Iohn̄.
[ B] IOhan / brother to the forenamed Richarde / was crowned kynge the .xxvi. day of Iulij / the yere of Chryst .M.C.xCix. Philyppe the kynge of Fraunce hylde a counsell in Cenomenia in Maturyn / and made one Artur sonne to Geffrey Plantagenet / neuewe to kynge Iohan duke of Bretayne / whiche incontynent enteryd the contrey of Angeo / & kynge Phi∣lyppe entryd into Normandye and toke many holdes there. Kynge Iohan herynge therof / came into Normandye to resyste kynge Philyppe / but by mediacyon of fryndes a peace was made betwene the two kynges. And after that kynge Iohan was deuorced from his wyfe / which was doughter to the erle of Glocester for nerenesse of blode / and maryed in Fraunce / to Isabell doughter to the erle of Engolesym.
¶About the .iii. yere of kynge Iohan his reyne / there were sene in the fyrmament .v. mones / also about the same tyme at a parlyment holdyn at Verdon / it was concluded yt kynge Iohn̄ shulde appere at Parys / within .xv. dayes after Ester next folowynge / to answere to suche questyons as then shulde be layde agaynst hym for the Duchye of Normandye / and the contrey of Angeo. And because he appered nat nor none for hym / kynge Philyppe enteryd into Normandye / & toke there dyuers holdes / & gaue the countye of Angeo to the forsayd Artur. And whan kynge Iohn̄ harde therof / he came from Englande to Normandye and there made warre / and toke the sayd Artur prisoner and dyuers other / and returned shortely into Englande / but yet he wanne nat ye contrey as it was sayd. In the same yere folowynge / was great stormes of wynde / and rayne / and hayle as bygge as hennes egges / & sperytes sene in the eyre lyke foules berynge fyre in theyr bylles / whiche set dyuers houses a fyre. This kyng Iohn̄ than asked an eyde of the clergye of En∣glande / for the optaynynge of Normandye whiche was lost: whiche they denyed to gyue. And also the pryour and couent of Caunterbury / had chosyn one Steuyn Langton bysshop / agaynst the kyng{is} wyll / whome the pope confyrmed / wherfore kynge Iohan was nat content / and droue the pryour and dyuers of the couent out of the realme / and commaunded that no letter nor com∣maundement of the pope shulde be receyued in Englande / nor wolde nat at the popes request re¦ceyue that bysshoppe so chosyn.* 1.1 wherfore suche varyaunce fell betwene the pope and the kynge / that the pope interdyted the lande: whiche stode so interdyted .vii. yeres / tyll that kynge Iohan was reconsyled.* 1.2 But as it is sayd / this interdytynge was nat so strayte / but that chylderne were chrystened in euery place / and deuyne seruyce sayd in many houses of religyon and other places by lycence purchased than and before / and people houselyd / & anayled / except suche {per}sons as were except by name in the bull. About this tyme in Sussex was taken a fysshe lyke a man: whiche was kept a lyue .vi. monthes after vpon lande with rawe flesshe / but by cause they coude haue no speche of it / they cast it into the see agayne.
¶About the .vii. yere of kynge Iohans reyne / the sayd Frenche kynge Philyppe wanne all the hole contrey of Normandye. Some auctours say that the frenche kynge made all this warre agaynst kyng Iohn̄ / by excytynge of the pope for his contumacye agaynst the churche.* 1.3 ¶About this tyme the Irysshemen rebellyd / and than kynge Iohan with a pusant armye went into Irelande and shortely subdued them / & set the contrey in a rule and there bylde many great townes & castels / & ordayned his lawes there to be kept / and returned agayne into Englande.* 1.4 ¶Sone after this kynge Iohan prepared a great hoost and sayled into Rochyll / and when the Frenche kynge harde therof / he prepared another stronge hoost / so that bothe the hoostes were within lytell dystannce to haue mette / but by mediacyon of fryndes the two kynges there toke a peace for .ii. yeres folowynge. Also about the .x. yere of kynge Iohans reyne / the pope sent .ii. legates / Pandulfe and Durrant / to kynge Iohan that he shulde receyue Steuyn to his Arche∣bysshopryke / and sent a newe commyssion wherby the curse of interdytynge (if the kynge wolde nat agree therto) was newely denounced. [ B]
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