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Iohn the yongest sonne of Henrie the second.


[Sidenote: An. Reg. 1.]

[Sidenote: _Rog. Houed._]

[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._ Chinon. Robert de Turneham. Sawmer.]

[Sidenote: _Rog. Houed._ Thomas de Furnes.]

Iohn the yoongest son of Henrie the second was proclaimed king of
England, beginning his reigne the sixt daie of Aprill, in the yeare
of our Lord 1199, the first of Philip emperour of Rome, and the 20 of
Philip king of France, K. William as yet liuing in gouernement ouer
the Scots. This man so soone as his brother Richard was deceased,
sent Hubert archbishop of Canturburie, and William Marshall earle of
Striguill (otherwise called Chepstow) into England, both to proclaime
him king, and also to see his peace kept, togither with Geffrey Fitz
Peter lord cheefe justice, and diuerse other barons of the realme,
whilest he himselfe went to Chinon where his brothers treasure laie,
which was foorthwith deliuered vnto him by Robert de Turneham: and
therewith all the castel of Chinon and Sawmer and diuerse other
places, which were in the custodie of the foresaid Robert. But Thomas
de Furnes nephue to the said Robert de Turneham deliuered the citie
and castell of Angiers vnto Arthur duke of Britaine. For by generall
consent of the nobles and peeres of the countries of Aniou, Maine, and
Touraine, Arthur was receiued as the liege and souereigne lord of the
same countries.

[Sidenote: Strife amongst the English subiects on the other side of the
sea.]

For euen at this present, and so soone as it was knowne that king
Richard was deceased, diuerse cities and townes on that side of the
sea belonging to the said Richard whilest he liued, fell at ods among
themselues, some of them indeuouring to preferre king John, other
labouring rather to be vnder the gouernance of Arthur duke of Britaine,
considering that he seemed by most right to be their cheefe lord,
forsomuch as he was sonne to Geffrey elder brother to John. And thus
began the broile in those quarters, whereof in processe of time insued
great inconuenience, and finallie the death of the said Arthur, as
shall be shewed hereafter.

[Sidenote: _Matth. Paris._ The states assembled at Northampton.]

Now whilest king John was thus occupied in recouering his brothers
treasure, and traueling with his subiects to reduce them to his
obedience, queene Elianor his mother by the helpe of Hubert archbishop
of Canturburie and other of the noble men and barons of the land,
trauelled as diligentlie to procure the English people to receiue their
oth of allegiance to be true to king John. For the said archbishop and
William Marshall earle of Striguill, being sent ouer into England (as
before you haue heard) to proclaime him king, and to keepe the land
in quiet, assembled the estates of the realme at Northampton, where
Geffrey Fitz Peter lord cheefe iustice was present with other of the
Nobles, afore whom those lords whose fidelities were earst suspected,
willinglie tooke their oths of obedience to the new king, and were
assured by the same lords on his behalfe, that they should find him
a liberall, a noble and a righteous prince, and such a one as would
see that euerie man should inioy his owne, and such as were knowne to
be notorious transgressors, should be sure to receiue their condigne
punishment.

[Sidenote: Eustace Vescie sent into Scotland.]

They sent Eustace de Vescie also vnto William king of Scotland, to
signifie to him, that king John vpon his arriuall in England, would
satisfie him of all such right as he pretended to haue within the
English dominions. And thus was king John accompted and proclaimed
king of England by the generall consent of all the lords and barons of
the same. The names of the cheefe of those peeres that were sworne (as
you haue heard) are as followeth. Dauid earle of Huntington brother
vnto William king of Scots, Richard earle of Clare, Ranulfe earle of
Chester, William earle of Tutberie or rather Darbie, Walran earle of
Warwike, Roger Lacie constable of Chester, and William de Mowbraie,
with diuerse other, whose names I here omit, bicause I would not be
tedious and irksome to the readers.

Now the king of Scotland being informed by the lord Eustace Vescie (who
had maried his daughter) that there was some hope to be had on his
part, for the recouerie of such seigniories as he and his predecessours
somtime held in England, did further dispatch sundrie ambassadours with
full purpose to send them ouer into Normandie vnto king John, there to
require restitution of the countries of Northumberland and Cumberland,
with their appurtenances, and he promised also by his letters, that
if the same might be granted vnto him, in as ample manner as they had
beene in times past to his ancestors, he would gladlie doo his homage
to king John, as to the true & lawfull king of England for the same,
and furthermore yeeld to him his faithfull seruice against all men, so
often as he should be required thervnto. Howbeit when the archbishop
of Canturburie and the rest of the councell, vnderstood that these
ambassadors should passe through England, they would not suffer them
so to doo, but speedilie sent Dauid earle of Huntington into Scotland
vnto the king his brother, requiring him earnestlie that he would not
send any ambassadours ouer as yet, but rather tarie, and take patience
a while, till the king should come ouer into England: which (as they
said) he purposed to doo verie shortlie.

King John also hauing vnderstanding of his purpose, sent ouer the said
lord Eustace againe vnto him with the like request, who in such wise
persuaded him, that he was contented to abide a time, in hope of the
better successe in his late attempted suit. And all this was doone
cheeflie by the working of the kings mother, whom the nobilitie much
honoured and loued. For she being bent to prefer hir sonne John, left
no stone vnturned to establish him in the throne, comparing oftentimes
the difference of gouernement betweene a king that is a man, and a king
that is but a child. For as John was 32 yeares old, so Arthur duke
of Britaine was but a babe to speake of. In the end, winning all the
nobilitie wholie vnto hir will, and seeing the coast to be cleare on
euerie side, without any doubt of tempestuous weather likelie to arise,
she signified the whole matter vnto K. John, who foorthwith framed all
his indeuours to the accomplishment of his businesse.

[Sidenote: Queene Elianors enuie against Arthur.]

[Sidenote: Constance dutchesse of Britaine.]

Surelie queene Elianor the kings mother was sore against hir nephue
Arthur, rather mooued thereto by enuie conceiued against his mother,
than vpon any iust occasion giuen in the behalfe of the child, for that
she saw if he were king, how his mother Constance would looke to beare
most rule within the realme of England, till hir sonne should come to
lawfull age, to gouerne of himselfe. ¶ So hard it is to bring women to
agree in one mind, their