[934] Summons to Earls of Chester, Gloucester, and Aumale, John constable of Chester, Robert de Vipont, Falkes, Brian de Lisle, and Engelard de Cigogné, “quod veniatis ad nos apud Gloucestre hac die dominica proxima post festum S. Andreae anno regni nostri octavo [_i.e._, 3rd Dec., 1223] locuturi nobiscum die Lunae mane apud Hospitale S. Johannis de Clerkenwelle vel apud Novum Templum Londoniae vel alibi ubi de communi consilio melius providerimus.” _Pat. Rolls_, vol. i. pp. 481, 482. “Gloucestre” is obviously a scribe’s error for “Londoniam.” [935] _Ann. Dunst._, p. 84. Cf. R. Coggeshall, p. 303, and _Quer. Falc._, p. 261. [936] _Ann. Dunst._, _l.c._ [937] _Quer. Falc._, pp. 261, 262. [938] _Ib._ [939] _Pat. Rolls_, vol. i. p. 417. [940] _Close Rolls_, vol. i. p. 578. Cf. Powicke, p. 222. CHAPTER V THE YOUNG KING 1223–1227 Aetatem habet; ipse de se loquatur. [Sidenote: 1223] The recognition of Henry’s partial coming of age (if such a phrase may be allowed) in December, 1223, re-introduced into English politics and into the government of England a factor which had been absent from them for seven years, but which until John’s death had always been, and was again to be for many generations, a factor of great, perhaps we should rather say of the very greatest importance: the character and will of the King. Thenceforth neither the Council as a body, nor any member of it, could do any act in the King’s name without consulting him and obtaining his sanction; nor could they, if the King desired anything to be done which lay within the limits of his regal powers as defined in October, 1223, prevent him from doing it, except by persuading him to give up his desire in deference to their advice. The circumstances by which such abnormal authority had become connected with the justiciarship had ceased to exist; that office was once more reduced within its proper limits; and if Hubert now aspired to rule England in Henry’s name, the only way in which he could do so was by acquiring and keeping complete personal ascendency over Henry himself. If, however, the papal mandates which brought about this altered condition of things had really been procured by Peter des Roches, in the hope that when Hubert’s official importance was thus diminished he himself might regain the foremost place in his old pupil’s confidence and become the chief adviser of the Crown in Hubert’s stead, he was doomed to wait a long time for the fulfilment of his hope. Until Henry’s final coming of age and for many years after, so far as the King’s policy was dictated by any one, it was dictated by Hubert de Burgh. But even during the years which were still to elapse before Henry attained his complete majority, Hubert’s dictatorship was very far from absolute. In October, 1223, the King was sixteen years old; he was universally esteemed an intelligent, serious-minded lad; and he had been carefully educated. In later life he did not prove a man of lofty mental capacity