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

Capitulum decimum septimum.

LOTHARIUS, the duke of Saxonia, was made emperour after the dethe or departynge of Henricus themperoure. A cowne|sayle hade in this tyme at London, bischopps preiede the kynge to correcte prestes havynge concubynes thro alle his realme;

but truly he did noon oþer correccion to theyme, but toke theire moneye and goodes. Innocencius the secunde suc|cedid Honorius the pope xiij. yere and vij. monethes. Ana|cletus presumede to be pope, and soe a grete trowble and dissencion were movede in the churche of Rome, for Ana|cletus, electe but of fewe men, expulsede Innocencius from Rome, and spoylede the churches in hit, thro whiche money he corrupte the Romanes. But Innocencius taryenge with the kynge of Fraunce, and in returnynge from Fraunce he crownede Lotharius themperoure, thro helpe of whom he chasede awey Roger duke of Sicille and of Apulia, in that he rebellede ageyne hym. Ranulphus erle of Chestre dedde, Ranulphus his sonne was successour to hym xxv. yere. The erle of Flandres dedde, the kynge of Ynglonde was successour to hym [folio 354a] by ryȝhte of consanguinite. And Matildis thempresse, refusede of Gefray Plantaginet, comme soone after to Nor|mandy to here fader. Where the kynge had iij. mervellous visions. The firste was, he thouȝhte that he see a grete

multitude of chorls to comme and to fiȝhte with hym, and to aske þeire dewte. The secunde was, he thouȝhte that he see a cumpanye of armede men to comme and to ȝiffe batelle to hym. The thrydde was, he thoughte that he see a cumpanye of prelates manassynge hym with theire staves pastoralle. The kynge was so trowblede with these visions that he did lepe from his bedde, and toke his swerde in his honde, cryenge for helpe, as and if he hade intendede to have sleyne somme men. A leche, Grumbaldus by name, see the seide visions of the kynge, and expressede theym in the morowe folowynge to the kynge, spekynge to hym lyke as Daniel did to Nabugodonosor, that he scholde redeme his synnes thro almes. Neverthelesse the seide kynge saylynge from Normandye towarde Ynglonde suffrede grete tempestes on the see, where he made promyse that he wolde relesche the tribute of the Danes vij. yere, and visitte Seynte Edmunde, and use ryȝhteuousenesse after. Lodowicus kynge of Fraunce, herynge of the dethe Guiller|mus duke of Aquitanny, sende Lodowicus his sonne, crownede into kynge and anoytede, to Aquitanny, to wedde Elianor, doȝhter of the seide duke, whiche takynge with hir the duchery of Aquitanny, wedde that Elianor at Burdewse. Of whom he gate Mary countesse of Campanye, and Aclides wife of Theobaldus erle Blesense. And Lodowicus, kynge of

Fraunce diede with in a monethe after the weddynge of his sonne, the kalendes of Auguste, and beriede in the churche of Seynte Dionise in Fraunce, whom Lodowicus junior did succede. Roberte erle of Normandy, and broþer to the kynge, diede at Caerdif in this yere, and was beryede at Gloucestre afore the hye awter. The priory of Norton in the province of Chestre was founded this tyme by William sonne of Nigellus, and the monastery of Cumbremere in the same province also. Also Henricus Courtmantelle, son of thempresse, was borne in thys tyme. Kynge Henricus diede this tyme in Normandye, whom a metricion commendethe in this wise:

"Rex Henricus obit, decus olim, nunc dolor orbis, Numina flent numen deperiisse suum. Mercurius minor eloquio, vi mentis [Martis, MS.] Apollo, [folio 354b] Jupiter imperio, Marsque vigore gemit. Janus cautela minor, Alcides probitate, Conflictu Pallas, arte Minerva gemit, Anglia quæ cunis quæ sceptro numinis hujus Ardua splenduerat, jam tenebrosa ruit, Hæc cum rege suo, Normannia cum duce marcet. Nutrit et hæc puerum, perdidit illa virum."

Henricus, libro octavo. This kynge dedde mony men sayde that he hade iij. specialle vertues, wisedome, eloquence and fortune of batells; and somme men seide that he hade iij. specialle vices, covetyse, crudelite and voluptuosite. The cause of the dethe of this kynge was seide to have comme by the eitynge of a lamprey whiche meyte he luffed moche, never|thelesse hit chargede his stomake oftetymes. The body of this kynge was brouȝhte to Ynglonde, and was beryede in the monastery of Radynge that he did founde. Henricus, libro septimo. Symon þe sonne of Robert bischop of Lincoln, and decan in the same churche, flowrede moche in this tyme, scharpe of witte, eloquente in speche, beautuous of forme, yonge in age, but olde in connynge and intellect of divine scripture. Of whiche thynges he began to be prowde, and

after that envy folowede, and so after by succession elacion and detraccion: whiche pronosticate in a tyme of hym selfe seyenge, "Y schalle be amonge cowrteours lyke salte amonge elys on lyve;" attendynge to oon proprete, and not to that [folio 337b] oþer, ffor like as salte destroyede elys, so he destroyede cowrteours by detraccion. But at the laste, lyke as salte is destroyede with the humoure of the elys, so he was de|stroyede by contempte of alle men. For he was putte into prison by the kynge for his hate and pride; from whiche prison he escapede by a sege and diede in exile.