Henry III
44 Henry III. [A.D. 1259, 60]. William Fitz-Richard, Mayor.
Henry de Coventre and Adam Broning, (fn. 1) Sheriffs.
In this year two (fn. 2) Romans were slain in Westchepe, namely, Master
John le Gras and Beisantyn, by persons who were strangers. This
year a disagreement took place between Sir Edward and Richard, Earl
of Gloucestre, by whom the gates of London were shut, and guarded by
men-at-arms full five weeks and more; because that the King was then
beyond sea to make terms with the King of France.
45 Henry III. [A.D. 1260, 1]. The said William, Mayor. (fn. 3) John
de Norhamtone and Richard Pikard, Sheriffs.
In this year, on Saint John's Night [27 December] at Christmas,
there escaped from Neugate Roger de Clere, Geoffrey de Toucestre, John
de Saint Auban, John de (fn. 4) Euerwik, and three others; and for this
escape, Roger, the gaoler, was taken and imprisoned in Neugate.
46 Henry III. [A.D. 1261, 2]. The said William, Mayor. Philip le
Tailour and Richard de Walbrok, Sheriffs.
47 Henry III. [A.D. 1262, 3]. Thomas Fitz-Thomas, Mayor. Robert
de (fn. 5) Mounpelers and (fn. 6) Hubert de Suffolk, Sheriffs.
In this year began the war between the King and his Barons, for the
(fn. 7) Provisions of Oxford. Then the (fn. 8) Bishop of Hereford was taken by
the Barons. In this year the New Hall at Westminster was (fn. 9) burnt.
In this year the Queen was shamefully hooted and reviled at London
(fn. 10) Bridge, as she was desiring to go from the Tower to Westminster; and
this, because she had caused a gentle damsel to be put to death, the most
beauteous that was known, and imputed to her that she was the King's
concubine. For which reason, the Queen had her taken and stripped all
naked, and made her sit between two great fires in a chamber quite
closed, so that this very beauteous damsel was greatly terrified, for she
thought for certain that she should be burnt, and began to be in great
sorrow by reason thereof.
And in the meantime, the Queen had caused a bath to be prepared,
and then made the beauteous damsel enter therein; and forthwith, she
made a wicked old hag beat this beauteous damsel upon both her arms
with a staff; and then, so soon as ever the blood gushed forth, there
came another execrable sorceress, and brought two frightful toads upon
a trowel, and put them upon the breasts of the gentle damsel; whereupon they immediately seized her breasts and began to suck. Two
other old hags also held her arms stretched out, so that the beauteous
damsel might not be able to sink down into the water until all the blood
that was in her body had run out. And all the time that the filthy toads
were sucking the breasts of this most beauteous damsel, the Queen, laughing the while, mocked her, and had great joy in her heart, in being thus
revenged upon Rosamonde. And when she was dead, the Queen had the
body taken and buried in a filthy ditch, and with the body the toads.
But when the King had heard the news, how the Queen had acted
towards the most beauteous damsel whom he so greatly loved, and whom
he held so dear in his heart, he felt great sorrow, and made great lamentation thereat:—"Alas! for my grief; what shall I do for the most beauteous
"Rosamond? For never was her peer found for beauty, disposition, and
"courtliness." And after he had for long made such lamentation, he
desired to know what had become of the body of the beauteous damsel.
Then the King caused one of the wicked sorceresses to be seized, and
had her put into great straights, that she might tell him all the truth
as to what they had done with the gentle damsel; and he swore by
Almighty God that if she should lie in any word, she should have as
shocking a sentence as man could devise.
Then the old hag began to speak and to relate to the King all the
truth, how the Queen had wrought upon the most beauteous body of the
gentle damsel, and where and in what place they would find it. And in
the meantime, the Queen had the body of the most beauteous damsel
taken up, and commanded the body to be carried to a house of religion
which has "Godestowe" for name, near Oxenford, at a distance of two
leagues therefrom; and had the body of Rosamond there buried, to colour
her evil deeds, that so no one might perceive the horrid and too shameful
deeds which the Queen had done, and she might exculpate herself from
the death of this most gentle damsel.
And then King Henry began to ride towards Wodestoke, where
Rosamonde, whom he loved so much at heart, was so treacherously murdered by the Queen. And as the King was riding towards Wodestoke,
he met the dead body of Rosamonde, strongly enclosed within a chest,
that was well and stoutly bound with iron. And the King forthwith
demanded whose corpse it was, and what was the name of the person
whose dead body they bore. Then they made answer to him, that it was
the corpse of the most beauteous Rosamond. And when King Henry
heard this, he instantly ordered them to open the chest, that he might
behold the body that had been so vilely martyred. Immediately thereon,
they did the King's command, and shewed him the corpse of Rosamond,
who was so hideously put to death. And when King Henry saw the
whole truth thereof, through great grief he fell fainting to the ground,
and lay there in a swoon for a long time before any one could have converse with him.
And when the King awoke from his swoon, he spoke, and he swore a
great oath, that he would take full vengeance for the most horrid felony
which, for great spite, had upon the gentle damsel been committed.
Then began the King to lament and to give way to great sorrow for the
most beauteous Rosamonde, whom he loved so much at heart. "Alas!
for my grief," said he, "sweet Rosamonde, never was thy peer, never
so sweet nor so beauteous a creature to be found: may then the sweet
God, who abides in Trinity, on the soul of sweet Rosamonde have
mercy, and may he pardon her all her misdeeds: very God Almighty,
Thou who art the end and the beginning, suffer not now that this soul
shall in horrible torment come to perish, and grant unto her true
remission for all her sins, for thy great mercy's sake."
And when he had thus prayed, he commanded them forthwith to ride
straight on to Godestowe with the body of the lady, and there had her
burial celebrated in that religious house of nuns; and there did he
appoint thirteen chaplains to sing for the soul of the said Rosamonde, so
long as the world shall last. In this religious house of Godestowe, I tell
you for truth, lieth the fair Rosamonde buried. May Very God Almighty
of her soul have mercy. Amen.
48 Henry III. [A.D. 1263, 4]. Thomas Fitz-Thomas, Mayor. Gregory
de Rokesle and Thomas de la Forde, Sheriffs.
In this year, upon the fourth and fifth of the Ides [9 and 10] of
April, there was a (fn. 11) massacre of the Jews in London. In the same year,
upon the 6th of the Ides [10] of May, there was a great conflagration in
Milkstrete and Bredstrete in Westchepe. And on the next day was the
Battle of Lewes, that is to say, the Wednesday next before the (fn. 12) Feast of
Saint Dunstan. In this year there was seen in the firmament a star that
is called a "comet." At this time there were great conflagrations in
England, and (fn. 13) Istelworthe was burnt, and the (fn. 14) Jewry destroyed.
49 Henry III. [A.D. 1264, 5]. The said Thomas, Mayor. Edward le
Blount, Draper, and Peter Aunger, Sheriffs.
In this year there were great storms of thunder and lightning in
England, and by a flash of lightning a part was struck down of the belfry
of Saint Bartholomew's in London. In this year, upon the day of the
(fn. 15) Gule of August [1 August], part of the Barons who held with the
Provisions of Oxenford were taken at (fn. 16) Keningworthe, being there in
company with Simon de Mountfort the Younger; and upon the Tuesday
after, was fought the Battle of Evesham, on the Vigil of Saint Oswald
[5 August].
50 Henry III. [A.D. 1265, 6]. Sir Hugh Fitz-Otes was made Warden
of London, and the Mayor and Sheriffs put down for five years, because
that the City had held with the Barons. In this year, Stephen Bokerel,
Thomas de (fn. 17) Peuleslond, Michael Thovy, Goldsmith, John the Capper of
Flete, and others, were sent for by letter of King Henry, that they
should come to him at Windesore; and so soon as they had come, the
King commanded them to be put in prison, and delivered them to Sir
Edward, his son; and he detained them in prison, each by himself, until
such time as they had been ransomed; wherefore, they gave a large
amount of property to Sir Edward that they might be released, and part
of their lands Sir Edward caused to be given to knights of the land,
in disherison of them and of their heirs for ever, in case they should not
buy back the same with their own money.
51 Henry III. [A.D. 1266, 7]. William Fitz-Richard, Warden. John
Adrian and Walter Hervi, Bailiffs. And this William Fitz-Richard
was Warden for the King only from the Feast of Saint Martyn [11
November] until Ascension Day [30 December]; when the said John
Adrian and Walter Hervi were made Bailiffs under Sir John de la
Lynde and Sir John Walravene, who was then Constable of the Tower,
until Saint Michael. In this year, upon the (fn. 18) Day of Saint Cross in
August, Sir Edward had Gerveys Skyret drawn, who was taken from
the Churchyard of Saint Sepulchre's, for the death of Giles de Wodeham; for which reason, Master (fn. 19) Godfrey de Saint Dunstan was in great
tribulation for the franchise of Holy Church. In the same year, after
the Trinity, began the siege of (fn. 20) Kilingworth, and continued until the
Day of Saint Lucy [13 December] next ensuing, when the castle was
surrendered. In the same year, about Saint Michael, the disherisoned
conquered the Isle of Ely.
52 Henry III. [A.D. 1267, 8]. Still there was no Mayor in London,
but John Adrian and Luke de Batencourt were Bailiffs under Sir John
de la Lynde. The same year, on the Monday before Candlemas [2
February], the King removed from Westminster to Waltham, to go to
Saint Edmund's for the purpose of besieging the Isle of Ely.
53 Henry III. [A.D. 1268, 9]. William Fitz-Richard, Warden.
Walter Hervy and William de Durham, Bailiffs.
In the same month, at the Parliament at Winchester, Philip le
Tailour and Walter le (fn. 21) Porter were made Sheriffs. And by assent of
the Prelates, Earls, and Barons, the King transferred his (fn. 22) cross to Sir
Edward his son, that he might go, as well for him as for himself, to the
Holy Land; and granted him the twentieth pennies that were collected
in England. And after the 20th day of August, he and.his wife, and
many of the great lords of the land, on the Crusade, crossed the sea at
Dover. And then were removed Walter and Philip from their Sheriffwicks, and Gregory de Rokesle and Henry Waleis were made Sheriffs
by the citizens.
54 Henry III. [A.D. 1269, 70]. Sir Hugh Fitz-Otes, Warden.
Thomas de (fn. 23) Basingges and Robert de Cornhill, Bailiffs.
55 Henry III. [A.D. 1270]. Sir Hugh Fitz-Otes, Warden.
Walter le Porter and (fn. 24) Philip le Tailour, Sheriffs.
56 Henry III. [A.D. 1270, 1]. (fn. 25) John Adrian, Mayor. Gregory de
Rokeslee and Henry le Waleis, Sheriffs.
In this year the belfry of [Saint Mary] (fn. 26) Arches fell to the ground.
57 Henry III. [A.D. 1271, 2]. Walter Hervy, Mayor. John de
Bodele and Richard de Parys, Cordwainer, Sheriffs.
This Walter Hervi was made Mayor by election of the commons
against the will of the Aldermen, and he continued Mayor the year next
ensuing. In this year died King Henry, on the Day of Saint (fn. 27) Edmund
de (fn. 28) Pounteneye [16 November], and on the Day of Saint Edmund the
King [20 November] he was buried at Westminster. And as soon as
the interment had been made, Sir Gilbert de Clare, Earl of Gloucester,
and all the other great men of England, did fealty and homage to Sir
Edward, son of King Henry, who was at that time on pilgrimage in the
Holy Land, as is before stated.