Biography of Roger Bigod 5th Earl Norfolk 1245-1306

Chronicle of Walter of Guisborough. On the feast of Saint Matthias the Apostle [24th February 1297] of that same year, the king held his parliament at Salisbury, having summoned the nobles of the realm, but excluding the clergy. There, the king requested that certain of the magnates cross over to Gascony. But each of them began to excuse himself. The king, growing indignant, threatened some of them, either that they should go, or that he would give their lands to others who were willing to go in their place. At these words, many were scandalized, and a schism began to arise among them. The Earl of Hereford (age 48) and the Earl Marshal (age 52) likewise excused themselves, saying that they would gladly fulfil their hereditary offices by going with the king himself. When the Earl Marshal was urged again to go, he replied: "Willingly, O king, I will go with you, preceding your face in the vanguard, as pertains to me by hereditary right." To which the king answered, "You shall go even without me, along with others." But the earl said, "I am not bound, nor is it my will, O king, to undertake the journey without you." Then the king, enraged, burst out with these words, it is said: "By God, earl, you shall either go or hang." And he replied, "By the same oath, O king, I shall neither go nor hang." Without taking leave, he departed, and the council was thereby dissolved for the time being. At once, these two earls, Hereford and Marshal, gathered many magnates to their cause, along with more than thirty selected bannerets, forming a large opposition force. They were reckoned to have 1,500 mounted and fully equipped men ready for war. The king began to fear them, though he concealed it outwardly. The earls, returning to their own lands, refused to allow the king's officials to take wool, hides, or anything extraordinary, nor to levy any demands against the will of the people. Indeed, they forbade the king's agents to enter their lands under pain of death or dismemberment, and they prepared themselves for resistance.

In festo sancti Mathiæ apostoli ejusdem anni, convocatis optimatibus regni absque clero, tenuit rex parliamentum suum apud Salesbire, ubi parliament rogavit quosdam magnatum ut in Vasconiam transfretarent, et cœperunt singuli se excusare. Indignatusque rex, comminabatur quibusdam eorum vel quod irent vel quod terras eorum daret aliis qui ire vellent. Et in hoc verbo scandalizati sunt multi, et schisma cœpit oriri inter eos. Comes etiam Herefordensis et comes marescallus excusaverunt se, dicentes quod officia sua quæ sibi jure hæreditario competebant facerent libenter, eundo cum ipso rege. Iterataque prece rogatus est comes marescallus, ut iret. Et ait, "Libenter tecum vadam, O rex, præcedendo faciem tuam in acie prima, sicut mihi competit hæreditario jure." Et rex, "Etiam sine me ibis cum aliis." At ille, "Non teneor, nec est meæ voluntatis, O rex, sine te iter arripere." Et iratus rex prorupit in hæc verba, ut dicitur, "Per Deum, comes, aut ibis aut pendebis." Et ille, "Per idem juramentum, O rex, nec ibo nec pendebo." Et, licentia non accepta, recessit, dissolutumque est consilium quoad diem hanc. Confestim vero duo comites isti Herefordensis et marescallus, associatis sibi multis magnatibus et plusquam raise an triginta banerettis electis, creverunt in populum opposition to multum, numeratique sunt in equis armatis mille quingenti viri expediti ad bellum; et cœpit eos timere rex, dissimulavit tamen. Illi autem profecti in terras suas noluerunt permittere ministros regis nec lanas, nec coria, nec extraordinarium quicquam capere, aut aliquid exigere ab invitis; quinimmo interdixerunt eis ingressum in terras suas sub pœna capitis et membrorum, et se ad resistendum præparabant.

Chronicle of Walter of Guisborough. In the same year [1302], Earl Marshal Roger (age 57), who had spent much during the time when he supported the side against the king, was asked by his brother [his brother] John (age 52), who held many churches and was very wealthy, to repay the money which he had borrowed from him. The earl said: "Why do you demand your money back, brother? You well know that I have no son, nor any other heir except you; there is no need for you to trouble me, since all that I have is yours, and after my death you will be my successor." His brother replied: "What is your inheritance to me? I do not care. Give me back my money." And the earl answered: "And¹ if I do as you urge, it will indeed be to your loss and to the loss of our heirs." So, angry, he went to the king and gave him the earldom and all his lands, on the condition that the king would re-grant them to him for the term of his life, and moreover give him a thousand marks' worth of land for life, and free him from all his debts. The king did as had been agreed, and fulfilled all.

Eodem anno comes marescallus Rogerus, qui multa exhauserat tempore quo fovebat partem contra regem, requisitus erat a fratre suo Johanne, qui multarum erat rector ecclesiarum et pecuniosus valde, ut pecuniam quam sibi mutuaverat restitueret ei. Qui ait, "Quare pecuniam repetis, frater? bene nosti quod filium non habeo, nec alium hæredem præter te, non oportet ut mihi molestus sis, cum omnia mea tua sunt, et post mortem mihi successor eris." Et respondit frater: "Quid ad me de hæreditate tua? Non curo. Redde mihi pecuniam meam." Et comes: "Et quo ita vis faciam quod hortaris, in damnum quidem tuum et hæredum nostrorum." Perrexitque iratus ad regem, et dedit ei comitatum et omnes terras suas, sub tali quidem pacto quod refeffaret eum de eisdem ad terminum vitæ suæ, et insuper daret ei mille marcatas terræ pro vita sua, et eum ejiceret ab omni ære alieno: fecitque rex quod convenerat, et adimplevit omnia.

Note 1. The deed of surrender of the honour and office of Earl Marshal is dated on the 12th of April, 1302. Rot. Claus. 30 Edward I m. 14, d. They were restored to him on the 12th of July following. Cart. 30 Edward I n. 24.