Chapter VIII: Part II: Miscellaneous Sources (4)

About this time the monks of the church of Canterbury appeared before our lord the Pope, to plead a disgraceful dispute which had arisen between themselves; for a certain part of them, by authenticated letters of the convent, presented Reginald, sub-prior of Canterbury, as they had often done, to be archbishop-elect, and earnestly required the confirmation of his election; the other portion of the same monks had, by letters alike authentic, presented John, bishop of Norwich, showing by many arguments that the election of the sub-prior was null, not only because it had been made by night, and without the usual ceremonies, and without the consent of the King, but also because it had not been made by the older and wiser part of the convent; and thus setting forth these reasons, they asked that that election should be confirmed, which was made before fitting witnesses in open day and by consent, and in the presence of the King. At length, after long arguments on both sides, our lord the Pope, seeing that the parties could not agree in fixing on the same person, and that both elections had been made irregularly, and not according to the decrees of the holy canons, by the advice of his cardinals, annulled both elections, laying the apostolic interdict on the parties, and by definitive judgment ordering, that neither of them should again aspire to the honours of the archbishopric. When at length the letters of our lord the Pope came to the notice of the English King, he was exceedingly enraged, as much at the promotion of Stephen Langton, as at the annulling of the election of the bishop of Norwich, and accused the monks of Canterbury of treachery; for he said that they had, to the prejudice of his rights, elected their sub-prior without his permission, and afterwards, to palliate their fault by giving satisfaction to him, they chose the bishop of Norwich; that they had also received money from the treasury for their expenses in obtaining the confirmation of the said bishop's election from the apostolic see; and to complete their iniquity, they had there elected Stephen Langton, his open enemy, and had obtained his consecration to the archbishopric. On this account the said King, in the fury of his anger and indignation, sent Fulk de Cantelu and Henry de Cornhill, two most cruel and inhuman knights, with armed attendants, to expel the monks of Canterbury, as if they were guilty of a crime against his injured majesty from England, or else to consign them to capital punishment. These knights were not slow to obey the commands of their lord, but set out for Canterbury, and, entering the monastery with drawn swords, in the King's name fiercely ordered the prior and monks to depart immediately from the kingdom of England as traitors to the King's Majesty; and they affirmed with an oath that, if they (the monks) refused to do this, they would themselves set fire to the monastery, and the other offices adjoining it, and would burn all the monks themselves with their buildings. The monks, acting unadvisedly, departed without violence or laying hands on anyone; all of them, except thirteen sick men who were lying in the infirmary unable to walk, forthwith crossed into Flanders, and were honourably received at the Abbey of St. Bertinus and other monasteries on the Continent. Afterwards, by the orders of the King, some monks of the order of St. Augustine were placed in the church of Canterbury in their stead to perform the duties there; the before-mentioned bulk managing, and even distributing and confiscating, all the property of the same monks, whilst their lands and those of the archbishop remained uncultivated. The aforesaid monks were driven from their monastery into exile on the fourteenth of July.

THE INTERDICT (1208).

+Source.+--_Roger of Wendover_, Vol. II., _Annal 1208_. Bohn's Libraries. G. Bell & Sons.

The Bishops of London, Ely, and Winchester, in execution of the legateship entrusted to them, went to King John, and after duly setting forth the apostolic commands, entreated of him humbly and with tears, that he, having God in his sight, would recall the archbishop and the monks of Canterbury to their Church, and honour and love them with perfect affection, and they informed him that thus he would avoid the shame of an interdict, and the Disposer of rewards, would if he did so, multiply his temporal honours on him, and after his death would bestow lasting glory on him. When the said bishops wished, out of regard to the King, to prolong the discourse, the King became nearly mad with rage, and broke forth in words of blasphemy against the Pope and his cardinals, swearing by God's teeth, that, if they or any other priests soever presumptuously dared to lay his dominions under an interdict, he would immediately send all the prelates of England, clerks as well as ordained persons, to the Pope, and confiscate all their property; he added, moreover, that all the clerks of Rome or of the Pope himself who could be found in England or in his other territories, he would send to Rome with their eyes plucked out, and their noses slit, that by these marks they might be known there from other people; in addition to this, he plainly ordered the bishops to take themselves quickly from his sight if they wished to keep their bodies free from harm.

THE BATTLE OF BOUVINES (1214).

+Source.+--_Matthew of Westminster_, Vol. II., p. 119. Bohn's Libraries. G. Bell & Sons.

The Count of Flanders and William, Earl of Salisbury, by making a prodigal distribution of the King's treasures, collected a numerous army of hired mercenaries, having formed a design of suddenly attacking Philip, King of France on a Sunday, as he was not accustomed to bear arms on that day. They had also great hope from, and great reliance in, the wisdom and assistance of the Emperor Otho, who was, as it were, watching for a struggle with a drawn sword.

Accordingly the battle of Bouvines in Flanders was fought, and great bravery was shown on both sides. The King of France had three fine horses stabbed under him, nevertheless by the assistance of God he that day gained an important triumph over his enemies. Many nobles both of the Empire and of the kingdom of England were taken prisoners, but the Emperor escaped with a few of his men who were at hand. To the greater confusion of King John, he was repulsed from the castle which is called Monk's Rock, in consequence of the arrival of Louis, a son of the King of France; so that hearing the news of the taking of his nobles at Bouvines, he felt both God and man were offended with, and hostile to him. Accordingly he fled disgracefully and ignominiously from the siege before mentioned, and if he had not given eleven thousand marks of silver for a truce for 3 years and then retreated into England with all speed, he would no doubt have been taken, to his great disgrace.

EVENTS LEADING TO THE MAGNA CHARTA (1214).

+Source.+--_Roger of Wendover_, Vol. II., _Annal 1214_. Bohn's Libraries. G. Bell & Sons.

On the 25th of August in the same year, Stephen, Archbishop of Canterbury, with the bishops, abbots, priors, deacons, and barons of the kingdom assembled at St. Paul's in the City of London, and there the archbishop granted permission to the Conventual Churches, as well as to the secular priests, to chant the services of the church in a low voice, in the hearing of their parishioners. At this conference, as report asserts, the said archbishop called some of the nobles aside to him, and conversed privately with them to the following effect: "Did you hear," said he, "how, when I absolved the King at Winchester, I made him swear that he would do away with unjust laws, and would recall good laws, such as those of King Edward, and cause them to be observed by all in the kingdom; a Charter of Henry Ist of England has just now been found, by which you may, if you wish it, recall your long-lost rights and your former condition."

* * * * *

On the Monday next after the octaves of Easter, the said barons assembled in the town of Brackley, and when the King learned this, he sent the archbishop of Canterbury, and William Marshal earl of Pembroke, with some other prudent men, to them to enquire what the laws and liberties were which they demanded. The barons then delivered to the messengers a paper, containing in great measure the laws and ancient customs of the kingdom, and declared that, unless the King immediately granted them and confirmed them under his own seal, they would, by taking possession of his fortresses, force him to give them sufficient satisfaction as to their before-named demands. The archbishop with his fellow messengers then carried the paper to the King, and read to him the heads of the paper one by one throughout.

The King when he heard the purport of these heads, derisively said, with the greatest indignation, "Why, amongst these unjust demands, did not the barons ask for my kingdom also? Their demands are vain and visionary, and are unsupported by any plea of reason whatever." And at length he angrily declared with an oath, that he would never grant them such liberties as would render him their slave. The principal of these laws and liberties, which the nobles required to be confirmed to them, are partly described above in the Charter of King Henry, and partly extracted from the old laws of King Edward as the following history will show in due time.

KING JOHN AND THE ABBOT OF CANTERBURY.

[Traditional ballad of the 13th century. Probably of Coptic folk-lore and transferred to John. Thus it illustrates the reputation of John and not an actual incident.]

An ancient story I'll tell you anon
Of a notable prince that was called King John;
And he ruled England with main and with might,
For he did great wrong and maintain'd little right.

And I'll tell you a story, a story so merry
Concerning the Abbot of Canterbury;
How for his house-keeping, and high renown,
They rode post for him to London town.

An hundred men the King did hearsay,
The Abbot kept in his house every day;
And fifty gold chains, without any doubt,
In velvet coats waited the Abbot about.

"How now, father Abbot, I hear it of thee,
Thou keepest a far better house than me,
And for thy house-keeping, and high renown,
I fear thou work'st treason against my crown."

"My liege," quo' the Abbot, "I would it were known,
I never spend nothing but what is my own;
And I trust, your grace will do me no dere,
For spending of my own true-gotten gere."

"Yes, yes, father Abbot, thy fault it is high,
And now for the same thou needest must die;
For except thou canst answer me questions three,
Thy head shall be smitten from thy body.

"And first," quo' the King, "When I'm in this stead,
With my crown of gold so fair on my head;
Among all my liege-men so noble of birth
Thou must tell me to one penny what I am worth.

"Secondly, tell me, without any doubt,
How soon I may ride the whole world about;
And at the third question thou must no shrink,
But tell me here truly, what I do think."

"O, these are hard questions for my shallow wit,
Nor I cannot answer your grace as yet;
But if you will give me but three weeks' space,
I'll do my endeavour to answer your grace."

"Now three weeks' space to thee I will give,
And that is the longest time thou hast to live;
For if thou dost not answer my questions three,
Thy lands and thy livings are forfeit to me."

Away rode the Abbot all sad at that word,
And he rode to Cambridge and Oxenford;
But never a doctor there was so wise,
That could with his learning an answer devize.

Then home rode the Abbot of comfort so cold,
And he met his shepherd a going to fold:
"How now, my lord Abbot, you are welcome home;
What news do you bring us from good King John?"

"Sad news, sad news, shepherd, I must give;
That I have but three days more to live:
For if I do not answer him questions three,
My head will be smitten from my body.

"The first is to tell him there in that stead
With his crown of gold so fair on his head,
Among all his liege-men so noble of birth,
To within one penny of what he is worth.

"The second, to tell him, without any doubt,
How soon he may ride this whole world about:
And at the third question I must not shrink,
But tell him there truly what he does think."

"Now cheer up, sir Abbot, did you never hear yet,
That a fool he may learn a wise man to wit?
Lend one horse, and serving men, and your apparel,
And I'll ride to London to answer your quarrel.

"Nay, frown not, if it hath been told unto me,
I am like your lordship as ever may be;
And if you will but lend me your gown,
There is none shall know us at fair London town."

"Now horses, and serving men thou shalt have,
With sumptuous array most gallant and brave;
With crozier, and mitre, and rochet, and cope,
Fit to appear 'fore our father the Pope."

"Now welcome Sir Abbot," the King he did say,
"'Tis well thou'rt come back to keep thy day;
For an if thou canst answer my questions three,
Thy life and thy living both savéd shall be.

"And first, when thou seest here in this stead,
With my crown of gold so fair on my head,
Among all my liege-men so noble of birth,
Tell me to one penny what I am worth."

"For thirty pence our Saviour was sold
Among the false Jews, as I have been told;
And twenty-nine is the worth of thee,
For I think thou art one penny worser than he."

The King he laughed and swore by St. Bittel
"I did not think I had been worth so little!
--Now secondly tell me, without any doubt,
How soon I may ride this whole world about."

"You must rise with the sun, and ride with the same,
Until the next morning he riseth again;
And then your grace need not make any doubt,
But in twenty-four hours you'll ride it about."

The King he laughed and swore by St. John,
"I did not think it could be gone so soon!
--Now from the third question thou must not shrink,
But tell me here truly what I do think."

"Yea, that I shall do, and make your grace merry:
You think I'm the Abbot of Canterbury;
But I'm his poor shepherd, as plain you may see,
That am come to beg pardon for him and for me."

The King he laughed and swore by the mass,
"I'll make thee lord abbot this day in his place!"
"Now, nay, my liege, be not in such speed,
For alack, I can neither write, nor read."

"Four nobles a week, then, I will give thee,
For this merry jest thou hast shown unto me;
And tell the old Abbot when thou comest home,
Thou has brought him a pardon from good King John."

THE LAST DAYS OF KING JOHN (1216).

+Source.+--_Matthew of Westminster_, Vol. II., pp. 127, 128. G. Bell & Sons.

Prince Louis and all his followers embarked on board the ships, and came with a fair wind to the isle of Thanet, and anchored in the place which is called Stanhore, on the 21st of May. King John was at that time with his army at Dover, but as he was surrounded by a band of foreign mercenaries, who loved Louis more than John, King of England, he did not dare to encounter Louis in a hostile manner, lest his troups might perchance desert King John himself in his necessity, and transfer themselves to Louis. From which considerations he preferred retreating at the time to engaging in a doubtful battle. Therefore, he retreated, and withdrew to Canterbury, and left and entrusted the Castle of Dover to the custody and good faith of Hubert de Burgh. And soon afterwards, Gualo, the legate, landed in England, for the protection of King John and the kingdom against Louis and his partisans. But King John fled as far as Winchester, and Louis, when he found that no one offered to resist him, disembarked from his ships, and landing at Sandwich, subdued immediately the whole of that district, with the exception of the town of Dover, and hastening towards London, he made himself master of the Castle of Rochester, and on the 2nd of June he arrived in London, where first of all he offered up prayers at St. Paul's, and was afterwards publicly received by the clergy and laity with great joy, and received the fealty and homage of all the barons. And shortly afterwards, namely on the 14th of June, the city of Winchester was surrendered to him; and on the day after the feast of Saint John, he took the castle of the city, and the bishop's castle also; and on the 9th of July he received the submission of the Castles of Odiham, Farnham, Guildford and Reigate. The Castle of Windsor was besieged by the earls and barons of both France and England, but they were forced to retreat from before it, without succeeding in their object. But the Castle of Cambridge was taken by the barons, with twenty esquires which were found in it.

The same year Gualo, the legate, exacted visitation fees throughout all England, from all the cathedral churches and houses of religious brotherhoods, fixing each visitation fee at fifty shillings. He also seized all the benefices of the clergy and men of religious orders, who adhered to Louis and the barons, and converted them to the use of his own clergy. In the meantime, King John, inflamed with the madness of passion, oppressed and grievously afflicted the provinces of Suffolk and Norfolk. Then, continuing his march towards the north, he irrecoverably lost his carriages, and much of his baggage at Wellester, where they were swallowed up by a quicksand. And when he heard the news he grieved inconsolably, and redoubling deep sighs, he passed the night at Swineshead Abbey, belonging to the Carthusian order, where according to his custom, he gorged himself with peaches soaked in new wine and cider, and being greatly absorbed in grief for his recent loss, he became attacked with a severe illness.

But the next day, concealing his illness lest the enemy should triumph over him, he, though with difficulty, mounted his horse; and soon afterwards, having had a litter drawn by horses made for him, he dismounted from his palfrey and entered it, and in this way he came to the Castle of Leadford, where he spent the night, and found his disease increase greatly. But the next day he was carried forwards and arrived at the Castle of Newark where he took to his bed, and his sickness assumed a fatal appearance; and summoning the Abbot of Crofestune, who was skilful in the art of medicine, to his side, he confessed himself to him, and received the eucharist from him. And he appointed Henry, his eldest son, the heir of his kingdom, bequeathing his body to the Church of Worcester, under the protection of Saint Wolstan. After this, with the greatest bitterness of spirit, he cursed all his barons, instead of bidding them farewell; and in this manner, poor, deprived of all his treasures, and not retaining the smallest portion of land in peace, so that he was truly called Lackland, he most miserably departed from this life on the night following the next after the day of Saint Luke the Evangelist. And because this John made himself detestable to many persons, not only on account of the death of his nephew, Arthur, but also on account of his tyrannical conduct, and of the tribute with which he bound the kingdom of England under perpetual slavery, and of the war which his misdeeds provoked, he scarcely deserved to be mourned by the lamentations of any one.

The following are the territories which John lost by his cruelties and oppressions, which he did not resist from doing to everyone. First of all the duchy of Normandy, the County of Blois, the County of Maine, Anjou, Poitou, the Limosin, Auvergne and Angoulême. And all these districts at one time belonged to King John. Besides this he subjected England and Ireland to the payment of tribute, and never recovered any of his losses, to the day of his death.

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