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EDWARD THE FIRST,
surnamed Longshanks, the eldest sonne of Henrie the third.
Table of Contents Added by Transcriber
1272.
An. Reg. 1.
Edward, the first of that name after the conquest, began his reigne ouer this kingdome of England, the 16 day of Nouember, in the yeare of the world, 5239, of our Lord 1272, of the Saxons 814, after the conquest 206, the vacation of the empire after the deceasse of Frederike the second as yet induring (though shortlie after in the yeare next following, Radulfe of Habspurge was elected emperour) in the third yeare of Philip the third then reigning in France, and Alexander the third yet liuing in gouernement of the Scottish kingdome.
Matth. West.
A new seale made.
Chro. Dun.
Matth. Westm.
1273.
Guy de Mtfort excommunicated.
This Edward the first, when his father died, being about the age of 35 yeares, was as then in the holie land, or rather in his iournie homewards: but wheresoeuer he was at that present, the nobles of the land, after his father was departed this life, assembled at the new temple in London, and causing a new seale to be made, they ordeined faithfull ministers and officers, which should haue the treasure in keping, and the administration of iustice for the maintenance of peace and tranquillitie within the land, and on the 22 day of Nouember he was proclaimed king. Who after he had remained a time in the holie land, and perceiued himselfe destitute of such aid as he looked for at the hands both of the Christians and Tartarians, he left in the citie of Acon certeine stipendarie soldiers, and taking the sea sailed homewards, arriuing first in Sicill, where, of Charles K. of that land he was honorablie receiued and conueied, till he came vnto Ciuita Vecchia in Italie, where pope Gregorie as then laie with his court, of whome (as of his old frend that had ben with him in the holie land) he obteined that earle Aldebrandino Rosso, and Guy of Montfort, that had murthered the lord Henrie, eldest sonne to Richard king of Almaine, might be sent for. Earle Aldebrandino purged himselfe, but Guy de Montfort was excmunicated, as a violator of the church, a murderer and a traitor, so as he was disherited euen vnto the fourth generation, till he had reconciled himselfe to the church, as he was inioined.
After this, it is woonderfull to remember with what great honor king Edward was receiued of the cities, as he passed through Tuscaine and Lumbardie. At his comming ouer the mounteins at Chalon in Burgundie, he was at a iusts and tornie, which then was there holden by the Frenchmen against the Englishmen, the honor whereof remained with the Englishmen. In this tornie the fight of the footmen was great: for the Englishmen being sore prouoked, slue manie of the French footmen, but bicause they were but rascals, no great accompt was made of them, for they were vnarmed, gaping for the spoile of them that were ouerthrowen. K. Edward passing foorth came to the French court, where of his coosine germane king Philip he was ioifullie receiued. Here king Edward, dooing homage to the French king for the lands which he ought to hold of him in France, passed into Guien.
Anno Reg. 2.
Matth. Westm.
A disme grted to the king & his brother.
1274.
Nic. Triuet.
King Edward his returne home.
Matth. West.
A tenth was granted of the cleargie to the K. and to his brother Edmund earle of Leicester and Lancaster by the popes appointment for two yeares, a chapleine of the pope a Gascoine borne named Reimond being sent into England for that purpose, who gaue part vnto them, and part thereof he kept to himselfe towards his charges, but the most part was reserued to the popes disposing. Whilest the king remained in Gascoigne, he had somwhat to do against certeine rebels, as Gaston de Bierne, and other that were reuolted from him. The castels belonging to the said Gaston he subdued, but his person he could not met with. Finallie, after he had set things in order as well in Guien as in other places in the parts of beyond the seas, he hasted homewards, and came to London on the second day of August, where he was receiued with all ioy that might be deuised. The strets were hanged with rich cloths of silke, arras, and tapestrie, the aldermen and burgesses of the citie threw out of their windowes handfuls of gold and siluer, to signifie the great gladnesse which they had conceiued of his safe returne: the conduits ran plentifullie with white wine and red, that ech creature might drinke his fill. Vpon the 19 day of August, in this second yeare of his reigne he was crowned at Westminster, togither with his wife quene Elianor, by the hands of Robert Kilwarbie archbishop of Canturburie.
Caxton.
At this coronation were present Alexander king of Scots, and Iohn earle of Britaine, with their wiues that were sisters to K. Edward. The king of Scots did homage vnto king Edward for the realme of Scotland, in like maner as other the kings of Scotland before him had doone to other kings of England ancestours to this king Edward. At the solemnitie of this coronation there were let go at libertie (catch them that catch might) fiue hundred great horsses by the king of Scots, the earles of Cornewall, Glocester, Penbroke, Warren, & others, as they were allighted fr their backs. On S. Nicholas euen there chanced such an earthquake with lightning and thunder, and therewithall the appearing of the burning drake, and a blasing starre called a comet, that the people were brought into no small feare vpon consideration thereof. But now to the point of the historie.
1275.
An. Reg. 3.
A parlement. The statutes of Westminster. The prince of Wales Leolin.
King Edward at the first like a prudent prince chose the wisest and worthiest men to be of his councell, & to purchase the loue of his subiects, whose minds were somewhat offended towards his father (by reason that he refused to kepe promise with them, touching the restitution of gentle and fauourable lawes) king Edward shewed himselfe so gentle towards all degres of men, that he semed to exced the reasonable bounds of courteous humanitie, much more than became his roiall estate. After this he reformed diuerse lawes and statutes, and deuised some new ordinances, greatlie for the wealth of the realme. He held his first parlement at Westminster, where the ordinances were made, called the statutes of Westminster the first.
The king cmeth to Chester.
To this parlement was Leolin the prince of Wales summoned to come and doo his homage, hauing bene requested first to come to the kings coronation, but he refused; and now hauing summons to come to this parlement, he excused himselfe, affirming that he durst not come for feare of certeine noblemen that laie in wait for his life, requiring to haue pledges deliuered for his safe comming and going, the kings sonne, and Gilbert earle of Glocester, with Robert Burnell the lord chancelor. The king was greatlie offended with such a presumptuous demand, but passed it ouer, till after the end of the parlement, & then repairing to Chester he sent eftsoones messengers to the said Leolin, requiring of him to come & doo his homage, but he still detracted time, so that in the end the king raised an armie, meaning to recouer that by force, which otherwise he could not obteine by quiet meanes. This yere the people paid a fiftenth to the king of all their temporall goods, which was said to be granted first to his father.
Matth. Westm.
