Table of Contents Added by Transcriber

The copie of the Charter in French.
In English thus.
The copie of the second charter touching the possession of the land, in French.
The same in English.
The forme and tenor of the homage doone by the Scots.
The copie of the writ for the deliuerie of the castels.
In English thus.
The forme of the fealtie of Iohn Balioll king of Scots to the king of England in protestation.
The forme of the king of Scots homage to king Edward, in action.
The instrument of the said submission.
The instrument of the homages of the lords of Scotland to K. Edward.
The tenour of the foresaid letter indited and directed to pope Boniface.
An extract of the foresaid writ, as it is registred in the booke that belonged to the abbeie of Abington.

Edward, the first of that name after the conquest, began his reigne ouer this kingdome of England, the 16 day of Nouember, in the yeare of the world, 5239, of our Lord 1272, of the Saxons 814, after the conquest 206, the vacation of the empire after the deceasse of Frederike the second as yet induring (though shortlie after in the yeare next following, Radulfe of Habspurge was elected emperour) in the third yeare of Philip the third then reigning in France, and Alexander the third yet liuing in gouernement of the Scottish kingdome.

This Edward the first, when his father died, being about the age of 35 yeares, was as then in the holie land, or rather in his iournie homewards: but wheresoeuer he was at that present, the nobles of the land, after his father was departed this life, assembled at the new temple in London, and causing a new seale to be made, they ordeined faithfull ministers and officers, which should haue the treasure in kÉeping, and the administration of iustice for the maintenance of peace and tranquillitie within the land, and on the 22 day of Nouember he was proclaimed king. Who after he had remained a time in the holie land, and perceiued himselfe destitute of such aid as he looked for at the hands both of the Christians and Tartarians, he left in the citie of Acon certeine stipendarie soldiers, and taking the sea sailed homewards, arriuing first in Sicill, where, of Charles K. of that land he was honorablie receiued and conueied, till he came vnto Ciuita Vecchia in Italie, where pope Gregorie as then laie with his court, of whome (as of his old frÉend that had bÉen with him in the holie land) he obteined that earle Aldebrandino Rosso, and Guy of Montfort, that had murthered the lord Henrie, eldest sonne to Richard king of Almaine, might be sent for. Earle Aldebrandino purged himselfe, but Guy de Montfort was excōmunicated, as a violator of the church, a murderer and a traitor, so as he was disherited euen vnto the fourth generation, till he had reconciled himselfe to the church, as he was inioined.

After this, it is woonderfull to remember with what great honor king Edward was receiued of the cities, as he passed through Tuscaine and Lumbardie. At his comming ouer the mounteins at Chalon in Burgundie, he was at a iusts and tornie, which then was there holden by the Frenchmen against the Englishmen, the honor whereof remained with the Englishmen. In this tornie the fight of the footmen was great: for the Englishmen being sore prouoked, slue manie of the French footmen, but bicause they were but rascals, no great accompt was made of them, for they were vnarmed, gaping for the spoile of them that were ouerthrowen. K. Edward passing foorth came to the French court, where of his coosine germane king Philip he was ioifullie receiued. Here king Edward, dooing homage to the French king for the lands which he ought to hold of him in France, passed into Guien.

A tenth was granted of the cleargie to the K. and to his brother Edmund earle of Leicester and Lancaster by the popes appointment for two yeares, a chapleine of the pope a Gascoine borne named Reimond being sent into England for that purpose, who gaue part vnto them, and part thereof he kept to himselfe towards his charges, but the most part was reserued to the popes disposing. ¶ Whilest the king remained in Gascoigne, he had somwhat to do against certeine rebels, as Gaston de Bierne, and other that were reuolted from him. The castels belonging to the said Gaston he subdued, but his person he could not mÉet with. Finallie, after he had set things in order as well in Guien as in other places in the parts of beyond the seas, he hasted homewards, and came to London on the second day of August, where he was receiued with all ioy that might be deuised. The strÉets were hanged with rich cloths of silke, arras, and tapestrie, the aldermen and burgesses of the citie threw out of their windowes handfuls of gold and siluer, to signifie the great gladnesse which they had conceiued of his safe returne: the conduits ran plentifullie with white wine and red, that ech creature might drinke his fill. Vpon the 19 day of August, in this second yeare of his reigne he was crowned at Westminster, togither with his wife quÉene Elianor, by the hands of Robert Kilwarbie archbishop of Canturburie.

At this coronation were present Alexander king of Scots, and Iohn earle of Britaine, with their wiues that were sisters to K. Edward. The king of Scots did homage vnto king Edward for the realme of Scotland, in like maner as other the kings of Scotland before him had doone to other kings of England ancestours to this king Edward. At the solemnitie of this coronation there were let go at libertie (catch them that catch might) fiue hundred great horsses by the king of Scots, the earles of Cornewall, Glocester, Penbroke, Warren, & others, as they were allighted frō their backs. ¶ On S. Nicholas euen there chanced such an earthquake with lightning and thunder, and therewithall the appearing of the burning drake, and a blasing starre called a comet, that the people were brought into no small feare vpon consideration thereof. But now to the point of the historie.

King Edward at the first like a prudent prince chose the wisest and worthiest men to be of his councell, & to purchase the loue of his subiects, whose minds were somewhat offended towards his father (by reason that he refused to kÉepe promise with them, touching the restitution of gentle and fauourable lawes) king Edward shewed himselfe so gentle towards all degrÉes of men, that he sÉemed to excÉed the reasonable bounds of courteous humanitie, much more than became his roiall estate. After this he reformed diuerse lawes and statutes, and deuised some new ordinances, greatlie for the wealth of the realme. He held his first parlement at Westminster, where the ordinances were made, called the statutes of Westminster the first.

To this parlement was Leolin the prince of Wales summoned to come and doo his homage, hauing bÉene requested first to come to the kings coronation, but he refused; and now hauing summons to come to this parlement, he excused himselfe, affirming that he durst not come for feare of certeine noblemen that laie in wait for his life, requiring to haue pledges deliuered for his safe comming and going, the kings sonne, and Gilbert earle of Glocester, with Robert Burnell the lord chancelor. The king was greatlie offended with such a presumptuous demand, but passed it ouer, till after the end of the parlement, & then repairing to Chester he sent eftsoones messengers to the said Leolin, requiring of him to come & doo his homage, but he still detracted time, so that in the end the king raised an armie, meaning to recouer that by force, which otherwise he could not obteine by quiet meanes. ¶ This yÉere the people paid a fiftÉenth to the king of all their temporall goods, which was said to be granted first to his father.

The same yÉere departed this life Iohn Breton bishop of Hereford, who being verie expert in the lawes of the land, compiled a booke of them called Le Breton. The 11 of September, a generall earthquake chanced betwixt the first houre and the third of the same daie, the church of S. Michaell on the hill without Glastenburie, was therwith throwne down to the ground. After this, it rained bloud in the countrie of Wales, as a prodigious euill token to that nation, with whose bloud shortlie after that region was in manie places moistened and stained. For as it chanced shortlie after, Leolin the sonne of Griffin came to haue the gouernment of Wales, who partlie to raise new seditions in England, and partlie to purchase him friendship and aliance in France, sent vnto king Philip, requiring of him that he might haue in marriage the ladie Elianor daughter to Simon Montfort earle of Leicester, the which togither with hir mother and brother Emerike, remained as banished persons in France. The French king granted his request, and sent hir vnder the conduct of hir said brother to be conueied into Wales vnto Leolin, who had promised to marrie hir. But yer they approched to Wales, at the Ile of Sillie both the brother & sister were taken by foure ships of Bristow, the owners whereof that so tooke them, sent them vnto king Edward. When Leolin vnderstood that his wife was taken from him by the waie as she was comming, he was not a little wroth, and incontinentlie began to make warre vpon king Edwards subiects that bordered nÉere vnto Wales, killing the people, spoiling their goods, and burning vp their townes and houses on each side.

Herewith the king of England was so mooued, that although the said Leolin made sute for peace, and offered no small sum of monie to haue the daughter of the earle of Leicester his fianced wife deliuered to him, yet would not the king by any meanes consent to that marriage, nor receiue any monie of him, except he would restore vnto the right owners such lands as he had inuaded and got into his possession, and further repaire such castels as he had destroied. Herevpon grew no small grudge betwixt the Welshmen and Englishmen, so that to represse the inuasion of the enimies in the parts towards Bristow, Mountgomerie and Chester, the king sent thrÉe hundred men in armes on horssebacke. In the quindene of Easter, the king departing from Westminster, hasted towards Wales with a mightie power, and caused the courts of the excheker and of his bench to remooue vnto Shrewesburie, that they might be nÉere vnto him, making forward with all conuenient spÉed to come to the aid and succour of his liege people.

Hervpon entring into Wales he tooke the castell of Rutland, and sent into Westwales a valiant capteine named Paine de Camureijs, who with fire and sword wasted that countrie, so that the people offering themselues to the kings peace, deliuered vnto the said Paine the castell of Stridewie with the countrie adioining. Then Leolin the prince of Wales, perceiuing that he was not able to resist the kings power, and knowing that if he did attempt the conflict against him the danger would redound to himself & his traine, did as th' old verse counselleth,

and therefore made suit for peace, in so much that finallie it was agrÉed, that commissioners for both parts should talke concerning certeine articles, and whatsoeuer they concluded, aswell the king as the said Leolin should hold the same for firme and stable. The king appointed one of his commissioners, to wit, the lord Robert de Tiptost, to take an oth for him, & authorised the said Robert Anthonie Beke, and frier William de Southampton, prior prouinciall of the friers preachers, commissioners, nominated on his behalfe, to receiue the like oth of the said Leolin. Which Leolin appointed commissioners for his part, Tuder ap Edeuenet, and Grono ap Helin, the which commissioners with good deliberation concluded vpon certeine points and articles, of which the principall were as followeth.

First, that the said Leolin should set at libertie all prisoners which he held in captiuitie for the king of Englands cause, frÉelie and without all challenge.

Secondlie, that to haue peace and the kings of Englands fauour, he should giue vnto the said king fiftie thousand pounds sterling, the daies of the paiement whereof to rest in the kings will and pleasure.

Thirdlie, that the land of the foure cantreds without all contradiction should remaine for euer to the king and his heires, with all lands conquered by the king and his people, the Ile of Anglesey excepted, which Ile was granted to the prince, so that he should paie for the same yearelie the summe of one thousand marks, and fiue thousand marks for an income. Prouided, that if the prince chanced to die without issue, then the said Ile to reuert againe into the kings hands.

Fourthlie, that the prince shall come to Rothelan or Rothland (as it is commonlie called) there to doo fealtie to the king, and before his comming thither, he should be absolued and haue the interdiction of his lands released, and at his being at Rothelan, a daie shall be appointed him by the king for his comming to London, there to doo his homage. Herevpon was order taken for his safe conduct, aswell in his comming to Rothelan, as to London. There be that write that he was appointed to come vnto London, at the feast of the natiuitie of our Lord.

Fifthlie, it was couenanted, that all the homages of Wales should remaine to the king, except onelie of fiue barons which inhabited nÉere vnto the castell of Snowdon: for otherwise the said Leolin could not conuenientlie call himselfe prince, except he had some barons vnder him.

Sixtlie, that he should receiue the title and name of prince so long as he liued, and after his deceasse the homages of those fiue barons should reuert to the king and to his heires for euer.

Seuenthlie the king granted vnto the said Leolin, the lands that belonged to his brother Dauid, for tearme of the said Leolins life, and in recompense thereof was contented to satifie the said Dauid with other lands in some other place, the which after the decease of the said Leolin or Dauid should reuert to the king and his heires.

For the assurance of which articles and couenants the prince deliuered for hostages ten persons of the best in Wales, which he could get, without imprisonment, disheriting, or terme of deliuerance: and of euerie cantred twentie persons, of the best and most sufficient, to be chosen by such as the king shall send thither yÉerelie, & shall from yÉere to yÉere be sworne vpon the euangelists, in presence of the bailiffes of the said Leolin, that whensoeuer the prince shall breake any of these articles, and vpon admonition dooth not reforme himselfe, they shall forsake him, and in all things, being vnto him open enimies, shall beare him deadlie hostilitie.

Besides this, the prince shall (as farre as in him may lie) pacifie his brethren, of the which he had put two in prison, Owen and Roderike: the third named Dauid, escaping his hands, fled into England, and remained many yÉeres with king Edward, who receiuing him into his seruice, made him knight in this warre, and gaue vnto him a castell at Denbigh in Wales, with lands to the yÉerelie value of a thousand marks, in recompense of those possessions which he ought to haue had in Anglesey, the which (as before is said) the king granted vnto Leolin for tearme of his life, and after his deceasse to reuert vnto the king and to his heires. Moreouer, he preferred Dauid to the marriage of a iollie widowe, that was daughter to the earle of Darbie.

As concerning Owen, through the kings fauour he was deliuered out of prison, by force of the articles concluded at this present by the commissioners, vnder this forme and maner: that vpon his being set at libertie, certeine persons appointed by the king should make offer to him, to choose whether he would first compound with his brother, and therevpon come to the king, and besÉech him to allow the composition, or else to put himselfe vnder the safe kÉeping of the king, till according to the lawes and customes of Wales, in the place where he did transgresse, iudgement should be giuen of the matter: and if he were acquit, then might he demand his heritage if he thought it so expedient: and which of these two waies he should choose, the same should be made firme and stable in the kings presence.

All these articles, with other additions, were accorded by the said cōmissioners at Aberconweie, on the tuesdaie before the feast of S. Martine, in the yeare 1277, and letters of confirmation made thereof by the king, dated at Rutland on the tenth daie of Nouember, in the fift yÉere of his reigne. Also the said Leolin, by the name of Leolin ap Griffin prince of Wales, with letters vnder his seale, confirmed the abouesaid articles on his behalfe, for the releasing of his right to the foure cantreds and other things that should remaine to the king, which letters bare date at Aberconweie, on the foresaid tuesdaie in the said yÉere 1277. Also the K. released to the said Leolin, the said summe of fiftie thousand pounds, and the said summe of a thousand marks yÉerelie to be paid for the Ile of Anglesey, as by his letters dated at Rutland on the said 10 daie of Nouember in the said fift yÉere of his reigne more at large it appÉereth. Neuerthelesse by his letters dated at Rutland, on the said eleuenth of the said month of Nouember, it is euident that he receiued of the said Leolin the summe of two thousand marks sterling, by the hands of Thomas Beke kÉeper of his wardrobe.

Moreouer, the king in the west part of Wales built at the same time a castle at Lamperdeuaur, to kÉepe vnder the rebellious attempts of the Welshmen. King Edward gaue in marriage by waie of restitution to the fore-remembred Leolin prince of Wales the earle of Leicesters daughter, which was taken (as ye haue heard) at the Ile of Sillie. He also bare all the charges of the feast at the daie of the marriage, and honoured the same with the presence of himselfe and the quÉene. ¶ A subsidie of the twentieth part of euerie mans goods was granted to the king towards his charges susteined in the Welsh warres. Moreouer, in the sixt yÉere of his reigne K. Edward held a parlement at Glocester, in the which were certeine acts and statutes made for the wealth and good gouernment of the realme, which vnto this daie are called the statutes of Glocester. ¶ Alexander king of Scots came into England, to common with K. Edward, of matters touching his kingdome of Scotland. ¶ Shortlie after king Edward went ouer into France, and there receiued certeine townes that were restored to him, but not the moitie of those that were promised to his father, when he released his title vnto the dutchie of Normandie.

Robert Kilwarbie archbishop of Canturburie, was by pope Nicholas aduanced to the dignitie of a cardinall, and made bishop of Portua, so that he went to Rome, and gaue ouer the archbishoprike of Canturburie to the which through the popes grant frier Iohn Peckham was admitted archbishop. This yÉere there was inquirie made in London for such as had clipped, washed, & counterfaited the kings coine, wherevpon the Iewes of the citie and diuerse goldsmiths that kept the exchange of siluer were indited, and after to the number of two hundreth foure score and seuentÉene persons were condemned, and in diuers places put to execution. There were but 3. Englishmen among them, all the residue were Iewes; but diuerse christians that were participants with them in their offenses were put to their fines, and not without iust cause.

About the same time the king remooued all such shiriffes as were either prÉests or strangers, and in their places appointed knights to be shiriffes, that were of the same countrie were their offices laie. Moreouer, about this season king Edward builded the castell of Flint, and fortified the castell of Rutland and others, placing garrisons of Englishmen in the same to defend the countrie, and to kÉepe the Welshmen vnder obedience. But Leolin so smallie regarded all couenants made, and benefits receiued, that shortlie after, vpon the death of his late married wife, being summoned to come to a parlement holden by king Edward, he disdained to obeie, and vpon a verie spite began to make new warre to the Englishmen, in wasting and destroieng the countrie: notwithstanding king Edward had so manie waies doone him good, and had giuen him iust cause of thankfulnesse, which is the common reward of benefits, and which little recompense whoso neglecteth to make, being but a little lip-labour,

But being put in feare with the kings comming towards him with his power, he laid armor aside, and began eftsoones to require peace, which the king now the second time did not denie to grant; bicause he would not lose time to warre with the mounteins, woods and marishes, the places of refuge for Welshmen in those daies, when they wanted power to abide battell and kÉepe the fÉelds. About the same time the king gaue vnto Dauid the brother of Leolin the lordship of Frodesham in Cheshire, and made him knight. Moreouer, in this yeare the king held a parlement, in which the statute of Mortmaine was established.

Frier Iohn Peckham, whome the pope had alreadie consecrated archbishop of Canturburie, being the 47 in number that had gouerned the said sÉe, came this yeare ouer into England to supplie the roome. ¶ Also Walter Gifford archbishop of Yorke departed this life, in whose place succÉeded William Wickham, the 37 archbishop there. The archbishop of Canturburie held a synod at Reading about the latter end of Iulie, wherin he renewed the constitutions of the generall councell, as thus: That no ecclesiasticall person should haue aboue one benefice to the which belonged cure of soule; and againe, that all those that were promoted to any ecclesiasticall liuing, should receiue the order of priesthood within one yere after his being promoted therevnto.

In this yeare the king tooke order for the amending of his monie and coine, which in that season was fowlie clipped, washed and counterfeited by those naughtie men the Iewes, and other, as before you haue partlie heard. The king therefore in the octaues of the Trinitie sent foorth commandement to all the shiriffes within the land, that such monie as was counterfeited, clipped or washed, should not be currant from thencefoorth: and furthermore he sent of his owne treasure, good monie and not clipped, vnto certeine cities and townes in the realme, that exchange might be made with the same till new monie were stamped. About the third daie of August, the first exchange was made of the new monie of pence and farthings; but yet the old monie went all this yeare togither with the new, and then was the old coine generallie forbidden, and commandement giuen by publike proclamation, that from thencefoorth it should no more be allowed for currant. Herewith also halfpence, which had bÉene stamped in the meane time, began to come abroad the same day in which the old monie was thus prohibited.

The lord Roger Mortimer kept a great feast at Killingworth, with iusts and triumphs of an hundred knights and as manie ladies, to the which resorted lords, knights, & gentlemen from diuerse countries and lands, to shew proofe of their valiancie in the practise of warlike feats and exercises. In the meane season king Edward standing in nÉed of monie, deuised a new shift to serue his turne, as this: namely that whereas he was chÉefe lord of many lordships, manours, possessions and tenements, he well vnderstood, that partlie by length and proces of time, and partlie by casualties during the troubles of the ciuill warres, manie mens euidences, as their charters, dÉeds, copies and other writings were lost, wasted, and made awaie, he therfore vnder colour to put the statute of (Quo Warranto) in execution which was ordeined this yeare in the parlement holden at Glocester in August last past (as some write) did now command by publike proclamation, that all such as held any lands or tenements of him, should come and shew by what right and title they held the same, that by such meanes their possessions might returne vnto him, by escheat as chÉefe lord of the same, and so to be sold or redÉemed againe at his hands.

This was thought to be so sore a proclamation, as that a more grÉeuous had not lightlie bÉen heard of. Men in euerie place made complaint and shewed themselues grÉeuouslie offended, so that the king by meanes thereof came in great hatred of his people: but the meane sort of men, though they stood in defense of their right, yet it auailed them but little, bicause they had no euidence to shew, so that they were constreined to be quiet with losse, rather than to striue against the streame. Manie were thus called to answer, till at length the lord Iohn Warren earle of Surrie, a man greatlie beloued of the people, perceiuing the king to haue cast his net for a preie, and that there was not one which spake against him, determined to stand against those so bitter and cruell procÉedings. And therefore being called afore the iustices about this matter, he appeared, and being asked "by what right he held his lands?" suddenlie drawing foorth an old rustie sword; "By this instrument (said he) doo I hold my lands, and by the same I intend to defend them. Our ancestors comming into this realme with William the Conquerour, conquered their lands with the sword, and with the same will I defend me from all those that should be about to take them from me; he did not make a conquest of this realme alone, our progenitors were with him as participants and helpers."

The king vnderstanding into what hatred of his people by this meanes he was fallen, and therfore desirous to auoid ciuill dissention and war that might thereby insue, he left off his begun practise: so that the thing which generallie should haue touched and bÉene hurtfull to all men, was now suddenlie staied by the manhood and couragious stoutnesse onelie of one man, the foresaid earle, who in his rare act of defending cōmon equitie against the mightie in authoritie (who spared not to offer extreme iniurie) shewed himselfe a verie true and naturall branch of nobilitie,

The archbishop of Canturburie held an other synod at Lambeth, in the which he receiued and confirmed the orders and constitutions decrÉed and established by the legats Otho and Othobone, in councels by them kept here within this realme, adding diuerse other of his owne: & in the same councell he went about to adnihilate certeine liberties belonging to the crowne, as the taking knowledge of the right of patronages and the kings prohibitions In placitis de catallis, and such like, which sÉemed mÉerlie to touch the spiritualtie. But the king by some in that councell withstood the archbishop openlie, and with menaces staied him from concluding any thing that might preiudice his roiall liberties and prerogatiues. King Edward held a parlement at London, in the which he demanded a fiftÉenth of the cleargie, which latelie before he had got of the temporaltie. The archbishop of Yorke was content at the first to grant this fiftÉenth to be paid of the cleargie within his diocesse in two yeares; but the archbishop of Canturburie held off, and required respit till the next parlement to be holden after Easter, and then he granted vnto the king the dismes of all his cleargie for thrÉe yeares, that in some point he might be different from the archbishop of Yorke.

In the ninth yeare of king Edwards reigne, the feast of the round table was kept at Warwike with great and sumptuous triumph. Whilest these things were in dooing, Dauid brother to Leolin prince of Wales, forgetting the great benefits which he had receiued at the hands of king Edward, became his aduersarie, and caused his said brother the prince of Wales with a great number of other noble men of that countrie to rebell: and to incourage them the sooner to attempt the warre, he began the first exploit himselfe, taking the said lord Roger Clifford (a right worthie and famous knight) in his castell of Hawardine, vpon Palmesundaie, the said lord being in no doubt of any such matter. Diuerse knights and other that were in the same castell at that time, and made resistance, were slaine.

After this the foresaid Dauid returned to his brother the prince, and therewith assembling an armie, they went both togither and besieged the castell of Rutland. King Edward at the same time being in the parts about Salisburie, where he kept his Easter at the Vies, sent out commissioners to leauie an armie, and commanded such men of warre as he had then in a readinesse, to hast foorth to the rescue of the castell of Rutland. And in the meane time, the castell of Lamperdeuaux was taken by Rice ap Malgone and Griffith ap Meridoc. Also diuerse other castels were taken by other of the Welsh nobilitie. Moreouer, about this time by the labour and suit of Iohn the archbishop of Canturburie, Emericke de Montfort, which had bÉene reteined in prison (sith that he was first taken togither with his sister at the Ile of Sillie by the Bristowmen) was now set at libertie and permitted to returne into France. The said archbishop of Canturburie was sent into Wales to persuade Leolin and his brother with the other rebels vnto peace and quietnesse, but returning into England, without bringing anie thing to passe, he denounced them accurssed.

The king hasted foorth to come to the rescue of his people, wherevpon Leolin and his brother Dauid retired with their people to Snowdon hilles, and fortified the castell there with a strong garrison of men. The king entring into Wales, when he heard that his enimies were withdrawne into the mounteins, passed foorth till he came nÉere vnto them, where he pitched downe his field, and the next day causing his horssemen to issue foorth of the campe, filled all the plaines which compasse the foot of those hilles (aswell on the east side as toward the south) with the same horssemen, and herewith placed his footmen more aloft on the side of the hilles in couert: this doone he prouoked his enimie to come foorth to fight, but when he saw this would not be, then that he might stop them from all places of refuge, he caused his ships to take the Isle of Anglesey, bicause the Welshmen vsed to flie thither oftentimes for their safegard, in the which enterprise the mariners of the cinque ports bare themselues right manfullie.

After this, ioining certeine vessels togither, he caused a bridge to be made in the riuer of Meneth, into the which an other small riuer falleth that riseth at the roots of those hilles of Snowdone, to kÉepe the enimies from lodging on the further side of that riuer. This bridge conteining roome for thrÉescore armed men to passe afront, was made ouer the riuer of Sient, by the which men saile into the Isle, which by the course of the sea ebbeth and floweth euerie twelue houres. But so it came to passe, that before the bridge was well boorded ouer, whilest the king yet remained at Aberconwaie, diuerse of the English nobilitie, to the number of seauen banerets with thrÉe hundreth armed men rashlie passed ouer, and as they surueied the foot of the mounteine, the tide began to come in so swiftlie, that where the Englishmen were aduanced a good prettie waie from the water side, they could not now get backe againe to the bridge which as yet was not fullie made vp.

The Welshmen perceiuing this, came downe beside the mounteine, and assailed the Englishmen verie fiercelie, and with their great multitude so oppressed them, that for feare the Englishmen were driuen to take the water, and so by reason they were loaden with armour, manie of them were drowned: and amongst other, that famous knight sir Lucas de Thanie, Robert Clifford, sir William Lindsey, and two gentlemen of good accompt that were brethren to Robert Burnell as then bishop of Bath. There perished in all (as some saie) thirtÉene knights, seuentÉene yoong gentlemen, and to the number of two hundred footmen. Yet sir William Latimer, as good hap would, escaped, and diuerse other. This mischance happened on S. Leonards day.

In this meane time in an other part of the countrie the earle of Glocester with an armie, made sore warre to the Welshmen, and nÉere vnto the towne called Lantilaware, fought a sore battell with them, in the which manie of the Welshmen being slaine, the earle lost also fiue knights vpon his partie, as William Valence the yoonger, being one of that number, who was the kings cousine. The earle of Glocester then departing from thence, Leolin the prince of Wales entered into the countrie of Cardigan and Stradwie, destroieng the lands of Rice ap Meridoc, which now held with the king against the said prince. At length, prince Leolin going towards the land of Buelth with a small companie, left his maine armie behind him aloft vpon the top of the mounteine, nÉere to the water called Waie, and he had set a number of his people to kÉepe the bridge of Orewin: and so the Welshmen kept on the one side, and the Englishmen on the other, of whome were capteins the lord Iohn Gifford and the lord Edmund Mortimer, the which perceiuing the Welshmen that were readie to defend the bridge, and a great host of them vpon the top of the mounteine, they consulted togither what they were best to doo.

At length by the couragious exhortation of one Helias Walewaine they drew on the one hand alongst the riuer, where was a foord passable in dÉed, though not without danger: but yet the Englishmen by the conduct of the same Helias, got ouer by the same foord, so that it bare the name long after of Helias way. And so the Welshmen that kept the bridge (perceiuing the Englishmen to be got ouer vnto that side) fled, wherevpon the residue of the English armie passed ouer at the bridge, whereof rose a great noise which Leolin lurking not farre off might well heare, but yet at the first he could not be brought to thinke that by any possible means the Englishmen were got ouer to that side of the water. But yet perceiuing it to be true, he drue backe toward the heigth of the mounteine againe, neuerthelesse being discouered by one Stephan de Franketon, named by some writers Sward, he was so narrowlie pursued of the same Stephan, that he was ouertaken and slaine.

Stephan not knowing whome he had slaine, returned to the host, the which was now mounting vp the hill to ioine with the Welsh armie that stood still looking for the returne of their prince Leolin (though in vaine) yet they manfullie abode by their tackle, discharging plentie of arowes and darts at the Englishmen as they came vp towards them. The English archers which were mingled amongst the horssemen, paid them home againe with their shot, so that finallie the English horssemen, winning the top of the hill, slue manie of them standing stoutlie at defense, and put the residue to flight. Stephan Sward that had slaine Leolin, after the victorie was atchieued, rode to the dead bodie which he had slaine in the beginning of the battell, and vpon vew taken of him perceiued who he was, of which good hap the Englishmen were verie ioifull. His head was herewith cut off, which the lord Edmund Mortimer tooke with him vnto Rutland (where the king as then was lodged) vnto whome he presented it: and the king sent it vnto London, appointing that there should be an yuie crowne set vpon it, in token that he was a prince, and so being adorned, a horsseman carried it vpon the end of his staffe through Cheapside, holding it as he rode on heigth, that all men might sÉe it, till he came to the tower, & there it was pight vp aloft vpon one of the highest turrets, remaining there a long time after.

Thus was the prophesie fulfilled, which was told to him by an old woman taken for a southsaier, of whome he required to know how he should spÉed in this warre, wherevnto she answered, that he should boldlie go forward in them, for he should ride with a crowne on his head through Cheapside: and so by the deceiuable prophesie he was deluded & brought to destruction. The incounter wherein the Welshmen were vanquished (as before ye haue heard) chanced on the fridaie before S. Lucies day. King Edward being certified thus of the victorie, streightwaies marched foorth with his people, and appointed at euerie passage certeine bands of souldiers to lie in wait for the enimies. Also at the foot of the hilles he left his horssemen, and mounted vp the hilles himselfe, with the residue of his armie. There were certeine Gascoignes, whome the lord Iohn Vescie had brought with him out of their countrie, to serue the king, which burned manie townes, and slue great numbers of the Welshmen, all that came in their waie, and finallie, giuing an assault to Snowdon castell, they wan it in fine by force.

In this meane time, the Welshmen, when they saw themselues inclosed, and stopped from all waies to escape, after the maner of wild beasts, fled into the thicke woods & caues, some of them making shift to get downe through the stÉepe and broken rocks, and some of them sÉeking to escape by flight, fell into their enimies hands, & were either slaine or taken, and amongst these, about Midsummer was Dauid taken, togither with his wife, his two sonnes, and seauen daughters, and brought to the king, who sent them first to Rutland castell, there to be safelie kept.

King Edward hauing subdued the Welshmen that inhabited in the mountains, went about all the countrie to conquer the residue, assembling all his armie togither, and then pursuing his aduersaries, made great slaughter of them on each side, so that there were slaine aboue thrÉe thousand men: then hauing the countrie at his will, he gaue vnto the English lords townes in the middest of Wales, and diuided the countrie into shires, ordeined shiriffes, and other officers as then were vsed in England. At Aberconow he builded a strong castell, where before was an house of white moonks, the which he remooued to the Vale roiall in Chesshire, where he builded a faire abbeie of the Cisteaux order, and endowed it with great lands and reuenues. He also made and fortified the castell of Carnaruan fast by Snowdon, and repared againe the towne of Lambaterwhir, otherwise called Abreswich, which Leolin had before beaten downe. Also he placed English garrisons in the castels and holds by the sea sides, and made Englishmen lords of the grounds and possessions belonging to the same. RÉes ap Bouan one of the chÉefest and mightiest capteins of all Wales, which during the warres, had doone more displeasure to the Englishmen than any other, in spoiling their confines, and making great slaughters vpon them, vnderstanding now both of the death of prince Leolin, and the taking of his brother Dauid, and also perceiuing himselfe pursued on each side, at length yÉelded himselfe and his complices to Humfrie de Bohun earle of Hereford, who straightwaies sent him to the king, and the king sent him to London, there to be kept prisoner in the tower.

Thus king Edward, hauing brought the rebellious Welshmen vnder his correction, appointed his generall lieutenant there, the lord Robert Tiptost, and when he had set all things in good order, about Michaelmas he came to Shrewesburie, where at a parlement by him there holden, the foresaid Dauid (that was brought thither) as chÉefe procurer of all this warre, was condemned of treason, and was afterward executed, according to iudgement pronounced against him, that is to saie, he was hanged drawne and quartered. His head was sent to London, and set vp by the head of his brother Leolin. His quarters were diuided, and sent to be set vp on the gates of foure of the chÉefest cities of England. This reward reaped he for his proditorious attempts, before God, angels, and men: an horrible punishment for an heinous offense; and no maruell, sith

During these warres, the king had of the temporaltie, the thirtith part of all their goods, and of the spiritualtie, the twentith part, towards the maintenance of the same warres.

The same yeare also after Michaelmas, the king held a parlement at Acton Burnell, wherein those statutes were ordeined, which vnto this daie beare the name of the place where they were made. In the twelfth yeare of this kings reigne, his eldest sonne Alfonse departed this life at Windsore, and on S. Markes daie his sonne Edward, that after succÉeded him in the kingdome, was borne at Carnaruan, where the king had builded a strong castell, and was come thither with the quÉene at that time, to sÉe the same. ¶ Also this yeare, in the quindene of saint Michaell, the iustices itinerants began to go their generall circuits.

On Easter daie, which fell this yeare on the ninth of Aprill, being also leape yeare, in morning about the rising of the sunne, the element was shadowed with such darkenesse and thicknesse of aire, that it sÉemed to waxe night againe, and suddenlie rose an horrible tempest, first of haile and raine, and after of snow, that couered all the earth; and then followed such thunder and lightning, that men were maruellouslie amazed therewith, considering it sÉemed to be against the nature of the season, for scarse in Aprill shall yÉe heare anie such thunder. Yet at length it brake vp, and the element recouered hir accustomed clÉerenesse.

In the thirtÉenth yeare of his reigne, king Edward kept his Christmasse at Bristowe, and held there a priuate councell, but no generall parlement; and this was the first time that anie English king can be remembred, to haue kept any solemne feast at Bristow. The king then leauing his court of chancerie at Bristow, with his children, came to London, where he had not bÉene almost of thrÉe yeares before. HÉere came messengers to him from the French king, requiring him to come in person, with a certeine number of men of warre, to aid him in the warres against the king of Aragon, as of right he ought to doo, by reason of the dutchie of Guien which he held of him. The same yeare died William the archbishop of Yorke, after he had gouerned that sÉe six yeares, and then succÉeded one Iohn surnamed Romane. About this season, was Marton colledge in Oxenford founded by Walter Marton that was lord Chancellour of England, and after bishop of Rochester. ¶ King Edward seized the franchises and liberties of London into his hands, and discharged Gregorie Rokkeslie the maior then being, and appointed for custos and gardian of the citie, one Stephan Sandwich, the which from the day of the conuersion of saint Paule, till the monday following the Purification of our ladie, continued in that office, and was then discharged, and sir Iohn Breton knight charged therewith for the residue of the yeare. There is no certeine knowledge left in records, whie the king tooke such displeasure with the citie, saue that the said Gregorie Rokkeslie then maior, as the fame went, tooke bribes of the bakers, and suffered them to sell bread, lacking six or seauen ounces of weight in a penie lofe. ¶ The new worke of the church of Westminster, to the end of the quier, begun (as before is shewed) in the third yeare of king Henrie, was in this yeare fullie finished.

The ninetÉenth of March, died Alexander king of Scotland, by a fall which he caught as he ran a stirring horsse: he left no issue behind him, nor any certeine knowne heire to succÉed him, by reason wherof insued great harme to that relme (as in the Scotish historie may more at large appeare.) The manner of whose death (as in Richard Southwell I find it reported) I haue thought good brÉeflie to touch, for that in recitall thereof, he somewhat disagrÉeth from the Scotish historie. There went (saith he) a common speach through Scotland all this yeare, before the kings death, that on the same ninetÉenth of March the daie of iudgement should be: wherevpon, as the said king sat at dinner in the castell of Edenburgh, hauing a dish of excellent good lampries before him, he sent part thereof to one of the lords that sat at some other table not far from him, and willed him by the gentleman that bare it, to be merrie, and haue in mind that this was the day of doome. The lord sent him thanks againe, and praied the messenger to tell the king merilie, that if this were the daie of doome, they should rise to iudgement spÉedilie with their bellies filled with good meats and drinks. After they had dined, and the night began to draw on, he tooke his horsse, and onlie accompanied with thrÉe gentlemen, would nÉeds ride to Kingorne, where the quÉene his new wife then laie, and before he could get vnto Innerkenin, it was darke night, so that he tooke there two guides to lead him the waie: but they had not ridden past two miles, but that the guides had quite lost the waie, so that they were driuen to giue their horsses libertie to beat it out themselues.

Herewithall the king being seuered from his companie, how he ruled his horsse it is hard to saie, but downe he was throwne, and immediatlie died with the vehement fall which he thus caught, either headlong downe one of the cliffes or otherwise, and thus he came to his end, on a mondaie, being saint Cuthberts euen the ninetÉenth of March (as before is noted) after he had reigned six & thirtie yeares and nine moneths, as the same Southwell saieth; who also (contrarie to that which Hector Boetius writeth) affirmeth, that the same daie was so tempestuous with wind, snow, haile and raine, that he and manie other that then liued and felt it, durst not vncouer their faces, in going abroad against the bitter northerne wind, that droue the snow and slÉet most vehementlie vpon them. And although that such fowle weather might haue staied him from taking his iournie in that sort, yet he made no accompt thereof, as he that was accustomed to ride as well in fowle weather as faire, and spared neither for tempest, waters, nor craggie rocks, thicke nor thin; for all was one to him, oftentimes taking his iournie in disguised apparell, accompanied onlie with one seruant. But to returne vnto the dooings in England.

In this yeare the king tooke escuage, fortie shillings of euerie knights fÉe, towards the charges of his last wars in Wales. ¶ A parlement was holden at Westminster, at the which were made the statutes called Additamenta GlocestriÆ, or rather the statutes of Westminster the second. In the fouretÉenth yeare of king Edward, a citizen of London named Thomas Piwilesdon, who in time of the barons warres had bÉene a great dooer, to stir the people against king Henrie, was now accused, that he with other should go about to make new disturbance within the citie: whereof inquirie being made and had before sir Rafe Standish, then custos or gardian of the citie, the said Piwilesdon and other, to the number of fiftie, were banished the citie for euer. ¶ Also, whereas of old time before this season, the merchant strangers were vsed to be lodged within the dwelling houses of the citizens of London, and sold all their merchandize by procuration of their hosts, for the which their said hosts had a certeine allowance, after the rate of euerie pound: now it was ordeined, that the said merchant strangers might take houses to hire, for to inhabit therein, & for stowage of their wares, & no citizen to intermeddle with them or their wares: by reason whereof they vsed manie deceits, both in vttering counterfeit wares, and also vniust weights. Moreouer, much of those wares, which they should haue waied at the K. beame, they weighed at home within their houses, to the hinderance of the kings custome. Wherevpon search being made vpon a sudden, and their weights found and prooued false, twentie of the said strangers were arrested and sent to the towre, and their weights burnt, destroied and broken to pÉeces in Westcheape, on thursdaie before the feast of Simon and Iude. Finallie, the said merchants were deliuered, being put to a fine of a thousand pounds, after sore and hard imprisonment.

The Iewes in one night were generallie apprehended, and put in prison through all the parts of England, and so kept in durance, till they had fined at the kings pleasure. ¶ It is reported that the commons of England granted to the king the fift part of their mooueables, to haue the Iewes banished out of the land: but the Iewes, to put the Englishmen frō their purpose, gaue to the king great summes of monie, whereby they tarried yet a while longer. King Edward went ouer into France vpon the fiue and twentith of Maie, passing through Picardie vnto Amiens, and there the French king, to doo him honor, was readie to receiue him. Here king Edward did homage vnto the French king, for the lands which he ought to hold of him in France. And after, he was also present at a parlement, which the said French king held at Paris, in the which he obteined manie things for the liberties of his said lands, as then by diuerse waies wrongfullie oppressed, though such grant continued not long in force. After Whitsuntide, king Edward departed from Paris and went into Gascoigne, togither with his wife quÉene Elianor, who was with him in all his iournie.

This yeare the king went into Aragon, where his authoritie auailed much, in the making of agrÉement betwixt the kings of Aragon and Naples; whereby Charles king of Naples was then set at libertie, vpon certeine contracts or couenants passed and agrÉed betwixt them. ¶ The kings mother quÉene Elianor this yeare forsooke the world, and tooke vpon hir the habit of a nunne at Ambresburie; but yet she still reteined and inioied hir dower by the popes authoritie and dispensation. About this time a squire called Chamberlaine, with his complices, set fire on the merchants boothes, at S. Butolphes faire; and whilest the merchants were about to quench the fire, the said squire and his complices set vpon the said merchants, slue manie of them, and robbed them of their goods. In this yeare fell variance betwÉene the lord Paine Tiptost, wardeine of certeine castels in Wales, and a Welsh knight called sir RÉes ap Meridoc, so that sundrie skirmishes were foughten betwixt them, and men slaine on both sides, to the great disturbance of the countrie.

The cause of this warre rose chÉeflie, for that the said lord Tiptost, and the lord Alane Plucknet, the kings steward in Wales, would haue constreined the said RÉes to appeare at counties and hundreds, as the vse in other parts of Wales then was, contrarie to such liberties as he had obteined of the king as he pretended. But when the king wrote vnto the same RÉes, requiring him to kÉepe the peace, till his returne (at what time he promised to reforme all things in due and reasonable order). RÉes hauing alreadie put armour vpon his backe, would not now incline to any peace, but to reuenge his cause, assembled a great multitude of Welshmen, with whose helpe he burnt & destroied manie townes in Wales so that the K. being then beyond the seas, sent to the earle of Cornewall, whom in his absence he had appointed his lieutenant ouer England, requiring him to send an armie into Wales, to resist the malice and riotous attempts of the Welshmen. The earle shortlie therevpon prepared an armie, and went with the same into Wales, or (as other write) the bishop of Elie, the lord prior of S. Iohns, the earle of Glocester, and diuerse barons of the land went thither, and chasing the said RÉes, dispersed his armie, and ouerthrew and raced his castels, but by vndermining and reuersing the wals at the castell of Druslan, with the fall therof, the baron Stafford, and the lord William de Montchensie, with manie other knights and esquiers, were oppressed and brused to death. ¶ This yeare, the king at Blankfort in Gascoigne, tooke vpon him the crosse, purposing eftsoones to make a iournie against Gods enimies.

In the winter of this yeare great flouds chanced, by reason of the excÉeding abundance of raine that fell: and the sea alongst the northeast coasts from Humber to Yarmouth, brake into the land, ouerflowing the same by the space of thrÉe or foure leagues in breadth (as the author of the Chronicle of Dunstable affirmeth) ouerthrowing buildings, and drowning vp men and cattell that could not auoid the danger by the sudden comming in thereof, namelie, about Yarmouth, Dunwich, and Gippeswich. Likewise in the Mers land of Lincolnshire it did passing great hurt, bringing all the countrie into water. This chanced in the verie night of the beginning of this yÉere, to wit, in the feast of the circumcision of our Lord, and in December it brake out againe in Northfolke and Suffolke, where it did much harme, namelie about Yarmouth.

This yeare, and likewise the yeare last past, was such plentie of graine; that wheat was sold in some places of this land for twentie pence a quarter, and in some places for sixtÉene pence, and pease for twelue pence a quarter. The summer this yeare excÉeded in heat, so that men thorough the intemperate excesse thereof died in diuers places. ¶ It chanced in Gascoigne, that as the king & quÉene sate in their chamber vpon a bed talking togither, the thunder-bolt comming in at the window behind them, passed through betwixt them as they sate, and slue two of their gentlemen that stood before them, to the great terror of all that were present. ¶ This yeare diuerse of those that robd the faire at Boston, were executed.

Moreouer, whereas RÉes ap Meridoc continued still in his mischieuous dooings, at length, the lord deputie of Wales, Robert Tiptost, vsing both spÉedie diligence and timelie counsell, gathered all such power as he could make, & passed foorth against his aduersaries. Whereof when sir RÉes was aduertised, and vnderstanding that the Englishmen were farre fewer in number than his Welshmen, he thought to ouerthrow them at his pleasure, and therefore incouraging his people with manie comfortable words, to shew their manhood vpon the Englishmens approch, he hasted to mÉet them. The Welshmen being for the more part but yoong souldiers, and not trained to kÉepe any order of battell, ran fiercelie vpon their enimies, assailing them on the front before, on the sides a flanke, and on the backe behind, inforcing themselues to the vttermost of their power to breake their arraie.

But the Englishmen valiantlie resisted, so that there was a sore battell for a while, and the more couragiouslie the Welshmen assailed, the more stoutlie the Englishmen defended, in kÉeping themselues close togither, and beating backe their aduersaries: and at length perceiuing them to faint and wax wearie, they rushed foorth into the middle of the Welshmen, & brake them in sunder, so that when they saw themselues thus repelled by the Englishmen, contrarie vnto all their expectation, they knew not what to doo, for they durst neither fight nor flÉe, and so by that meanes were beaten downe on euerie side. Meridoc himselfe was taken, but the most part of all his armie was slaine, to the number of foure thousand men. Thus were the Welshmen woorthilie chastised for their rebellion. Sir RÉes ap Meridoc was had to Yorke, where at length, after the king was returned out of Gascoigne, he was hanged, drawen and quartered.

This yeare on S. Margarets euen, that is, the 9 daie of Iulie, fell a woonderfull tempest of haile, that the like had not bÉene sÉene nor heard of by any man then liuing. And after, there insued such continuall raine, so distempering the ground, that corne waxed verie deare, so that whereas wheat was sold before at thrÉe pence a bushell, the market so rose by little and little, that it was sold for two shillings a bushell, and so the dearth increased still almost by the space of 40 yeares, till the death of Edward the second, in so much that sometime a bushell of wheat London measure was sold at ten shillings.

The king, after he had remained and continued thrÉe yeares, two moneths, and fiftÉene daies in Gascoine, and in other parts there beyond the sea, he returned into England on the fourth day of August, and vpon the euen of the Assumption of our ladie he came to London, where he was most ioifullie receiued, & so came to Westminster: where shortlie after were presented vnto him manie grÉeuous complaints and informations against diuerse of his iustices, as sir Thomas Weiland, Adam Stretton, and others, the which were had in examination, and thervpon found giltie of manie trespasses and transgressions, in so much that it was giuen him to vnderstand, that there were among them that had giuen consent to the committing of murthers and robberies, and wittinglie had receiued the offendors. Wherevpon, the king caused streight inquirie to be made by an inquest of 12 substantiall personages, who found by verdict, that Thomas Weiland lord chÉefe iustice of the kings bench, had caused a murther to be doone by his seruants, and after succoured and mainteined them: hervpon he was by the kings officers arrested, but escaping their hands, he tooke sanctuarie in the church of the friers minors at saint Edmundesburie, and was admitted into their habit, but within fourtie daies after, order was giuen by the king that no kind of vittels should be suffered to be conueied to that house, so that all the friers came foorth, except thrÉe or foure, and at length he was constreined to take vpon him a laie mans apparell, and comming foorth was deliuered to the hands of Robert Malet knight, who had before the custodie of him, and now hauing him againe brought him to the towre of London. At length, he was put to his choise of thrÉe waies, which soeuer of them he would take, that is, whether to be tried by his pÉeres, or to remaine in perpetuall prison, or to abiure the realme: he chose the last, and so bare-footed and bare-headed, bearing a crosse in his hand, he was conueied from the towre to Douer, where taking the sea, he was transported to the further side of the sea; his goods, mooueable and vnmooueable, being confiscate to the kings coffers.

William Brampton, Roger Leicester, Iohn Luneth, associats of the said Thomas, and iustices of the kings bench: also, Robert Lithburie chapleine, and maister of the rolles, being accused of wrongfull iudgements and other trespasses were committed to prison within the tower, and at length with much adoo, escaped with paieng their fines, so that he which paied least, gaue a thousand marks. Moreouer, Salomon of Rochester, Thomas de Sudington, Richard de Boiland, and Walter de Hopton, iustices itinerants, were likewise punished, and for the semblable offenses put to their fines. Sir Rafe de Hingham a iustice also, to whome in the kings absence the ordering of the realme chÉefelie apperteined, being accused of diuerse transgressions, and committed to the tower, redÉemed his offense for an infinit summe of monie. Adam de Stratton, lord chÉefe baron of the excheker, being conuicted of manie hainous crimes, a man plentifullie prouided both of temporall possessions, and ecclesiasticall reuenues, lost all his temporall liuings, and foure and thirtie thousand marks in readie coine, beside other mooueables, in cattell, iewels and furniture of houshold, which were all confiscated, and forfeited wholie: and it was thought he was gentlie dealt with, that he escaped with life, and such spirituall liuings as to him remained. Henrie Braie escheator, and the iudges ouer the Iewes, were reported to haue committed manie grÉeuous offenses, but for monie they bought their peace. To conclude, there was not found any amongst all the iustices and officers clÉere and void of vniust dealing except Iohn de Metingham, and Elias de Bekingham, who onelie among the rest had behaued themselues vprightlie. When therfore such grÉeuous complaints were exhibited to the king, he appointed the earle of Lincolne, the bishop of Elie, and others, to heare euerie mans complaint, and vpon due examination & triall, to sÉe them answered accordinglie as right and equitie should require. In which administration of iustice against euill iusticiaries, the king performed the charge imposed and laid vpon all such as are in gouernement and magistracie; namelie,

In the eightÉenth yeare of his reigne, the king married two of his daughters, that is to saie, Ioane de Acres vnto Gilbert de Clare earle of Glocester, and the ladie Margaret vnto the lord Iohn sonne to the duke of Brabant. ¶ The king ordeined, that all the wooll, which should be sold vnto strangers, should be brought vnto Sandwich, where the staple thereof was kept long time after. In the same yeare was a parlement holden at Westminster, wherein the statutes of Westminster the third were ordeined. It was also decrÉed, that all the Iewes should auoid out of the land, in consideration whereof, a fiftÉenth was granted to the king, and so hÉervpon were the Iewes banished out of all the kings dominions, and neuer since could they obteine any priuilege to returne hither againe. All their goods not mooueable were confiscated, with their taillies and obligations; but all other their goods that were mooueable, togither with their coine of gold and siluer, the king licenced them to haue and conuey with them. A sort of the richest of them, being shipped with their treasure in a mightie tall ship which they had hired, when the same was vnder saile, and got downe the Thames towards the mouth of the riuer beyond Quinborowe, the maister mariner bethought him of a wile, and caused his men to cast anchor, and so rode at the same, till the ship by ebbing of the streame remained on the drie sands. The maister herewith entised the Iewes to walke out with him on land for recreation. And at length, when he vnderstood the tide to be comming in, he got him backe to the ship, whither he was drawne vp by a cord. The Iewes made not so much hast as he did, bicause they were not ware of the danger. But when they perceiued how the matter stood, they cried to him for helpe: howbeit he told them, that they ought to crie rather vnto Moses, by whose conduct their fathers passed through the red sea, and therefore, if they would call to him for helpe, he was able inough to helpe them out of those raging flouds, which now came in vpon them: they cried indÉed, but no succour appeared, and so they were swallowed vp in water. The maister returned with the ship, and told the king how he had vsed the matter, and had both thanks and reward, as some haue written. But other affirme, (and more truelie as should sÉeme) that diuerse of those mariners, which dealt so wickedlie against the Iewes, were hanged for their wicked practise, and so receiued a iust reward of their fraudulent and mischÉeuous dealing. But now to the purpose.

In the foresaid parlement, the king demanded an aid of monie of the spiritualtie, for that (as he pretended) he meant to make a iournie into the holie land, to succour the christians there: whervpon they granted to him the eleuenth part of all their mooueables. He receiued the monie aforehand, but letted by other businesse at home, he went not foorth vpon that iournie. In the ninetÉenth yeare of king Edward quÉene Elianor king Edwards wife died vpon saint Andrews Éeuen at Herdebie, or Herdelie (as some haue) nÉere to Lincolne, the king being as then on his waie towards the borders of Scotland: but hauing now lost the iewell which he most estÉemed, he returned towards London to accompanie the corps vnto Westminster, where it was buried in S. Edwards chapell, at the fÉet of king Henrie the third. She was a godlie and modest princesse, full of pitie, and one that shewed much fauour to the English nation, readie to relÉeue euerie mans grÉefe that susteined wrong, and to make them frÉends that were at discord, so farre as in hir laie. In euerie towne and place, where the corps rested by the waie, the king caused a crosse of cunning workmanship to be erected in remembrance of hir, and in the same was a picture of hir ingrauen. Two of the like crosses were set vp at London, one at Charing, and the other in Westcheape. Morouer, he gaue in almes euerie Wednesday wheresoeuer he went, pence a pÉece, to all such poore folkes as came to demand the same.

About the same time, bicause the king should be the more willing to go into the holie land, as he had promised to doo, hauing monie to furnish him foorth, the pope granted vnto him the tenth of the church of England, Scotland and Ireland, according to the true value of all the reuenues belonging vnto the same for six yeares. He wrote to the bishops of Lincolne and Winchester, that the same tenth should be laid vp in monasteries and abbeies, till the king was entred into the sea, called Mare Maggiore, forwards on his iournie eastwards, and then to be paid to his vse. But the king afterwards caused the collectors to make paiment to him of the same tenth gathered for thrÉe yeares, and laid vp in monasteries, although he set not one foot forward in that iournie, as letted through other businesse.

Also, by reason of the controuersie which depended as then betwixt diuerse persons, as competitors of the crowne of Scotland, he went into the north parts and kept his easter at Newcastell, and shortlie after, called a parlement at Northampton; where, by the aduise of the prelats and other of his councell, learned in both the lawes, vpon knowledge had by search of records, and chronicles of ancient time, he caused all the prelats and barons of Scotland to be called afore him, and there in the parish-church of Norham, he declared vnto them his right to the superioritie of the kingdome of Scotland, and requiring of them, that they would recognise the same, protesting that he would defend the right of his crowne, to the shedding of his owne bloud, that a true certificat and information might come to light of his title and rightfull claime, vnto the direct and supreme dominion ouer the realme of Scotland.

He had caused verelie all the histories, chronicles, and monuments that were to be found within England, Scotland and Wales, to be sought vp and perused, that it might be knowen what right he had in this behalfe. Wherevpon it was found by the chronicles of Marianus the Scot, William of Malmesburie, Roger Houeden, Henrie Huntington, Rafe de Diceto, and others, that in the yeare of our Lord 910, K. Edward surnamed Senior, or the elder, subdued to him the kings of Scots and Welshmen, so that in the yeare 921, the same people chose the said Edward to be their king and patrone. And likewise in the yeare 926, Athelstan king of England vanquished Constantine king of Scotland, and permitted him yet to reigne vnder him. Moreouer, Edred the brother of Athelstan, and king of England, ouercame the Scots and Northumbers, the which submitted themselues to him and sware him fealtie. Also Edgar king of England vanquished Kineth the son of Alpine king of Scotland, who sware fealtie to him. Likewise Cnute king of England and Denmarke, in the 16 yeare of his reigne ouercame Malcolme king of Scots, & so became king of foure kingdoms, England, Scotland, Denmarke, and Norwaie.

Furthermore, that blessed king S. Edward, gaue the kingdome of Scotland vnto Malcolme the sonne of the king of Cumberland, to hold the same of him. Againe, William Bastard the Norman conqueror, in the sixt yeare of his reigne vanquished Malcolme king of Scotland, and receiued of him an oth of fealtie. Also, Will. Rufus did the like vnto Malcolme king of Scots, and two of his sonnes that successiuelie reigned ouer that realme. Also, Alexander succÉeded his brother Edgar in the kingdome of Scotland, by consent of K. Henrie the first. Also Dauid king of Scotland did homage to K. Stephan, & William K. of Scots did homage to Henrie, the son of K. Henrie the second, when in his fathers life time he was crowned; and againe, to Henrie the father in the 20 yeare of his reigne, as by an agrÉement made betwixt them two it dooth appeare. Also, Roger Houeden saith, that William king of Scotland came to his souereigne lord king Henrie into Normandie, and likewise to king Richard, and moreouer to king Iohn at Lincolne, dooing to them his homage. Also, in the chronicles of S. Albons it is found that Alexander king of Scotland married at Yorke Margaret the daughter of king Henrie the third, in the 35 yeare of his reigne, and did to him homage.

And further, when king Edward himselfe was crowned at Westminster, in the yeare of our Lord 1274, being the second of his reigne, the last deceassed K. of Scotland, Alexander the third of that name did homage vnto him at Westminster the morrow after the coronation. All which homages and fealties thus done by sundrie kings of Scotland, vnto sundrie kings of England, were directlie and most manifestlie prooued to be doone for the realme of Scotland, and not onelie for the lands which they held of the kings of England within England, as the Scotish writers would sÉeme to colour the matter. But things being then fresh in memorie, no such cauillation might be auerred. And so herevpon king Edwards title being substantiallie prooued, he was recognised superiour lord of Scotland, of all them that pretended title at that time to that kingdome, by writings thereof made and confirmed vnder their seales, the which being written in French conteined matter as here followeth.

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