cases, or worse ones, and therefore all of them, in the time of this Gregory, withdrew themselves from all subjection to the Roman church.

In the week before Christmas, Edmund, archbishop of Canterbury, set sail and went to Rome, nor would he return, although the legate recalled him; owing to which, from that time, they became enemies to one another.

During the whole of this year, the atmosphere was stormy and unsettled, injurious to men, and unhealthy; and never, in the memory of any one, had so many people suffered from the quartan ague.

The marriage of Simon de Montfort with the king's sister Eleanor.

Anno Domini 1238, which was the twenty-second year of his reign, King Henry the Third held his court at London, at Westminster, where, on the day after the Epiphany, which was on a Thursday, Simon de Montfort solemnly espoused Eleanor, the daughter of King John, the sister of King Henry the Third, and relict of William Marshal, earl of Pembroke. The ceremony was performed, and mass read in the king's small chapel, which is in a corner of his chamber, by Walter, chaplain of the royal chapel of St. Stephen's at Westminster. The king in person gave the bride away to the said Simon, who received her most gratefully, from his disinterested love, her beauty, the rich honours contingent to her, and the excelling and royal descent of the lady; for she was the legitimate daughter of a king and queen, and the sister of a king, an empress, and a queen; so that the offspring from such a noble lady would be a royal race. His holiness the pope, too, gave him a dispensation with her, as a future narrative will show.

On the 20th of January, in this year, dreadful thunder was heard, which was accompanied by a strong wind and heavy clouds.

The emperor Frederick, in his anxiety about the crusade, writes to Earl Richard.

About the same time, the Roman emperor Frederick, being anxious about the progress of the crusaders and the arrangement of their proceedings, and especially as to the progress of Earl Richard, wrote to the said earl as follows:

Frederick, by the grace of God, emperor of the Romans, ever Augustus, and king of Jerusalem and Sicily, to his beloved brother-in-law Richard, earl of Cornwall, Health and sincere affection. The general advantage of the Holy Land, which depends on the exertions of the crusaders, often induces us, by warnings and entreaties to them, to urge the postponement of the passage of the crusaders in the kingdom of France and other parts of the world, till the predetermined time of the truce, namely, from the month of August next ensuing till the end of the following year; as we think that it will be expedient for assisting the said land, and to the advantage and honour also of those crossing over to it, that the passage of such a numerous host should take place at an opportune time, namely, after the next festival of St. John the Baptist until that same feast in the following year. And we ought not to pass this over in silence, since the burden of the business for the liberation of the

said country lies on our shoulders more than on any other of the princes of the world, and for that purpose we are bound to afford assistance and to spend our money; so that by this delay we may, by previously taking advice, when they themselves are perfectly prepared for the service of Christ, fully weigh all the circumstances, without omitting any contingencies. Those persons who have devoted their hearts and bodies to the service of the cross, and desire to give advantageous assistance to the crucified one, having been asked on this matter by our messengers and letters, have prudently and wisely replied to our suggestions, that until the expiration of the before-mentioned truce, they would comply with our request; wherefore, with many thanks we have approved of the wisdom evinced by their reply; wherefore, as we in our brotherly affection desire to see you in person, and to procure you an honourable passage, we wish and beg of you, if you live, at a convenient time to make your passage through our kingdom of Sicily, because it would not be agreeable to us if you were to take your journey any other way without seeing us; and especially since our kingdom is so situated that a more easy and convenient passage is afforded through it to the transmarine countries. Given at Vercelli, the 11th of February, the eleventh indiction."

The legate is recalled to Rome, but does not return.

About the same time, his holiness the pope and the whole Roman court, hearing that so many disturbances had arisen in England, on account of the number of foreigners whom the king had unadvisedly sent for, and on account of the legate's arrival there, whom he had also allured into England, to the impoverishment of his own subjects; and that many of the latter were enraged against him, recalled the said legate in great haste, but moderated the severity of this measure by writing to him as follows:-" Gregory, &c., to his beloved son Otto, cardinal deacon of St. Nicholas in the Tullian prison, and legate of the Apostolic See, Health and the apostolic benediction. Having understood that there are some clerks in the kingdom of England who hold several benefices, and that they cannot be proceeded against, according to the decrees of the general council, without disturbing the kingdom and causing bloodshed, owing to the power of their relatives, we, seeing that although sin must not be committed even to avoid scandal, yet that good which ought to be done, may sometimes be delayed for that purpose, by these apostolic letters enjoin it on your discretion, if you cannot proceed against the said clerks without causing offence, to waive the matter for the present." And lest anything unfortunate should happen to him, the pope, in the same letter, or in some others, soon after recalled him. The legate, however, preferring still to remain in England, and to reap where he had not sown, cunningly managed that a letter should be prepared and sent to the pope, with the seals of the king, his brother Earl Richard, and all the bishops affixed, to prove the truth of his statement that his further stay in England was of great advantage to the king, as well as to the kingdom and the church of England; and this writing, when sent to the pope, set his mind at rest.

The emperor sends word to Earl Richard of the birth of his son. About this time the emperor Frederick, as a sign of his affection, wrote the following letter to Earl Richard, telling him, to his joy, that a son was born to him by the empress Isabella, the said earl's sister.

66

Frederick, by the grace of God, emperor of the Romans,

His

ever Augustus, king of Jerusalem and Sicily, to his beloved brother-in-law Richard, earl of Cornwall, Health and every good wish.-A joyful event, and one looked for by the wishes of all in common, one which is the most grateful of all other gifts received from nature's bounty, and that by which the sceptres of sovereigns are blessed with a desired succession, we have thought proper to make known to you the earlier, because the novelty of the joy it gave us does not admit of delay. For we have to communicate good news, which we now do by these presents, namely, that, by the disposition of the providence of the Supreme King, who gives increase and health to kings, on the eighteenth day of the month of February a son was born to us from the fruitful womb of our august consort, and a new nephew was given to you. birth tends to the glory of his father and his uncle, refreshes the joy of his mother, and confirms the hopes of our subjects; by this, the sound mutual affection, in which we are bound by the ties of affinity, is strengthened, and tends to the increase of our prosperity; and the good of the Cæsars turns out in time to the joy and honour of the whole community. The birth of this same child happens in the midst of our exultation at our fortunate proceedings in Italy, which is now yielding to our sovereignty, and at our victory over our defeated enemies, a happy star accompanying these auspices. And since this long-desired son has been born in the midst of these continued fortunate events and victories of ours, we trust in him who, after the birth of a daughter from our fruitful consort, your sister, has bestowed a male offspring, that he has liberally increased the ancient glory of our empire, which having fallen away in former times, now rises renewed by his birth, to the honour and glory of us and our posterity; and we wish you, who we know have long wished for the birth of this expected nephew, to share in the joy of us and our august consort. Given at Turin, the third day of

March, the eleventh indiction."

The excitement of the English nobles against the king.

Earl Richard felt great joy at this news, and gave praise to God, being in hopes that in course of time great advantages would accrue to himself and the kingdom of England from this event. But, according to the vicissitudes of human

affairs, he was on the other hand provoked to anger; for having heard that this marriage was confirmed clandestinely, that is, without his knowledge, or the consent of the nobles being obtained, he was justly much enraged, especially as the king had often broken his oath, that he would do nothing of importance without the advice of his natural subjects, and especially of himself. He therefore assailed the king with warnings and threats, and gave vent to great complaints and disaffection against him, because he had rashly managed important business of the kingdom, taking the advice of those foreigners whom he had previously sworn to send entirely away from him; and that dismissing all others from his side, he had not only listened to the counsels of Simon de Montfort and J. earl of Lincoln, but that they had, without the connivance of his nobles, brought about underhanded marriages: Simon, as has been above stated, having effected an unlawful marriage between him and the countess of Pembroke; his sister and John earl of Lincoln; and Richard de Clare, son of the count of Boulogne, and his, the said Earl J.'s daughter, unknown to the king. When Earl Richard rose against the king, he was joined by Earl Gilbert Marshal, and all the earls and barons of England, and the citizens and people in general. It was then most confidently hoped that Earl Richard would release the country from the wretched slavery with which it was oppressed by the Romans and the other foreigners; and all parties, from the old man to the boy, heaped blessings upon him. No one adhered to the king, except only Hubert, earl of Kent; and no fear was entertained of him, both because he had sworn never to carry arms, and also on account of his old age and his discretion, which had been proved on various occasions. The king, on finding how matters stood, both felt and showed his alarm, and sent messengers to each of the nobles of the kingdom, making earnest inquiries if he could rely on them for assistance; to which they all, and especially the citizens of London, answered, that what Earl Richard had begun, was brought about with a view to their own honour, and the advantage of the whole kingdom, though he, the king, did not approve of his proceedings, and that, therefore, they would not oppose his designs. The legate, on finding this, saw that danger was imminent, and applied himself with the greatest dili