A chronicle of the Kings of England, from the time of the Romans goverment [sic] unto the raigne of our soveraigne lord, King Charles containing all passages of state or church, with all other observations proper for a chronicle / faithfully collected out of authours ancient and moderne, & digested into a new method ; by Sr. R. Baker, Knight.

Of his troubles in contestation with his Nephew Arthur.

THough King Iohn had entred upon Normandy, and made that Province sure unto him, yet the Province of Anjou stood firme for Arthur, in observance of their love to his Father their former Prince: which also King Iohn soone after in∣vading, reduceth by Force of Armes to his Obedience. And now Constantia the Mother of Prince Arthur, finding King Iohn too powerfull an adversary, and no likelihood for her party, to be able long to stand out against him without further assistance, conceives it her best way to have recourse to the King of France, and thereupon commits her Sonne Arthur to his Tuition: who seemed to receive him with the tendernesse of a Father, and promiseth to assist him with his uttermost Forces, in the recovery of his Right both in France and England. Here we may observe upon what hinge the affection of the Kings of France was used to turne. For in King Henry the seconds time, King Lewis of France was so great a Friend to his Sonne Richard, that by all meanes he would helpe him to get the kingdome from his Father; Afterward when Richard was King, then Philip King of France, was so great a Friend to Iohn, that by all meanes he would helpe him to get the king∣dome from his Brother; and now that Iohn is come to be King, he is presently growne so great a Friend of Arthur, that by all meanes he will helpe him to get the kingdome from his Unkle; and no doubt, if Arthur should ever have come to be King, he would have beene as ready to helpe any other to get the kingdome from him: by which it appeares, that it was not the Persons of the Men they either hated or loved, but that they were alwaies jealous of their growing too great; and indeed this ballancing of States keepes Princes affections alwayes in suspense, and never suffers the Glasse of their Love or Hate, to make a true Reflection. A∣bout this time William King of Scots came to London to visit King Iohn, and there did homage to him for his kingdome of Scotland, though some say, but onely for the Counties of Northumberland and Cumberland, but being required ayde a∣gainst the French, he excused himselfe, saying, he could not doe it without consent of his kingdome, and so returned home.

And now Philip King of France having undertaken the protection of the young Prince Arthur, with a mighty Army enters Normandy, takes many of the best Townes, and pursuing his Victories, enters the Province of Anjou also, and re∣covers it from King Iohn, which he the yeare before had gotten from Prince Ar∣thur. Upon this King Iohn makes a Journey into Normandy, accusing King Phi∣lip for breaking the Truce, which formerly he had made with King Richard for five yeares; but when he should come to make his Accusation good by Armes, he falleth to Treaties, and obtaineth a new Truce for fifty dayes: with which new Truce, Baldwyn Earle of Flanders, who had professed himselfe of that side, was not well pleased; and thereupon commeth to King Iohn to Roan, and entring a new League with him, they there consult how to proceed, when the fifty dayes should be expired. This consultation the King of France understood; and there∣upon both sides prepare for warre, but at the end of the Truce, both sides seemed to relent, and divers meetings were had for Treaties of Peace, and in conclusion, King Iohn more desirous of Peace then was for his Honour, agreed to these Conditions; that his Ni••ce Blanch, Daughter of Alphonsus King of Castile by his Sister Eleanor, should marry with Lewis King Philips Sonne, who should have with

her in Dower, besides thirty thousand Markes in money, all those Cities, except onely Angiers, which the French before that time had taken, which were many and very great: and his Peace thus made, he returnes into England with great joy, but was not with like joy received of the English Lords, who counted themselves dishonoured, in the dishonourable Conditions he had made; and Baldwyn Earle of Flanders also, when he saw the poore spi••its of King Iohn, to descend to such base Conditions; left his Party, and entring League with the King of France, dispo∣sed himselfe for the Holy Warre.

But King Iohn having now gotten a Vacation, and a time of ease, which agreed much better with his nature then Warre, sets his minde wholly upon pleasures; and for maintaining his pleasures, upon seeking after profit, which he pursues by all manner of injustice, under the name of Prerogative; and with such violence, that when his Brother Geoffrey Arch-bishop of Yorke, in the dutifulnesse of a Coun∣sellour, advised him not to take such unlawfull courses, he most unworthily tooke from him all he had, and it was a yeares worke for all the Arch-bishops friends to pacify his anger. In the necke of this injustice, he commits another, he procures a divorce from his Wife Avis, the Daughter of Robert Earle of Glocester, onely for being of kinne to him in the third degree, and by advice of the King of France, marries Isabell Daughter and Heire of the Earle of Angoulesme, Affianced before to Hugh le Brun Earle of March; and shortly after brings her with him into Eng∣land, where he and she together, are both Crowned at Canterbury. And here the Earles and Barons of the Realme, being all summoned to attend the King into France at Whitsontide following; they all by a generall consent send him word, that unlesse he would restore them their Rights and Liberties, they would doe him no service out of the kingdome. But what it was that made the Lords more violent in pressing their Demands at this time then before, no Writers of these times doe sufficiently deliver: Onely some of them speake scatteringly of certaine oppressi∣ons (besides the generall Grievance for Exactions) lately offered to some of the Lords, one to the Earle of Chester, whom he would have banished, onely for ad∣vising him to leave his cruelty and incontinency: Another, a pursuite in Love to a Daughter of Robert Fits-Water, called Maude the Faire, who not consenting to the Kings lust, a messenger was sent to give her poyson in a potched Egge, where∣of she dyed: And a third, offered to William de Brawse and his Lady, for a rash word spoken; for when the King sent to have de Brawses Sonne delivered him for a pledge, the Lady answered, We shall doe well indeed to commit our Sonne to his keeping, who kept so well his owne Nephew Prince Arthur. This rash word cost de Brawse his Country, and his Lady and their Son their lives, both of them being famished to death in Prison. For, though these directly were but particular Grievances, yet reflectingly they were generall, what one suffered all might; but whether any of these, or all of these together, were Ingredients to make a Com∣pound of violence in the Lords at this time, or whatsoever was the true cause, this was plainely the effect, that unlesse the King would restore their liberties, they would not follow him out of the kingdome. But notwithstanding this refusall of his Lords, he passeth over with his Queene into Normandy, and from thence to Pa∣ris, where the King of France receives them with all complements of Love and a∣mity. But now Hugh Earle of March, resenting the injury done him by King Iohn; in taking away his affianced Wife, joynes with Prince Arthur, and the King of France also, for all his faire shew of amity lately made, joynes with them, as having sometime before marryed his youngest Daughter to Prince Arthur, and these with their Forces joyned, invade first the Turones, and then the Anjovins: of which Province Queene Eleanor the Kings Mother was left Regent, who there∣upon betakes her selfe to Mirabell the strongest Towne of those parts, and sends to her Sonne King Iohn, acquainting him with the danger she was in, aud requiring his speedy succour. When in the meane time Prince Arthur takes the City, and in it his Grand-mother Queene Elea••or, whom he used with greater reverence and respect then she expected. But King Iohn at the hearing hereof, was so moved,

calling the French King ungratefull and perfidious for succouring Prince Arthur, contrary to his League, that study••ng presently the Art of Revenge, he fell upon a stratagem, of all other the most prudent against an Enemy: For a Surprise in Warre is like to an Apoplexy in the Body, which strikes without giving warning for defence: And this Stratagemme at this time King Iohn put in practise, for tra∣velling night & day with indefatigable labor, he came upon his enemies before they were aware, and setting upon them unprovided, it was rather an execution then a battell; and they who remained unslaine were taken prisoners, amongst whom Prince Arthur him••elfe, who committed presently to the custody of Robert de Veypont in Ro∣an, lived not long after whether it were that attempting to make escape, he fell down from the wals of his Prison, and was drowned in the River Seyne, as some say; or whether it were, that through anguish of minde he fell sicke and dyed, as others say; or whether indeed he w••re made away by King Iohn, as the common fame went; Certaine it is, that he survived his imprisonment but a very few dayes. But though he were gone, yet his sister Eleanor, a preceding Competitor to King Iohn, was still remaining: Her therefore, at this time also King Iohn seiseth upon, and commits her in safe custody to Bristow Castle, where, after she had lived long, she dyed.