Observations of all the Kings of England, Chapter 16
CHAP. XVI.
King Iohn.
WHose Raign had it not fallen in the time of so turbulent a Pope, so ambitious neighbour-Princes, so disloyall Subjects,Speed. nor his Story into the hands of exasperated Writers, he had appeared a King of as great renown, as misfortunes.
His overhasty undertakings brought in those broyls of the Barons Wars.
Before this Kings time we seek in vain for any great Councel. He first as may be gathered (though darkly by the Record) used their Councels and Assents in the sixth year of his Raign.C…ttoni Posthuma.
He had by his Wife▪ Isabel a son Henry, who succeeded him in the Kingdome.
In his voyage towards Ireland, Powell on Lhoyds History of Wales. p. 261. out of Matthew Paris.as he was in his journey in the borders of Wales, there was one taken and brought before him, who had killed a Priest. The Officer desired to understand the Kings pleasure, what he would have done to him. Let him go (saith the King) for he hath slain mine enemy.
Seeing one cut up a very fat Stag in his presence, (said he) How easily and happily hath this creature lived, yet he never heard Mass.Hist. d'Angleterre Par Andre Du Chesne l. 12.
Mr.*Acts and Mo. vol. 1. Fox seems to approve of this speech, as deriding the Mass; though others say it was an Atheisticall speech.
In his Raign the Citizens of London first obtained of the King, to choose yearly a Maior.Fox. In whose time also the Bridge of London was first builded of stone, which before was of wood.
Most Writers testifie, that he was poysoned by a Monk of Swinsted-Abbey in Lincolnshire, Foxes Acts and Mon vol. 1. There are various reports of his death. See Hollinsh. Chron.who to poyson him, wittingly and willingly poysoned himself.
*Eighteen years, five moneths, and four dayes, saith Matthew Paris.He died in the year of his age fifty and one, and after he had raigned seventeen years,One writes that he was poysoned at Swinsted with a dish of Pears. Others there in a cup of Wine. Some, that he died at Newarke of the Flux. A fourth, by the distemperature of Peaches eaten in his fit of an Ague. Browns Britannias Pastorals. six moneths, and twenty seven dayes.
He lieth buried at Worcester-Colledge, in the Quire there.
King HENRY the third.
He was happy in his Uncle, the Earl of Pembroke, the guide of his infancy; and no less for thirty years, whilest De Burgo the last servant of his Fathers against the French, both in Normandy and England, with Bigot Earl of Norfolke, and others of like gravity and experience did manage the affairs. The Author of the troublesome life and Raign of King Henry the third.
He was of a middle stature.
Robustus viribus, sed praeceps in factis. Matthew Paris.
He was crowned at Glocester, by Peter Bishop of Winchester, and Iosceline Bishop of Bath, in the presence of Walo the Popes Legate, Octob. 28. 1216. And after peace concluded with the Barons, by Stephen Langton Archbishop of Canterbury, at Westminster, on Whitsunday an. 1219.
In his Raign the Popes authority in England was at the highest.
He heard three Masses a day.
In a solemn conference between him and St. Lewis, Contigit aliquando S. Ludovicum Francorum Regem cum eo super hoc conferentem dicere quod non semper missis, sed frequentius sermonibus audiendis esse vacandum. Cui faceta urbanitate respondens, ait, se malle amicum suum saepius videre, quam de… oquentem, licet bona dicentem aud…re. Matth. Paris, & Walsingh.King of France, the only devout Kings of that age▪ when the French King said he had rather hear Sermons then Masses; our King replied, that he had rather see his loving friend, (meaning Christs reall presence in the Sacraments) then to hear never so much good of him, by others in Sermons.
He had a son by Elenor his wife, whom he named Edward, for the memory of Edward the Confessor, who raigned a little before that the Normans vanquished England. At whose birth appeared a Star of great magnitude, for some dayes before the Sun rising, which moved swiftly, one while making a shew of fire, another while leaving smoak behind it; by which prodigy (saith Polydore Virgil) the future amplitude of Edward the father, and the smalness and vanity of his son which he begat afterwards, was declared as it were by an Oracle.
He had another son Edmund Crouchbacke, so called, not because he was crooked or deformed, but because he wore the Cross upon his back, or on his Buckler, which he wore constantly at his back, to shew that he had vowed to go to Ierusalem, to recover the holy Sepulchre.
In the year 41 of his Raign, the King held a Parliament at Oxford, which was called Insanum Parliamentum, that is to say, the mad Parliament. For in this Parliament were made many Acts against the Kings prerogative and pleasure, for the reformation of the state of the Land, which after turned to the confusion and hurt of the Land,Gration. Hollinsh. and the death and destruction of many noble men; so that by occasion thereof, began that hatefull strife, called at this day the Barons War, whereof ensued much trouble and mischief.
He was pressed by his Nobles, Bishops▪ and others,Magna Charta. to pass the great Charter, in the ninth year of his Raign. His son Edward the first in the twenty fifth of his Raign, confirmed the great Charter.
The great Charter of England passed from this King, for which the English men had no less striven, than the Trojans for their Helena. Lambards Archeion.Lambard saith, he may call that great Charter of the Liberties of England, the first Letters of manumission of the people of this Realm,Id. ib. out of the Norman servitude.
Matthew Paris the learned Monk of Saint: Albans lived in his time, and was highly esteemed by him.Matth. Paris. hist. Ang. Hen. 3. p. 945. p. 783. Et cum esset cum ipso continue in mensa, in palatio, & in thalamo, qui haec scripsit, direxit scribentis calamum satis diligenter & amicahiliter.
In another place he speaks of his bold reproving the King.
Verstegan sayes the Sidneys are of a French extraction; that they came over into England in Henry the thirds dayes.
Arms as honourary dignities and generous distinctions between family and family,There will be little reason to be overconfident in matters of Pedigree and Arms, much beyond 400 years. and person and person, have been undoubtedly born from his time; since which there is sufficient proof of them; and though long before that many Families might be rich, potent and noble, yet some of them either had no Arms, as many yet in Ireland have not, or else kept no constant Coat,…d. ibid. but gave sometimes their paternall, otherwhiles their maternall or aadopted Coats. Mr. Waterhouse his discourse of Arms and Armory.
He raigned fifty six yeares and twenty dayes,Matth. Paris. the longest number of years that ever any King of England raigned.Cooke 2d part of Instit. c. 11.