In this yeare, on the exaltation of the crosse, at Lambeth, in the assemblie of the states there, a subsidie was granted to the K. of the fortith part of euerie mans goods towards the discharge of his debts which he owght to the earle of Britaine. Also in the beginning of the seauentéenth yeare of his reigne, Ranulfe earle of Chester and Lincolne departed this life the six and twentith day of October, whose bodie was buried at Chester, and his bowels at Wallingford where he died. This earle Ranulfe was thrice married, first to Constance daughter and heire to Conan earle of Britaine and Richmund, and so in right of hir was intituled earle of those two places: which Constance had béene first married vnto Geffrey the third son of king Henrie the second, by whom she had issue Arthur (as before yée haue heard.) But by earle Ranulfe she had no issue at all, but was from him diuorced, and afterwards married vnto Guy vicount de Towars. Then after earle Ranulfe was so diuorsed from the said Constance, he married a ladie named Clemence, and after hir deceasse, he married the third time the ladie Margaret, daughter to Humfrey de Bohun earle of Hereford and Essex, constable of England. [Sidenote: The partition of his lands.] Howbeit he neuer had issue by any of those his wiues, so that Iohn Scot his nephue by his sister Mawd succéeded him in the earldome of Chester, and William Dalbenie earle of Arundell, nephue to him by his sister Mabell, had the manour of Barrow, and other lands that belonged to the said Ranulfe, of the yerelie value of fiue hundred pounds. Robert Quincie, he that married his sister Hauisa, had the earledome of Lincolne, and so of a baron became an earle who had issue by his wife, Margerie countesse of Lincolne, that was maried to Edmund Lacie earle of Lincolne. William earle Ferrers and of Darbie, that had married Agnes, sister to the said Ranulfe, had the castell and manour of Chartley, togither with other lands for his pourpart. [Sidenote: This Roger Lacie is surnamed Helle.] Here is also to be remembred, that the afore mentioned earle Ranulfe (or Randulfe whether ye list to call him) atchieued manie high enterprises in his time, as partlie in this booke ye haue alreadie heard: he held sore warres against the Welshmen, till at length an agréement was concluded betwixt him and Leolin prince of Wales. I remember I haue read in an old record, that vpon a time as this earle passed into Wales with an armie, his chance was to be ouerset by the Welshmen, so that he was driuen to retire into a castell, wherein the Welshmen did besiege him. And as it fortuned at that time, Roger Lacie the constable of Chester was not then with him, but left behind at Chester to sée the citie kept in order (for as it should séeme, their solemne plaies which commonlie are vsed at Whitsuntide were then in hand, or else their faire which is kept at Midsummer.)