Part 15

Here would king Henrie the father, that his son the king should receiue homage of his brethren Richard earle of Poictow, and Geffrey earle of Britaine. The earle of Britaine did not staie at the matter, but the earle of Poictow refused, alledging that it was not conuenient so long as their father liued, to acknowledge any superioritie to their brother: for as the fathers inheritance was due to the eldest sonne, so he claimed the lands which he held due to him in right of his mother. [Sidenote: _Wil. Paruus._] This deniall so much offended his brother the king, that afterwards when Richard would haue doone homage, he would not receiue it, [Sidenote: _Polydor._] whervpon Richard departed from the court in great displeasure, & comming into Poictow, began to fortifie his castels & townes, that he might be in readinesse to stand vpon his safegard, if his father or brethren should come to pursue him. King Henrie the sonne followed him, set on by the earles and barons of Poictow, which for the sharpe and cruell gouernement of earle Richard, hated him mortallie. [Sidenote: _Ger. Dor._] Againe on the other side, the fauourable courtesie, séemelie personage, and other noble qualities which they saw in the yoong king, [Sidenote: _Rog. Houed._ War betwixt the brethren.] moued them to take part with him against Richard, and shortlie after their brother Geffrey came with a great armie in aid of his brother the king, in so much that earle Richard not knowing how to shift off the present danger, sent to his father for aid, who being verie sorie in his mind to sée such vnnaturall dealing among his sonnes, gathered an armie and set forward.

He had a little before trauelled to set them at one, in somuch that where earle Richard held a castell named Clareualx, which after the fathers deceasse ought to remaine vnto king Henrie the son, vpon his complaint thereof made, the father did so much with the earle, that he surrendered it into his fathers hands. [Sidenote: The father séeketh to appease the quarell betwixt his sonnes.] Immediatlie after all the three sonnes came to Angers, and there sware to be obedient vnto their fathers will, and to serue him against all men: whervpon he appointed them a daie to meet at Mirabell, where the barons of Guien should also be, vnto whom king Henrie the sonne had sworne to aid them against earle Richard. Herewith was earle Geffrey sent vnto them to persuade them to peace and quietnesse, and to come vnto Mirabell according to king Henrie the fathers appointment: [Sidenote: Earle Geffrey dealeth vnfaithfullie.] but in stéed of persuading them to peace (contrarie to his oth so oftentimes receiued) he procured them to pursue the warre both against his father and his brother earle Richard: and no maruell, for Malè sarta gratia nunquam benè coalescit.

King Henrie the sonne remaining with his father, shewed outwardlie that he wished for peace, but his meaning was all contrarie, and so obtained licence of his father to go vnto Limoges, that he might labour to reduce both his brother Geffrey, and the barons of Guien vnto quietnesse. But such dissembling was put in practise by king Henrie, that when the father followed with an armie, and came vnto Limoges, in stéed of receiuing him with honor, as it had béene their duties to haue doone, they shot at him, and pearsed through his vppermost armor, so that both he and his sonne Richard were constreined to depart. Howbeit afterwards he entered that citie, and comming foorth of it againe to talke with his sonnes, those within Limoges eftsoones rebelled, so that certeine of them within, shot the horsse whereon king Henrie the father rode into the head. And if it had so chanced, that the horsse in casting vp his head had not receiued the blow, the arrow had light in the kings brest, to the great danger & perill of his person. Neither did his sonnes the king and his brother Geffrey go about to sée such an heinous attempt punished, but rather séemed to like well of it, and to mainteine those most malicious enimies of their souereigne lord and father, for they ioined with them against him, although king Henrie the sonne made countenance to be willing to reconcile his brother and the barons of Guien to his father by waie of some agréement: [Sidenote: The disloiall dissembling of the yoong king.] but his double dealing was too manifest, although indeed he abused his fathers patience for a while, who was desirous of nothing more than to win his sonnes by some courteous meanes, and therefore diuerse times offered to pardon all offenses committed by his enimies, at the suit of his sonne the king, who in déed offered himselfe now and then as an intreatour, but that was onelie to win time that his brother with such Brabanders and other souldiers as he had with him in aid, beside the forces of the barons of Guien, might worke the more mischéefe against their father and their brother earle Richard, in wasting and destroieng their countries that stood stedfast on their side.

In the meane time Richard the archbishop of Canturburie, and diuerse other bishops and abbats both of England and Normandie assembled togither at Caen, and in the abbeie church of S. Stephan pronounced the sentence of excommunication against all those that did hinder and impeach their purpose, which was to haue peace and concord concluded betwixt the king and his sonnes, the same sonnes onlie out of the said sentence excepted.

Diuerse shiftes were made by king Henrie the sonne, and his brother earle Geffrey also to get monie for the paiment of their souldiers, as spoiling of shrines, and such like. But at length when things framed not to their purpose, and that the harme which they could doo against their father was much lesse than they wished, if power had béene answerable to their willes, [Sidenote: King Henrie the sonne falleth sicke.] king Henrie the sonne through indignation and displeasure (as some write) fell into a gréeuous sicknesse in a village called Mertell, not farre from Limoges, where his father laie at siege.

At the first he was taken with an extreame feuer, and after followed a sore flixe. Now perceiuing himselfe in danger of death, and that the physicians had giuen him ouer, [Sidenote: He sendeth to his father.] he sent to his father (better late than neuer) confessing his trespasse committed against him, and required of all fatherlie loue to come & sée him once before he died. But for that the father thought not good to commit himselfe into the hands of such vngratious persons as were about his sonne, he sent his ring vnto him in token of his blessing, and as it were a pledge to signifie that he had forgiuen him his vnnaturall doings against him. The son receiuing it with great humilitie, kissed it, and so ended his life in the presence of the archbishop of Burdeaux and others, on the day of saint Barnabie the apostle. He died (as some write) verie penitent and sorowfull.

[Sidenote: His repentance before his death.] And whereas in his life time he had vowed to make a iourneie into the holie land against Gods enimies, and taken vpon him the crosse for that intent, he deliuered it vnto his familiar freend William Marshall to go thither with it in his stead. Moreouer when he perceiued present death at hand, he first confessed his sinnes secretlie, and after openly before sundrie bishops and men of religion, and receiued absolution in most humble wise. [Sidenote: A strange kind of superstitious deuotion, if this report of our author be true.] After this, he caused his fine clothes to be taken from him, and therewith a heare cloth to be put vpon him, and after tieng a cord about his necke, he said vnto the bishops and other that stood by him; "I deliuer my selfe an vnworthie and greeuous sinner vnto you the ministers of God by this cord, beséeching our Lord Jesus Christ, which pardoned the théefe confessing his faults on the crosse, that through your praiers and for his great mercies sake it may please him to be mercifull vnto my soule;" wherevnto they all answered, "Amen." [Sidenote: He is drawne out of his bed, a thing vnlike to be true.] Then he said vnto them, "Draw me out of this bed with this cord, and laie me on that bed strawed with ashes" (which he had of purpose prepared) and as he commanded so they did: and they laid at his feet and at his head two great square stones. Thus being prepared to die, he willed his bodie after his deceasse to be conueied into Normandie, and buried at Rouen. [Sidenote: His death.] And so after he had receiued the sacrament of the bodie and bloud of our Lord, he departed this life as afore is said, about the 28. yeare of his age.

[Sidenote: _N. Triuet._] His bodie after his death was conueied towards Rouen, there to be buried accordinglie as he had willed: but when those that had charge to conueie it thither were come vnto the citie of Mauns, the bishop there and the cleargie would not suffer them to go any further with it, but committed it to buriall in honourable wise within the church of saint Julian. Whereof when the citizens of Rouen were aduertised, they were sore offended with that dooing, and streightwaies sent vnto them of Mauns, requiring to haue the corps deliuered, threatening otherwise with manie earnest oths to fetch it from them by force. Wherefore king Henrie, to set order in this matter, commanded that the corps of his sonne the king should be deliuered vnto them of Rouen to be buried in their citie, as he himselfe had willed before his death. [Sidenote: The bodie of the yong king lastlie buried at Rouen.] And so it was taken vp and conueied to Rouen, where it was eftsoones buried in the church of our ladie.

¶ Thus ended this yoong king in his floorishing youth, to whome through his owne iust deserts long life was iustlie denied, sith he delighted to begin his gouernement with vnlawfull attempts, as an other Absolon against his owne naturall father, seeking by wrongfull violence to pull the scepter out of his hand. He is not put in the number of kings, bicause he remained for the more part vnder the gouernance of his father, so that he rather bare the name of king as appointed to reigne, than that he may be said to haue reigned in déed. So that héere by the waie a notable obseruation dooth occurre and offer it selfe to be noted of vs; namelie, that euen princes children, though borne to great excellencie, and in high degree of dignitie, are to consider with themselues, that notwithstanding their statelie titles of souereigntie, they haue a dutie to discharge vnto their parents, which if it be neglected, and that in place thereof disobedience is substituted, God himselfe (when politike lawes prouide not to punish such offenses) will take the cause in hand, & will powre vengeance vpon such vngratious children. For he will be true of his word both in blessing and curssing, in blessing the dutifull child with long life and happie daies, and in curssing the obstinate and froward with short life and vnfortunate daies, according to the tenure of his law. If this man had liued in the old Romans time, when aged persons were so reuerenced and honoured (much more parents) he had beene cut off in the prime of his disobedience, and present death had beene inflicted vpon him as a due and deserued reward; which Iuuenal noteth excellentlie well in these words, [Sidenote: Iuuen. sat 13.] Credebant hoc grande nefas, & morte piandum, Si iuuenis vetulo non assurrexerat, & si Barbato cuicunq; puer, licèt ipse videret Plura domi farra, & maioris glandis aceruos, Tam venerabile erat præcedere quattuor annis, Primáq; par adeò sacræ lanugo senectæ.

[Sidenote: Limoges rendred to king Henrie.] King Henrie (after his sonne the king was thus dead) inforced his power more earnestlie than before to winne the citie and castell of Limoges which he had besieged, and at length had them both surrendered into his hands, with all other castels and places of strength kept by his enimies in those parts, of the which some he furnished with garisons, and some he caused to be laied flat with the ground.

There rose about the same time occasion of strife and variance betwixt King Henrie and the French king, about the enioieng of the countrie lieng vpon Gisors, [Sidenote: Veulquesine.] called Veulquesine, on this side the riuer of Hept, which was giuen vnto king Henrie the sonne, in consideration of the marriage betwixt him and queene Margaret the French kings sister. For the French king now after the death of his brother in law king Henrie the sonne, required to haue the same restored vnto the crowne of France: but king Henrie was not willing to part with it. [Sidenote: The kings of England and France talke togither.] At length they met betwixt Trie and Gisors to talke of the matter, where they agréed that quéene Margaret the widow of the late deceased king Henrie the son, should receiue yearelie[12] during hir life 1750 pounds of Aniouin monie at Paris, of king Henrie the father and his heires; in consideration whereof she should release and quit claime all hir right to those lands that were demanded, as Veulquesine and others. Shortlie after, Geffrey erle of Britaine came to his father, and submitting himselfe, was reconciled to him, and also to his brother Richard earle of Poictow. [Sidenote: An. Reg. 30.] Also I find that king Henrie at an enteruiew had betwixt him and the French king at their accustomed place of meeting betwixt Trie and Gisors on saint Nicholas day, did his homage to the same French king for the lands which he held of him on that side the sea, which to doo till then he had refused. The same yeare king Henrie held his Christmas at the citie of Mauns.

[Sidenote: 1184.] When the king had set the French king and the earle of Flanders at agréement for the controuersie that chanced betwixt them about the lands of Vermendois, he passed through the earle of Flanders countrie, and comming to Wisand, tooke ship and sailed ouer into England, landing at Douer the tenth day of June, with his daughter the dutches of Saxonie, [Sidenote: The duchesse of Saxonie deliuered of a sonne.] who was afterwards deliuered of a sonne at Winchester, and hir husband the duke of Saxonie came also this yeare into England, and was ioifullie receiued and honourable interteined of the king his father in law.

[Sidenote: The archbish. of Colen.] And whereas the archbishop of Colen came ouer into England this yeare to visit the toome of Thomas late archbishop of Canturburie, the king trauelled to make an agréement betwixt him and the Saxonish duke touching a certeine variance depending betwixt them, wherin the king did so much, that the archbishop forgaue all iniuries past, and so they were made fréends. [Sidenote: Hugh Nouant.] Also by the counsell of the same archbishop the king sent Hugh Nouant archdeacon of Liseux and others, ambassadours from him vnto pope Lucius, that by his helpe there might be made some waie to obteine a pardon for the said duke, and licence for him to returne into his countrie. Those that were sent demeaned themselues so discréetly in dooing their message, that the emperour comming where the pope then was, that is to say, at Verona in Italie, at the earnest suit of the said pope was contented to release all his euill will which he bare towards the duke, [Sidenote: The duke of Saxonie pardoned and reuoked out of exile.] pardoned him for all things past, and licenced him now at length to returne home into his countrie, his condemnation of exile being cléerlie reuoked.

[Sidenote: Death of Noble men.] There died this yeare sundrie honorable personages, as Simon earle of Huntington son to Simon earle of Northampton, after whose decease the king gaue his earledome vnto his brother Dauid, or (as Radulfus de Diceto saith) bicause the said Simon died without issue, the king gaue the earledome of Huntington vnto William king of Scots sonne to earle Henrie that was sonne to king Dauid. Also the earle of Warwike died this yeare, and Thomas Fitz Bernard lord chéefe iustice of the forests, which roome Alaine de Neuill had inioied before him. Now after the death of this Thomas Fitz Bernard, [Sidenote: The gouernement of the forests diuided.] the king diuided his forests into sundrie quarters, and to euerie quarter he appointed foure iustices, two of the spiritualtie, and two knights of the temporaltie, beside two generall wardens that were of his owne seruants, to be as surueiers aboue all other foresters of vert and venison, whose office was to sée that no disorder nor spoile were committed within any grounds of warren contrarie to the assises of forests. Diuerse prelates died this yeare also, as foure bishops, to wit, Gerald surnamed la Pucelle bishop of Chester, Walran bishop of Rochester, Joceline of Salisburie, and Bartholomew of Excester.

Besides these, diuerse abbats, & on the 16. of Februarie died Richard archbishop of Canturburie in the 11. yeare after his first entring into the gouernment of that sée. His bodie was buried at Canturburie. He was noted to be a man of euill life, and wasted the goods of that church inordinatlie. It was reported that before his death there appeared to him a vision, which said; "Thou hast wasted the goods of the church, and I shall root thée out of the earth." Wherevpon he tooke such a feare, that he died within eight daies after. Then Baldwin who before was bishop of Worcester succéeded him, he was the 40. archbishop that had ruled the church of Canturburie. The king and bishops procured his election not without much adoo: for the moonks pretending a right thereto, were sore against it. It is reported of him, that after he was made a white moonke, he neuer eat flesh to his liues end. On a time an old woman met him, and asked him if it were true that he neuer eat any maner of flesh; "It is true said he." "It is false quoth she, for I had but one cow to find me with, and thy seruants haue taken hir from me." Wherevnto he answered, "that if it so were, she should haue as good a cow restored to hir by Gods grace, as hir owne was." The same time also Margaret the wife of the late deceased king Henrie the son, returned into France to hir brother king Philip, and was after ioined in marriage with Bela king of Hungarie.

But after long digression to returne againe to our purpose. The king being aduertised of the destruction and spoile which the Welshmen dailie did practise against his subiects, both in their persons and substance, assembled a mightie armie, and came with the same vnto Worcester, meaning to inuade the enimies countries. But Rées ap Griffin fearing his puissance thus bent against him and other the leaders of the Welshmen, came by safeconduct vnto Worcester, and there submitting himselfe, sware fealtie to the king, and became his liegeman, promising to bring his sonne and nephues vnto him as pledges. But when (according to his promise) he would haue brought them, they refused to go with him, and so the matter rested for a time.

After this, king Henrie held his Christmasse at Windsore, [Sidenote: Heraclius patriarch of Jerusalem.] and the same yeare Heraclius the patriarch of Jerusalem, and Roger master of the house of S. Johns of Jerusalem came into England, to make suit vnto king Henrie for aid against the Saracens that dailie wan from the christians, townes and holds in the holie land, taking and killing the people most miserablie, as in the description of the holie land may more plainelie appeare, where the dooings of Saladine the Saracen are touched. The patriarch made earnest request vnto the king, proffering him the keies of the citie of Jerusalem, and of the holie sepulchre (with the letters of Lucius the third then pope of Rome) charging him to take vpon him the iournie, and to haue mind of the oth which before time he had made.

[Sidenote: A councell at Clerkenwell.] The king deferred his answer for a time, and calling a councell of his lords togither at Clerkenwell, on the 15. of Aprill, asked their aduice in this matter: who declared to him, that as they tooke it, he might not well depart so far out of his realme and other dominions, leauing the same as a prey to his enimies. And whereas it was thought by some, that he might appoint one of his sonnes to take vpon that iournie, yet bicause they were not as then within the realme, it was iudged that in their absence there was no why it should be so decréed.

[Sidenote: Baldwin archbishop of Canturburie exhorteth men to go to warre against the Saracens.] Howbeit in the meane time vpon licence granted by the king, that so manie might go as would, Baldwin the archbishop of Canturburie preached, and exhorted men to take vpon him the crosse so effectuallie, that a great number receiuing it, fullie purposed to go on in that iournie. At length the king gaue answer to the patriarch, excusing himselfe in that he could go, for he declared that he might not leaue his land without keeping, being in danger to remaine as a prey to the robberie and spoile of the French men: [Sidenote: Fiue thousand marks saith _Geru. Dor._ _Ran. Higd._] but he offered to giue large summes of gold and siluer to such as would take vpon them that voiage. With this answer the cardinall was nothing pleased, and therefore said: "We séeke a man and not monie: euerie christian region well neere sendeth vs monie, but no countrie sendeth vs a prince; and therfore we require a prince that néedeth monie, and not monie that needeth a prince." But the king still alledged matter for his excuse, so that the patriarch departed from him comfortlesse, and greatlie discontented in his mind: whereof the king hauing knowledge, and intending somewhat to recomfort him with sweet and pleasant words, followed him to the sea side. But the more the king thought to satisfie the patriarch with words, the more wroth and discontented he shewed himselfe to be; [Sidenote: The words of the patriarch to the king.] in so much that at the last he said vnto him, "Hitherto hast thou reigned gloriouslie, but hereafter shall thou be forsaken of him, whom thou at this time forsakest. Consider of him, and remember what he hath giuen thée, and what thou hast yéelded to him againe, how first thou wast false to the king of France, and after sluedst archbishop Becket, and now lastlie thou forsakest the protection of Christes faith."