An. Reg. 3. the like at Canturburie, seeming in déed to striue with the king, which of them should passe the other in such sumptuous appareling of their men: whereat the king (and not without good cause) was greatlie mooued to indignation against him, although for a time he coloured the same, going presentlie into the north, where he gathered of the countrie there no small summs of monie, as it were by way of fining them for their transgressions committed in his forrests.
From thence he returned and came to Canturburie, where he held his easter, which fell that yeare on the day of the Annunciation of our ladie, in the which feast he sat crowned, togither with his wife quéene Isabell, the archbishop of Canturburie bearing the charges of them and their trains while they remained there. At the feast of the Ascension next insuing, king John set out a proclamation at Tewkesburie, that all the earles and barons of the realme, and also all other that held of him by knights seruice, should be readie in the feast of Pentecost next insuing, with horsse and armour at Portesmouth, to passe ouer with him into Normandie, who made their appearance accordinglie. Howbeit, a great number of them in the end gat licence to tarrie at home, paieng for euerie knights fée two markes of siluer for a fine, which then was a great matter.
Rog. Houed.
But he sent before him into Normandie William Marshall earle of Striguille with an hundred knights or men of armes, which he had hired, and Roger de Lacie with an other hundred men of armes to defend the confines of Normandie against the enimies: and to his chamberleine Hubert de Burgh he deliuered the like number of knights or men of armes also, to keepe the marshes betwixt England and Wales as warden of the same. This doone, he pardoned his brother the archbishop of Yorke, and restored him to all his The archbish. of Yorke restored. dignities, possessions and liberties, confirming the same vnto him in as full and large manner, as euer Roger late archbishop of that see had enioied the same: for the which confirmation his said brother vndertooke to paie to the king within the terme of one yeare the summe of a thousand pounds starling; and for the assurance thereof, engaged his baronie to the king in pledge.
Moreouer, about the same time, the king sent Geffrey bishop of Chester, and Richard Ambassadors sent to Scotland. Malebisse, with Henrie de Poisie, vnto William king of Scotland, requiring him that the time appointed for him to make answer touching his demand of Northumberland, might be proroged vntill the feast of saint Michaell the archangell next insuing, which was obteined, and then the king and queene (being come to Portsmouth on the mondaie in Whitsunwéeke) tooke the sea to passe ouer into Normandie, but not both in one ship, so The king passeth ouer into Normandie. that the quéene with a prosperous gale of wind arriued there at hir owne desire. But the king was driuen by reason of a pirrie, to take land in the Ile of Wight, and so was staied there for a time: howbeit, within a few daies after, he tooke ship againe at Portsmouth, and so passed ouer into Normandie, where shortlie after his arriuall in those parties he came to an enteruiew with the king of France, neere to Lisle Donelie, where comming He commeth to talke with the king of France. a long time togither alone, they agreed so well, that within thrée daies after, king John at the French kings request went into France, and was receiued of him with much honour, first at S. Denise with procession of the cleargie: and there lodging one night, vpon the morrow the French king accompanied him vnto Paris, where he was receiued of the King John entreth into Paris. citizens with great reuerence, the prouost presenting vnto him in the name of the whole citie manie rich gifts for his welcome. K. Philip feasted him also in his owne palace, & for his part gaue to him, to his lords, and to his seruants manie great and princelie gifts. Morouer, the league at this time was renewed betwixt them, and put in writing, with The league renewed. Matth. Paris. R. Houed. this caution, that whether of them first brake the couenants; such lords on his part as were become suerties for performance, should be released of their allegiance which they owght to him that so should breake, & that they might therevpon freelie become subiects to the other prince.
These things doone, at length when as king John had remained at Paris with great mirth and solace certeine daies, the French king brought him foorth of the citie, and tooke leaue of him in verie louing wise. After this king John went to Chinon, & from thence into Normandie; about which time there chanced some troubles in Ireland, for where Walter Lacie vnder pretense of a communication that was appointed betwixt him and John de Curcie, lord of Vlnester, meant to haue taken the said Curcie, and for the Walter Lacie meant to haue taken the lord Curcie. accomplishment of his purpose set vpon him, slue manie of his men, and for his safegard constreined Curcie in the end to take a castell which belonged vnto Hugh Lacie, vpon faire promises made to him by the same Hugh, to be preserued out of all danger, it came to passe, that when he was once got in, he might no more be suffered to depart. For the Lacies thought to haue deliuered him to king John, but the seruants and fréends of the said Curcie made such cruell war, in wasting and destroieng the lands and possessions that belonged vnto the said Walter and Hugh Lacies, that finallie they were constreined to set him againe at libertie whether they would or no.
At the same time also, the kings of France and England gaue large monie towards Polydor. Aid against the Turkes and infidels. the maintenance of the armie, which at this present went foorth vnder the leading of the earle of Flanders and other, to warre against the enimies of the christian faith, at the instance of pope Innocent. There was furthermore granted vnto them the fortith part Matth. Paris. of all the reuenues belonging to ecclesiasticall persons, towards the aid of the christians then being in the holie land, and all such as well of the Nobilitie as other of the weaker sort, which had taken vpon them the crosse, and secretlie laid it downe, were compelled eftsoones to receiue it now againe.
There chanced this yeare woonderfull tempests of thunder, lightning, haile, and abundance Vnseasonable weather. of raine, in such wise, that mens minds were greatlie astonied therwith: medowes and marsh grounds were quite ouerflowne, bridges broken and borne downe, and great quantitie of corne and haie lost and carried awaie, and diuerse men and women drowned. Margaret mother of Constance, duches of Britaine, sister to William king of Scots, and Fabian. mother to Henrie Bohun earle of Hereford, deceassed. This yeare also by the counsell and aduice of the burgesses of London, there were chosen 35 of the most substantiall and wisest men, which after the report of some writers, were called the councell of the citie of London, out of which number the Maior and Bailiffes were yearelie chosen.
Matth. Paris.
In the yeare 1202 king John held his Christmasse at Argenton in Normandie, and in 1202. the Lent following he and the French king met togither, neere vnto the castell of Gulleton, and there in talke had betwéene them, he commanded king John with no small arrogancie, The French K. beginneth to make war against king John. and contrarie to his former promise, to restore vnto his nephue Arthur duke of Britaine, all those lands now in his possession on that side the sea, which king John earnestlie denied to doo, wherevpon the French king immediatlie after, began war against him, and tooke Buteuant, Augi. and the castell of Linos. Moreouer, he besieged the castell of Radepont for the space of eight daies, till king John came thither, and forced him to depart with much dishonor. Howbeit after this, the French king wan Gourney, and then returning to Paris, he appointed certeine persons to haue the gouernement of the foresaid Arthur duke of Britaine, and then sent him foorth with 200 men of armes into Poictou, that he might bring the countrie also vnder his subiection.
Polydor.
Hugh earle of March.
Herevpon Hugh le Brun earle of March (vnto whome queene Isabell the wife of king John had beene promised in marriage, before that king John was motioned vnto hir, and therefore bare an inward displeasure towards the king of England, for that he had so bereft him of his promised spouse) being now desirous to procure some trouble also vnto The Poictouins reuolt from king John. king John, ioined himselfe with Arthur duke of Britaine, and found meanes to cause them of Poictou (a people euer subiect to rebellion) to reuolt from king John, and to take armour against him, so that the yoong Arthur being incouraged with this new supplie of Arthur proclaimeth himselfe earle of Aniou, &c. associats, first went into Touraine, and after into Aniou, compelling both those countries to submit themselues vnto him, and proclaimed himselfe earle of those places, by commission and grant obteined from king Philip.
Quéene Elianor.
Queene Elianor that was regent in those parties being put in great feare with the newes of this sudden sturre, got hir into Mirabeau a strong towne, situat in the countrie of Aniou, and foorthwith dispatched a messenger with letters vnto king John, requiring him of speedie succour in this hir present danger. In the meane time, Arthur following the victorie, shortlie after followed hir, and woone Mirabeau, where he tooke his grandmother within the same, whom he yet intreated verie honorablie, and with great reuerence (as Matth. Paris. Matth. West. some haue reported.) ¶ But other write far more trulie, that she was not taken, but escaped into a tower, within the which she was straitlie besieged. Thither came also to aid Arthur all the Nobles and men of armes in Poictou, and namelie the foresaid earle of March according to appointment betwixt them: so that by this meanes Arthur had a great armie togither in the field.
King John in the meane time, hauing receiued his mothers letters, and vnderstanding thereby in what danger she stood, was maruellouslie troubled with the strangenesse of the Polydor. newes, and with manie bitter words accused the French king as an vntrue prince, and a fraudulent league-breaker: and in all possible hast speedeth him foorth, continuing his iournie for the most part both day and night to come to the succour of his people. To K. John commeth vpon his enimies not looked for. be briefe, he vsed such diligence, that he was vpon his enimies necks yer they could vnderstand any thing of his comming, or gesse what the matter meant, when they saw such a companie of souldiers as he brought with him to approch so néere the citie. For so negligent were they, that hauing once woone the towne, they ranged abroad ouer the countrie hither and thither at their libertie without any care. So that now being put in a sudden feare, as preuented by the hastie comming of the enimies vpon them, and wanting leisure to take aduice what was best to be doone, and hauing not time in manner to get any armour on their backs, they were in a maruellous trouble, not knowing whether it were best for them to fight or to flée, to yeeld or to resist.
This their feare being apparent to the Englishmen (by their disorder shewed in running vp and downe from place to place with great noise and turmoile) they set vpon them with great violence, and compassing them round about, they either tooke or slue them in a manner at their pleasure. And hauing thus put them all to flight, they pursued the chase towards the towne of Mirabeau, into which the enimies made verie great hast to enter: but such spéed was vsed by the English souldiers at that present, that they entred and wan the said towne before their enimies could come néere to get into it. Great slaughter was made within Mirabeau it selfe, and Arthur with the residue of the armie Arthur duke of Britaine takē prisoner. Matth. Paris. that escaped with life from the first bickering was taken, who being herevpon committed to prison, first at Falais, and after within the citie of Rouen, liued not long after as you shall heare. The other of the prisoners were also committed vnto safe kéeping some into castels within Normandie, and some were sent into England.
The French king at the same time lieng in siege before Arques, immediatlie vpon the newes of this ouerthrow, raised from thence, and returned homewards, destroieng all that came in his waie, till he was entred into his owne countrie. It is said that king John
King Iohn hauing gotten this victorie, and taken his nephue Arthur, he wrote the maner of that his successe vnto his barons in England, in manner as followeth.
IOHN by the grace of God king of England, and lord of Ireland, to all his barons sendeth greeting. Know yee that we by Gods fauour are in sound and perfect health, and through Gods grace that maruellouslie worketh with vs, on tuesdaie before Lammas daie, we being before the citie of Mauns, were aduertised that our mother was besieged in Mirabeau, and therfore we hasted so fast as we possibly might, so that we came thither on Lammas daie, and there we tooke our nephue Arthur, Hugh le Brun, Andrew de De Castre Erald. Chauenie, the vicount of Chateau Erald, Raimond de Touars, Sauerie de Mauleon, and Hugh Bangi, and all other enimies of Poictou that were there assembled against vs, to the number of two hundred knights and aboue, so that not one of them escaped. Giue 252 knights or men of armes besides demilances. God therefore thanks, and reioise at our good successe.The French king at the same time lieng in siege before Arques, immediatlie vpon the newes of this ouerthrow, raised from thence, and returned homewards, destroieng all that came in his waie, till he was entred into his owne countrie. It is said that king John
