The Angevins and the Charter (1154-1216): The Beginning of English Law, the Invasion of Ireland and the Crusades
History
The Angevins and the Charter (1154-1216): The Beginning of English Law, the Invasion of Ireland and the Crusades
Great Britain -- History -- Angevin period, 1154-1216 -- Sources; Magna Carta
The same year Gualo, the legate, exacted visitation fees throughout all
England, from all the cathedral churches and houses of religious
brotherhoods, fixing each visitation fee at fifty shillings. He also
seized all the benefices of the clergy and men of religious orders, who
adhered to Louis and the barons, and converted them to the use of his
own clergy. In the meantime, King John, inflamed with the madness of
passion, oppressed and grievously afflicted the provinces of Suffolk and
Norfolk. Then, continuing his march towards the north, he irrecoverably
lost his carriages, and much of his baggage at Wellester, where they
were swallowed up by a quicksand. And when he heard the news he grieved
inconsolably, and redoubling deep sighs, he passed the night at
Swineshead Abbey, belonging to the Carthusian order, where according to
his custom, he gorged himself with peaches soaked in new wine and cider,
and being greatly absorbed in grief for his recent loss, he became
attacked with a severe illness.
But the next day, concealing his illness lest the enemy should triumph
over him, he, though with difficulty, mounted his horse; and soon
afterwards, having had a litter drawn by horses made for him, he
dismounted from his palfrey and entered it, and in this way he came to
the Castle of Leadford, where he spent the night, and found his disease
increase greatly. But the next day he was carried forwards and arrived
at the Castle of Newark where he took to his bed, and his sickness
assumed a fatal appearance; and summoning the Abbot of Crofestune, who
was skilful in the art of medicine, to his side, he confessed himself to
him, and received the eucharist from him. And he appointed Henry, his
eldest son, the heir of his kingdom, bequeathing his body to the Church
of Worcester, under the protection of Saint Wolstan. After this, with
the greatest bitterness of spirit, he cursed all his barons, instead of
bidding them farewell; and in this manner, poor, deprived of all his
treasures, and not retaining the smallest portion of land in peace, so
that he was truly called Lackland, he most miserably departed from this
life on the night following the next after the day of Saint Luke the
Evangelist. And because this John made himself detestable to many
persons, not only on account of the death of his nephew, Arthur, but
also on account of his tyrannical conduct, and of the tribute with which
he bound the kingdom of England under perpetual slavery, and of the war
which his misdeeds provoked, he scarcely deserved to be mourned by the
lamentations of any one.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account