Chapter XIII: Part 13

In the moneth of Maie, prince Edward the kings sonne set forward on his iournie towards the holie land, and taking the sea at Douer, passed ouer into France, and came to Burdeaux, where he staied a while, and after went to Agues Mortes, and there tooke shipping, first sailing (as some write) vnto Thunis, where the christian armie, which Lewes the French king as then deceassed had brought thither, was readie to depart, and so prince Edward, with the new French king Lewes and other princes passed ouer into Sicill, where he soiourned for the winter time. In this yeare the king was vexed with a gréeuous sicknesse: and the Irishmen in rebellion slue a great sort of Englishmen, as well magistrats as others in that countrie.

[Sidenote: An. Reg. 55.]

[Sidenote: 1271.]

[Sidenote: Prince Edward arriueth at Acres.]

[Sidenote: _Abington._]

[Sidenote: Arsacide, of some named Assassini. Prince Edw. is traitorouslie wounded.]

When the spring of the yeare began to approach, prince Edward eftsoones tooke the sea, and finallie arriued at Acres with a thousand chosen men of warre, though there be writers that affirme, how there arriued with him of sundrie countries fiue thousand horsemen, and double the same number of footmen. But amongst those that went out of England with him, these we find as principall, Iohn de Britaine, Iohn de Vescie, Otes de Grantson, and Robert de Bruse, besides other. Of his noble chiualrie there atchiued, yée shall find a bréefe note in the description of the holie land, and therefore here we omit the same. Howbeit this is to be remembred, that whilest the lord Edward soiorned there in the citie of Acres, he was in great danger to haue béene slaine by treason: for a traitorous Saracen of that generation which are called Arsacidæ, and latelie reteined by the same lord Edward, and become verie familiar with him, found means one day as he sat in his chamber, to giue him thrée wounds, which suerlie had cost him his life, but that one of the princes chamberleins staied the traitors hand, and somewhat brake the strokes, till other seruants came to the rescue, and slue him there in the place.

[Sidenote: Part Iapha.]

[Sidenote: The generation of the Arsacide, or Assassins.]

[Sidenote: An. Reg. 56]

¶ There be that write, how prince Edward himselfe, perceiuing the traitor to strike at his bellie, warded the blowe with his arme: and as the Saracen offered to haue striken againe, he thrust him backe to the ground with his foot, and catching him by the hand, wrested the knife from him, and thrusting him into the bellie, so killed him, though in strugling with him, he was hurt againe a little in the forhead: and his seruants withall comming to helpe him, one of them that was his musician, got vp a trestill and stroke out the braines of the traitor, as he laie dead on the ground, and was blamed of his master for striking him, after he saw him once dead before his face, as he might perceiue him to be. Some write, that this traitor was sent from the great admerall of Iapha, on message to the prince Edward, and had béene with him diuerse times before, & now making countenance to take forth letters, got foorth his knife, and attempted so to haue wrought his feat. Whatsoeuer the man was, the prince was in great danger, by reason of the enuenimed knife wherewith he was wounded, so that it was long yer he could be perfectlie whole. These Saracens called Arsacidæ, are a wicked generation of men, infected with such a superstitious opinion, that they beléeue heauenlie blisse is purchased of them, if they can by anie means slea one of the enimies of their religion, & suffer themselues for that fact the most cruell death that may be deuised. ¶ Prince Edward, after he was whole and recouered of his wounds, perceiuing that no such aid came into these parts out of christendome, as was looked for, tooke a truce with the enimies of our faith, and returned towards England, as hereafter shall be shewed.

[Sidenote: 1272.]

[Sidenote: _Nic. Triuet._]

[Sidenote: _Matt. West._]

[Sidenote: The decease of the king of Almaine.]

[Sidenote: His issue.]

[Sidenote: Edmund, erle of Cornewall.]

On the fourth nones of Aprill (as some saie) or in the moneth of Februarie (as other write) in the six and fiftith yeare of K. Henries reigne at Berkhamstéed, died Richard king of Almaine and earle of Cornewall, and was buried in the abbeie of Hailes which he himselfe had founded: he was a worthie prince, and stood his brother king Henrie in great stead; in handling matters both in peace and warre. He left behind him issue begotten of his wife Sanctla two sonnes, Edmund and Henrie. This Edmund was he that brought the blood of Hailes out of Germanie: for as he was there vpon a time with his father, it chanced that as he was beholding the relikes, and other pretious monuments of the ancient emperors, he espied a box of gold: by the inscription whereof he perceiued (as the opinion of men then gaue) that therein was conteined a portion of the bloud of our sauiour.

[Sidenote: The blood of Hailes.]

[Sidenote: Ashrug abbeie built.]

[Sidenote: Bonhommes.]

He therefore, being desirous to haue some part thereof, so intreated him that had the kéeping of it, that he obteined his desire, and brought it ouer with him into England, bestowing a third part thereof after his fathers deceasse in the abbeie of Hailes, as it were to adorne and inrich the same, bicause that therein both his father and mother were buried; and the other two parts he did reserue in his owne custodie, till at length mooued vpon such deuotion as was then vsed; he founded an abbeie a little from his manour of Berkhamstéed: which abbeie was named Ashrug, in the which he placed moonks of the order of Bonhommes, being the first that euer had béene séene of that order here in England. And herewith he also assigned the two other parts of that bloud to the same abbeie. Wherevpon followed great resort of people to those two places, induced therevnto by a certeine blind deuotion.

[Sidenote: The L. Henrie sonne to the K. of Almaine murdered in Italie.]

[Sidenote: Robert Kilwarbie archbh. of C[=a]turburie.]

Henrie the brother of this Edmund, and sonne to the foresaid king of Almaine, as he returned from Affrike, where he had béene with prince Edward, was slaine at Viterbo in Italie (whither he was come about businesse which he had to doo with the pope) by the hand of Guie de Montfort, the sonne of Simon de Montfort earle of Leicester, in reuenge of the same Simons death. This murther was committed afore the high altar, as the same Henrie knéeled there to heare diuine seruice. The foresaid Guie vpon that murther committed, fled vnto his father in law, the earle of Anguilare, then gouernour of Tuskain. There was at Viterbo the same time Philip king of France, returning homewards from the iournie which his father made into Affrike, where he died. Also Charles king of Sicill was there present, whome the said Guie then serued. Both those kings were put in much blame, for that the murther and wilfull escape was doone and suffred in their presence and no pursuit made after the murtherer. Boniface the archbishop of Canturburie, when he had ruled the sea seauen and thirtie yeares, departed this life: and after his deceasse, about two yeares or more, was one Robert Kilwarbie appointed in his place by pope Gregorie, which Robert was the six and fortith archbishop that had gouerned the sée of Canturburie.

[Sidenote: A fraie betwixt the moonks and citizens of Norwich.]

[Sidenote: Thirtie of the citizens of Norwich hanged and burnt.]

About the moneth of Iune there fell great debate and discord betwixt the moonks of Norwich and the citizens there; which increased so farre, that at length the citizens with great violence assaulted the monasterie, fired the gates, and forced the fire so with réed and drie wood, that the church with the bookes, and all other ornaments of the same, and all houses of office belonging to that abbeie were cleane burned, wasted, and destroied, so that nothing was preserued except one little chapell. The king hearing of this riot, rode to Norwich, and causing inquirie to be made thereof, thirtie yoong men of the citie were condemned, hanged and burnt, to the great gréefe of the other citizens, for they thought that the priour of the place was the occasion of all that mischéefe, who had got togither armed men, and tooke vpon him to kéepe the belfraie and church by force of armes: but the prior was well inough borne out, and defended by the bishop of Norwich, named Roger, who (as it is likelie) was the maister of the mischéefe, though hands were not laid vpon him nor his adherents: perhaps for feare, peraduenture for fauour; & no maruell though the lesse faultie lost their liues as most guiltie, for

----rarus venator ad vrsos
Accedit, tutos conseruat sylua leones,
Debilibus robusta nocent, & grandia paruis,
Ales fulminiger timidos infestat olores,
Accipiter laniat turdos mollésq; columbas,
Versicolor coluber ranas miserásq; lacertas,
Irretit muscas transmittit aranea vespas.

[Sidenote: A iusts and tornie holden at Chalons.]

The king returning by saint Edmundsburie, after he had doone his deuotions to S. Edmunds shrine, began to waxe somewhat crasie: but after hauing a little recouered his health, he called a councell there, wherein he went about to haue taken order for the punishment of rebels: but his sicknesse againe renewing, he brake vp the assemblie, and with all spéed hasted to London. Prince Edward vpon his returne out of the holie land came to Chalons in Burgogne, & at the request of the earle he did attempt with his companie panic to hold a iustes and tournie against the said earle & all other commers. And though through disdaine and spite there was homelie plaie shewed, vpon purpose to put the Englishmen to the foile & reproch; yet by high valiancie prince Edward and his companie bare themselues so worthilie, that in the end the aduersaries were well beaten, and constreined to leaue the honor of that enterprise to the said prince Edward and his partakers. After this, he kept on his iornie till he came vnto Paris, where he was honourablie receiued of the French king, and from thence he went to Burdeaux, and there remained till after his fathers death.

[Sidenote: An. Reg. 57.]

[Sidenote: King Henrie departeth this life.]

[Sidenote: The earle of Glocester.]

[Sidenote: The issue of king Henrie the third.]

In this meane time king Henrie, being returned to London from saint Edmundsburie (as before yée haue heard) his sicknesse so increased vpon him, that finallie he departed at Westminster on the sixtéenth day of Nouember, in the yeare of our Sauiour 1272, after he had liued thréescore and fiue yeares, and reigned fiftie and six yeares, and seauen and twentie daies. A little before his death, when he perceiued that he could no longer liue, he caused the earle of Glocester to come before him, and to be newlie sworne to kéepe the peace of the land, to the behoofe of his sonne prince Edward. His bodie was buried at Westminster. He had issue by his wife quéene Elianor two sonnes, the foresaid Edward, prince of Wales, that succéeded him; and Edmund earle of Lancaster, by some authors surnamed Crouchbacke, though (as other affirme vntrulie) that this Edmund was the elder brother: but bicause he was a deformed person, therefore his yonger brother Edward was preferred to the kingdome, which was deuised of purpose to conueie a right to king Henrie the fourth, which fetched the descent from the said Edmund, and by force vsurped and held the crowne, as after it may appeare. Moreouer, king Henrie had thrée daughters by the said Elianor, as Margaret maried to Alexander king of Scots, Beatrice whom the duke of Britaine had to wife, and Catharine which died before she was mariable.

[Sidenote: His proportion of bodie.]

[Sidenote: His conditi[=o].]

He was of bodie well cast and strong, of a good stature in heigth, well fauoured of face, with the lid of one of his eies comming downe, so as it almost couered the apple of the same eie. Of nature he was courteous, and of stomach rather noble than stout; a deuout prince and liberall towards the poore and néedie. Yet he wanted not dispraise in some points, namelie for that in ordering of things and weightie affaires, he vsed small consideration. He was also noted to be a great taker of monie by loanes, taxes, and subsidies: but therevnto he was inforced by necessitie, to beare the charges of warre and other publike affaires, than of any couetous mind or purpose to serue his owne turne. ¶ What capteins of honour among the nobilitie liued in his time, it may appeare by the course of the historie of his age.

Of sundrie learned men these we find mentioned in maister Bales centuries and others. Walter of Couentrie an historiographer: Radulphus Niger that wrote both histories and other treatises, Geruasius de Melkelie, Albricius of London, Robert Curson a man excellentlie learned both in diuine and humaine letters, so that comming to the court of Rome he there grew in such estimation, that he became a cardinall, of whom we find this recorded by Matthew Westminster and Matthew Paris. [At the taking of Damiate, a citie in Aegypt, there was with Pelagius, the cardinall of Alba, the popes legat, master Robert Curson an Englishman a most famous clerke, borne of a noble house, and cardinall of the church of Rome.] These are reported to florish in the daies both of king Iohn and king Henrie his sonne.

In the said kings time also there liued other learned men, as these; Hugh Kirkestéed, Richard of Elie, Peter Henham, Iohn Giles or de Sancto Egidio an excellent physician, Caducan a Welshman borne and bishop of Bangor, Alexander a singular learned man that wrote diuerse and manie treatises as well in diuinitie as philosophie and humanitie, both in verse and prose; also Stephan Langton, that for his singular knowledge was made high chancellor of the vniuersitie of Paris, and at length was admitted archbishop of Canturburie, against the will of king Iohn, in which quarell so great trouble insued, as before yée haue partlie heard; Rafe Coggeshall also liued in king Henries daies, that wrote the appendix vnto the chronicle of Ralfe Niger, he was abbat of Coggeshall abbeie in Essex, whereof he tooke his surname: William Lanthonie, Peter of S. Sauior, a canon of the house called S. Sauior, or of the trinitie by London; Alexander Hailes a frier of the order of the minors, who wrote manie treatises in diuinitie; Richard surnamed Medicus a most learned physician, and no lesse expert in philosophie and the mathematicals. There be also remembred by maister Bale, Randulfe the earle of Chester, the third and last of that name, who hauing great knowledge and vnderstanding in the lawes of this land, compiled a booke of the same lawes, as a witnesse of his great skill therein: Alexander Wendocke bishop of Chester, Iohn Blund, Edmund Rich, Robert Rich, Henrie Bracton, that excellent lawier, who wrote the booke commonlie called Bracton after his name, intituled De consuetudinibus Angiicanis; Richard surnamed Theologus, Walter de Euesham, Ralfe Fresborne, Laurence Somercote, brother as it is thought to Robert Somercote, at that time a cardinall of the Romane church; Nicholas Fernham a physician, Robert Bacon a notable diuine, Simon Langton, brother to the archbishop of Canturburie Stephan Langton; Richard Fisaker, Simon Stokes, Iohn of Kent or Kantianus, William Shirwood, Michaell Blaunpaine, Iohn Godard, Vincent of Couentrie, Alberike Véer, Richard Wich, Iohn Basing aliàs de Basingstoke, Roger Waltham, William Seningham, Robert Crosted that learned bishop of Lincolne, whose memorie amongst the learned will remaine while the world lasteth.

Thus farre Henrie the third.

Transcriber's Notes:

Simple spelling, grammar, and typographical errors were
corrected.

Punctuation normalized.

Anachronistic and non-standard spellings retained as printed
except as noted below.

The author's usage of accents was inconsistent. Specifically
accented "ée" is far more prevalent than "ee" even for the same
word. Changed all instances of "ee" to "ée"

Italics markup is enclosed in _underscores_.

P. 341 footnote is actually "Sée pag." in the original. As it
doesn't appear cutoff this must have been a typo by omission.

Symbols for Diacritical Marks
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