A Chronicle of London from 1089 to 1483 Part 36

[Sidenote: The same year.]

The same year a most bitter winter endured from the circ.u.mcision of [Sidenote: In the vij^{th} year of K. H. iij^{rd}.]

our Lord until the annunciation. In the year of our Lord one thousand ccxiiij, St. Francis began the order of minor freres near a.s.sise. And in the year one thousand ccxxiiij, they first came into England, two [Sidenote: In the v^{th} year of K. H. the third.]

years before the decease of saint Francis. In the year one thousand ccxxj, at the festival of saint Luke the Evangelist a violent wind rushed from the north, shattering houses and orchards, and the towers of churches; and there were seen fiery dragons and evil spirits [Sidenote: In the xliij^{rd} of king H. iij.]

fluttering in the tempest. In the year one thousand cclviij, at Teukysbury, a certain Jew on Sat.u.r.day fell into a cesspool, and would not allow himself to be drawn out on the Sat.u.r.day, on account of his reverence of his sabbath; but Richard de Clare earl of Gloucester would not allow him to be drawn out on the following Sunday because of [Sidenote: In the ix^{th} year of king Edw. second.]

his reverence of his own sabbath; and so he died. In the year M.

cccxvj, a very great pestilence of animals and men, and inundation of rains took place, whence was produced so great a dearness of corn, [Sidenote: In the xxiiij^{th} year of K. Edw. the third.]

that a quarter of wheat was sold for xl _s'._ In the year of our Lord M. cccxlviij, there began a great plague at London, about the festival of saint Michael, and it endured until the festival of saint Peter ad [Sidenote: In the x.x.xv^{th} and x.x.xvj^{th} year of king Ed. third.]

vincula next following. In the year of our Lord one thousand ccclxj, the xviij^{th} kl. of February, on the festival of saint Maurus abbot, happened a violent and terrible gale throughout all England. In the same year was a second plague, in which died that n.o.ble and brave man, [Sidenote: In the xliij^{rd} year of king Edw. third.]

Henry duke of Lancaster. In the year of our Lord one thousand ccclxviij, was a third plague, in which died the n.o.ble lady Blanche, d.u.c.h.ess of Lancaster; who lies honorably entombed in the church of [Sidenote: In the v^{th} year of king Richard second.]

saint Paul, London. In the year of our Lord one thousand ccclx.x.xij, the xij^{th} kl. of June, namely, the iiij^{th} day before pentecost, immediately before noon, there was a great earthquake throughout all England.

A COPY OF THE GREAT TABLET HANGING IN THE SAME PLACE, BY THE SAID TOMB OF THE SAID ROGER LATELY BISHOP OF LONDON.

[Sidenote: The ages of the world.]

In the beginning G.o.d created the heaven and earth and all things which are in them. But on the sixth day from the creation of the world, was [Sidenote: 1.]

made the first-formed Adam. The first age of the world, from Adam to Noeh according to the Hebrews, contains a thousand, six hundred and fifty six years; according to the Seventy Interpreters, two thousand two hundred xliiij years. But according to Jerome not completely two thousand; according to Metodus two thousand. The cause of which diversity is, that these do not compute according to the manner of sacred Scripture the minutiae of times, or of years, which are over and above the thousands and hundreds of years. From the beginning of the world until Noeh's flood, are two thousand two hundred fifty six [Sidenote: 2.]

years. The second age from Noeh until Abraham, contains according to the Seventy Interpreters, a thousand and seventy two years: according [Sidenote: 3.]

to the Hebrews, a thousand two hundred and twenty two years. The third age from Abraham until David, contains according to the Hebrews, eight hundred and xl two years; but according to the Seventy Interpreters [Sidenote: 4.]

much less, since they are deficient by two years. The fourth age from David until the carrying away captive into Babylon, contains according to the Hebrews, four hundred and seventy three years; according to the Seventy Interpreters little less, for they are deficient in one year.

[Sidenote: 5.]

The fifth age, from the carrying away captive into Babylon, until Christ, contains five hundred and eighty five years. According to [Sidenote: 6.]

others, five hundred and ninety years. The sixth age is from Christ until the end of the world. The years from the beginning of the world until the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ, are five thousand ninety nine. The years from the incarnation of the same until his pa.s.sion, thirty three incomplete. The years from the creation of the world until the destruction of Troy, iiij m^{l} x.x.x years. From the destruction of Troy until the erection of new Troy, which is now called London, lxiiij years. From the erection of new Troy to the erection of the Roman city, ccclx.x.xx years. From the building of the city until the coming of Christ, dcc.xv years. From the beginning of the world iiij m^{l} lx.x.xxiiij years, after the destruction of Troy, namely, in the mc and fifth year before the incarnation of Christ; Brutus, a certain n.o.ble person sprung of the Trojan race, with a great mult.i.tude of Trojans, through the response of the G.o.ddess Diana, entered into the island formerly called Albion and inhabited by giants; and destroyed all the giants, amongst whom was one very mighty, by name Gogmagog; and he called that land after his own name Britain. Afterwards by the Saxons or Angles that conquered it, it was called England. And the same Brutus the first king of the Britons constructed the first city of Britain, which is now called London, in remembrance of the Troy before destroyed, calling it Trinovantum, that is new Troy, which for a long time was called Trinovans. Ely the priest was then reigning in Judea, and the ark of the testimony captured by the Philistines. After the death of Brutus there reigned in Britain lviij kings. Afterwards reigned king Lud, who strongly built the walls of the city of the Trinovantes, which was by him called Caerlud, in English LOUDESDON, and surrounded it with innumerable towers; which he loved above all the cities of the realm, and therefore directed that they should build houses and edifices, which should surpa.s.s the buildings of other cities. At his death his corpse was most n.o.bly laid up in the aforesaid city near the gate which he himself built, and was called from his name LUDESGATE. At length the English called it LONDENE: afterwards the Normans called it LOUNDRES which in Latin is called Londonia. After the death of Lud reigned Ca.s.sibella.n.u.s his brother, namely, in the lviij^{th} year before Christ's incarnation; in whose time came Julius Cesar into Britain with a copious mult.i.tude, and being twice overcome and routed and driven off, the third time being recalled into Britain, he, by the aid of Androgeus duke of Kent, made it tributary to the Roman power.

VERSES.

"Whosoever thou art: if thou wishest to know the English kings or laws, thou wilt read by perusing these. I will record the greater or n.o.bler kings; when they reigned, and where the people buried them.

Four thousand and a score years was Adam made before Brutus."

Brutus in the xv^{th} year of his age departing from Italy, arriving at the island Leogecia in his ship, consulted there Diana, saying:

THE WORDS OF BRUTUS: VERSES.

"O mighty G.o.ddess of the woods, terror of the wild boars, who hast power to pa.s.s through ethereal s.p.a.ce and the infernal abodes: unfold earthly fate; and say what lands thou wishest us to inhabit; Tell also the dwelling in which I shall venerate thee for ever; in which I shall consecrate temples to thee with virgin dances."

THE REPLY OF DIANA.

"Brutus, under the setting sun, beyond the Gallic realms, there is an island in the ocean all inclosed by sea; there is an island in the ocean, once inhabited by giants, now indeed desert, fit for thy tribes. This seek, for it shall be to thee a perpetual abode; Hence shall arise another Troy to thy sons; Here from thine offspring shall Kings be born, and to them shall all the earth be subject."

Brutus, comforted with such a reply, and having prepared a fleet, steered with his people into the Island Albion which is now called England, and began to reign therein, in the x.x.xv^{th} year of his age; who in the xxiiij^{th} of his reign is buried at London. In the year one thousand two hundred and forty five, after the death of Brutus, king Lucius flourishes. In the year of grace cxxiiij was the coronation of Lucius the first Christian king, who after reigning lxvij years, was buried at London. From the death of Brutus until the reign of Arthur, there reigned in England separately C kings, of whom sixteen were Christians. In the year dxvj, was the coronation of king Arthur, who reigned xxvj years; concerning whose death or burial, histories do not relate anything certain. In the year diiij^{xx}vj from the Angles, Albion is called Anglia, divided into eight kingdoms; that is, Kent, Suths.e.x, Wests.e.x, Mercia, Ests.e.x, Estanglia, Derram, and Bervic. In the year dc and one, began to reign king Sebert the renovator of the church of Westminster, which he then dedicated to the blessed Peter, in which the king himself in the xv^{th} year of his reign is entombed. In the year dcx.x.xv, the coronation of king Oswald, who after reigning nine years is crowned with martyrdom. In the year dcx.x.xvj the coronation of king Oswyny, who in the ix^{th} year of his reign being martyred, lies at Tynmouth. In the year dcclxxvj the coronation of king Ethelbrist, who in the viij^{th} year of his reign being made a martyr, was buried at Hereford. In the year dcccxxj the coronation and martyrdom of king Kenelm, who was buried at Wynchecombe. In the year dccclv the coronation of king Edward at Bures, who after xv years obtaining the laurels of martyrdom, rests in the same place. In the year dccclxxj the coronation of king Alfred, the first monarch of England; who in the xxix^{th} year of his government was buried at Wynton. In the year dcccc and one, the coronation of Edward the first, son of Alfred, at Kyngeston; he governed xxiiij^{or} years, and is buried at London. In the year dccccxxiiij, the coronation of king Athelstan at Kyngeston; he after xvj years was buried at Malmesbury. In the year dccccxl, the coronation of king Edward the second, son of Athelstan, at Kyngeston; he in the sixth year of his reign is buried at Glas...o...b..ry. In the year dccccxlvj, the coronation of king Edred at Kyngeston, who in the ix^{th} year of his reign was buried at Wynton. In the year dcccclv, the coronation of king Edwyn at Kyngeston; he reigned four years; and was buried at Wynton. In the year dcccclix, the coronation of king Edgar, who reigned xvj years; he lies at Glas...o...b..ry. In the year dcccclxxv, the coronation of Edward the second, son of Edgar, at Westminster, who in the iiij^{th} year of his reign adorned with martyrdom, is buried at Septon. In the year dcccclxxix, the coronation of king Ethelred at Kyngeston, and in the x.x.xviij^{th} year of his reign he is buried at London. In the year one thousand xvj, the coronation of Edward the third iron-side, at Kyngeston, and his burial at Glas...o...b..ry. In the year one thousand xvij, the coronation of king Knute at Westminster, and in the xix^{th} year of his reign, his burial at Wynton. In the year one thousand x.x.xv, the coronation of king Harold the first; he in the fifth year of his reign was buried at London. In the year one thousand xl, the coronation of king Hardeknute, and in the second year of his reign, his burial at Wynton.

From the nativity of Jesus Christ until the reign of Edward the second, king and confessor, there pa.s.sed separately in England a hundred kings, and lx^{ty} and five kings; of whom Oswyn, Oswald, Ethelbert, Kenelm, Edward, Edward, were martyred; and Constans, Cedwall, Sebert, Wynfrid, Ethelred, Edbert, Offa, and Kynred were buried in monks' orders. In the year of grace one thousand xlij, the coronation of saint Edward king and confessor, at Wynton; who in the xxv^{th} year of his reign is honorably inshrined in the church of Westminster, which he himself had made to be erected. In the year one thousand lxvj, the coronation of duke Harald at Westminster, and his burial at Waltham. In the year one thousand lxvij, the coronation of William the first, duke of Normandy, at Westminster; who in the xlvij^{th} year of his reign caused England to be described in a volume called DOMUSDAY; and in the iiij^{th} year after, is buried at Caen. In the year one thousand lx.x.x, the coronation of William Rufus at Westminster, and in the xiij^{th} year of his reign, he is buried at Wynton. In the year one thousand C the coronation of king Henry the first, brother of William Rufus, at Westminster, who after reigning x.x.xv years, was buried at Redyng. In the year Mcx.x.xv, the coronation of king Stephen at Westminster, he in the xix^{th} year of his reign was buried at Feversham. In the year one thousand cliiij, the coronation of the emperor Henry the second at Westminster, and in the x.x.xv^{th} year of his reign, his burial at Fontevrault. In the year one thousand clxiiij, was the translation of saint Edward king and confessor, at Westminster, on the third of the Ides of October, by the blessed Thomas archbishop of Canterbury. In the year one thousand clx.x.xix, the coronation of king Richard at Westminster, who when he had reigned xj^{en} years, was buried at Fontevrault. In the year one thousand clx.x.xxix, the coronation of king John at Westminster; and in the xviij^{th} year of his government he is buried at Wygorn. In the year one thousand ccxvj, the coronation of Henry, son of king John at Gloucester; who in the fourth year following was again crowned at Westminster; in the lvij^{th} of his reign is interred at the same place. In the year one thousand cclxxiiij, the xiiij. kl. of September, the coronation of Edward the first after the Conquest, at Westminster, who in the x.x.xv^{th} year of his reign is buried at the same place. In the year one thousand cccvij, the x kl. of March, the coronation of Edward the second at Westminster; who in the xx^{th} year of his reign is buried at Gloucester. In the year one thousand cccxxvj, is crowned Edward the third, the flower of the Christian knighthood, at Westminster, in the xiiij^{th} year of his age. In the year one thousand cccxlvj, on the third day of September, the same [Sidenote: Edward the third subjugated to his dominion the city of Caleys.]

lord king Edward began to besiege the town of Caleys with the castle, and continued his siege until the third day of August, the succeeding year, on which day he subjugated the said town with the castle to his dominion. In the year one thousand cccxl, the viij kl. of July, the ill.u.s.trious king of England Edward the third conquered the French at le Sclus in a naval engagement. In the year one thousand cccxlvj the vij^{th} kl. of October, the French are vanquished by the English at Cressy, and the king of Bohemia is punished. In the same year, the xvj^{th} kl. of November, the Scots are overcome by the English at [Sidenote: David king of Scotland is taken.]

Durham, and David king of Scotland is taken. In the year M^{l}. ccclvj [Sidenote: The capture of John, king of France.]

the xiij^{th} kl. of October, was the capture of John king of France at Peyters, by the excellent prince Edward the first-born of the gracious king Edward the third. In the year one thousand ccc lxxvj, the vj^{th} of the Ides of June, died the same prince Edward, on which day fell the festival of the Trinity. In the year one thousand ccclxxvij, the xj^{th} kl. of July, died king Edward the third, the flower of the Christian knighthood; and on the third of the nones of the same month, he was buried at Westminster, in the lj^{st} year of his reign. In the year one thousand ccclxxvij, the xvij^{th} kl. of [Sidenote: Richard, son of Edward.]

August, at Westminster, was the coronation of Richard the second, son of Edward prince of Wales, in the xj^{th} year of his age. In the year one thousand ccclx.x.xxix, the third of the Ides of October, at [Sidenote: Henry iiij^{th}.]

Westminster, was the coronation of the ill.u.s.trious king Henry the fourth. In the year one thousand ccccxiij, the ninth day of April, at [Sidenote: Henry the fifth died in France.]

Westminster, was the coronation of the ill.u.s.trious king Henry the fifth; who, at Boys Seynt Vyncent near Paris in France, ended his life on the last day of August, in the x^{th} year of his reign, commencing. And afterwards his bones were interred at Westminster. In the year of our Lord one thousand cccc xxij, Henry the sixth king of England, then a child of not the age of one year, was crowned on the day of saint Leonard bishop and confessor, at Westminster, in the viij^{th} year of his reign, commencing. And afterwards, the same king was crowned king of France at Paris, in the church of the blessed Mary there, on the xvj^{th} day of December, in the commencement of the x^{th} year of his reign.

ILl.u.s.tRATIONS.

In the 36th page of the preceding Chronicle it is stated that "In this yere (1295) the kyng [Edward the first] was defraunded of his lond in Gascoigne in this manner, sothly: the kyng hadde yoven the forseyd lond of Gascoyne to the kynges suster of Fraunce, for that she schulde be yoyned to hym in fre mariage: and be some of his counseill enfeffed here in the sayd lond of Gascoigne, whiche lond of Gascoigne sche yaf to Charles here brother, and to other; and the matrymoigne betwen here and kyng Edward sche sette at noughte, and wolde noughte stonden therto."--That circ.u.mstance is the subject of the following Fragment of a curious Poem preserved in the archives of the Corporation of the City of London, in the MS. ent.i.tled _Liber Custumarium_, fol. 84; from which it has been extracted by the obliging permission of Henry Woodthorpe, Esq. the Town Clerk. The leaf which contained the concluding stanzas has been lost; but judging from the number of those which remain, it originally consisted of about nine more verses. It is written in the hand of the period in which the events to which it alludes took place, and as the doc.u.ments in the volume from which it is copied end in the succeeding reign, there is every reason to presume that it was entered in the Records of the City of London within a short period after it was composed. Every line of each verse contains the same letter in the middle of the line, and every line ends with the same letter: these two letters are placed in the middle and at the end of each verse, separated from the words to which they belong, but connected with them by lines in the manner in which the first verse of the Poem is here printed, and which has been considered sufficient to show the singular manner in which it was originally written.

HIC INCIPIT QUIDA' RISMUS F'TUS DE P'DIC'ONE VASCON' ET DE RIUSD'

CONQUESTU P' R' E' FILIU' REG' H'.

Satis novit seculu______ ____De lingua Galloru_____ _ _/ _ Qualiter fit speculu___ / ___Patens traditoru_____ ===m===/ ===m Quia p' p'fidia________/ _/ _ ___Pessimam ip'oru______/ _/ _/ _ _/ Jam p'dit Vasconia____/ __Princeps Anglicoru__/

Rex fidem adhibuit Dictus Gallicorum Egit quod non debuit Nam fraus miserorum Seriem composuit Quorumdam verborum Que Regi transposuit Cetus nunciorum

Per verba credencie Nuncii dixerunt Q'd magnates Francie Simul tractaverunt Qdq; Regi Anglie Dare voluerunt Natam Regis Gallie Heu q'd hic venerunt

Ad hec dux Burgundie Quidam nunciorum Ait q'd in flumine Multi Northmannorum Perierunt pridie Per nautas Anglorum Additis hastucie Causis Bayonorum

Ut ergo concordia Pacis jam addatur Et omnis discordia Prorsus repallatur Celsitudo regia Francie precatur Q'd sibi vasconia Totalis reddatur

Proponit brevissime Vos tunc reseisire De terra vasconie Nec quid deperire Ius v'r'm certissime Potestis hoc scire Si q'd pet.i.t p'pere Placet exaudire

Si seisinam habeat Per s.e.x septimanas Tunc mandare placeat Q'd transire lanas Gens anglor' faciat Et sic causas vanas Pars utraq; deleat Res collando sanas

Ait vir considera Rex que petierunt Nova sunt non vetera Hec que tibi ferunt Pulcram inter cetera Tibi promiserunt Prout dicit littera Quam Galli miserunt

Hoc audito Langetum Statim prosilivit Ad regem consilium Dedit sicut scivit Et Lacy p' sompnium Certe non dormivit Quin eiusdem devium Seisine nutrivit

Puellam rex diligens Vinculis amorum Penitus consensiens Dictis consultorum Fieri precipiens Litteras servorum Pro dolor nam nesciens Erat futurorum

Demum in Vasconia J. Lacy p'rexit Litteras ab Anglia Sec.u.mq; devexit Ac sub manu Gallia Vascones contexit Anglis inutilia Heu' q'd tot aspexit

Gallici Vasconiam Sibi subjugarunt Et in manum Anglicam Dare recusarunt Neq; regis filiam In spousam pararunt Regi dare quoniam Ip'm subsannarunt

Exp'tem Vasconie Foris judicarunt Magni pares Francie Et exheredarunt Regem n'r'm Anglie Parum hunc amarunt Nam causam malicie Sibi demonstrarunt

Audiens p'fidiam Rex exheredatus Quam habet p' F'nciam Satis est iratus Jurat p' ecc'iam Non erit letatus Quousq; Vasconiam Fuerit lucratus

Rex vocat Pontifices Ad parliamentum Et Anglorum Comites Flores sapientum Quinq; Portus fomites Barones p' centum Volant ut irundines In mari p' ventum

Clerus et milicia Gentis Anglicane Vovent c.u.m leticia Q'd seroq; mane Parantur ad omnia Que genti p'phane Francie sunt noxia Nam sup'bit vane

Rex Anglor' n.o.bilis Vocatus Edwardus Ferox est et stabilis Tanq'm leopardus Fortis et non debilis Velox et non tardus[135]

Senciet id flebilis Pomposus Picardus.

[Footnote 135: A similar description of Edward the First, which was suggested by his arms, occurs in the "Roll of Carlaverock," a poem composed in the year 1300.