[Sidenote: His incontinencie.] He was out of measure giuen to fleshlie lust, and satisfieng of his inordinate concupiscence. For not contented with the vse of his wife, he kept manie concubines, but namelie he delited most in the companie of a pleasant damsell, whom he called the Rose of the world (the common people named hir Rosamund) for hir passing beautie, propernesse of person, and pleasant wit, with other amiable qualities, being verelie a rare and péerlesse péece in those daies. [Sidenote: Rosamund his concubine.] He made for hir an house at Woodstocke in Oxfordshire, like a labyrinth, with such turnings and windings in & out as a knot in a garden called a maze, that no creature might find hir nor come to hir, except he were instructed by the king, or such as were secret with him in that matter. But the common report of the people is, that the quéene in the end found hir out by a silken thread, which the king had drawne after him out of hir chamber with his foot, and dealt with hir in such sharpe and cruell wise, that she liued not long after. She was buried in the nunrie of Goodstow beside Oxford, with these verses vpon hir toome: Hîc iacet in tumulo, Rosa mundi non Rosa munda, Non redolet sed olet, quæ redolere solet. The meaning whereof may be found in Graftons large chronicle, page 77. in an English septenarie. [Sidenote: _Ran. Higd._] Long time after the death of this damsell, in the said abbeie was shewed a cofer, that sometimes was hirs, of the length of two foot, in the which appeared giants fighting, startling of beasts, swimming of fishes, and flieng of foules, so liuelie, that a man might woonder at the fine deuise thereof. Moreouer, king Henrie was noted not to be so fauourable to the liberties & fréedoms of the church as he might haue béene. For besides the persecuting of the foresaid Thomas archbishop of Canturburie, he would not suffer the legats sent from the pope, to enter within the bounds of his dominion, till they had sworne that they should doo nothing preiudiciall to the customes of his kingdome, neither by prescribing orders, nor any other maner of act or meanes. [Sidenote: His negligēce in aiding the Christians against the Saracens.] He was thought to be negligent in aiding the christian commonwealth in the holie land. For though he had appointed twice or thrice to go thither in person, yet being letted by light occasions, he staied at home, and sent small reléefe thither, though he was earnestlie called vpon for the same. His estimation was such amongst forren princes, that Philip king of France being newlie entred into the gouernement of that realme after his fathers deceasse, committed[14] himselfe and his kingdome to the disposition and order of king Henrie, as if he had béene regent of his realme, and gouernour of his person.