In the same yeare by the wind, which continuallie certeine months togither kept northerlie, the flours, with other growing things, were so hindered, that scarselie they appeared to anie purpose, till the most part of Iune was past, wherevpon the hope of receiuing the fruits of the earth was quite taken away, & so vpon the great dearth that happened, a sore death and mortalitie followed, for want of necessarie food to susteine the pining bodies of the poore people. They died so thicke, that there were great pits made in churchyards to laie the dead bodies in one vpon an other. [Sidenote: Seuall archb. of Yorke departeth this life.] [Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._] [Sidenote: The kings halfe brethren.] About the feast of the Ascension, Seuall the archbishop of Yorke departed this life, who constantlie had resisted the tyrannie of the court of Rome, in defense of his church, suffering in this world manie gréeuous tribulations, but now was remooued from thense vnto the kingdome of heauen, to be crowned with the elect for his good deseruings, as was then certenlie beléeued. About this time a great number of Poictouins were come into England, by reason of their aliance and coosinage to the king, the which by the kings fauour being highlie aduanced, began to wax proud thereof, and to require to be restored vnto such lands and liuings as before time they had possessed: namelie the kings halfe brethren, Athelmare or Odomare, that was a préest, with William, Geffrey and Guie, these were the sonnes of Hugh le Brun earle of Marsh, by his wife quéene Isabell, the mother of king Henrie, and being come into England, they shewed themselues verie loftie & high-minded, partlie, bicause of their coosinage to the king, & partlie by reason of his courteous interteining of them, insomuch that forgetting themselues, they began to despise (vpon a presumptuous pride) the English nobilitie, looking still for preferment of honor aboue all other. And surelie Odomare obteined at the first a great péece of his purpose, being made by the kings gift bishop of Winchester, and by that means bare a stout port, and greatlie holpe and mainteined his other brethren. [Sidenote: _Insanum parliamentum._] [Sidenote: The demand of the lords.]