Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland (2 of 6): England (08 of 12): Henrie the Third, the Eldest Sonne of King IohnHolinshed, Raphael
History
Chronicles of England, Scotland and Ireland (2 of 6): England (08 of 12): Henrie the Third, the Eldest Sonne of King Iohn
Holinshed, Raphael
Great Britain -- History -- Henry III, 1216-1272; Great Britain -- History -- To 1485; Great Britain -- History -- Tudors, 1485-1603
¶ Truelie it should séeme, that there was a great vntowardlie
disposition in the subiects of that time, for the helping of their
king with necessarie aid of monie, towards such great charges as he
had béene diuers waies occasioned to be at, since his first comming
to the crowne. But bicause it was perceiued that he bestowed no
small quantitie of his treasure to the aduancing of his kinsfolke
and aliance, namelie strangers, and againe defraied great summes in
vaine hope to obteine the kingdoms of both the Sicils which the pope
offered to him fréelie inough in words, as before yée haue heard, the
English subiects conceiued a great misliking of the whole gouernement,
and namelie, for that he séemed to be led and ruled by the aduise
and counsell of those strangers, who being not throughlie acquainted
with the nature of the English people, nor fullie instructed in the
lawes and customes of the realme, caused him to doo manie things, that
procured both to him and them much ill will as well of the hie states
as of the commons, which as occasion serued, they were readie inough
to discouer, and therefore they were verie inquisitiue, both to learne
what he receiued, and also in what sort he bestowed that which he did
receiue and take.
It was therefore knowne, that since he first began to waste his
treasure, his charges amounted vnto the summe of 950000 marks, as
the bookes of accompts remaining in the hands of the clearks of his
closet plainelie witnessed, and yet of all those vaine expenses no
great aduantage was growne thereby to the king or realme, but rather
disaduantage, as the most part of men then tooke it, and no maruell:
for there was such hartburning amongst the nobilitie, one enuieng an
others aduancement, & repining at each others dooings, that it was not
possible to bring any good drift forward amongst men so far at ods
togither. But we will let this passe as a thing manifest inough to them
that shall well consider the course of that time, and will returne to
the parlement aboue mentioned.
[Sidenote: The archbish. of Cullen and other ambassadors of Almaine.]
Before the end of this solemne assemblie of states, the archbishop of
Cullen with a duke, & an other bishop came ouer out of Almaine, vnto
their elect king Richard, to whome they did fealtie and homage, as to
their souereigne liege lord and gouernor, which thing once doone, he
gaue to the said archbishop fiue hundred marks to beare his charges,
with a rich miter set with stones, & furnished with plates of beaten
gold; which miter when the archbishop had set it vpon his head; "He
hath (saith he) giuen a rich gift to me and to my church, and verelie,
euen as I haue put this miter on my head, so will I set on his head
the crowne of the kingdome of Almaine; he hath mitered me, and I will
crowne him." The other lords of Almaine, which at the same time did
homage vnto earle Richard, were also presented with great and rich
gifts.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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