun&ure to fend an embaffy to Henry with a demand of the three northern counties, agreeable to a conven- tion made with his father, and a declaration of war in cafe of a refufal. The council, finding bocA parts of the alternative difagreeable, amufed him with a promife of examining his pretenfions ; and a conference was afterwards opened on this fubjecl: at York, where, by the mediation of Otho, the pope's legate, a final peace was concluded ; and Alexander renounced his claim, in conilderation of two hundred pounds a year, payable by the northern counties, for which he fwore fealty and did homage to the king of England : and as for Llewellyn, who was by this time old, infirm, and paralytic, he agreed to a triace, which ended in a pacifica- Tyn-ei. t?On. Rymer. The foreigners who had infinuated themfelves Henry at- into the king's favour, perceiving how odious they ^"P" a re - ^ i. i -i- fumptionoi were to the Enghlh nobility, and the nation m ge- i.m his own perfon, as a member of par- E e 2 a fund 420 H I S T O R Y o F E N G L A N D. A. c. 1237, a fund facred to the necefTities of the government, and levied on exprcfs condition that the king Ihould no longer hearken to the fuggeflions of foreigners, who had opprelTed and impoverifhed the nation, chr. EHinft. but be governed for the future by the advice of his M. Paris. own natural-born fubjects. fs^o'^iH ^ n *P te f tne f e precautions, Henry laviflied gate. away the money upon his foreign favourites and The foreign his wife's relations. Though he had folemnly en- >vaii7 g a g e d to fll w the advice of Englifh counfellors, he was ftill directed in all his meafures by W. de Valence, on whom he conferred the honour of Richmond, which had formerly been granted to his own brother the earl of Cornwall. The avarice and ambition of this favourite grafped at every poft of honour and advantage, and gave fuch umbrage to the Englifh nobility, that a civil commotion would probably have enfued, had not he thought proper to withdraw on pretence of vifiting his own country, where however, he ftayed no longer than he heard the refentment of the Englifh barons had fubfided : then he returned to the kingdom, where he renewed his arbitrary practices. Neverthelefs, he was not fo free of apprehenfion, but that he pre- vailed upon Henry to defire the pope would fend over a legate, whofe authority co-operating with the power of the crown, might overawe the mal- contents and enfure the obedience of the common people. Otho was inverted with this character, and his commiffion extended into Scotland -, and, tho* his arrival produced an univerfal clamour, he con- ducted himfelf with fuch prudence and moderation as acquired the efteem and veneration of the public. Alexander king of Scotland forbade him to crofs the borders j and indeed he felt no inclination to - viiit that coufitry, after he had been made ac- quainced with the ferocity of the natives. He fum- moned HENRY III. 421 moned a council at St. Paul's in London, where A.C. n r feveral canons were enacted, touching the difci- plirre of the church -, forbidding the practice of farming churches and ecclefiufucal dignities, non- refidence, and the marriage of the clergy, but he did not exert any unpopular acls of authority ; and employed his good offices in effecting a reconcilia- tion between the bifliop of Winchefter and Hubert earl of Kent, who had long been at variance. Yet the prefence of this legare animated Henry to pro- ceed in beftowing all his favours and confidence on a foreign miniftry, and to difregard the remonftrance of the Englifli nobility, among whom his own bro- ther Richard endeavoured without effed to perfuade him to a change of meafures. Though he rejected this advice, his favourites Simon found it necefTary to gain over ibme leaders of the ^f^ he oppofition, and to.engage in their interdl John earl of Lincoln high-conflable of England, and Simon de Montfort earl of Leiceder, youngeft fon of the famous general who commanded the crufade againft the Albigenfes. He inherited the honour of Hinck- ley, the ftewardfhip of England, and the county of Leicefter, by the refignation of his brother Amaury, in right of his mother, who was daugh- ter and coheirefs of Robert Fitz-parnel earl of Lei- cefter. This young nobleman had ingratiated him- felf with Henry to fuch a degree, that his ambition furmounted all bounds ; and thinking himfelf too great for a fubject, he afpired to the dignity of fovereign. With this view he had payed his ad- drefles fuccefiively to the heirefTes of Boulogne and Flanders-, but mifcarrying in both negotiations, he turned his eyes upon Eleanor, the fecond fitter of Henry and widow of William de Marefchal earl of Pembroke. Though fhe had, at the deceafe of A.C. that nobleman, made a vow of perpetual chattily, E e 3 and 422 HISTORYoFENGL A"N D. A. c. 1238. anc j ta k en tne r j n g V vithout the veil from Edmund archbifhop of Canterbury, the foreign minifters re- folving to attach Simon to their intereft at any rate, perfuaded the king to conlent to the marriage ; and he actually gave her away with his own hand, in the private chapel of his palace, where the cere mony was performed by one of his chaplains. The king was feverely rebuked for this clandeftine match, by the archbimop ; and the barons of the oppofnion were fo much incenfed at the defection of JVIontfcrt and the earl of Lincoln, who was likewife bribed by a marriage between his daughter and Richard de Clare, that they began to concert t^ket*T*r mea ^ ures * or doing themfelves juftice. The earls aim's. " ir of Cornwall and Marefchal, with almoft all the nobility of England, engaged in a confederacy againft the foreign miniftry and the two deferters f .of their country's caufe ; and the nation in general favoured their undertaking. They aiTembled in arms at Southwark; and being joined by the citi- zens of London, loudly demanded that Lincoln and Montfort, together with the foreign minifters, mould be difmifled from the council-board. Henry, terrified at thefe proceedings, had recourfe to the good offices of the legate, who by the promife of large grants appeafed the refentment of Richard earl of Cornwall ; and a truce was concluded till the firft Monday of Lent, when all grievances were to be redrefied at a general council in London. There the barons appeared at the time appointed : but by this time the earl of Cornwall being bought off, the grievances were but half redreflcd , and the difpute was compromifed by Otho's mediation. The two earls were difmifled from the council , and Si- mon afraid that his marriage would be diflblved, by . the reprefentations of Edmund archbifliop of Canterbury, went privately to Rome, where by dint of money he obtained the pope's confirmation. Then HENRY III. 423 Then he returned in triumph to England, where A. c. 1238. he was received with extraordinary marks of favour and affection by Henry, who folemnly inverted him with the earldom of Leicefter. The pope's legate, after the accommodation The legate's which he effected between the king and the barons, ^ e Tbjl' fet out on a vifitation towards the North ; and taking riot at Oxford in his way, was fumptuoufly entertained by the univerfity in the abbey of Ofiney. After din- ner, the fcholars coming to pay their refpects to his reverence, were refufed admittance by his Italian porter, and infulted in fuch a manner that they en- deavoured to force their entrance. The legate's fervants ran to fuftain the porter, and an obftinate fray enfued. A poor Irilh fcholar begging at the kitchen grate, was miferably fcalded by the lleward, who was the legate's own brother; and a Welfh- man feeing this outrage, was fo incenfed that he Ihot him dead with an arrow. The legate, terri- fied at this difturbance, fled to the church, from whence he efcaped to Abingdon, where the king refided, and complained loudly of the unworthy treatment he had received. Henry forthwith fent the earl of Warenne with a party of foldiers to ap- prehend the rioters ; and thirty being taken were committed prifoners to the caftle of Wallingford. Otho, not yet fatisfied, laid the univerfity under an interdict, and excommunicated all thofe who had been concerned in the riot ; but at the intercefiion of the bifhops thofe cenfures were removed, and the fcholars attoned for their prefumption, by walk- ing barefoot in proceffion from St. Paul's to the legate's lodgings. In the courfe of this year Peter de Roches bifhop wiiHam de of Winchefter dying, Henry recommended Wil- J^ 6 liam de Vajence as his fucceffor ; but the monks bifhop of cxcepted to him as a foreigner odious to the Eng- ^ lilh j^aad a man who, from his want of learning, E e 4 pat-. 424 H IS TOR Y OF ENGLAND. A.c.js 3 z. p a fli onate temper, and fcandalous morals, was al- together unfit for fuch a facred function. Yet, in orde'r to manifefl their inclination to act agreeably to the king's defire, they pitched upon William de Ralegh, and Ralph de Neville bifhop of Chichef- ter, prelates of unblemifhed characters, and fup- pofed acceptable to his majefty. Henry was fo in- cenfed at their prefuming to diipute his recom- mendation, that he turned Ralegh out of his feat in council, deprived Neville of the feals, prevailed upon the pope to annul both elections, and appoint a new prior to the convent, who at laft procured a majority in favour of William de Valence, This martial prelate had gone abroad with Henry de Turbeville, to make a campaign in the emperor's army , but at prefent commanded the forces of his holinefs, and had already been chofen bifhop of Liege'; but he did not long enjoy thefe promotions, Mat Pans ^ or ne ^' e< ^ tne next vear at Viterbo, ver y little re- Brady, gretted in England, which had feverely fuffered by Tyn-ei. j^s turDU ] ent and haughty difpofition. AH attempt Henry payed fo little regard to the reprefenta- king'siife tions of h is people, that his adminiftration was tie- Jok^ de " te ft e d ar| d ms perfon defpifed ; and fome individuals, whofe affairs were rendered defperate by his tyranny and opprefiion, concluded that the death of fuch a worthlefs prince would be looked upon as a bleff- ing to the kingdom. On this fuppofition they con- certed a plan for depriving him of life, and chofe for their inftrument one Ribald, a perfon of family and learning. This man went to Wodeftock, while Henry refided at that place, and affecting the behaviour of a lunatic, defired the king to refign the crown which he had ufurped from him to whom it of right belonged. When the officers in waiting would have forced him out of the prefence, and punifhed him for his infolence, Henry forbade them to ufe any violence to the poor wretch, who feemed to HENRY III. 425 to have loft his fenfes ; and this companion fur- A.C. K 3 s. nifhed him with the opportunity of gliding unfeen into the king's bedchamber, where he lay concealed with a dsfign to murder his majefty. Luckily for Henry, he that night chanced to fleep with the queen j and the afTaffin, difappointed of his prey, ran about the apartments with a long knife in his hand, roaring aloud in a transport of frenzy. The guards being alarmed at his outcries, took him into cuftody, where he confefled he was inftigated to aflaffinate the king by William de Mareis , and that feveral perfons were embarked in the fame confpi- racy. He was condemned to be hanged, drawn, and quartered ; and the fentence was executed ac- cordingly, though very little regard feems to have been paid to his information ; for none of the ac- complices that he named were apprehended, and no fleps taken to difcover the particulars of their combination. M. Such omiffion might indeed have been the effect inflates of Henry's own caprice, which often prompted him to actions equally malicious and abfurd. I his very period produced feveral inftances of this nature, which ferve to character ife the genius of this fri- volous monarch. As he had no fixed principles of action, he fometimes heaped favours upon thofe whom he had lately difgraced, and frequently in- fulted others immediately after he had loaded them with carefles. We have already obferved, that on the death of Richard earl of Pembroke, he had be- llowed the inveftiture of earl rnarefehal on that no- bleman's brother Gilbert, whofe attachment and fidelity juftified this indulgence. One day however, when he repaired to court, according to cuftom, he was denied admittance, and even repulfed with indignity. Not a little furphfed at this reception, he complained of the affront to the king, by the interpofition of a friend : to whom Henry obferved, that 426 , HI STORY OF ENGLAND. A.c. j 23 s. that t h e ear i s brother had been a traitor, and even perfifted in his treafon to his laft moment , for which reafon he blamed himfelf for having beftowed the office of great marefchal upon Gilbert , but as he had given, fo he would take away : a declaration which was no fooner communicated to the earl, than he retired to the North, in order to fhelter himfelf from the defigns of his enemies, who, he fuppofed, had prepofTeffed the king with notions to his pre- A.C. 1239, judice. A few days after he had beftowed the earl- dom of Leicefter upon Simon Montfort, he reviled him in the moft abufive terms, branding him pub- licly as a traitor and excommunicated wretch, who had debauched his wife before marriage, and after- wards procured, by bribes, the pope's confirmation. This infult, offered in prefence of the cpuntefs, who was his own fitter, alarmed her and her hufband to fuch a degree that they immediately retired, and taking fhipping in the Thames, were conveyed to the continent, where they remained until Henry's unaccountable anger was appeafed. Nor did Hu- bert de Burgh efcape another profecution, from the king's levity or malevolence , though that noble- man, far from having given any caufe of offence fince his reconciliation, had almofl folely adhered to Henry in the laft defection of the barons. A new procefs was inftituted againft him for the crimes of which he had been formerly accufed ; and, in a folemn hearing before his peers, he manifefted his innocence by the moft inconteftable evidence ; ne- verthelefs, he thought proper to facrifice four of his beft caftles to the rancour of the king, who, thus pacified, dropped the profecution, Henry had almoft embroiled himfelf with the pope, by fend- ing Ralph de Tuberville with a fmall reinforcement to the emperor, who was then at war with that pontiff; and now, from a fimilar caprice of difpo- (hion, underftanding that Frederic was folemnly ex- corn- HENRY III. 427 communicated by the pope, he, with uncommon A - c - eagernefs, ordered the fentence to be publifhed in all the churches throughout the kingdom, though Frederic was his own brother-in-law, and that al- liance would have been a fufficient excufe for de- clining this publication-, at lead he might have poftponed it fo as to have exprefled fome reluctance in complying with Gregory's mandate. Such in- confiftency in his conduct was fometimes the effect of his own whimfical gufts of paflion-, though fre- quently fuggefted by the individuals of a motley rniniftry, among whom he was continually agitated from error to indifcretion. Thefe unjuft and B.vthof frantic proceedings had well nigh kindled another ^"J^ n flame of civil difturbance, when the indignation of the people was luckily fufpended by the birth of Mat. Paris, his fon and heir, who was baptized by the legate, * PlA " and named Edward, after the confeffor, whom M. Weftm. Henry chofe as his titular faint, and held in the Brady * higheft veneration. By this time Otho had entirely altered his ori- otWs ava- ginal conduct, and opprefled the churches and Jo"^ 1 *" clergy with fuch infatiable avarice, that the bifhops complained to the pope of his exactions ; and that pontiff had twice fent letters of revocation to the cardinal, which were as often fet afide, at the defire of the king, who cpnfidered him as the chief fup- port of his adminiftration. At length the prelates, harrafled and exhaufled by the continual extortions of that legate, affembled in order to concert mea- fures for redreffmg this grievance ; and they had fcarce begun to deliberate, when Otho entering the convocation, demanded a new fubfidy to relieve the prefling necefiities of the holy fee. The bimops were fo much irritated by this new propofition, that they told him they were refolved to fuffer his tyranny no longer, and broke up inftantly, with- out giving him time to reply : thus repulfed, he had 428 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A.C. 1239. k ac } recoup to t h e convents and religious houfes, which were obliged to furnifh what the biihops had refufed. After having fleeced the kingdom of large fums, he refolved to follow the fame practice in Scotland , and, notwithftanding the caution he had received againft entering that coun- try, he directed his courfe northwards, accompa- nied by fome Englifh noblemen, who ftill reipected his character. When he arrived at the border, he found Alexander waiting, not with a defign to conduct him to his court, but refolved to prevent his proceeding farther. Otho, enraged at this op- pofition, threatened him with the cenfure of the church ; and the Scot fee him and his cenfures at defiance : ib that an open rupture muft have en- fued, had not the Englifh noblemen interpofed their good offices, and prevailed upon Alexander to permit the legate to enter his dominions for that time only : yet this favour they could not obtain, until Otho agreed to acknowledge, under his hand and feal, that he conlidered it as a compliment to his own perfon, and that it mould not be drawn into a precedent. The difference being thus com- promifed, he accompanied the king to Edinburgh, and found means to extort fome contributions from the Scottifli clergy, in fpite of all* the precautions that could be taken to prevent this exercife of his legatine authority. The king While the pope's reprefentations fqueezed money co-cra P te pC ^ rom ^ ecclefiaftics of England, the laity were in fleecing plundered by the king's exactions. The pope, Sd^and his vaiTal Henry, feemed to vye with each other in pillaging the people ; and nothing could have induced the Englifli to fuffer fucji oppremon under a king of Henry's contemptible character, , . but the dread of papal refentment, and the remem- brance of thofe miferies in which civil war had fo lately involved the kingdom. The bifhops held another HENRY III. 429 another convocation at London, where they pre- fented a remonftrance to the king, complaining, that he converted the vacant bifhoprics to his own ufe T and retarded the elections by railing unjuil obftacles, until his own choice was approved by the chapters ; nay, they even proceeded fo far as to excommunicate thole who gave him this perni- cious counfel : but he placed fuch confidence in the protection of the pope, that very little regard was paid to their reprefentatives : he was even fo bafe an4 degenerate as to glory in his dependence on the Roman fee ; and when the emperor fent an embaffy to expoflulate with him about his having published the fentence of excommunication, he replied that he was vafial to the pope, \vhofe in- junctions he durft not difobey. Meanwhile the A. c. legate, on his return from Scotland, renewed his arbitrary exactions, levying confiderable fums from churches and monafteries, under the title of Pro- curations ; and at length publilhed a mandate, im- porting, that he had a power not only to abfolve from their vow fuch as had taken the crofs intend- ing to vifit the Holy-Land, but alfo-of compelling them to redeem themfelves with money, on pain of excommunication. Thefe extortions were coun- tenanced and feconded by the pope's own imme- diate directions. He granted to the abbot and monks of Clugny a tenth of the profits arifing from all benefices in England, for the term of three years. But even Henry was afhamed of this im- pofition, and forbade the agents to collect it, on pain of incurring fevere penalties. His holinefs, far from being repulfed by this prohibition, at- tempted to raife a fifth of all ecclefiaftical revenues, as an aid again ft the emperor, and accordingly ex- acted it from the Roman clergy fettled in England, who durft not refufe it to a power on which they altogether depended : it was afterwards prbpdfed 7 ,*> 430 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. c. 1240. to tne p re lates in a council at Reading, and granted by the advice and example of Edmund archbifhop of Canterbury. But immediately after this tranf- aclion, Gregory bargained with the people of Rome for their affiftance againft the emperor, on condi- tion of his providing their children and relations with Englifh benefices ; and he fent orders to Ed- mund, and the bifhops of London and Sarum, to referve for the Roman clergy three hundred of the firft livings that mould fall vacant in England, on pain of being fufpended from the power of col- f- lating. Edmund was extremely chagrined at this flagrant inftance of infolent impofition, of which he bitterly complained to Henry, from whom re- ceiving no redrefs, he grew weary of his life, re- cianf WaV * tired to Burgundy, where he died, and was buried H*III. ' in the abbey of Pontigny. Fraudulent Gregory not yet latisfied, contrived another thThdinefs method for fpunging the Englifh clergy, which toraifecon- was no other than a fraudulent impofture. He toibutions. cm p] y ec j Peters Rubens to collect money from one monaftery to another, pretending that certain bifhops and abbots, of whom he produced a forged lift, had already contributed a part, and others were drawn in by their example. He faid the col - lection was intended for a particular purpofe, which would be divulged in fix months ; and in the mean time he obliged the contributors to fvvear fecrecy, until the fcheme was fully executed. The abbots were no fconer apprized of the deceit, than they complained to Henry, from whom they received no fort of fatisfaction but that of feeing the pre- lates burdened with the like impofition. Thefe the legate convened in two fuccefiive fynods with- out being able to carry his point, until he tampered with them fingly, and by cajoling care fifes fecured a majority in favour of the propofition ; then he convoked a fynod at London, where he again pro- pofed I HENRY III. 431 pofed the contribution, which being warmly re- A. 0.1240. commended by the king, met with the approba- tion of the whole affembly, and was levied all over England, Ireland, Wales, and Scotland, notwith- ftanding the truce concluded between the pope and the emperor. Such a contribution was likewife raifed in France ; but Lewis being informed of the fufpenfion of hostilities, and the negotiation for peace, would not allow it to be exported from his kingdom, left fuch a fupply fhould render the pope more inflexible and extravagant in his demands. Otho being recalled to aflift at the conferences, departed from England about Chriftmas, and is faid to have carried off more money than was left in the kingdom ; though neither that nor the French collection redounded to the advantage of his holinefs ; for the two legates were intercepted at fea by the Pifans, who acting as allies of the emperor; feized the treafure and imprifoned the Cardinals. Angl.Sacr. Papal exactions did not ceafe at Otho's departure. Peter d c He left an induftrious fucceftbr in the perfon of ^"^"rlw* Peter de Rubens, who not only gleaned the remains privately of the contribution, which had not yet been levied, [ Enf " but endeavoured to obtain the gift of two prebends and corrodies from the cathedrals and convents, which the pops had formerly follicited v-ithout fuc- cefs. He made his nrft attack upon the abbey of Peterborough, the example of which,' he fuppofed, the reft of the churches would follow. He tried to flatter and intimidate the monks" alternately, into compliance j but they evaded his requeft, on pretence of the abfence of their abbor Walter de 5. Edmund, who had been fummoned to the Ro- man council : and this prelate was no fooner in- formed of the legate's defign, than he reprefented to Henry the miichievous coniequences of fuch a conceffion, in the ftrongeft colours i fo that the kins, 4 j2 HISTORY OF EN GLAND; A. 0.1240. king, as patron, ftrictiy inhibited the convent from complying with the propofal. Though the pope's agents were baffled in this attempt, they fucceeded in levying a. twentieth on the clergy of Ireland, which amounted to a conSderable fum. With this, and what they collected in England before Henry put a flop to the contribution, they crofTed the fea with great fecrecy and difpatch, in apprehenfion of the money's being detained, if the pope fhould die before their departure -, for they were informed of his being dangeroufly ill ; and although they had quitted the kingdom before the news of his death reached England, they were taken on the road to Rome by the emperor, who ftripped them of A. 0.1241. tne i r ^hole acquifition. Bootlace the About this period Peter de Savoy, one of the 5^J^^ queen's uncles, arriving in England, was received ID the arch- with great honour by Henry, who folemnly ef knighted him in the abbey church of Weftminfter, . *-' i /- t and made for his entertainment a match at tourna- ment, to be held at Northampton. As Henry's affections were always biafled to foreigners, he on this occafion efpoufed their party with uncommon warmth -, and that they might win the honours of the day, perfuaded a number of his nobility to ef- poufe their caufe againft Roger Bigod earl of Nor- folk, who engaged to enter the lifts againft Peter de Savoy. This ridiculous partiality incenfed the Englifli to fuch a degree as had almoft produced a civil war ; and both fides were actually drawn up hi order of battle, when Henry, convinced of his indifcretion, fent a pofitive order to forbid the tournament. He could not, however, prevent an- other which was afterwards held at Ware near Hertford, where Gilbert earl Marefchal loft his life by an unruly horfe, Robert de Say was (lain, and a good number of people dangeroufly wounded. Henry exhibited convincing proofs of his affection to HENRY III. 433 tt> his queen's uncles, by granting the honour of A - c - 'Mi- Richmond to Peter, together with the cuftody of the lands belonging to John earl of Warenne in Suflex and Surrey , and he raifed his brother Boni- face to the archbimopric of Canterbury. Edmund had before his death excommunicated the monks of Chrift-church, who thwarted him in the choice of a prior ; and they had applied to the pope for abfolution from this fentence, before they would proceed to a new election. Gregory had impow- ered the archdeacon of St. Alban's, and the prior of Dunftaple, to take off the cenfure ; but Simon de Langton, archdeacon of Canterbury, appealing againfl that commiflion as furreptitioufly obtained, the monks follicited Henry for his protection ; in eonfideration of which they promifed to elect Boni- face. The king embraced the propofal, and ufed fuch arguments with Langton as induced him to withdraw his appeal ; fo that Boniface was chofen without oppofiticn, though he could not be imme- diately confirmed, on account of the vacancy in the papal chair. Chr. The king found another fubject of triumph in the death of Eleanor of Brittany, the hereditary heirefs of the Engiifh crown, who had pafled her days in continual confinement, and now died a virgin in the caftle of Briflol. The apprehenfion of her title had been a continual thorn in the fides of king John and his fon Henry, who on her ac- count diftrufted the Engiifh, and had, in the courfe of the preceding year, obliged all perfons in Eng- land, above the age of twelve years, to take an eventual oath of allegiance in favour of his infant fon Edward, whom he feemed to love with the warmer affection on account of his being named after the Confefibr. In veneration to the memory Mat. of that prince, he rebuilt the church of Weftmin- fter at a very great expence -, he kept all his fefti- NUAIB, XX, F f vals 434 H I S T O R Y o F E N G L ne practifed the method of cajoling the mem- bers in private, which had .already fucceeded on two or three different occafions-, and prevailed .upon a good number of individuals to contribute their interell towards the gratification of his defire, By thefe means a majority was fecured-, and they .granted him a thirtieth of all moveables for the iervice of this undertaking. But this fund being infufricient, he levied a taliiage on the cities, bur- ^oughs, and crown demesnes in- Ireland ; and de- manded an aid from the clergy of that kingdom. . Thus fuppl.ied with money, he fummoned all his military tenants to meet him with horfes and arms at Winchefter, on the twenty -feventh day of April; and in the mean time agreed to a match betweea his daughter Margaret' and Alexander, fon to the king of Scotland, who, in confequence of this con- trad, undertook to preferve the peace in the nor- thern parts of England, William archbifhop of York, HENRY III. 437 York, was appointed guardian of the realm ; a A - c 1Z 4*- council affigned .to affift him in the administration ; and Henry fetting fail from Portfmouth with his queen, his brother Richard, feven earls, three hundred knights, and thirty hogfheads of filver, landed at Royane, a port of Saintonge, at the mouth of the river Gironde. Anr >- w av . To oppofe this formidable armament, the French Henry ; s king had fitted out a fleet of eighty gallies, at Ro- chelle ; and afiembled an army of tour thoufand knights, and five times that number of gentlemen and bowmen, befides a vafl number of infantry. With thefe he invaded Poitou, where he reduced feveral places belonging to the court de la Marche; and at length inverted Fontenay, which after an obftinate defence was obliged to furrender at dif- cretion. He was employed in the fiege, when Henry landing at Royane, fent ambafladors to demand fatisfaclion for attacking the count de la Marche, whom he reprefented as the ally of Eng- land. Lewis replied that he was willing to renew the truce with the Englifli king, upon reafonable terms ; but that Henry had no bufmeis to interpofe between him and his rebellious fubjecls. This fenfible anfvver being conftrued into a refufal, was followed by a formal declaration of war ; and Henry advanced to Pons, where -he was joined by the nobles of Gafcony, though he was very much difappointed in the number of thofe auxiliaries. Then he marched to Saintes, where he remained about a fortnight in hope of further reinforcements; and afterwards made a motion to Toney on the Charente, with a view to interrupt the progrefs of Lewis, who had by this time taken almoft all the caftles belonging to the count de la Marche. Here Henry engaged in a treaty with Geoffrey deRancone lord of Taillebourg, in the neighbourhood of which he took poft, and had it in his power to fecure the F f 3 town 438 H I S T O R Y o F E N G L A N D. A.C. u$z t j; Own an d caftle, and break down the bridge, .fo as to prevent the French king from pa/Ting the river. But the count de la Marche, and Renaud de Pons, by whofe direction he acted, diffuaded him from taking thefe precautions, which could not fail to difoblige Geoffrey, on whofe honour they told him he might depend with the mod perfect reliance : he therefore retired to Saintes ; but hearing of the French king's approach, advanced again toTaille- bourg, which he found already occupied by Lewis, who was likewife joined by Geoffrey. As the Eng- lifh army was greatly inferior in number to that of the French king, Henry retreated with precipita- tion to Saintes ; and Lewis paffing the river, at- tacked his rear with fuch fury and expedition, that, after an obflinate engagement, the Englifh gave way, having fuftained a confiderable lofs. They were purfued to the neighbourhood of Saintes, where the count de la Marche making a fally to cover their retreat, the earls of Cornwall, Norfolk, ^ -rum, and Leicester, rallied their forces, and an- other battle enfued, which was fought on both fides with equal bravery and fuccefs. But Henry's army being greatly diminimed, he quitted Saintes immediately, and made an hafty march to Pons, Mat. PaHs. where leaving a good garrifon, he proceeded to Drady. Barbefceux, a place of greater lafety. conduda The count de la Marche was confounded and XiTmi- difmayed at the. extraordinary fuccefs of Lewis. narcb, pj e plainly perceived how little he could truft to the protection of the Englifh king ; and therefore refolved to take other meafures for his own fafety. He fent his eldeft fon to fue for fome tolerable conditions of peace ; and he met with fuch a fa- vourable reception from Lewis, that he himfelf, and his family, repaired to the French camp, and furrendered themfelves at difcretion. The French king generoufly pardoned the count, of- whom he "exacted HENRY III. 439 exa&ed nothing but three of his caftk-s, which he A c - 1Z ^- kept as pledges of his promifccl fidelity. In all probability he would have purfued his fuccefs againft the king of England, had not the plague broke out in his army, and himfelf been attacked by a languifhing diforder that obliged him to de- fift. Perhaps thefe reafons were reinforced by fomc fcruples of confcience he had expreffed touching the oath which his father took to reftore the dominions on the continent, that fownsrly belonged to the kings of England : be that as it will, he confented to a truce for five years, after having completed the conqueft of Poitou. Rymer. Henry had by this time feen himfelf forfaken, Returns to and indeed betrayed, by almoft all the Poitevins, London> on whofe affiftance and adherence he depended. He was in great danger of being tafieged in Blaye, A. c. 1243. but now he was fafe in Bourdeaux, where he fpcnc the winter among the Gafcoigne nobility in fealt- ing and riot, which, with the largefles he made to thofe Gafcons, foon exhaufted his finances ; fo that he was obliged to write for a fuppiy to the archbi- iliop of York, who received orders at the fame time to confifcate the eftates of fome noblemen who had returned to England without his permif- fion. The regent complied with his inftructions fo far as they regarded a remittance of money, which was immediately difpatched -, but he would not obey the other part of his orders, for fear of exciting a difturbance in the kingdom. By that time the money arrived at Bourdeaux, it was all anticipated ; and Henry directed the archbifhop to demand a year's wool of the Ciftercians, which they abfolutely refufed to grant ; and the regent unwilling to ufe compulfion, obtained a confidera- ble fubfidy from the parliament, in order to difen- gage the king entirely from the debts he had con- traded. This was likewife mifapplied, and the F f 4 archbifhop His brother Richard married to 440 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. c. 1243. archbifhop preffed to ufe other expedients. He then attempted to borrow money in the king's. name from wealthy individuals ; but this odious practice produced fuch difcontent and clamour, that he gave the king to underftand all refources were flopped, and that there was an abfolute ne- ceflity for his immediate return. Henry, reduced to thefe circumftances, refolved in good earneft to quit Bourdeaux, and ordered all the noblemen in England to affemble at Portfmouth for his recep- tion. Then he ratified the fhameful truce with France, by which he bound himfeif to pay five thoufand pounds a year to Lewis ; and, at his ar-; rival in England, gave directions for a magnifi- cent entry into London, as if he had returned from conqueft. Before he embarked in this expedition, he had projected a match between his brother Richard and r J his queen's Sanchia third daughter ot the count de rrovence ; Se" ser an ^ tnou g^ tms Alliance was generally difliked by the Englilh, who forefaw it would flrengthen the intereft of the Provenfals in England, where it was already too powerful, the contract was adjufl- ed ; and the young lady arriving under the aufpices of her mother, the nuptials were pompoufly fo- lemnized at Weftminfter. The earldom of Corn- wall, with the honours of Eye and Wallingford, were confirmed to Richard, with a grant of five hundred pounds yearly to him and his heirs by this marriage : and after the rejoicings on this occafion, the old countefs returned to her own country with four thoufand marks, which me borrowed of the king for the ufe of her hufband. Henry was now more neceflitous than ever : he the was inimerfed in debt, and fo low in credit that he found it impracticable to borrow money for his moft neceflfary occafions. Reduced to this con- temptible fituation, he iflued writs directing his Iheriffs A.C. Henry o P - HENRY III. 441 fherifFs to enquire into mifdemeanours and trefpafTes A - c> ia * 4% againft the hw, by widows and others who had married without a licence, and encroachments upon royal forefts ; and confiderable fums were raifed from the fines produced by this enquiry. In order to chaftife the Ciftercians and Premonftrants, who had refufed him one year's wool, he forbade the exportation of that commodity ; and this prohibi- tion continued in force till they thought proper to comply with his demand. He extorted the fub- ftance of the Jews with fuch feverity, that one Aaron of York was compelled to pay four marks of gold, and as many thoufands of filver. As a great many of the -Norman noblemen enjoyed ef- tates in England, he, in imitation of the French king, gave them to underftand that they muft ei- ther become entirely French or Englifli, and con- fifcated the eftates of thofe who preferred their allegiance to France. Mat - PaHs Yet all thefe expedients proved infufficient to Bold de- relieve his wants, or fupply his extravagance ; and JJjJi*" he refolved once more to follicit a fupply from par- parliament. liament, which, though always averfe to him in the beginning of every felfion, he generally found means to convert to his purpofe by promifes of re- formation. At prefent he was furnifhed with a pretence by the king of Navarre, who had invaded Gafcony, and fome incurfions of the Welfli. The barons being afTembled at Weftminfter, he himfelf made the motion for a fubfidy, which was heard with manifeft figns of difcontent. The prelates and the laity retiring feparately, refolved that no grant mould be made without their common con- lent ; and that a committee of twelve perfons mould be chofen to confider of proper meafures to prevent all encroachments on the two charters. They complained that writs had been iflued out of chancery to the prejudice of their liberties ; defired that 4+2 H I S T O R Y o F E N G L A N D. A. c. 1444. that they might have the nomination of the chan- cellor and justiciary -, propofed that faur noblemen of the king's council mould be appointed confer- vators of the liberty qf the kingdom, with power to infpeft the treafury, and the application of the public money ; to fa'mmon a parliament as often as neceflity mould require ; and arbitrate in all dif- ferences between the king and his fubjects. They demanded that all writs contrary to the cuftom of the realm mould be revoked -, that cenfures mould be publifhed againft all that oppofed thefe regula- tions ; that the chancellor and judiciary, chofen by confent of parliament, mould always be two of the four confervators ; that in cafe the king mould deprive the chancellor of the feals, all writs figned by his fucceflbr mould be null ; that befides the chancellor and justiciary, the parliament mould nominate two judges in the common pleas, two barons in the exchequer, and a juftice of the Jews ; and that all fufpefted perfons mould be removed from about the king's perfon. Henry was ex- tremely alarmed at the nature of thefe demands, which did not at all fuit with his high notions of the prerogative. He was incenfed at the pre- fumption of his vaffals ; but fuch was his cha- racter and fituation, that he durft not avow his refentment. He therefore evaded their propofals with general promifes of amendment, which he had no intention to perform ; and after having tampered in vain with the members, thought pro- per to prorogue the parliament. Rspadonf- During this feffion, one Martin was fent over, ?n S th f e Mar ~ & nuncio from pope Innocent, the fucceffor of pope's nun- Gregory, to procure an aid of ten thoufand marks from the clergy, to maintain the war againft the emperor, who at the fame time difpatched ambaf- fadors to England, to juftify his own conduct, and remonftrate againft the demand of Innocent. The nation HENRY HI. 443 nation was fo harafled by thofe harpies, that they *~ c ' "44.- were glad of any pretence for denying his requeft -, and this they were furnifhed with by the king, who forbade the prelates to lay imports on the fees, which they held of the crown, to the detriment of his fervice. Martin, though baffled in this attempt, did not fail to exercife his legatine authority with . equal tyranny and fuccefs ; he exacted the arrears of a tenth of ecclefiaftical benefices granted for the relief of the Holy- Land, as well as of the contributions for the fupport of the late pope Gre- gory ; he laid grievous impofitions on the prelates and religious houfes ; feized all the vacant bene- fices for the ufe of Innocent's chaplains and rela- tions -, and behaved with fuch defpotifm of eccle* fiaftical infolence and tyranny, that the Englifh began to harbour the thoughts of freeing them- felves entirely from the papal yoke. Such a cla- mour was raifed that Henry ordered this nuncio to depart the kingdom. chr.D M . Notwithftanding the indigence of the king, he Edition about this period engaged in a quarrel with Alex- 'JJJJJ. ki) J" ander king of Scotland, who, after the death of of Scotland. Ifabel, had married the daughter of Enguerrand de Coucy.; a match that gave great umbrage to the king of England, who was ever after fufpici- ous of Alexander's defigns. This prince, having erected a caftle in Liddiidale, on the borders of the two kingdoms, Henry looked upon this ftep as an infult-, and he forthwith gave orders for afTembling an army and equipping a fleet to invade Scotland by fea and land. All the military tenants of the crown were fummoned to meet in arms at Newcastle upon Tyne , and the king, putting himfelf at their head, marched directly againft Alexander. When he had advanced as far as Pentland he found the Scottifh army in order of battle j and as the forces on both fides were nearly equal 444 HISTORY OF L X G L A X D. A. c. 1244. equal ^ number, a bloody a&ion muft have en- fued, had not the earl of Cornwall, the archbifhop of York, and feveral other prelates and noblemen, interpofed their good offices, and effected an ac- commodation ; by which the former peace was confirmed, together with the contract of marriage I^iT between Alexander's fon and Henry's daughter. r - c- This treaty being ratified, the nobility advifed J?^. FJ* the king to make ufe of his army for the reduc- er the pro- tion of David prince of Wales, who, fince the deadl of his Dr tner Griffin, had renewed hoftili- ties, and done confiderable damage on the frontiers of England ; but Henry, inftead of following this falutary counfel, difmifled all his trcops but three hundred horfe, which he detached to the Welfh border, under the command of Herbert Fitz- Matthews. This officer was immediately routed k v David, who had the preceding day defeated a body of troops commanded by the earl of Here- ford and Ralph de Mortimer. The prince of Wales never doubted that Henry would employ all his forces againft him ; and on that fuppofition had follicited the protection of the pope, offering to become vaflal of the Roman fee, and pay to his holinefs the tribute of five thoufand marks, which had been impofed upon him by the king of Eng- land. Though this propofal was extremely agree- able to Innocent, he refufed to give a determinate anfwer, until he Ihould have enquired into the merits' of the caufe , and in particular examined whether or not the laft treaty between Henry and David was the effect of compulfion, as the prince of Wales had alledged. For this purpofe, he fent a commifllon to two Welfh abbots to fet on foot an enquiry touching this pretended conftraint ; and in cafe it mould appear that David a&ed upon compulfion, they were vefted with power to ab- fblve him of his oath, and annyl the treaty. The two H E K R Y III. 44 two ccclefiaftics, elated \vith this delegation of pa- A - c - 'Mj pal ajthority, fnmmoned tlie king of England to appear before them, as if he had been a fimple villager, fubjeft to their jurifdiclion ; an example of inlblence at which Henry and his fubjefts were equally incenfed. And now he heartily repented of having diPoanded his army. Mean while he ordered another to be levied, fo as to be in a con- dition to aft in the fpring; and fummoned David, with all the nobility of North and South Wales, to appear in the king's court at Weftminfter, on the firft Thurfday of Lent, there to do homage, and anfwer for their depredations. David, alarmed Rvn*r. at the fpirit of Kenry and his council, who began to prepare for this invafion with uncommon vi- gour, and even fent for a body of troops from Ire- land, endeavoured to amufe the king with a nego- tiation, which produced no effect. A great coun- cil was afiembled at Whicfuntide, in which it was refolved that his majefty fhould command the army in perfon. The military tenants of the crown were fummcned to appear at a certain rendezvous ; and about the middle of Auguft-he began his march. for North Wales, through which he penetrated without oppofition to the river Comvay, where he built the ftrong caftle of Garinac, to overawe the Weifh, and intercept their parties that mould at- tempt to make incurfions into the Englim territory. This fort effectually anfwered all the purpofes for which it was intended, and hampered the enemy fo much, that they could draw no fupplies from Chemire, while the troops from Ireland wafted the ifle of Angleiey ; and proclamation was made in all the marches, that no provifion or merchandize mould be carried into Wales under fevere penal- ties ; fo that thofe ancient Britons were cooped up in the mountainous counties of Caernarvon and Merioneth j and reduced to a ftarving condition. Thus 446 HISTORYofENGLAND. A.C. 1245. Thus tlley continued till the death of prince David, which happened in the beginning of the next year ; and as he left no iflue the principality ought to have devolved to his nephew Roger de Mortimer ; but the Welfh would not fubmit to the government of an Englifliman, again ft whom they fet up Lle- wellyn and David Goch, the two ions of Griffin. Thefe fhared the dominions of the late prince, and fued for peace to Henry, who granted their requeft on condition that they and their heirs for ever mould hold of the crown of England, and furnifh it with a thoufand foot and four and twenty horfe well armed and appointed, to ferve in Wales and the Marches, when required, and five hundred men when their fervice mould be wanted in any ' -other place. JJplje- C The Weifh expedition being happily terminated, gate, obliged fa Q nobility of England conferred together upon to quit the r T i i kingdom, tne tyranny or Rome, which was become altoge- ther infupportable in the exactions of the -nuncio Martin. They were mortified to fee all the wealth of the nation exported to gratify the pope's ava- rice and ambition -, and perceiving how the clergy fuffered themfelves to be mollified by the artifice . and eloquence of the legates, refolved to exert them- felves in putting a flop to fuch fcandalous impofi- tion. Without waiting for the protection of the king, upon which they could fo little depend, they, of their own authority, ordered the governors of ports to apprehend all thofe who mould bring bulls and mandates into the kingdom ; and this order was fo well obeyed, that in a very little time a courier was arrefted in his way to the nuncio, loaded with thefe commidions, impowering him to levy money on divers pretences. The nuncio loudly complained of this violence and infult to the king, who ordered the papers to be reftored ; but the no- fcility made ftrong remonstrances on the fubject, and, HENRY III. 447 and, in order to convince him of the prejudice done A - c * l **s to his own fubjefts by favouring the papal innova- tions, prefented him with a fchedule of the bene- fices enjoyed in England by Italian eccleftaftics ; which exceeded the ordinary revenues of the crown. Kenry was furprifed at this information ; but as he would not, of his own authority, venture to reform the abufe, for fear of incurring the pope's refent- ment, he permitted the noblemen to fend ambaf- fadors in the name of the whole nation to the coun- cil at Lyon, with letters containing thofe grievances, and demanding immediate redrefs. Mean while, as they knew how dexteroufly the court of Rome in- vented delays and fubterfuges, they determined to do themlelves juftice j and afTembling on pretence of a tournament, fent a knight in their name to the nuncio, with a peremptory order to quit the kingdom without delay. Martin afked by whole authority he brought fuch an infolent meiTage j and he replied by the authority of the whole nation, giving him to underiland, that if in three days he ihould dill be found in England, he muft expect to be hewn in pieces. The nuncio forthwith car- ried his complaints to the king , but finding Henry unable to protect him againft his enemies, demanded a paflfport and departed immediately, to the inex- prellible fatisfaction of the people. The pope was fo incenfed at this affront that he could not help exclaiming, " I fee plainly I muft make peace with *' the emperor, in order to humble thofe petty " princes , for the great dragon being once ap- " peafed, we (hall find no difficulty in crufhing " thofe fmaller ferpents." Mean while the Englifh ambafTadors, namely Ambafodof Lawrence de St. Martin, agent for the king, Ro- JJjJSL ger Bigod earl of Norfolk, W. de Canteloup, the councJt Ralph Fitz-Nicholas, Philip Ballet, John Fitz- of Geoffry, and William de Poweric, an ecclefiaftic, 7 deputed 478 HISTORY or ENG LANE. A. c. 1245. deputed by the nobility, arrived at Lyon, and pre- ferited their letter to the council, in which the pope himfelf prefided. The contents, which were pub- licly read, confounded his holinefs to fuch a degree that he did not anfwer on'e word : and one of the ambaffadors, after having waited fome time for his reply, began to explain more at large the grievances of the Englifh nation. He complained of the tri- bute which John had engaged to pay to the pope, as an impofition which that prince had no right to lay upon his people ; and maintained that neither he nor any king of England could render his kingdom tributary without the confent of his barons , and therefore his fubmiffion to the fee of Rome was null and void. He bitterly inveighed againft the claufe * Non Obftante inferted by the pope in all his bulls, which entirely deflroyed the rights of patronage and all the privileges of the Anglican church , and laftly, he expatiated upon the extortion of nuncios and legates, and in general on all the fpecies of pa- pal tyranny which had lately been exercifed over" the Englifh nation. All the anfwer they received to the remonftrance was the pope's general promife ro take their complaints into consideration , and finding his aim was to amufe them with evafive excufes, they protefted againft the tribute, and re- turned to their own country. Immediately after their departure, Innocent, in order to fafcinate the eyes of the council, upon which the complaints of the Englifh had made fome impreffion, declared that he would immediately reform thofe abufes; and publifhed two bulls in favour of the Englifh nation : the firft permitted patrons to enjoy the right of prefentation ; and the other implied that * For example, when the pope dif- ge? ;' a claufe which effectually de- pofed of a benefice, he inferteJ in his flroyed the rights of patronage vefted bull, ' Notwithflanding the rght of in bifnop;, abbots, convents, and lay- patronage or other contrary privile- patrons cf benefices, a when HENRY III. 449 xvhen an Italian incumbent mould die, his benefice A - c - 12 4* might be granted to a native. But with refpect to the tribute, far from relinquifliing that claim, he wrote menacing letters to the Englifh prelates, ex- prefly enjoining them to confirm and fubfcribe the charter by which John acknowledged himfelf as a vaffal and tributary to the holy fee. Hbwfoever the bifhops were fhocked at this demand, they were intimidated into compliance by the threats of eccle- fiaftical cenfure ; though Henry himfelf was on this occafion incenfed at the pope's infolence, and fwore that though the bifliops warped ke would himfelf maintain the liberties of the kingdom, and defift R a ^. COM. from paying fuch a fcandalous tribute. Innocent, being exafperated at the remonftrance Popinno- of the Englifh ambafTadors, and the refractory be- S h r ? s dou " haviour of Henry, endeavoured to perfuade the extcnicn. king of France, during an interview at Cluny, to expel that prince from his dominions, or at leaft reduce him to an abfolute fubmiffion to the papal authority. But Lev/is excufed himfelf from en- gaging in fuch an undertaking, contrary to the terms of his truce with England, his affinity with Henry, and the dictates of common juftice. !d[e, A. c. 1246, in- his turn, prefled the pope to a reconciliation with the emperor ; which that pontiff declined, and af- terwards hired ruffians to affaffinate Frederic, after having endeavoured to dethrone him, by raifing up a competitor in the perfon of Henry, landgrave of Thuringia, and raifed contributions to maintain his titles as if it had been a war of religion. - The Englifh were, by this time, extremely irritated againft the pope, who feemed to defpife their re- fentment, and proceeded in his exactions with re- doubled vigour. He demanded of the Englifh pre- lates, a number of knights to ferve in the army of the church a whole year at their own expence ; and* by his fole authority, granted the profits of all va- N. 2.0. G 2 cant 456 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. 6. c. 1246. cant benefices within the province of Canterbury, for one year to archbimop Boniface. He levied the fix thoufand marks afierTed on the prelates by his nuncio j the twentieth of all ecclefiailical revenues, according to a decree of the council at Lyons -, one third of the income of all benefices, exceeding the yearly rent of one hundred marks, and a moiety of the prebends and livings of non-refident canons and clergymen , exactions which, according to com- putation, amounted to eighty thoufand marks, a fum thought equivalent to the whole fpecie of the kingdom, and this to be exported for three years Cart*, fucceflively. The pope' A parliament meeting in Mid-lent at London, bribes the t h e f e grievances were taken into confideration ; and, the?RichTrd as they would not yet Jay afide all refpect for the tJcSr 1 pope, they refolved to renew their complaints at the ticn" ac " court of Rome, to which three letters of expoftu- Jation were immediately fent by the king, the pre- lates, and the barons ; and thefe were committed to the charge of William de Powick, and Henry de la Mare, who had inftruction to fecond them with peribnal remonftrances. Mean while, Innocent feemed to be tranfported with the defire of driving the Englifh to del pair. He claimed the perfonal f eftates of ecclcfiaftics who died inteftate, all goods fraudulently acquired, provided the right owner did not appear, all effects amafled by ufury, and all legacies granted for reftitution and pious ufes. He appointed the Dominicans his commiffioners for levying thefe exactions, which the king himfelf had not power to prevent. He had ventured to prohi- bit the levy of the fix thoufand marks, and the payment of any talliage or contribution to the pojpe, till the return of the agents : but notwithftanding this order, it was collected by feveral bifhops, whom the pope had charged to excommunicate all recu- fants. At length the deputies returned j and, in a par- HENRY III. a parliament held at Winchefter, made fuch a re- A - c - port of their embafly, as plainly proved how little they were to expect from negotiation. Innocent had treated their envoys with contempt ; and, in- ftead of redreffing their grivances, declared that he would proceed to the fame cenfures with the king of England, which he had inflicted upon the em- peror. The affembly, fired with indignation at thefe menaces, perfuaded the king to renew the prohibition under the mod fevere penalties ; and this exafperated the pope, in his turn, to fuch a degree, that he forthwith difpatched an order to W. de Canteloup, bifhop of Worcefter, totakemea- fures for the payment of the contribution-money to his nuncio at the New temple, before a certain day, on pain of fufpenfion and excommunication. Henry at firft appeared refolute to maintain the li- berties of the nation ; but his courage was not proof againft the menaces of this prelate and other bifhops, who threatened the kingdom with an in- terdict j while his own brother Richard efpoufed, in a very infolent and indecent manner, the intereft of his holinefs, who had fecured his afliftance, by a grant of the money arifmg from the commutation of vows made to engage in the crufade. Thefe confiderations were powerful enough to have ftag- gered the refolution of a more courageous prince than Henry, who was therefore obliged to fubmit 5 and the people were delivered over as a prey to the infolence and rapine of a Roman pontiff. In vain did the abbots and clergy complain of thefe extor- tions, to the next parliament. There was not fufc ficient vigour left among the barons, to withftand the faction of the pope, and the intereft of Richard, who acted as his abettor , and all they could do in their own behalf, was to difpatch new agents with a fecond remonftrance to Innocent, declaring it im- pofllble for the kingdom to fubfift under fuch ex- G g 2 orbitanc 452 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. c. 1247. orbitant burthens , and this declaration was as much Mat. Paris. difregarded as the former. triumphs Not but tnat I nnocent relaxed in fome trifles, oyer the with 3. flicw of moderation, which was, in all pro- 5 e n r | y a " d bability, owing to the unfavourable pofture of his affairs. The landgrave of Thuringia, in fupport of whofe pretenfions he had expended above fifty thoufand pounds, was routed in a pitched battle, the lofs of which he did not long furvive. But this triumph of Frederic, feemed to increafe the rancour of his holinefs, who now refolved to fet up another competitor againft him, in the perfon of William count of Holland. In order to defray the expence of this new project, he fent four legates into dif- ferent countries to raife contributions ; and dif- patched two francifcan friars into England, where they did not pretend to ufe compulfion, but ob- tained a licence from the king to beg as mendi- cants, for the pope's occafions. They had no fooner gained this point, than they aflumed powers of a very different nature ; and fent circular letters to bifhops, abbots, and monafteries, demanding exorbitant fums ; which, however, the prelates re- fufed to pay, without the approbation of parlia- ment. The pope, incenfed at their refufal, fent over one of his chaplains, called Marino, to en- force the demand by dint of legatine authority, from which the bilhops appealed both to the pope and parliament ; but, meeting with redrefs from neither, they and the monafteries were fain to com- pound for a large fum of money. The forbearance of the Englifh, under fuch grievous oppreflion ap- pears amazing to thofe who do not confider the luperftition of the times, and the miferies of a ci- vil war, which were dill frefh in the remembrance of the nation. Henry was a prince of fuch con- temptible talents, that the fubjedts would run no rifque in his behalf, from any perfonal attachment to HENRY III. 453 to him or his family ; and it was equally difagreeable A c - 12 4^. to them whether they fhould be fleeced by Innocent or Henry. This impolitic monarch ftill continued to exhibit T heprof u - marks of his odious partiality to foreigners. Peter ?ndigence of de Savoye, earl of Richmond, arriving from Pro- Henr y- vence, with fome maidens of that country, whom he brought over to be matched among the Englilh nobility, two of them were immediately difpofed in marriage to the king's wards, Edmund de Lacy earl of Lincoln, and Richard de Burgh; and Pe- ter himfelf was gratified with a grant of all the honour of Aquila in Sufiex. Henry's three uterine brothers, called Guy de Lufignan, William and Aymer de Valence, arrived about the fame time with their fitter Alice, to profit by the king's bounty. The firft received a confiderable fum of money, with which he returned to his own country, William was knighted, and indulged with a grant of the honour of Hertford ; Aymer being in orders, was provided with feveral wealthy benefices, and af* terwards elected bifhop of Winchefter-, and Alice was married to the young earl of Warenne. Thefe ftran- gers were followed by Beatrix, countefs of Provence, now a widow, and her brother Thomas, late count of Flanders, and were received with open arms by Henry, though he himfelf was unable to defray the ordinary expence of his houfhold. For want T r rrel . of ready money, he was fain to plunder foreign merchants, as well as his own fubjefts, of fuch ne- cefTaries and provifions as he wanted * and his bro- ther Richard took the advantage of his diftrefs. The coin had been diminifhed one third in its value, by the villany of Jews and Flemings, who traded in England for wool ; and as this evil required an immediate remedy, people were forbidden to take damaged money, and ordered to bring it to the king's mint, where it mould be changed. Richard G g 3 know- 454 H I S T O R Y o t E N G L A N D. A.C. 1*4$. knowing the profits of recoinage were very confi- derable, took this opportunity of demanding the payment of a fum which he had lent to the king upon ufury, and importuned him fo much, that in order to quiet his clamour, Henry bellowed upon him a grant for feven years, of the farm of the mint for a third part of the profits. jfcnnrquar- Thefe largcfles and alienations reduced him to "Jr'iimem- ^" ucn indigence, that he was obliged to have re- andextmts' courfe again to his parliament, which had met in Srjy of m February ?.t Weftminfter : but, when he demanded London. a fupply, they reproached him with his profufion to foreigners and want of ceconomy, and abfolutely refufed to relieve his neceflities. They complained of his retaining vacant benefices in his own hands, difcouraging commerce by clogging it with heavy duties, and conferring the firft pofts of the king- dom upon perfons void of talents and integrity. They therefore infilled upon the fame demands which they had made in a former fefiion, touching the nomination of a chancellor and judiciaries ; and the king, perceiving from their complexion that they were not in a complying humour, pro- rogued them immediately, that he might prepare himfelf for their next affault. During this interval, inftead of taking popular meafures to appeafe the refentment of the barons, he Teemed to attach him- felf more ftrongly than ever to his foreign fa- vourites, and doubtlefs by their advice, attempted to intirajdate the parliament at their next meeting. He inveighed againlt them for endeavouring to im- pofe laws upon him, which they themfelves would never endure : he obferved that every matter of a private family chofe his own confidants and coun- fellors, and retained or difmifled his domeftics at his own pleafure ; whereas he, though a king, was treated like a (lave by his own fubjecls : but, far from changing his officers according to their capricious humour, HENRY III. 455 humour, he was determined to be matter in his own A - c - 12 4- kingdom, and to teach them it was their province to obey. Then he promifed, in general terms, to redrefs the grievances of the nation ; and concluded with demanding an immediate fubfidy, that might enable him, at the expiration of the truce, to re- cover the dominions on the continent which his an- ceftors poffeffed. The barons, piqued at this flately declaration, replied in the fame flrain, that, feeing he was not difpofed to reform his conduct, they fhould not be fo indifcreet as to impoverish them- felves,. to feed the avarice of foreigners, under the notion of imaginary conquefts. From this anfwer Henry, defpairing of obtaining fuccour from this quarter, diffolved them immediately, left they Ihould proceed to more difagreeabie refolutions ; and his coffers being quite exhaufted, was fain to fell his plate and jewels, which immediately found pur- chafers among the citizens of London :, a circum- ftance that mortified him extremely, as they had fo often pleaded poverty whenever he demanded a fupply. He refolved to manifeft his refentment, by eftablifhing a new fair at Weftminfter, during which he prohibited all trade in London ; and m- Itead of regarding the reprefentations of the mer- chants on this fubjedt, he pafled the Chriftmas holi- days in their city, that he might have an opportu- nity to exact an exorbitant new-year's gift, which neverthelefs did not excufe them from further im- pofition ; for he extorted another prefent of two thoufand pounds fterling. Thefe fmall fums being Bdv, altogether inefficient to relieve his necefiities, he endeavoured to borrow money from individuals ; and notwithftanding the moft abject importunities, met with very little fuccefs. Indeed the pretence he ufed for borrowing, was fuch as juftified the repulfes he fuftained : for, in the writs for this loan, he declared a refolution to attack the terri- G g 4 tories 45 6 HISTORY O.F ENGLAND. A. c. 1249. tories of France, which were at that time under the pope's immediate protection, ar, Lewis had been for fome time engaged in the crufade, which proved a very unfortunate expedition. He was defeated and taken prifoner by the ibldan of Egypt, and his country exhaufted of men and money. W. Lon- gue-efpee, earl of Salifbury, and two hundred Eng- lifn knights, had embaiked in this enterprize ; and the earl was {lain in the battle fought at Damietta, after having fignalized his courage in feveral en- gagements. Thofe crufades were productive of in- finite mifchiefs to Chrifcendom, though they filled the coffers of the pope, whofe emifiaries levied im- mehfe fums, enflaming weak people by their fer- mons into fits of enthufiafm, curing which they crofled themfelves and took the vow i and from this they were afterwards glad to purchafe abfolu- tion. tfaeS! kM The famion of taking the crofs was fo prevalent at this juncture, that Henry himfelf, in the midft of all his neceffities, profefled himfelf a foldier of Chrift : though, in all probability, this ftep was the effect of fome other motive more cogent than A.c. 1250. his religion. Perhaps he fow no other profpect of paying his debts, which were by this time become very burthenfome and difgraceful, than that of ob- taining a fubfidy on pretence of equipping an ar- mament for Paleftine : or elfe he was defirous of putting himfelf under the pope's protection, which lie thought would fcreen him from the defigns that might be hatched to his prejudice. He feemed to fufpect fomething of this kind, from the ambition of his brother Richard, who had made a myfterious journey to Rome, accompanied by the earl of Glou- cefter, and feveral noblemen and prelates. \He had been-careficd by the pope at Lyons, who admitted him to feveral private conferences, the fubject of which afforded great fpeculationj and, as he had always HENRY III. 457 always been the chief of the malcontents, Henry A - c - I2 s might very naturally fufpeft him of fome dcfign to his prejudice. When Henry took the crofs, his example was followed by five hundred knights, fome of whom had fold their eftates to defray the expence of their voyage ; and they exprefied the utmoft impatience to fet out upon the expedition : but as the king was not yet in a condition to per- form his vow, he forbad them to crofs the fea, un- til he himfelf mould depart ; and this prohibition was, at his defire, confirmed by the pope. At the fame time, his holinefs indulged him with the grant of a tenth of ail ecclefiaftical revenues in England and Ireland for three years, to be levied and depo- fited until the king mould fet out upon his voyage. Henry endeavoured to fave money, by retrenching the expences of his houmold : he fet on foot an in- quifition into trefpafifes, appointed commiffioners to examine into efcheats and alienations of the crown demefhes, with a view to raiie fums by fines and refumptions ; and laid a talliage upon the Jews, Mat Par;g who never failed to furFer for the king's diftrefs. A. c. 1251. Henry de Bathe, one of the judges, was amerced in a confiderable fum, on pretence of his having allowed a criminal to efcape ; Philip Lovel was fe- verely fined on an accufation of bribery by the Jews, from whom he had collected the talliage ; a com - pany of Italian merchants called Caufini, were pro- fecuted for ufury, and obliged to compound for mo- ney, and every fcheme that could be contrived for this purpcfe was put in execution. Simon de Mont- fort earl of Leicefter had made confiderable pro- grels in Guienne, and now returning to follicit a iupply of money for profecuting his fuccefs, re- ceived part of thofe exactions, with which he went back and raifed a body of Brabantins and crofs- bovv men, who contributed to the redudton of the malcontent barons in that province. , Alexander 45 8 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A. c. 125 1. Alexander king of Scotland dying, was fucceeded SSlXith ky his fon of the fame name, who, though ftill a Alexander boy, began to fecure fome places on the border of Scoti England, and feemed to threaten an invafion. Henry forthwith afiembled a numerous army, and began his march towards the North to oppoie the progrefs of the Scottifh king ; but, before he pro- ceeded to hoftilities, John Manfel was fent before 'to treat of an accommodation. This was eafily effected by means of the match between Margaret daughter of Henry, and young Alexander, who repaired to York on a vifit to the Englifti monarch, by whom he was knighted ; and the marriage-cere- mony was performed with great folemnity, in pre- fence of Henry and the queen-mother of Scotland, attended by the chief nobility of both kingdoms. Alexander, on this occafion, did homage to his father-in-law for Lothian, but abfolutely refufed to acknowledge the dependence of his whole king- dom, until he mould have deliberated with his par- liament upon an affair of fuch confequence ; and Henry admitted the excufe. The nuptials being folemnized with great magnificence, Alexander re- ceived a bond for five thoufand marks as the por- tion of his wife, with whom he returned to his own country, whither me was attended by Maud de Canteloupe, and fome difcreet ladies appointed to-fuperintend her education. A. c. 7252. Having thus provided for the tranquillity of Extents ]7 n gi anc ^ he converted his whole attention to the money. voyage he had undertaken, and fixed the time of his departure at Midfummer. In the beginning of the year he aflembled all the prelates in London, and produced the pope's bull, commanding them to pay the tenth of their revenues ; but they abfo- lutely refufed to comply with the impofition, or even compound the matter in any fhape, alledging they could take no fteps in the affair, without the con- HENRY III. 459 concurrence of the two archbifhops, who were ab- A - c I2S1 - fent. Innocent, in order to prevent delays, was no fooner informed of their contumacy, than he accommodated Henry with frelh bulls, granting him a twentieth of all ecclefiaftical revenues, a tenth of all the lands belonging to prelates, the crufade commutation money, and that which the pope claimed as arifing from ftolen goods, ufury, and legacies for charitable ufes j at the fame time, he took the king and his dominions under his im- mediate protection. Over and above thefe refources, Henry laid a talliage on all his demefnes, as well as upon thofe that had been alienated from the crown ; nor were the late conquefls in Wales ex- empted from this impofition. After a fufficient fund had been thus provided, Henry ; the king's departure was delayed by the difturbances of Gafcony. Deputies arrived from that province, with complaints againfl the earl of Leicefter, by whom the natives were opprefled ; and Simon him- felf came over to juftify his conduct. Not con- tented with denying the imputations, caft upon his government, he, with great heat and indecency, upbraided the king for liftening to fuch frivolous complaints againft a man who had ferved him fo faithfully, and even expended his whole fortune in an employment, by which other governors had been enriched. Henry affured him, that he did not be- lieve the accufations ; and that, in order to mani- feft his innocence, he would fend commiflaries into Guienne, to examine into the conduct of the inha- bitants ; in the mean time, as a convincing proof of his confidence and regard, he fupplied him with . a fum of money, and defired he would hold him- felf in readinefs to return and real-fume his admini- ftration. The Gafcons being informed of the king's intention, deputed the archbifhop of Bourdeaux to repeat their complaints, and renew their petition for another 460 HISTORYorENGLAND. A. c. 1253. another governor; and during this prelate's refidence at London, the commiffioners returned from Gaf- cony, where they had examined the difpute between the earl and the people. Their report was favour- able to Leicefter : but as the archbifhop afiured the king, that if he mould return, there would be a total revolt in the province, Henry* rather than run the' rifque of fuch a rebellion, refolved to fa- criike Leicefter to their refemment , and ordered the articles of his impeachment to be carried before his peers, that he might be tried by the laws of the kingdom. The earl, knowing the king's caprice and inconftancy, had, by this time, engaged prince Richard, with the earl of Gloucefter, and feveral powerful noblemen in his intereft ; thus fupported rre appeared in court, and vindicated himfelf in fuch a manner as feemed fatisfactory to his judges, who were indeed refolved to acquit him, whatfoever mould happen. The archbifliop of Bourdeaux was brow beaten, and fo confounded by the partiality of the bench, that he could hardly proceed with his evidence : Henry himfelf was irritated to fuch a degree by the infolence of Leicefter, that, in the tranfport of his paflion, he could not help venting ibTne injurious expreffions, which provoked Mont- fort to accufe him of ingratitude, and demand, in the moft arrogant manner, the recompence he had fo often promifed, in confideration of his manifold Services. The king anfwered, in a rage of indig- nation, that he did not think himfelf obliged to perform his promife to a traitor : and this word was no fooner pronounced, than the other told him he lied ; that he believed he never went to confef- fion, or, if he did, it was not attended with re- pen cance. " I never repented any thing fo much *' (faid the king) as my having lavifhed fo many *' favours upon a man like you, fo deftitute of " gratitude and decorum,'' So faying, he intended to H E N R r III. 461 to arreft the earl upon the fpot; but perceiving a A - c -^s 2 " number of the barons ready to protect him, his indig- nation gave way to his fear, and he was fain to fmother his refentment : he even liftened to pro - pofals of accommodation made by the nobility, and was outwardly reconciled to Leicester, though the infolence of that nobleman had made fuch an impreffion upon his mind, 'that he could never af- 5 r m unlh terwards behold him without horror. Mat. Paris. Notwithflanding this refentment, he fent him Henry P re- ; back to Gafcony, partly becaufe he durft not ven- P aresforait i -i r expedition ture to appoint another governor, and partly from JntoCui- his apprehenfion of the earl's intrigues and ambi- enne< tion, which he could not profecute at fuch a dif- tance from the kingdom ; but, in order to indulge the Gafcons with the profpect of being one day re- lieved from his tyranny, he, by an authentic deed, conveyed that province and the ifle of Oleron to his eldeft fon Edward, referving to himfelf the fovereignty for life ; and fuch of the natives as were in England did homage to the young prince. Mean while Leicefter repaired to his government, glowing with refentment againft the Gafcons, and at his arrival fet the whole province in a flame. He renewed the hoftilities which the truce had in- terrupted, and attacked the nobility with implaca- ble fury and revenge : but his paffion hurried him into fuch indifcretion and mifconduct, that he at length found himfelf befieged in Montauban, and was obliged to purchafe a capitulation by fetting all his prifoners at liberty. Chagrined at this dif- grace, he refigned his government and retired into France, though not before he had delivered three of the ftrongeft caftles to the revolters, and in- volved the province in civil war, confufion, and anarchy. Alphonfo X. king of Caftile, taking the advantage of thefe difturbances, trumped up a claim to ibme part of it, founded upon a grant of 462 HI S T O R Y o F E N G L A N D. A.C. 1152. o f Henry II. and Eleanor of Guienne, to Alphonfo VIII. who married their daughter. He found means to engage feveral noblemen in fupport of this pretenfion ; and the whole province renounced its allegiance to Henry, except the city of Bour- deaux, and the adjoining territory, which was in the utmoit danger of being loft for want of proper A. c. iz 53 . a fiift ance from England. The pope excommuni- cated Gafton de Bearne, and all the adherents of Alphonfo ; and Henry refolved to go thither in perfon. With this view, he iflued writs for a ge- neral mufter of thofe who were obliged to have arms, that they might be in a condition to keep watch and ward in all -the towns and cities, and maintain the peace of the nation in his abfence ; then he prepared a fund for defraying the expence of the expedition, by railing an aid upon his own demefnes, and fummoning all who poflefTed fif- teen pounds a year by military tenure to come and receive knighthood. He raifed money by difpenf- ing with the execution of fome ordinances made againfi the Jews ; and, as he had a right to de- mand a fcutage of all his military tenants for the knighting of his eldeft fon, he aflembled a parlia- ment at Weftminfter, in hope that the barons would fettle it at a higher rate than he would chufe to aflefs by his own authority. Solemn _ Upon this occafion he explained the fituation cf n thTt a wT of Gafcony, and the neceflity of taking vigorous faaners. meafures for the recovery of that province. After long debates the laity agreed to the fcutage, and the prelates confented to the impofition, according to the pope's bull, which they had formerly re- jefted. But they complained of the king's having over ruled the elections of bimops and abbots, contrary to the firft article of the Magna Charta ; and in fitted upon fatisfaction for thefe grievances. The king had expected the demand, and prepared his HENRY III. 463 his anfwer accordingly. He owned that, upon A - c - 12 53- fome occafions, he had extended the royal preroga- tive too far , but that he had laid down a firm refo- lution to reform his conduct, and would take care to obferve the charters with the utmoft punctuality. In purfuance of this declaration, he, of his own accord, convened all the lords fpiritual and tempo- ral in Weftminfter-Hall, where every individual appeared with a lighted taper in his hand, while the king himfelf flood with his hand upon his heart, in token of his fmcerity. Then the arch- bifhop of Canterbury pronounced aloud a moft dreadful anathema againft all thofe who fhould directly or indirectly oppofe the execution of the two charters, or violate, diminim, or change in any fhape, the laws and conftitutions of the king- dom. This execration being denounced, the two charters were read 'with an audible voice, and con- firmed by his majefly ; and each nobleman dafhing his taper on the ground, wifhed all thofe who in- fringed the charters, might fo burn and fmoke in Mat Parilu hell -fire. Bdy. How fincere foever Henry might have been Henry com- during this ceremony, certain it is, the parliament 5J^ e ' e hi ' was no fooner difmiffed, than he endeavoured to with the free himfelf from thofe fetters to which he had fo folemnly fubjected himfelf. He was naturally in- conftant, and not at all fubject to fcruples of con- fcience ; and his favourites continually prompted him to renounce thofe reflections that difgraced his fovereign dignity. Perceiving him uneafy at the confideration of his oath, they advifed him to communicate his anxiety to the pope, who, for a pecuniary confideration, would difengage him from that maze in which he was entangled; and this pernicious counfel, fo contrary to the dictates of honour and religion, had too much influence over his future conduct. Mean while, he fummoned his 464 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. A - c - 12 53- his military tenants to meet him at Portfmouth cut the twenty-fecond clay of June, and laid an em- bargo on the (hipping for their tranfportation to the continent : but, that he might leave no ill blood in the kingdom, he thought proper to re- concile himfelf to the citizens of London, whom he had provoked by the mod arbitrary acts of op- preflion. The fair he had inftituted at Weftmin- fler, was confidered as fiich a grievance by the Londoners, that divers tumults enfued, and the populace had more than once infulted the king's Rot. Pad. fervants. Provoked at thefe outrages, he had wtn.iu.ex feized their charters, and appointed a guardian to rule over the city ; fo that being thus enflaved, they could not be friends to his adminiftration : but he now made an atonement for thefe injuries, by reftoring their charter, and augmenting their privileges with fome particular exemptions, which effectually difpelled their animofity, and removed all fymptoms of difcontent. Henry cm- This falutary meafure being taken, he appointed pwtfawnth l - ne c l ueen guardian of the realm, to be ruled by onanexpe- the direction of his brother Ri^hand, in whofe cuf- cu'cMeT t d 7 hfc left the S reat feal i and embarking at Portf- mouth on the fixth day of Auguft, arrived about the middle of the month at Bourdeaux, which he found very 'much hampered by the garrifons of Fronfac, Benanges, and La Reole. Thefe had been given up treacheroufly to the Gafcon revolters by Simon de Montfort , but they were foon re- duced by the Engliih forces, who drove the rebels out of the province, and compelled their chief, Gafton de Bearne, to take refuge with the king of *.c. iz 54 . c a fl-j] C) to whom he did homage. As this mo- narch threatened a new invafion of Gafcony, Henry wrote to the queen and prince Richard for an im- mediate reinforcement , on which a parliament was fummoned to meet at Weftminfter, where the lay- j nobility HENRY III. 45 nobility entered into a refolution . to meet in the A- 0.1254 beginning of May at London, and proceed di- redtly to Portfmouth, where they would take fhip- ping for Gafcony, provided the king of Caftile mould invade that province. The prelates of Can- terbury, Winchefter, London, and Worcefter, en- gaged to ferve in perfon, and the other bifhops promifed confiderable fupplies of money. The military tenants of the crown in Ireland were or- dered to hold themfelves in readinefs to embark at Waterford immediately after Eafter ; and an aid was demanded from the prelates and barons of that kingdom, afiembled for the purpofe at Dublin. In England the fame meafures were purfued : all who held twenty pounds a year in capite of the king, or of minors in his wardfhip, were ordered to appear at Portfmouth on the day of rendezvous ; and writs were iffued to the fhenrFs, commanding them to return two legal and difcreet knigbv,-,, to reprefent each county before the king's council at Weftminfter, to confult about levying fuch aids as they mould be willing to grant for the fervice of the king on fuch an emergency. This fubfidy, I - '' o ci j t ^ .* Kymcr however, was not granted, as the king s artairs ciaui. 3 . took a more favourable turn in Gafcony. Henry, whofe genius was not at all calculated *& for war, propofed terms of accommodat-on to the pri^ed- king of Caftile, and even to engage in a league JJ r ^ n JJ. ld with him, cemented by a marriage between :U- n^-ToAi. phonfo's half filler Eleanor and prince F.dward, fj^jj on whom he now beftowed a grant of Ireland, with the earldom of Chefter, the town and cattle of Briftol, and all his dominions on the continent, whether ufurped by foreign power or in actual pofieflion of the crown of England. This treaty was negotiated by Peter billiop of Hereford and John Manfel provofc of Beveriey, who let out with the character of ambaiTadors for the court of Cal- N 20. H h t lle > 4 66 HIS TORY OF ENGLAND. A. c. 1254. tile, where they met with fuch a favourable recep- tion, that in the beginning of April the marriage - contract was fettled, together with the articles of a treaty offenfiye and defenfive, importing that Alphonfo mould give up all claim to Gafcony ; that Henry fhould afiift him in his war againft the king of Navarre, beftow his daughter on Al- phonfo's brother, and ufe his influence with the pope to commute his vow to ferve in Paleftine, for an expedition againft the infidels of Africa ; that Gafton de Bearne, and the other lords who adhered to the king of Caftile, fhould be reftored to the pofiefiion of their eftates ; and that prince Edward fhould be brought to Bourdeaux immediately, and proceed to Burgos ; fo that he might be knighted by his Caflilian majefty, and married to his fifter within five weeks after Michaelmas. In confe- quence of this treaty young Edward, being now in the fixteenth year of his age, went over with his mother and fifter Beatrice to Bourdeaux, where he ratified the articles relating to his alliance, then proceeded to the court of Caftile, where he was received with great honours, and univerfally ad- mired. Here he remained for fome time after the folemnization of his nuptials, and returned to Bourdeaux before his father quitted that city. Henry, unwilling to rUn the rifque of a long pafiage by fea, refolved to travel by land to Calais ; and taking Paris in his way, was fumptuoufly en- tertained by Lewis, juft then returned from Palef- tine. From that capital he continued his route to the fea- fide, and arrived at Dover about the latter end of December. He made a magnificent entry into London, the citizens of which prefented him with one hundred pounds, and a mafly piece of Mat. Paris, plate of curious workmanfhip. But he did not feem fatisfied with this offering; for in a few days he fined them in a confiderable fum, for the efcape of HENRY III. 467 of a prieft accufed of murder, whom the bilhop A. 0.1254. had committed prifoner to Newgate. - , During this expedition to Guienne, Henry had The pope contracted a heavy load of debt, not only by the c^wVof expence of his fon's marriage, but alfo by an in- Sicily to confiderate contract with pope Innocent, who, not ^SlXa contented with perfecuting the emperor Frederic to of king his dying day, was refolved to effect the ruin of his Henry * whole family. He had carried on a war againft Frederic's two fons Conrad and Henry, and fent his nuncio Albert into England, with an offer of the crown of Sicily to Richard earl of Cornwall, who declined the propofal of engaging in an ex- penfive war againft liis own nephew. Henry was not fo fcrupulous ; for the fame fcheme being of- fered to his. consideration in favour of his fecond Ion Edmund, he fubmitted to all the conditions impofed by his holinefs ; engaged himfelf and his realm for unlimited fums, fupplied him with all the money in his own exchequer, as well as with what he could extort from the Jews, who were miferably dppreffed -, together with the fums he could borrow from his brother Richard and the Italian merchants at exorbitant intereft. By this time indeed his enterprize aflumed a more honour- able afpeo, e Sicilian project-, and now he found it abfolutely A ^ impofiible to pay the fums which had been bor- rowed by the late pope in his name, for the reduc- tion of that kingdom. He could not even hufh the clamours of his creditors ; and though Alex- and&r was not ignorant of his diftrefs, he practifed every method he could invent to drajn more money from this exhaufled kingdom. He fent over a nuncio called Ruftan, with bulls for raifing con- tributions on the clergy. The firft which this legate produced, impowered him to levy the tythes- in England, Ireland, and even in Scotland", for the ufe of the pope and king Henry. He after- wards " publiflied a fecond bull, propofing to com- mute the vow of a pilgrimage to Paleiline, for another to ferve againft Mainfroy as an enemy of the chriftian name ; and a cr.ufade was preached up for this purpofe, with promife of a general in- dulgence to all thofe who mould affift the holy ice in depofmg that excommunicated ufurper. The Mat. Pan*, parliament being reaflembled, Henry renewed his demand of a fubfidy with the more confidence, as he had omitted to fummon thofe barons who ap- peared the moft refractory in the laft fefilon. But he found this aftembly (launch to the fame fenti- ments ; and they even turned his own artifice againft himfelf, by affirming they could not com- ply with his demand, in the abfence of thofe who, having a right to fit in parliament, were not fum moned to attend. Thus difappointed, he difmiflec the afiembly, and converted his attention to other expedients. He in vain attempted to borrow fums from his brother Richard, who was incenfed at his H h 3 engaging 470 HISTORY OF ENGLAND; A, c. 1155. en g a gi n g \ n f uc h an enterprize without his concur- rence or advice , and this refource failing, he was obliged to depend upon the exactions of the pope ? authorized by bulls which no perfon of candour or fenfibility can read without indignation. This ra- pacious pontiff, not only oppreffed England with the moft lhameful impoiitions, but even burthened Scotland and Norway with contributions to main- tain his own private intereft. To this he facrificed the chriftians in Paleftine, by converting the fums and foldiers deftined for their relief to the conqueft of Sicily, to which he could have no juft preten- fion : practices fo little fuitable to the character of a patriarch, that they even difgracc humanity. The pope's Henry himfelf was made a dupe to the avarice fchemJ'to 1 an d villainy of Alexander ; for the immenfe fums extort mo- levied on pretence of raifing Edmund to the throne c)7rgyTf the of Sicily, were chiefly appropriated to the pope's England, own private occafions, while Mainfroy enjoyed his crown without moleftation. The debt contracted in the name of Henry for the achievement of this enterprize, amounted, according to Alexan- der's account, to one hundred thirty -five thoufand five hundred and forty marks of filver, exclufive of intereft i and as he knew the king's revenues were hardly fufficient for the expence of his houfe- hold, he contrived a notable fcheme of fraud and opprefiion, to difcharge this incumbrance. A great number of obligatory bills were expedited, owning the receipt of particular fums of money from cer- tain merchants of Sienna and Florence ; and thefe he propofed that the Englilh clergy mould fub- fcribe, for fums proportioned to the benefices of each individual. When Ruftan affembled the pre- lates on this occafion, and fignified the demand of his holinefs, the bifhop of London declared that he would rather lofe his head than fubmit to fuch tyranny. He. was feconded by the biihop of Wor- cefler 5 HENRY III. 47I cefter; and the whole affemb.ly made anfwer, that A - c - "5s- the clergy of England would not be enflaved by the pope. The nuncio complained of this refufal to Henry, who told the biihop of London he would make him feel the effeds of his indignation. The prelate, far from being difmayed, replied, that he knew the king and the pope were his fupe- riors; but that, mould they deprive him of his mitre, he would fupply its place with a helmet. The nuncio, not yet repulfed, had recourfe to pri- vate negociation. He, with the afiiflance of the bifhop of Hereford, who had engaged in the pro- ject from the beginning, cajoled fome prelates with promifes, and intimidated others with threats of profecutions and excommunication, till at length he had prepared them for implicit obedience. Then he convoked another afiembly -, but the archbifhop of Canterbury being abroad, and the fee of York vacant, the prelates made ufe of thefe pretences for poftponing the determination of this affair, and Ruftan could not deny their requeft, though he infulted in the moft virulent terms two ecclcfiaftics who ventured to explain their fentiments on the injuftice of fuch a demand. The delay produced nothing favourable to the clergy. The term of refpite which they obtained was no fooner expired than they were again affembled at London, and the nuncio renewed his demand. Leonard, agent for the clergy, replied that their poverty would not permit them to comply with the pope's man- date, which befides was highly unreafonable and imjuft. Ruftan alledged that all the churches be- longed to his holinefs, who might therefore difpofe of them according to his pleafure. Leonard denied this pofition, obferving that although the churches acknowledged the pope as their fuperior and protedtor, they never owned him as their pro- prietor j nor had he a better right to the effcfts H h 4 <* 472 HIS TORY OF ENGLAND. A. c. 1255. o f the clergy than the king had to the eftates of his people. "I 'he nuncio, enraged at this anfwer, which he could not refute, demanded aloud that every individual mould (peak for himfelf; fo as that the fentiments of each might be known to his - holinefs. His intention was to terrify the afiem- bly , but this behaviour produced a contrary ef- fecl : the prelates, incenfed at his arrogance, de- clared unanimoufly that they neither could n6r would fubmit to fuch an tmjuft exaction , and that they would fuffer death rather than alter their refo- lutiqn. Ruftan, confcious of his own indifcretion, changed his battery, and endeavoured to appeafe their refentment with fofter expreffions. He faid he would return to Rome, and endeavour to miti- gate the demand of his holinefs , and the dean of St. Paul's was deputed by the clergy to explain the A. c. iz56. mot j ves o f tne i r refufal. Alexander pretended that the fums had been really borrowed for the fervice of the king and the church of England ; and pro- pofed another expedient, from which he would not recede. He infifted upon their paying the bills according to his firft calc ulation, but agreed that the fums mould be deducted from the tythes which mighc be granted to his majeity in the fequel ; and to this determination the clergy of England were obliged to fubmit. This difference was no fooner compromifed, than the nuncio demanded one year's wool from the Ciftercians for the pope's occafions; and they anfwered, that they could not comply with the demand until it fhould be confidered in a general chapter of the order. Ruftan, exafpe- rated at this evafion, fwore that fince he could not perfuade them in a body, he would be revenged on each in particular ; and began to profecute the in- dividuals for pretended faults, which he obliged them to attone by the payment of ccnfiderablc fums. But they complained of this tyranny to the pope, HENRY III. 473 pope, with whom they had fuch influence that he A - c T2 5*. ordered the nuncio to defift from his profecutions. Aa'puf 5 ' During theie difputes between the pope and the The barons clergy, the king exerted all his influence in folli- citing the barons to grant the fubfidy he hid de- manded for elevating prince Edmund to the Sici- lian throne. The archbifhop of Medina was fent with letters from the pops to the nobility, exhort- ing them in the moft earned mannner to comply with the requeft of their fovereign. But the eager- nefs of his holinefs defeated the purpofe which it was intended to ferve; for the barons perceived that the fubfidy would pafs through the hands of Alexander, whofe integrity they had fo much rea- fon to doubt ; and they were extremely unwilling to fend forces into Italy, where they would be ex- pofed to inevitable ruin. They, therefore, refufed to comply with the king's demand, alledging that the enterprize was dangerous, and the kingdom impoverimed ; that they fhould run the riUque of an invafion by unfurnifhing the kingdom of its troops -, that the fcheme was projected without the confent of parliament ; and that the gift of the kingdom of Sicily was clogged with fuch reftric- tions by the pope, as rendered it altogether preca- rious, and unworthy of the expence with which it was attended. Thus repulfed by the parliament, he renewed his attack upon the clergy ; and, with the pope's affiftance, extorted from them a conti- nuation of the tythes which were granted at firft for the term of three years only. He likewife pro- ceeded with his exactions from the Londoners, and ether cities of the kingdom \ and even extended his acts of opprefllon to the Welfh, whom he con- fidered as his own fubjects, and fleeced accordingly. At length their patience being exhaufted with their fubftance, they had recourfe to their arms, and in- demnified themfelves by carrying off a great booty from 474 HISTORY 6 1 ENGLAND: A. c. w 5 6. f rom t he territories of England ; while the indi- gence of Henry obliged him to fit ftill, and behold his dominions thus ravaged with impunity. Mean while the pope, whofe avarice was infatiable, con- tinually importuned this weak prince for frefh fup- plies of money, and even threatened to revoke his gift of Sicily, unlefs Henry would immediately perform his promife of fending Englifh forces into Italy. The king reprefented his utter inability to defray the expence of fuch an expedition ; but ac- commodated him with five thoufand marks, and commanded prince Edward his fuccefibr, to ratify the Sicilian convention : at the fame time he com- plained of the inflexibility of his barons, who had abfolutely refufed to fupport him in the profecution of his defign. The intoie- Alexander concluding from this information that ?o b i!fnd?of h* s influence in England drew near a period, re- pope Alex- folved to improve the prefent opportunity to the andcr. utmoft of his power ; and with this view fent John de Die as his nuncio, with a frefli cargo of bulls for raifing money to pay the king's pretended debts to his holinefs. By the firft, he ordered the bi- fhops to pay the tythes granted to the king without the deduction which had been ftipulated : a fecond granted to the king all the revenues of vacant bi- ihoprics, on pretence of helping to defray his voyage to the Holy Land, though he himfelf had already agreed to a commutation of this, engagement. A third indulged him with all the revenues of fuch ecclefiaftics as did not refide in their benefices : by a fourth he was intitled to the tythes of all eccle- fiaftical revenues according to their juft valuation, whereas they were hitherto rated according to an- cient taxation : a fifth impowered Rufcan to adjudge in the king's favour the immoveables of all eccle- fiaftics who mould die inteftate : a fixth directed the nuncio to lay a tax upon all the clergy of the kins- HENRY III. 475 kingdom, for the afliftance of their fovereign, not- A - c - ">* withstanding any privileges or exemptions granted by his predecefibrs, or any oppofition that fhoulcf be made to his authority : in a feventh he excom- municated all the prelates who mould not pay their proportion within the term prefcribed ; and feveral other mandates concurred in profecution of the fame purpofe of raifing money to fatisfy the pre- tended creditors of Sienna and Florence ; though the whole treafure was abforpt in the bottomlefs Ma *- Pans; gulph of the pope's own avarice. England feemed devoted to beggary and diflrefs, R^hardearf I r r , . . of Cornwall by a concurrence or unfavourable events, which e i e a e d king gratified the king's vanity and attachment to foreign of the Ro ~ connexions. "William count of Holland, and king of the Romans, being (lain in Friefland, the princes of the empire were divided in their choice of a fuccefibr to that dignity : the majority voted in favour of Richard earl of Cornwall ; and the reft elected Alphonfo king of Caftile. The election of Richard was very difagreeable to the king of France, fituated between the two powers of Eng- land and Germany, which might unite againft him, in order to recover the dominions which had for- merly belonged to their anceflors. In this appre- A. 0.1157, henfion he fortified his frontiers, and endeavoured to intercept the earl of Gloucefter and John Man- fel, whom Richard had fent to Germany to make their obfervations on the country and ftate of the princes, before he would venture himfelf among them ; for, though he had bribed a majority, the other electors were very clamorous , the bifhop of Triers declared for Alphonfo, and even promifed great fums to thofe that would efpoufe the caufe of that monarch. Richard having received a favour- able account from his agents, refolved to go thither in perfon ; and knowing the venal difpofition of the Germans, he laid in fuch a ftore of money as c no 476 HISTORY OF ENGLAND. *,c, i 257 . no fovereign prince in Europe could have raifed on the like occafion. This he collected not only from his vaft eftate, but alfo from his farm of the mint, and from the Jews, for whom he procured an ex- emption from talliage for the fpace of five years. Thus furnimed, he embarked at Yarmouth, with the bilhops of Cologne, Liege, and Utrecht, .Flo- rence count of Holland, and feveral German no- blemen, who had come to England, in order to accompany him in his voyage - 9 and he was attended by a good number of the Englifh nobility. After having repofed himfelf two days at Dort, he pro- ceeded to Aix la Chapelle, where he was crowned king of the Romans by Conrad, archbifhop of Co- logne, as the elector of Mentz, whofe right it was to perform this ceremony, at that time lay under the fentence of excommunication. The coronation and knighthood of his eldeft ion Henry were fo- lemnized with fuch magnificence as could not but be agreeable to the mercenary Germans, who ne- verthelefs infifted upon his fending home all the Erigliih noblemen, though they had intended to fray a whole year abroad ; and having in lefs than twelve months drained Richard of the vaft fums jwat. Pati?. he had .brought along with him, treated him af- T ^ rf -~ I - terwards with indifference and contempt. Henry's ex- ,He is faicl Lo have fpent in this expedition feven ^?nffL)*I hundred thoufand pounds fterling - t an incredible *fn of ^ urn ' w hi cn > added to the repeated exactions of the , almolt deprived the kingdom entirely of its currency, and contributed, with a fcanty harvefl, to produce a calamitous dearth, which was feverely ,fek by the common people. Notwithftanding this national difafter, Henry, ftill infatuated by the Si- cilian prt>jel, importuned the clergy for a new fub- fidy, alluring them the former was not fufficient to pay the debts he had contracted ; and, in order . to foiten the hearts of the prelates, brought his fon HENRY HI. 477 Ion Edmund into the afTembly, in a Sicilian habit, A.C; z 37 . vainly imagining they would be, like himtelf, charmed- with the appearance. This, however, would have produced nothing but contempt among them, had not the nuncio interpofed his menaces, by dint of which he extorted a donation of forty thoufand pounds. Mean while the flight incurfions of the Welfh increafed to a regular war, maintained againft the Englifh by prince Llewellyn. Geoffrey de Langley, governor of the country between Chemire and the river of Conway, which had been ceded to Henry at the laft pacification, attempted to introduce the Englifh laws, and courts of judi- cature, among the inhabitants of that diftrid. The Welfh, who are extremely bigotted to their own cuftoms, took the alarm ; and, as the peace had been already violated on both fides by mutual de- predations, Llewellyn affembled a ftrong body of horfe and foot, with which he obtained feveral ad- vantages over the wardens of the Englifli marches ; he over- ran that part of Wales which was under the protection of Henry , and at length inverted the caftle of Gannock, which was built for the defence of that territory. The king had hitherto winked at his progrefs, which indeed he could not con- veniently flop ; but, now alarmed by the profpect of lofing the only conqueft he had ever made, he. fummoned his barons, and military attendants of the North, to meet him at Chefter, and appointed a rendezvous at Briftol for the weftern counties, re- folving to divide the forces of the enemy, by at- tacking them at once in different quarters : at the, fame time, he ordered a body of troops from Ire- land to land upon the ifle of Anglefey, which fup- plied the Welfh with the beft part of their provi- fions. Thefe precautions being taken, he entered North Wale* with his army, and advancing to Gan- nock, 478 HISTORY or ENGLAND. A* c. i2 57 . nock, remairted inactive till Michaelmas, in expec- tation of the Irifh forces, which never arrived , while the weftern divifion, ordered to make a di- verfion in South Wales, delayed executing their orders, pretending they could not act in the abfence of their general, Richard de Clare, earl of Gloa- cefter, who was fufpected of holding a correfpon- dence with Llewellyn : fo that Henry was obliged to return, after a very inglorious campaign, for chr. Dunft. the expence of which he had levied a confiderable Mat^Pari, f cutage *. At this period Henry ordered a Henry published a proclamation to cry gold coin to be ftruck, of the weight it down, defiring all thofe who had of two fterlings, or filver pennies ; but taken it in payment to bring it to his this, which was the firft gold coined exchange, where they received the cur. by any king of England, giving um- ren t value, deducing one halfpennj brage to the citizens of London, who for coinage. Carte ex lib. de Leg. petitioned againft it, probably en ac- Antiq. couat of fome deficiency in the weight, End of the SECOND VOLUME, University of California SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY 405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90024-1388 Return this material to the library from which it was borrowed. NOV 301995 THE LIBRARY IflllVERSITY or UFOB10A GELES 1651 iiiiill _A 000007488 o