The History of Arnald Fitz-themar
The History of Arnald Fitz-Thedmar.
There was a certain man dwelling in the city of Cologne,
Arnald by name, and surnamed "de Grevingge," who had a wife,
a native of the same city, whose name was Ode. Their life, after the
manner of the Christian religion, was simple and upright before God and
with man. Living for many years in wedlock a pious and righteous life,
they had remained without offspring. Hearing however by report how
many and great miracles God had wrought in England for the Blessed
Thomas, Archbishop of Canterbury, who at that period had recently
suffered martyrdom at the hands of impious men, they made a vow that
they would set out for England, for the purpose of visiting the sepulchre
of the said martyr.
Accordingly setting out, after they had crossed the sea, they came to
Canterbury, where the body of the said martyr reposes, and there
offering up their adorations to the Saint, they made a vow that if the
Lord should grant offspring unto them, they would devote it to the service of the Lord; and that if it should prove of the male sex, they would
call him "Thomas," after the martyr's name, and would make him a
monk, that so in the same church, and in the same garb of religion, he
might serve God and the Blessed Martyr all the days of his life. When
all this had been done, they were unwilling to return home before they
had visited London, of which city, so noble and so famous, they had
heard the fame in their own land. Accordingly, coming to London, they
took up their abode there; and after they had made a stay of some time,
the woman conceived; whereupon the husband, on learning that his wife
had so conceived, was unwilling to return home until after her delivery,
by reason of the peril that might befall her.
The time of her delivery having now arrived, she brought forth a
son, and his name was called "Thomas," in manner as his parents had
vowed. After this, by reason of the weak state of the infant, they continued their stay in London, without returning home, until she had
again conceived and been delivered of a daughter, who was named
"Juliana." In the meantime however, the mother of the before-named
Ode, who was most tenderly beloved by her and her husband, even more
than any others of their acquaintances, both friends and kinsfolk,
departed this life; by reason whereof, they never cared to return to
their own land, but, buying a house in the City of London, were made
citizens thereof. Thomas, their son, however, did not become a monk,
as his parents had vowed; but at the time when Richard, King
of England, and Philip, King of France, with a countless multitude of
Crusaders, set out for the Holy Land, which Saladin had seized, and
when the Earl of Flanders, Baldwin by name, had gone upon the
Crusade and had taken possession of Constantinople by force
of arms, and been made Emperor thereof, the same Thomas
joined the army of the said Earl as a Crusader. Upon reaching Constantinople however, he there departed this life.
As to his sister Juliana, she was married to a certain man of Almaine,
"Thedmar" by name, a native of the city of Bremen. Living in wedlock a pious and righteous life, they had eleven children, six daughters
namely, and five sons. Of these daughters, two died before arriving at
marriageable years, while the other four were very advantageously
married in the City of London; and from them sprang a numerous
progeny, namely, sons and daughters, grandsons and granddaughters,
and other kinsfolk, more than I can enumerate. As to the five sons of
the aforesaid Thedmar and Juliana, one died under age, and three others
when they had reached the age of twenty-four years. The fifth son
however, who, after his grandfather, was called "Arnald," lived long
after the death of all his brothers and sisters.
It is of what happened in reference to him that I purpose here to
write; namely, that while his mother was still pregnant of him she had
a dream to the following effect.—In a vision, she thought that the Prior
and Brethren of the Hospital of (fn. 1) Jerusalem, without London, sent for a
log of wood which was lying upon the fire in her house, as the custom is
in the houses of the citizens, and that accordingly the porters carried it
out of the house. After this, about the (fn. 2) ninth hour of the day the same
porters brought a slab of marble, which had been sent to the woman's
husband by the Prior and Brethren aforesaid, and then departed. Immediately after which, as it appeared to her, the porters before-mentioned
brought back the log of wood, and told her that the log must be laid
upon the fire as long as it would last, and that after it was wholly
consumed, the marble slab must be substituted in its place.
A certain skilful man thus expounded this dream, and said
to the woman as follows:—"The log of wood signifies your husband, and
the slab of marble the son who shall be born of you. The circumstance
that the log of wood was not in the house when the slab of marble was
sent thither about the ninth hour, signifies that your husband will not
be at home, when your son is born; whose birth will take place at the
ninth hour of the day. The log of wood being afterwards brought
back to be placed upon the fire, signifies that immediately after your
son is born, your husband will return home, and will continue to be
master of this house all the days of his life, and after him your son will
succeed by right of inheritance to the house aforesaid." And so it
happened. For the woman's husband was not in the City, when she
was seized with the pains of labour; but had occasion to be staying
away from the City until after his wife had been delivered. But immediately after the child's birth, which took place about the ninth hour, he
came home; and afterwards remained there as master of the house all
the days of his life. After his death, his son Arnald, before-mentioned,
came into possession of the house by right of inheritance.
As to the difference however that there is between a log of wood and a
slab of marble, the expounder of the dream on that occasion gave no explanation, and this matter may be known to God only. This Arnald was
born in the year of Our Lord 1201, on the Vigil of Saint Laurence
[10 August], at the ninth hour of the day.
Be it remembered, that after the commotions in the kingdom of England in the time of the Earl of Leicester, the
citizens made fine with his lordship the King for the offences imputed to
them, and by certain persons committed, with the view of gaining his
good will, in the sum of 20000 marks sterling; and at the same time
injunction was given to the citizens, with all haste to acquit the King of
a great sum of money as against the King of France. They were unable however within so short a time to assess this money upon each of the
citizens in equal and fair proportions; and, by provision made in reference thereto, the citizens gave, some more, some less, with the view of
the more speedily paying the money to the King of France. After this,
the citizens made offer, a second and a third time, to discharge themselves by instalments of the sum due to his lordship the King. Afterwards, his lordship the King being desirous to give one thousand marks to
the Duke of (fn. 3) Bruneswyc, who had lately married the Queen's cousin, he
sent his writ to the citizens, commanding that they should be assessed
before John Waleran, the then Warden of the Tower and of the City of
London, and William de Haselbech, in a sum of 1500 pounds. Accordingly, the said John and William caused a sum of more than 560 pounds
to be assessed upon eight men, without inquest of their (fn. 4) venue, but by
the agency of certain malevolent persons of the City whom the said
John had chosen for the purpose. But after this, whatever was levied
by virtue of the said writ, was in due manner by the venue assessed. It
should also be known, that the whole of the assessment by the said writ
did not amount to 1000 pounds sterling.
At last, provision was made by the whole of the community, that
examination should be made by the men of the venue and by sworn men
of the trades, as to what persons had in previous times been aggrieved,
and who had been favoured: upon the result whereof, the said tallage
was to be ordained. Accordingly, upon this tallage many persons were
acquitted of all claim, more especially those who had been tallaged
before John and William aforesaid. At the same time also, award was
given as to Arnald Fitz-Thedmar, as is set forth in this leaf.—
"As to Arnald Thedmar, it was found by his venue and
by certain men of the other Wards, that the same Arnald is
unduly aggrieved; for that the same Arnald, as concerns the ransom of
twenty thousand marks, first paid four marks and forty pence for the
house which he inhabits; and after that, twenty marks by inquisition of
his neighbours. Then again, an increase of five marks, and after that,
one hundred marks, which were assessed before John Waleraund and
William de Haselbech without award of his neighbours. After that,
half a mark, and then after that, fifteen shillings upon his rent. Therefore it was awarded by the jurors that the same Arnald should stand in
peace, and be acquitted of the aforesaid ransom and of the fine of one
thousand marks, as towards his lordship the King of Almaine."
The above award is written in the Rolls of the City and of the
Chamberlains.
After this, Walter Hervi, in the time of his Mayoralty, taking with
him such of the citizens as he pleased, had brought before him all the
rolls of tallages which had been previously made in the City, and endeavoured to extort from the citizens all the monies therein contained, and
would not make allowance to any one of those who had been aggrieved
beyond measure and beyond their means. Where a claim had been
withdrawn against any one by oath of his venue and by letters of his
lordship the King, he would pay no attention thereto. Accordingly at
this time, demand was made of the aforesaid Arnald Thedmar, of a very
large sum of money, which had been assessed upon him in an undue
manner and without any oath, as already stated. However, Arnald
waited upon his lordship King Henry, who was then living, and obtained
from him letters directed to the Mayor and citizens, to the effect that
they should not presume in any way to aggrieve him, in contravention of
the enrolment by the Chamberlains of the City; and afterwards obtained
letters from Sir Edward, his son, to a like effect. This Walter however,
so long as he continued to be Mayor, did not cease to aggrieve Arnald, so
far as demanding of him that sum of money, or part thereof.
After this, Henry le Waleis was made Mayor, who, summoning
certain sworn citizens before him to examine the clear arrears of the City,
again unjustly demanded of him a certain sum in reference to the exaction before-mentioned; whereupon, he again obtained letters of his
lordship King Edward, which being read before the said Mayor and
citizens, they gave assent to the observance of the enrolment beforementioned. (fn. 5)
Copies of Letters of his lordship King Henry, and of his lordship King Edward, his son, of which mention is made at the end
of this Book.
"Henry, by the grace of God, etc. Arnald Fitz-Thedmar, your
fellow-citizen, hath shown unto us, that when our citizens of London
lately made fine unto us in the sum of 20000 marks, for gaining our
good will, he, the same Arnald, on the pretence aforesaid, by certain
persons who entertained ill-will towards him, was assessed in a certain
large sum of money unjustly, without inquisition of his venue, and
beyond the sufficiency of his means thereunto; of which sum of money,
not without great hardship, he paid one hundred marks. Also, when
after this, by our special command, in presence of our well-beloved and
trusty Alan le Zuche, the then Warden of the City and Constable of
our Tower of London, by the commons of all the City aforesaid strict
enquiry was made, and award given, how much each citizen ought
to pay in accordance with his means, as also how much each had
already paid by way of contribution to the said fine; and when, in
accordance with the award then made, a general tallage was assessed
upon the citizens aforesaid, it was found, on inquisition made upon the
oaths of reputable men of the venue of the aforesaid Arnald and others,
who had been deputed to assess the said tallage, that the said Arnald had
already paid beyond the limits of his means: it was therefore provided
by the same reputable men, in presence of Alan aforesaid, that the
said Arnald, by reason of the payment of one hundred marks aforesaid,
which, as well as other thirty-two marks, which at other times had
been assessed upon him, he had fully paid, should be, and ought to be,
wholly acquitted as well of the-fine aforesaid as of the contribution of
one thousand marks made unto our brother, the King of Almaine; he
invoking thereupon the testimony of the Rolls of the City Chamberlains as to the tallage aforesaid. Being unwilling therefore that the
said Arnald, who has always faithfully and constantly adhered unto us
and ours, should be unduly aggrieved, we do strictly enjoin that,
searching the rolls aforesaid, you do exact of the said Arnald nothing
whatever beyond the award and enrolment aforesaid, nor do in future
molest him by reason of the fine aforesaid; and that, if you shall have
made upon him any distress by reason of such further exaction, you
do wholly release the same. Witness, etc."
"Edward, by the grace of God, etc., to the Mayor and Sheriffs of
London, greeting. Arnald Fitz-Thedmar, your fellow-citizen, hath
shown unto us, that when our citizens of London lately made fine unto
his lordship King Henry our father, in the sum of 20000 marks, for
gaining the good will of the same our father, he, the same Arnald, on
pretence of the fine aforesaid, etc. [as above, mutatis mutandis.]"
For all the letters aforesaid, Walter Hervi, in the time of his
Mayoralty, would not desist from aggrieving the before-named
Arnald, in contravention of the enrolment.
(fn. 6) After this, Henry le Waleys was made Mayor, who, together with
some citizens who had been sworn to examine the arrears of all the
tallages, as already mentioned, exacted of him a certain sum of money in
contravention of the said enrolment; whereupon, he repaired to the Court
of his lordship the King, and again obtained letters of the King, directed
to the Mayor and citizens. These being read and understood, they agreed
to observe the said enrolment; but still, expressed a wish that the said
Arnald should aid in discharging the Queen's (fn. 7) gold and other expenses
of the City. Wherefore an agreement was made between the Mayor and
citizens and the said Arnald, in manner below set forth, this also being
written in the Chamberlains' Roll.—
"Be it remembered, that when a certain sum of money had been
demanded of Arnald Fitz-Thedmar before Sir Henry le Waleys, Mayor
of London, and certain other citizens whose names are below set forth
by the whole community of the City appointed and sworn to examine
the arrears of all assessments and tallages in the City before made, and
there had for some time been a dispute hereupon between the aforesaid
Mayor and citizens and the said Arnald in reference thereto, at length
the said contest between the said Mayor and citizens and the
said Arnald was brought to a conclusion in form underwritten;
that is to say, that it was made satisfactorily evident to the said Mayor
and citizens, by the rolls of great tallage made in the time of Sir Alan
la Zouche, late Warden of the said City, that the said Arnald had been
wholly acquitted of the ransom of 20000 marks, and of the fine of 1000
marks to his lordship the King of Almaine, by reason of the 132 marks
which at the same time he had paid, in manner as the said rolls fully
record. It was also shown to them that the same Arnald had been oftentimes on other occasions aggrieved. It was therefore awarded by the
said Mayor and citizens sworn thereunto, that the same Arnald, in
consideration of six pounds which he then paid to them in aid of defraying the City's expenses, and of forty shillings which in the time of the
Mayoralty of Sir Walter Hervi he had paid as a contribution to the
Queen's gold, should be wholly acquitted of Queen's gold and of all
tallages, assessments, double quarterages, twentieths, aids, loans, and
expenses, in the City of London made, until the Feast of the Apostles
Philip and James [1 May] in the second year of the reign of his lordship
King Edward, son of King Henry; there being present the aforesaid Sir
Henry, the Mayor, and the others sworn, namely, Nicholas de Wyncestre,
Sheriff, Stephen de Mundene and Hugh Mutun, Chamberlains, John,
Walter le Poter, John de Norhampton, Ralph le Blund, Aldermen,
Ralph de la More, Ralph de Brumle, Robert Gratefige, William de
Farenedon, Hugh de Duntone, Thomas Heyrun, and Godfrey le
Cofrer, and others."