[Sidenote: The earle of Montforts daughter appointed wife to the prince of Wales taken.] [Sidenote: Leolin prince of Wales beginneth to make wars.] [Sidenote: _Matth. West._] The same yéere departed this life Iohn Breton bishop of Hereford, who being verie expert in the lawes of the land, compiled a booke of them called Le Breton. The 11 of September, a generall earthquake chanced betwixt the first houre and the third of the same daie, the church of S. Michaell on the hill without Glastenburie, was therwith throwne down to the ground. After this, it rained bloud in the countrie of Wales, as a prodigious euill token to that nation, with whose bloud shortlie after that region was in manie places moistened and stained. For as it chanced shortlie after, Leolin the sonne of Griffin came to haue the gouernment of Wales, who partlie to raise new seditions in England, and partlie to purchase him friendship and aliance in France, sent vnto king Philip, requiring of him that he might haue in marriage the ladie Elianor daughter to Simon Montfort earle of Leicester, the which togither with hir mother and brother Emerike, remained as banished persons in France. The French king granted his request, and sent hir vnder the conduct of hir said brother to be conueied into Wales vnto Leolin, who had promised to marrie hir. But yer they approched to Wales, at the Ile of Sillie both the brother & sister were taken by foure ships of Bristow, the owners whereof that so tooke them, sent them vnto king Edward. When Leolin vnderstood that his wife was taken from him by the waie as she was comming, he was not a little wroth, and incontinentlie began to make warre vpon king Edwards subiects that bordered néere vnto Wales, killing the people, spoiling their goods, and burning vp their townes and houses on each side. [Sidenote: _Matth. Westm._] [Sidenote: The excheker and the kings bench remoued to Shrewesburie.] Herewith the king of England was so mooued, that although the said Leolin made sute for peace, and offered no small sum of monie to haue the daughter of the earle of Leicester his fianced wife deliuered to him, yet would not the king by any meanes consent to that marriage, nor receiue any monie of him, except he would restore vnto the right owners such lands as he had inuaded and got into his possession, and further repaire such castels as he had destroied. Herevpon grew no small grudge betwixt the Welshmen and Englishmen, so that to represse the inuasion of the enimies in the parts towards Bristow, Mountgomerie and Chester, the king sent thrée hundred men in armes on horssebacke. In the quindene of Easter, the king departing from Westminster, hasted towards Wales with a mightie power, and caused the courts of the excheker and of his bench to remooue vnto Shrewesburie, that they might be néere vnto him, making forward with all conuenient spéed to come to the aid and succour of his liege people. [Sidenote: The castell of Rutland taken.]