1199. and all therein, if only their Lives and Limbs might be faved; but the King would accept of no Conditions, bidding them to defend themfelves as they could, for he would enter by the Sword, and hang them all. Whereupon an Arbalafter standing upon the Wall, and feeing his Time, charged his Steel-bow with a Square Arrow, making firft his Prayer to God, that he would direct that Shot, and deliver the Innocency of the Befieged from Oppreffion; then difcharging it, as the King was taking a View of the Caftle, mortally wounded him in the left Shoulder, the Anguish and Peril whereof was extremely increafed by the Unskilfulness of the Chirurgeon. The Caftle by continuat Affaults was taken, and-by the King's Command none left alive, fave this too skilful Archer, who neither denied, nor excufed the Fact; but alledged the Neceffity of the Cafe, and the Juftice of God in it, for that the King, he faid, had flain his Father, and two Brothers, with his own Hands. Yet did the magnanimous King, forgive this Bertram de Guidon the Fact, gave him an hundred Shillings, and fet him at Liberty. But Captain Markadry, after the King was dead, took him, flea'd him alive, and then hang'd him. When Cœur de Lion perceived the certain Approach of Death, with Contrition, Confeffion, ard Participation of the Sacrament, he prepar'd himself for another Life, and died of his Wounds, April 6, A. D. 1199. And according to his Command, his Bowels were buried at Charron, amongst the Rebellious Podovins, as thole who had only deferved his worft Parts; his Heart at Roan, as the City which, for her conftant Loyalty, had merited the fame; and his Corpfe was intombed at Font Everard, at the Feet of his Father, to whom he had fometime been difobedient.

He was contracted to Alice, the Daughter of Lewis VII. King of France. He married Berengaria, the Daughter of Sanches VI. King of Navarre.

His natural Iffue were Philip and fabel.

This Prince is faid to have been of fuch Prowefs, that he was more feared and redoubted amongst the Saracens, than ever was any Chriftian Prince; infomuch that when their little Children at any Time began. to cry, the Mothers, to make them hold their Peace, would fay to them, King Richard cometh, and will have you.

In the first Year of his Reign, (as fome write) he appointed Henry Fitz Alwin to be Mayor of London, that Honourable City having been formerly govern'd by Portgraves, or Portreves. He caufed Money to be coined (held in great Request for its Purity) by the Eafterlings, a People of Germany, afterward current Money, and called Sterling, from the Eafterlings. When this King was in France, one Fulk, a Prieft, told him, that he kept three Daughters, which, if he did not difmifs, they would procure him God's Wrath. Why, Hypocrite, fays the King, all the World knows that I never had a Child. Yes, faid Fulk, you have Three, and their Names are, Pride, Covetousness, and Lechery. Is it fo? faid the King; you shall fee me prefently difpofe of them. The Knights Templars fhall have Pride, the White Monks Covetousness, and the Clergy Lechery; and there have you my three Daughters biftowed amongst you. Now lived Robin Hood, an out-lawed Noble, and Little John, who with an hundred four Fellows more, molested all Paffenges by the Way, yet only robbed and made Prey of the Rich, felling good Pennyworths when they had done. јону

1199.

with

4.D.OHN (tho that Arthur his Brother Feoffry's Son was living, yet) by the Affiftance of his Mother Eleanor and other noble Friends, was by the great Council of the Realm,admitted King. To whom they then fware only a conditional Fealty, viz. To keep Faith and Peace to him, if he would render to every Man their Rights. He was crowned at Westminster by Hubert Archbishop of Canterbury. His Reign throughout was attended great Troubles: For firft, the King of France took upon him to eftablish young Arthur in the King. dom, tho' after a while, for his own Advantage, he deliver'd the Prince into his Uncle's Hands. Then the King of Scots procured fome Difturbances; but an Accord was fhortly made, the two Kings of England and Scotland fyrarig faithful Love to each other upon the Crofier of Archbishop Hubert. Prefently after which, thefe two Kings, with the King of South Wales, expreffed their great Humility, by helping to carry the Corpfe of Hugh Bishop of Lintolz, on their Shoulders, to the Place of Interment. Then the Clergy difturbed the Peace, oppugning the King's Royal Title to a Benefice, locking the Church Doors against his Prefence, fcorning his Princely Letters, fencing the Church with armed Men againft his Officers, affailing his Sheriff, moving the Pope to excommunicate all their Oppofers; yea, caufed the King himself to be accufed to the Pope for a Tyrant. The whole Ciftercian Order denied the Payments of a Subfidy granted the King. The Canons of Lincoln refused to accept of him for

+

their Bishop, whom the King had appointed in the Place of him deceafed. Hubert, Archbishop, called a General Council in his Province without the King's Pe miffion, and then disdained the King's Prohibition thereof. The Lay-Peers they came in alfo to act a Part, and at a Time when the King stood in need of their Help against the Poistovins and French, refused to attend the King in his Wars against them. Howbeit, King John put forth to Sea, arrived in Normandy, and in Battle overthrew his Nephew Arthur, and by Valour recovered all the Province that had revolted Prince Arthur, and all the Peers of Poitou, above 200 French Knights, and others of Command, he took Prifoners. Not long after which, young Arthur died, not without Sufpicion of Violence. Which gave a fresh Occafion to fome of the difaffected Peers to bandy against the King, whom the King of France now cited as his Homager for the Dukedom of Normandy, to appear at a fet Day to be tried by his Peers upon Point of Murther and Treafon. And King John not appearing at the appointed Time, was by the King and Peers of France difinherited and condemned, and according to the Sentence they proceeded against him; and what by the King's Remiffness, the Treachery of his People, and Power of his Enemies, he loft a great Part of the strongest Towns and Caftles in the French Territories. But the delinquent Peers and Barons King John put to their Fines; and for the carrying on of the Wars against France, had a Subfidy granted him, which moved

F 4

the

1199. the People to think hardly of him. The King of France, who had been too fuccesful of late against the English, fent a braving Champion over into England, to justify by Duel his Proceedings in King John's French Dominions; with whom John Carcy, Earl of Ulter, undertook to combat. This Curcy was a Man of Gigantick Limbs and Strength, and of fome Conditions not defpicable, had they not been favaged with too much Rudeness: Which appear'd not only by his wild Speeches touching the King's Mifufage of his Nephew Arthur; but even then, when the King demanded of him whether he would combat in his Quarrel; he answer'd, No, not in thy Quarrel, nor for thy Sake; yet for the Kingdom's Right I will fight to the Death. But this the French Champion never put him to; for hearing of the Earl's exceffive Feed ing, and Strength anfwerable thereto, the Monfieur fneak'd away into Spain, as athamed to fhew his Face again in France. Of Earl Curry 'tis farther faid, that when the two Kings of France and England met together upon a Truce in France, King Philip having heard of Curcy, and that he was in the English Camp, requested of King John that he might fee fome Experiment of his fo much feared and famed Strength. Whereupon an Helmet of excellent Proof, full farced with Mail, was fet upon a wooden Block; when the Earl firft lowring round about him, with a deadful Afpect, lift up his trufly Skeyn, and cleft fo deep quite through the flecly Refinance into the knotty Wood, that none there prefent, fave himfelf, could draw it out again; which he did with Eafe. Then being by the King asked, why he frowned fo angrily before he ftruck? he answered, That he purpoled, if he had failed of his Blow, 29 have killed them all, both King

and the other Spectators. But for all this famous Champion, K. Philip by degrees gained all in Normandy. even Roan itfelf. Main, Turin, and Poitou, revolted from K. John, and Angiers was betrayed: All these Lofics happened through the Default of fome of the Eng Peers and Prelates. For when the King was in Readiness to take Shipping for Normandy, Hubert the Archbifhop forbad him proceeding in the Voyage; the Peers alfo again refu fed to attend him: Wherefore the King put many of his Earls, Barons, and Knights, yea, and Clergymen alfo, to a grievous pecuniary Redemption; and Hubert's Wealth and Poffeffions (who died the fame Year) the King feized on. This Hubert was fufpected of too familiar practifing with the King of France. Upon the Death of this Archbishop Hibert, the Monks of Canterbury made Choice of Reginald their Sub Prior, in his Stead; and the King, after them, of John Grey, Bfhop of Norwich, a Man of great Wildom. But the Pope,neglecting both thefe, recommend Stephen de Langton to the Monks of Canterbury, and Bifhops of that Province, to be prefently chofen for their Primate. Which the Monks unwilling, and deferring to do, alledging that no Canonical Election could be made at Rome, where was no Content neither of King nor Convent, the Pope with Choler replied, That he had Plinitude of Power over the Church of Canterbury; and moreover, that no Confent of Princes ufed to be expected in Elections where the Pope was. He therefore commanded them, under Pain of his high Curfe, to accept him for their Primate: Which all accordingly did, (though not without Murmerings) fave one Elias de Brantford. And to work the King

into

into a Compliance hereto, the Pope fent him four Gold Rings with four precious Stones, an Emerald, Sapphire, Ruby, and Topaz; fignifying in his Letter fent with them, that the Ring's Roundness must remember him of Eternity, the quadrate Number muft mind him of Conftancy, and the four Cardinal Virtues, Prudence, Juftice, Temperance, and Fortitude. The Gold's Price, of Wisdom; the Emerald's Greennefs of Faith; the Sapphire's Brightness of Hope; the Ruby's Redness of Charity; and the To. paz's Clearnefs of Sanctity of Life. But King John, for all thefe fond Toys and fine Words, when he obfer'd the Pope's Arbitrarinefs; the Dihonour arifing to himfelf, in being fruftrated of his Choice; the Prejudice of his Crown, in having Bishop thrust upon him without Sovereign Confent; the Hazard to the State in having a French Favourite over the English; with alfo the Monks Difloyalty in yielding to the Pope's Election: He first of all profcribed the Monks as Traytors, and after that writ Letters to the Pope, wherein he alledged the Wrongs done to himself, and made his Exceptions against Langton, vowing immutably to ftand for his own Election, and to die in Defence of the Liberties of his Crown: Likewife inding the Pope of his great Profits he received from England, menacing withal, that if he were crof fed in this, he would then ftop all from croffing the Seas to Rome. To which Letters of the King the Pope answered very comminatorily, and hortly after, viz. in A. D. 1208, becaufe the King would be King in his own Dominions, this Servus Servorum interdicted the whole Kingdom, under which it lay for the Term of fix Years and fourteen Weeks, without God's Service, or Sacraments, or Chriftian Burial,

The Lay People were tumbled like 1199. Dogs into every Ditch. Howbeit, the King to be even with the Pope, profcrib'd the difloyal Clergy, their Revenues he confifcated, their Bifhopricks, Abbies, and Priories, he put into Lay-mens Hands, and every where they fuffered Wrong, without ordinary Protection of Juftice. But fome of the Eminent Clergy detefted the Pope's favage Proceedings, as Philip, Bishop of Durham, and his Succeffor the Bishops of Winchester and Norwich ; they animated the King to contemn the Papal Curfe, and the Ciftercian Abbots (neglecting the Interdict) continued the Divine Service, till the Pope fufpended them for their Contempt. Moreover, the Pope to revenge himfelf on the King, anathematized him by Name, which caufed many to defert his Service; for which he punish'd them by Fine. Yet at length, the better to fecure himself and State, the King was ve ry defirous to come to an Atonement, and affured under his Seal, that Archbishop Langton, with the Bishops and Monks, and others, should be restored both to his Favour and their Poffeffions; that Holy Church fhould have all its Franchises, as in Edward the Confeffor's Time; but becaufe he would not make full Satisfaction to the Clergy for all Confifcations, and other Emoluments received of them, the Pope's Nuncio's refufed a Peace with him. And the Pope was fo mad, that he abfolved all Kings and People, Poor and Rich, having Dependance on him, from all Fealty and Subjection to him; whereupon Malecontents fet themselves to work Mischief. The Welch fall off from the King; whereupon at Nottingham he hangs up their Hoftages, 28 in Number. His Nobles many of them held themselves difcharged of their

AL

Allegiance, fo rebel, inviting the French King to their Afliftance, and promiffing to fettle the English Crown on his Head Stephen Langton, and other Bifhops, implore the Pope's Help to fupport the Church of England, being at the Point of Ruin. His officious Holiness thereupon decrees, that King John must be depofed, and that he would appoint one more worthy in his Stead. To effectuate which, the Pope fent his Letters to Philip King of France, requiring him to undertake the Affair of dethroning the King of England, and for his Reward he fhould have Pardon of all his Sins, befides the enjoying of the English Crown to him and his Heirs for ever. Alfo tranfmitting his Letters general to all Potentates, Soldiers, Men of War of all Nations, to fign themfelves with the Sign of the Cross, and to follow Philip in this Defign, affuring all that their Affiftance herein, whether in Perfon or Purfe, fhould be no lefs meritorious, than if they vifited our Saviour's Sepulchre. The King of France accepts the Of fer, and makes great Preparation for the invading of England; and King John raifes a Land Army, and prepares a Royal Navy to withfland him. But e'er the French made their Attempts, Pandulph, the Pope's Meflenger, arrives in England, and fo wrought upon the King, what by reprefenting the Danger he was in, and what by flattering Promifes, that King John (not infenfible of his defperate Estate) fware in all Things to fubmit to the Judgment of the Church. And fhortly after, at the Knights Templars Houfe in Dover, he furrendred his Crown into the Hands of Pandulph, for the Ufe of the Pope, laying at his Feet his Scepter, Robe, Sword, and Ring, and fubfcrib'd to a Charter, whereby he refigned his Kingdom to the

Pope; profeffing he did it neither through Fear or Force, but of his own free Will, as having no other Way to fatisfy God and the Church for his Offence: And that from that Time forward he would hold his Crown of the Pope, paying a Penfion annually of a Thousand Marks for the Kingdoms of England and Ireland. Pardulph now having gotten what he came for, haftens for France, there to diffuade Philip from proceeding against King John, as being become an obedient and reconciled Son of the Church. But Philip, who was not of his Holy Father's Mind, not caring for King John's Repentance, but his Crown, in great Choler profeffed, That fince the Pope himself had so far thruft him on, his Legate's Suggeftions, no, nor bis Threats of Excommunication, should withdraw him from his Intentions. In which Refolution, calling his Peers into a Confultation, they all approved his Defign, fave Ferdinand Earl of Flanders, who alledged, that it was an unreafonable Thing to think of invading another Man's Right; inforcing this his Judgment with fo good Arguments, that thereby many of the Peers were induced to change their Opinion. Which for incenfed King Philip, that he drew his Forces against Flanders, commanding his mighty prepared Fleet to fet forward thitherward. of the which King John having fpeedy Intelligence, fet forth his Navy, and happily furprized the French Fleet at the Port of Damme (whilft moft of the Soldiers were on Land, fpoiling the Earl's Country) taking Three hundred Veffels laden with Provifions, Arms, and other coftly Freight, and burning, and finking above Ico. And now the King, thinking to take the Advantage of this Victory, made ready a great

Army