X. CHAP. fame which he had acquired in the east, that he determined, notwithstanding his past misfortunes, to have farther exhausted his kingdom, and to have exposed himself to new hazards, by conducting another expedition against the infidels. 1199. Miscella neous THOUGH the English pleased themselves with the glory which the king's martial genius procured them, his reign. tions of this was very oppressive and somewhat arbitrary, by the high reign. transac taxes which he levied on them, and often without consent m k Hoveden, p. 743. Tyrrel, vol. ii. p. 563. tom. i. p. 1133. m Hoveden, p. 745. 1 Pryune's Chronol. Vindić... 433 have advanced in their prices since the conquest,* and CHAP. to have still been ten times cheaper than at present. RICHARD renewed the severe laws against transgressors in his forests, whom he punished by castration and putting out their eyes, as in the reign of his great grandfather. He established by law one weight and measure throughout his kingdom:" A useful institution, which the mercenary disposition and necessities of his successor engaged him to dispense with for money. THE disorders in London, derived from its bad police, had risen to a great height during this reign; and in the year 1196, there seemed to be formed so regular a conspiracy among the numerous malefactors, as threatened the city with destruction. There was one William FitzOsbert, commonly called Longbeard, a lawyer, who had rendered himself extremely popular among the lower rank of citizens; and, by defending them on all occasions, had acquired the appellation of the advocate or saviour of the poor. He exerted his authority, by injuring and insulting the more substantial citizens, with whom he lived in a state of hostility, and who were every moment exposed to the most outrageous violences from him and his licentious. emissaries. Murders were daily committed in the streets; houses were broken open and pillaged in day light; and it is pretended, that no less than fifty-two thousand persons had entered into an association, by which they bound themselves to obey all the orders of this dangerous ruffian. Archbishop Hubert, who was then chief justiciary, summoned him before the council to answer for his conduct; but he came so well attended, that no one durst accuse him, or give evidence against him; and the primate, finding the impotence of law, contented himself with exacting from the citizens hostages for their good behaviour. He kept, however, a watchful eye on Fitz-Osbert; and seizing a favourable opportunity, attempted to commit him to custody; but the criminal, murdering one of the public officers, escaped with his concubine to the church of St. Mary le Bow, where he defended himself by force of arms. He was at last forced from his retreat, condemned and exe n M. Paris, p. 109. 134. TriHoveden, p. 774. *See note [S] at the end of the volume. vet, p. 127. Ann. Waverl. p. 165. VOL. I. Kk k 7 X. 1199. 434 X 1199. CHAP. cuted amidst the regrets of the populace, who were so devoted to his memory, that they stole his gibbet, paid the same veneration to it as to the cross, and were equally zealous in propagating and attesting reports of the miracles wrought by it. But though the sectaries of this superstition were punished by the justiciary," it received so little encouragement from the established clergy, whose property was endangered by such seditious practices, that it suddenly sunk and vanished. It was during the crusades, that the custom of using coats of arms was first introduced into Europe. The knights, cased up in armour, had no way to make themselves be known and distinguished in battle, but by the devices on their shields; and these were gradually adopted by their posterity and families, who were proud of the pious and military enterprises of their ancestors. KING Richard was a passionate lover of poetry: There even remain some poetical works of his composition: And he bears a rank among the Provençal poets or Trobadores, who were the first of the modern Europeans that distinguished themselves by attempts of that nature. o Hoveden, p. 765. Diceto, p. 691. Newbrig, p, 492, 493. CHAP. XI. JOHN. Accession of the king-His marriage-War with FranceMurder of Arthur duke of Britany-The king expelled the French provinces-The king's quarrel with the court of Rome-Cardinal Langton appointed archbishop of Canterbury-Interdict of the kingdom-Excommunication of the king-The king's submission to the pope -Discontents of the barons-Insurrection of the barons -Magna Charta-Renewal of the civil wars-Prince Lewis called over-Death-and character of the king. XI. 1199. of the THE noble and free genius of the ancients, CHAP. which made the government of a single person be always regarded as a species of tyranny and usurpation, and kept them from forming any conception of a legal and regular Accession monarchy, had rendered them entirely ignorant both of king. the rights of primogeniture and a representation in succession; inventions so necessary for preserving order in the lines of princes, for obviating the evils of civil discord and of usurpation, and for begetting moderation in that species of government, by giving security to the ruling sovereign. These innovations arose from the feudal law; which, first introducing the right of primogeniture, made such a distinction between the families of the elder and younger brothers, that the son of the former was thought entitled to succeed to his grandfather, preferably to his uncles, though nearer allied to the deceased monarch. But though this progress of ideas was natural, it was gradual. In the age of which we treat, the practice of representation was indeed introduced, but not thoroughly established; and the minds of men fluctuated CHAP. between opposite principles. XI. 1199. Richard, when he entered on the holy war, declared his nephew, Arthur duke of Britany, his successor; and by a formal deed, he set aside, in his favour, the title of his brother John, who was younger than Geoffrey, the father of that prince. But John so little acquiesced in that destination, that, when he gained the ascendant in the English ministry, by expelling Longchamp, the chancellor, and great justiciary, he engaged all the English barons to swear, that they would maintain his right of succession; and Richard, on his return, took no steps towards restoring or securing the order which he had at first established. He was even careful, by his last will, to declare his brother John heir to all his dominions; whether, that he now thought Arthur, who was only twelve years of age, incapable of asserting his claim against John's faction, or was influenced by Eleanor, the queen-mother, who hated Constantia, mother of the young duke, and who dreaded the credit, which that princess would naturally acquire if her son should mount the throne. The authority of a testament was great in that age, even where the succession of a kingdom was concerned; and John had reason to hope that this title, joined to his plausible right in other respects, would ensure him the succession. But the idea of representation seems to have made, at this time, greater progress in France than in England: The barons of the transmarine provinces, Anjou, Maine, and Touraine, immediately declared in favour of Arthur's title, and applied for assistance to the French monarch as their superior lord. Philip, who desired only an occasion to embarrass John, and dismember his dominions, embraced the cause of the young duke of Britany, took him under his protection, and sent him to Paris to be educated, along with his own son Lewis. In this emergence, John hastened to establish his authority in the chief members of the monarchy; and after sending Eleanor into Poictou and Guienne, where her right was incontestable, and was readily acknowledged, he hurried to Rouen, and having a Hoveden, p. 677. M. Paris, p. 112. Chron. de Dunst. p. 43. Rymer, b Hoveden, p. 791. Trivet, p. 138. M. West, p. 263. Knyghton, p. 2414. |