Polychronicon Ranulphi Higden maonachi Cestrensis; together with the English translations of John Trevisa and of an unknown writer of the fifteenth century.

Capitulum decimum quintum. [folio 352a]

A GRETE wontynge of water happede thro Yyglonde in the idus of October, insomoche that men and bestes myȝhte have

go by water from the toure of London unto the brigge by a naturalle day. Willelmus de Pontificibus, libro tertio. A cownsaile hade in this yere at London, the kynge intendede to have made Faricius, abbot of Abendon, metropolitan of Yng|londe; but the bischoppes electe Radulphus bischoppe of Raw|chestre. In whiche tyme a man callede Thurstinus was electe into the bischop of Yorke; and the seide man monyschede ofte tymes by the kynge to make profession and obedience to þe metropolitan of Ynglonde, chosede raþer to leve his seete. But after that he repent, and wente to the kynge in Normandy, where Paschalis the pope sende a bulle to the kynge for the restitucion of the seide Thurstyn. Whiche reioycnge that seete and refusynge to make obedience, a newe discorde began to sprynge amonge the bischoppes. Willelmus de Pontifi|cibus,

libro primo. The pope grawntede this privelege to the bischopps, beynge there for this mater to be discussede, whiche privilege was grawnted afore by his predecessors, willynge that suche privilege scholde remayne stable and inconcussede for ever. But and if the pope hade expressede these and these dignites be hade in youre churches, he scholde have finischede that contencion; but he lefte that untowchede. And messyngers of the kynge departede, the pope consecrate the seide Thurstyn, and toke to hym a palle, a grete summe of goode ȝiffen to hym afore. Willelmus de Pontificibus, libro tertio. And thauȝhe kynge Henricus hade grete indignacion þerof, and prohibite that seete to the seide Thurstyn, he dredde soore the wrytynge of the pope, where hit was contenede that other he scholde admitte the seide Thurstyne, or he scholde be excommunicate, and the bischop of Cawnterbery suspended. Wherefore the kynge

admitte the seide Thurstyne at the laste as compellede. Wil|lelmus de Pontificibus, libro primo. The seide Radulphus laborynge as in a peralisy thro huge vexacion, and the firste wife of this kynge dede, and mariede [Sic in MS.] to the duke of Loth|aringia, was crownede by an other bischop with owte licence of the metropolitan. After that the bischop recured, and seenge the kynge y-crownede, seide to hym, "Thow arte not crownede ryȝhteousely." Then the kynge seide to hym, "Fader, cor|recte that is wronge:" for the metropolitan hade seide to hym that either the kynge scholde abstene from his crowne, or he from masse. Whiche metropolitan wolde have a taken violentely the crowne from the kynges hedde, but that he was entretede into the contrary by the preyers of noble astates presente. [folio 352b] This metropolitan was a man of noble intellecte, not prompte to synne, neverthelesse he hade oon grete vice of moche laȝhynge, insomoche that he was callede as a japer of moche peple ℞. In this yere was a scharpe wynter, insomoche þat mony brygges were broken in Ynglonde by the dissolvynge of þat forste.

Also a grete movynge of the erthe indurede at Italy by xl^ta dayes, destroyenge mony edificacions; in whiche tyme oon grete cite was movede from oon place to an other by a grete space asundre. Paschalis the pope diede in this yere, whom Gelasius, chawnceler to hym afore, did succede oon yere and a halfe. Themperour herynge the privilege of the investiture of prelates to be revocate, come to Rome that he myȝhte be vengede of Paschalis the pope. Neverthelesse the emperour, knowynge that he was dedde, made Mauricius bischop Ba|charense pope excommunicate of the pope but a litelle afore, whom he callede Gregory the vij^the. Gelasius the pope dredynge the emperoure, fledde to Cluniacum with the cardi|nalls, where he diede, and then the cardinalls electe into the pope Guido the archebischop Viennense, whom thei callede Calixte the secunde. ℞. Florencius, a monke of Worcestre, diede in this yere, thro labour of whom this presente storye ys

gretely suppliede. A grete discorde spronge betwene kynges of Ynglonde and of Fraunce, kynge of Ynglonde hade a glorious victory ageyne the kynge off Fraunce. Willelmus de Pontificibus, libro quinto. After that kynge Henricus mariede William his sonne the senior to the doȝhter of Fulco erle of Gascoigne, and then pease was made betwene the kynges, for the seide William helde Normandy of the kynge of Fraunce, and made to hym homage þerfore by consente of his fader. For kynge Henricus thouȝhte that hit were schame beynge kynge to have made homage to hym. Then kynge Henricus made men of Normandy and of Ynglonde to do homage to his sonne William. Fulco the seide erle goynge to lerusalem toke the cuntre of Gascoyne to the kynge of Ynglonde to the utilite of William his sonne in lawe, if that he come not ageyne.