Finallie, after that the king had lien at Gannoke about the fortifieng of the castell there, the space of ten wéekes, and saw the worke now fullie finished, he appointed foorth such as should lie there in garison, and therewith, on the morrow after the feast of Simon and Iude, he raised his field, and returned towards England, leauing the Welshmen in great miserie, and like to starue for want of necessarie food. For the Ile of Anglesey, which is as a nursse to the Welshmen, those Irishmen that came to the kings aid, had vtterlie wasted and destroied. Againe, the king of purpose had consumed all the prouision of corne and vittels which remained in the marshes, so that in Cheshire, and other the parts adioining, there was such dearth, that the people scarse could get sufficient vittels to susteine themselues withall. [Sidenote: Brine pits destroied in Wales.] [Sidenote: The lord Maurice chéefe iustice of Ireland.] [Sidenote: Iohn Fitz Geffrey lord iustice of Ireland.] [Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._] [Sidenote: The decease of Walter erle Marshall.] The king also gaue foorth commandement, that no prouision of corne or vittels should be conueied vnto the Welshmen, out of any parts, either of England or Ireland, on paine of forfeiting life, lands & goods. Moreouer, he caused the brine pits in Wales to be stopped vp and destroied. The king hauing thus ordered his businesse, returned into England, and shortlie after, taking displeasure with the lord Maurice, chéefe iustice of Ireland, bicause he had not made such spéed as had béene conuenient in bringing the Irishmen to his aid, he discharged him of the office of chéefe iustice, and placed in his roome Iohn Fitz Geffrey. In this thirtith yeare of king Henries reigne, Walter earle Marshall and of Penbroke departed this life: and shortlie after, to wit, thrée daies before Christmasse, his brother Anselme that succéeded him in the inheritance, deceassed also without issue: and so all the fiue sonnes of the great earle William Marshall, being departed this world without heires of their bodies begotten, the whole heritage descended to the sisters, and so was diuided amongst them as coparteners. [Sidenote: 1246.] The king this yeare held his Christmas at London, and had there with him a great number of the nobilitie of his realme, which had béene with him in Wales, that they might be partakers of pastime, mirth and pleasure, as they had béene participants with him in suffering the diseases of heat, cold, and other paines abroad in the fields and high mounteines of Wales, considering with himselfe (as the truth is) that [Sidenote: _Mal. Pal. in suo Cap._] ----vita est quàm proxima letho, Quàm meritò spernenda animum si nulla voluptas Mulceat, atq; leuent solatia nulla laborem. [Sidenote: The pope requireth the French king to make war against England.] [Sidenote: The French king refuseth to gratifie the pope therein.]