On this Day in History ... 6th August

Annals Londonienses. [6th August 1307] At the very beginning of his reign, the king sent for Piers Gaveston, who had been his companion during his youth while his father was still alive, and who had been banished from the kingdom of England by the order of King Edward, the present king’s father. When Gaveston returned, the king kept him close and loved him dearly. So much so that, with the consent of some earls and barons, he granted to this Piers, a man of Gascon birth, and to his heirs and assigns, the Earldom of Cornwall, even though two of the king’s own brothers remained unpromoted. The king also entrusted to Gaveston the entire royal treasury, including jewels and precious stones, leaving them to his will and discretion. Gaveston, residing in the royal household and sparing no expense, surrounded himself with men of low birth while mocking the nobility. The king, for his part, allowed the goods of commoners to be seized by his cruel servants, lived not from his own revenues, and retained nothing of his royal dignity except the title of king. Piers, owing to his excessive indulgence, became so arrogant that he scorned all the other earls and barons, considering no one in the kingdom of England his equal. For this reason, all of England came to hate him.

In principio quidem regni sui misit post Petrum de Gavastone, qui fuit consors ejus to the in adolescentia sua, dum pater ejus viveret, et qui abjuravit qui abjuravit regnum Angliæ, cogente rege Edwardo patre prædicti regis nunc; quem revertentem rex retinuit secum et unice dilexit, ita ut eidem Petro natione Gasconiæ, heredibus et assignatis suis, assensu comitum et baronum aliquorum, contulit comitatum Cornubiæ, duobus fratribus prædicti regis non promotis; ac etiam omnem thesaurum regalem, jocalia et lapides preciosos, dispositioni et voluntati dicti Petri reliquit: ita ut ipse Petrus, regiam domum tenens, expensis non parcens, ignobiles sibi associans, nobiles debaccando deridens; e contra rex, bona plebei per crudeles servos suos rapiens, non ex propria vivens, nihil sibi dignitatis nisi nomen regium reservans. Petrus autem propter suam nimiam voluptatem in tantum superbuit quod omnes alios comites et barones despexit, neminem sibi parem in regno Angliæ existimans; unde omnis Anglia eundem in odio habuit.

. Piers Gaveston, who in the second-to-last month had been banished into exile by King Edward the father, was recalled by the son, the present king, and, even before he had returned, was granted the entire Earldom of Cornwall, along with many other lands, manors, castles, towns, hundreds, and honours.

The King to archbishops, bishops, abbots, priors, earls, barons, justiciars, sheriffs, provosts, ministers, and all bailiffs and his faithful subjects, greetings.

Know that we have given, granted, and by this our charter have confirmed to our beloved and faithful knight, Piers Gaveston, our entire County of Cornwall, together with its castles, towns, manors, hundreds, demesnes, homages, and services of free tenants, rents, villeinages, villeins, their chattels and offspring, knight’s fees, and the advowsons of churches, abbeys, priories, hospitals, chapels, fairs, markets, warrens, wreck of the sea, and all other liberties, free customs, rights, and all other things whatsoever pertaining to the said county. We also grant the office of sheriff of the said county, the tin works, and all mines of tin and lead that belonged to Edmund, the late Earl of Cornwall, within the aforesaid county.

We have also given and granted to the aforesaid Piers our castle and manor of Lydford, with all its appurtenances:

The entire moor and free chase of Dartmoor, with all its appurtenances.

The town of Exeter, with all its appurtenances.

The castle, town, and honour of Knaresborough, with the free chase of Knaresborough, and all its other appurtenances.

The manors of Rothcliffe and Aldborough, with their members and all their other appurtenances.

The castle, town, and honour of Wallingford, with all its appurtenances.

The manor of Watlington, with all its appurtenances.

The manor of Benson [Bensington], with all its appurtenances.

Four and a half hundreds of Chiltern, with all their appurtenances.

The honour of Saint-Valery, with all its appurtenances.

The manor of Beckley, with its members and all its other appurtenances.

The castle and manor of Mere, with its members and all its other appurtenances.

The town of Chichester, with all its appurtenances.

The manor of Newport near Walden, with its members and all its other appurtenances.

The town of Wilton, with all its appurtenances.

The manor of Cosham, with all its appurtenances; and one hundred pounds of rent from the manor of Lechlade, to be received annually through the hands of the Abbot of Hailes and his successors, together with all the service due from the said abbot and his aforesaid successors in respect thereof.

And also all other castles, towns, manors, lands, and tenements which the aforesaid Edmund held and possessed on the day of his death, by acquisition of his own or of his ancestors, whether by gifts and grants of our progenitors, the former Kings of England, or of any others whatsoever, in whatever counties of England they may be situated; together with the demesnes, homages, services of free tenants, rents, villeinages, villeins and their offspring and chattels, knight's fees, advowsons of churches, abbeys, priories, hospitals, and chapels; along with fairs, markets, warrens, wreck of the sea, and all other liberties, free customs, rights, and all other things whatsoever in any way belonging to the said castles, towns, manors, honours, hundreds, lands, and tenements.

To have and to hold to the said Piers and his heirs, of us and our heirs, all the aforesaid, the county, castles, manors, towns, honours, lands and tenements, hundreds, the office of sheriff, the stannaries, mines, and chases with all their appurtenances, as aforesaid, in perpetuity, as fully and entirely as the aforesaid Edmund held them on the day of his death, and as they came into the hands of our father, the lord Edward, of famous memory, late King of England.

Rendering to us and our heirs the service of three knight's fees, in full satisfaction for all service owed to us and our heirs from the aforesaid holdings.

Moreover, we have granted to the said Piers that all the castles, manors, towns, honours, lands, tenements, rents, and hundreds, and the office of sheriff in the County of Rutland, together with the knight’s fees, advowsons of churches, abbeys, priories, hospitals, and chapels, the services of free tenants, villeinages, villeins, their chattels and offspring, fairs, markets, warrens, wreck of the sea, and all other liberties, free customs, rights, and all other appurtenances whatsoever, which Margaret, who was the wife of the aforesaid Edmund, holds in dower from our inheritance, and which, after the death of the said Margaret, ought to revert to us or our heirs, shall, after the death of the said Margaret, remain to the aforesaid Piers and his heirs forever.

And moreover, we have granted to the said Piers that the one hundred shillings of rent which William le Keu holds for the term of his life, and the one hundred shillings of rent which Philip of Canterbury holds for the term of his life, and the ten marks of rent which Henry of Chichester holds for the term of his life, all of which are received through the hands of the mayor and community of London, by the gift and grant of the aforesaid Edmund, from a certain rent of fifty pounds owed from Queenhithe in London, and which, after the deaths of the said William, Philip, and Henry, ought to revert to us and our heirs, shall, after the death of the said William, Philip, and Henry, remain to the said Piers and his heirs in perpetuity.

To have and to hold to the said Piers and his heirs, of us and our heirs, together with the aforesaid county, castles, manors, towns, honours, hundreds, rents, sheriff’s offices, stannaries and mines, and all other things hereinbefore named, by the service aforesaid.

We also will and grant, for ourselves and our heirs, that the aforesaid Piers and his heirs shall have in perpetuity, within the aforesaid county, castles, manors, towns, honours, hundreds, rents, lordships, sheriff's offices, chases, stannaries, mines, and all other things whatsoever above mentioned, all the liberties and free customs which the aforesaid Edmund had and used on the day of his death; and that they shall fully enjoy and make use of the said liberties and free customs.

Wherefore we will and strictly command, for ourselves and our heirs, that the aforesaid Piers shall have and hold, of us and our heirs, to himself and his heirs, the aforesaid County of Cornwall with its castles, towns, manors, hundreds, demesnes, homages and services of free tenants, rents, villeinages, villeins, their chattels and offspring, knight’s fees, advowsons of churches, abbeys, priories, hospitals, and chapels, fairs, markets, warrens, wreck of the sea, and all other liberties, free customs, rights, and all other things whatsoever pertaining to the aforesaid county.

And also the office of sheriff of the said county, the stannary, and all the tin and lead mines which belonged to Edmund, the late Earl of Cornwall, in the aforesaid county.

And also the aforesaid castle and manor of Lydford, with all its appurtenances.

All the moor and free chase of Dartmoor, with all its appurtenances; the town of Exeter, with its appurtenances; the castle, town, and honour of Knaresborough, with the free chase of Knaresborough, and all their other appurtenances.

The manors of Routhcliffe and Aldborough, with their members and all their other appurtenances.

The castle, town, and honour of Wallingford, with all its appurtenances.

The manor of Watlington, with its appurtenances;

the manor of Bensington, with its appurtenances;

four and a half hundreds of Chiltern, with their appurtenances;

the honour of Saint Valery, with its appurtenances;

the manor of Benson [Beckley], with its members and all its other appurtenances;

the castle and manor of Mere, with its members and all its other appurtenances;

the town of Chichester, with its appurtenances;

the manor of Newport near Walden, with its members and all its other appurtenances;

the town of Wilton, with its appurtenances;

the manor of Cosham, with its appurtenances;

and the aforesaid one hundred pounds of rent from the manor of Lechlade, to be received annually by the hands of the Abbot of Hailes and his successors, together with all the service due from the same abbot and his aforesaid successors.

And also all other castles, towns, manors, lands, and tenements which the aforesaid Edmund held and possessed on the day of his death, whether by his own acquisition or by inheritance from his ancestors, whether by gift or grant from our progenitors, the former Kings of England, or from any others whatsoever, in whatever counties of England they may be located, together with all things in any way pertaining to them, as aforesaid, in perpetuity.

Rendering to us and our heirs the service of three knight's fees, in full satisfaction for all service owed to us and our heirs from the same.

And also, that all the castles, manors, towns, honours, lands, tenements, rents, and hundreds, and the office of sheriff in the county of Rutland, together with the knights’ fees, advowsons of churches, abbeys, priories, hospitals, and chapels, services of free tenants, villeinages, villeins and their chattels and issue, together with fairs, markets, warrens, wreck of the sea, and all other liberties, free customs, rights, and other appurtenances whatsoever, which the aforesaid Margaret holds in dower of our inheritance, and which, after the death of the said Margaret, ought to revert to us or our heirs, shall after the death of the said Margaret remain to the aforesaid Peter and his heirs forever.

And that the one hundred shillings of rent which William le Keu receives for the term of his life; and the one hundred shillings of rent which Philip of Kent receives for the term of his life; and the ten marks of rent which Henry of Chichester receives for the term of his life, all by the hands of the mayor and commonalty of London, by the gift and grant of the aforesaid Edmund, as aforesaid, and which, after the deaths of the aforesaid William, Philip, and Henry, ought likewise to revert to us and our heirs, shall, after the deaths of the aforesaid William, Philip, and Henry, remain to the said Peter and his heirs forever.

Together with the aforesaid county, castles, manors, towns, honours, hundreds, rents, sheriff’s offices, stanneries, and mines, and all other things whatsoever above mentioned, by the aforesaid service.

We further will and strictly command, for ourselves and our heirs, that the aforesaid Peter and his heirs shall forever have, in the aforesaid castles, manors, towns, honours, hundreds, rents, lordships, sheriff’s offices, chases, stanneries, mines, and all other things above mentioned, all the liberties and free customs which the aforesaid Edmund had and used on the day of his death, as aforesaid.

Witnesses: Henry de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln; Thomas, Earl of Lancaster; John de Warenne, Earl of Surrey; Humphrey de Bohun, Earl of Hereford and Essex, and Constable of England; Edmund, Earl of Arundel; John of Brittany, Earl of Richmond; Aymer de Valence; and others. Given by our hand at Dumfries, on the 6th day of August [1307], in the first year of our reign.

Petrus de Gavaston, mense penultimo, in exilium ab Edwardo patre relegatus, à Rege filio revocatus, necdum reversus donatur toto Cornubiæ comitatu; cum aliis terris, maneriis, castris, villis, hundredis, & honoribus benè multis.

Rex archiepiscopis, episcopis, abbatibus, prioribus, comitibus, baronibus, justiciariis, vicecomitibus, præpositis, ministris, & omnibus ballivis, & fidelibus suis salutem.

Sciatis nos dedisse, concessisse, & hac cartâ nostrâ confirmasse dilecto & fideli nostro, Petro de Gavaston, militi, totum comitatum nostrum Cornubiæ, cum castris, villis, maneriis, hundredis, dominicis, homagiis, & servitiis liberè tenentium, redditibus, villenagiis, villanis, eorum catallis & sequelis, feodis militum, advocationibus ecclesiarum, abbathiarum, prioratuum, hospitaliuin, capellaniarum, feriis, mercatis, warennis, wrecco maris, & omnibus aliis libertatibus, liberis consuetudinibus, juribus, & aliis rebus quibuscumque, ad prædictum comitatum spectantibus: ac etiam officium vicecomitis dicti comitatûs, stagnariam, & omnes mineras stagminis & plumbi, quæ fuerunt Edmundi, quondam comitis Cornubiæ, in comitatu prædicto.

Dedimus etiam, & concessimus præfato Petro castrum nostrum & manerium de Lideford, cum pertinentiis:

Totam moram & liberam chaceam de Dertemore, cum pertinentiis:

Villam Exon' cum pertinentiis:

Castrum, villam & honorem de Knaresburgh, cum liberâ chaceâ de Knaresburgh, & omnibus aliis pertinentiis suis:

Maneria de Routheclive & Aldburgh, cum membris & aliis pertinentiis suis:

Castrum, villam & honorem de Walyngford, cum pertinentiis:

Manerium de Watlyngton, cum pertinentiis:

Manerium de Bensyngton, cum pertinentiis:

Quatuor hundreda & dimidium Ciltriæ, cum pertinentiis:

Honorem de Sancto Valerico, cum pertinentiis:

Manerium de Beckeleye, cum membris & aliis pertinentiis suis :

Castrum & manerium de Mere, cum membris & aliis pertinentiis suis :

Villam Cicestriæ, cum pertinentiis:

Manerium de Neuport juxta Walden, cum membris & aliis pertinentiis suis:

Villam de Wilton, cum pertinentiis:

Manerium de Cosham, cum pertinentiis ; & centum libratas redditûs de manerio de Lychelad, per manus abbatis de Hayles & successorum suorum annuatim percipiendas, cum toto servitio ejusdem abbatis, & successorum suorum prædictorum, indè debito:

Ac etiam omnia alia castra, villas, maneria, terras & tenementa, quæ præfatus Edmundus habuit & tenuit, die obitûs sui, de perquisito suo, & antecessorum suorum, tam de donis & concessionibus progenitorum nostrorum quondam Regum Angliæ, quàm aliorum quorumcumque, in quibuscumque comitatibus Angliæ existant; cum dominicis, homagiis, servitiis liberè tenentium, redditibus, villenagiis, villanis, & eorum sequelis, & catallis, feodis militum, advocationibus ecclesiarum, abbathiarum, prioratuum, hospitalium, & capellaniarum; unà cum feriis, mercatis, warennis, wrecco maris, & omnibus aliis libertatibus, liberis consuetudinibus, juribus, & aliis rebus quibuscumque, ad prædicta castra, villas, maneria, honores, hundreda, terras & tenenienta spectantibus quoquo modo;

Habenda & tenenda eidem Petro, & hæredibus suis, de nobis, & hæredibus nostris, cum omnibus ad prædicta, comitatum, castra, maneria, villas, honores, terras & tenementa, hundreda, officium vicecomitis, stagnariam, mineras & chaceas pertinentibus, sicut prædictum est, imperpetuum, adeò integrè sicut præfatus Edmundus ea tenuit die obitûs sui, & sicut ad manus, celebris memoriæ, domini E. quondam Regis Angliæ, patris nostri devenerunt;

Faciendo nobis & hæredibus nostris servitium feodorum trium militum, pro omni servitio ad nos & hæredes nostros indè pertinente.

Prætereà concessimus eidem Petro, quod omnia castra, maneria, villæ, honores, terræ, tenementa, redditus & hundreda, & officium vicecomitis in comitatu Ruteland, cum feodis militum, advocationibus ecclesiarum, abbathiarum, prioratuum, hospitalium, capellaniarum, servitiis liberè tenentium, villenagiis, villanis eorum, catallis & sequelis, feriis, mercatis, warennis, wrecco maris, & omnibus aliis libertatibus, liberis consuetudinibus, juribus & aliis pertinentiis suis quibuscumque, quæ Margareta, quæ fuit uxor prædicti Edmundi, tenet in dotem de hæreditate nostrâ, & quæ, post mortem ejusdem Margaretæ, ad nos, vel hæredes nostros reverti deberent, post decessum ejusdem Margaretæ, præfato Petro & hæredibus suis remaneant imperpetuum.

Et insuper concessimus eidem Petro, quod centum solidatæ redditûs, quas Willielmus le Keu, ad vitam suam: & centum solidatæ redditûs, quas Philippus de Kanc', ad vitam suam : & decem marcatæ redditûs, quas Henricus de Cicestr' ad vitam suam, per manus majoris & communitatis London', ex dono & concessione prædicti Edmundi percipiunt, de quodam redditu quinquaginta librarum de ripa Reginæ London' debito, & quæ post. mortem prædictorum, Willielmi, Philippi & Henrici, ad nos & hæredes nostros similiter reverti deberent, post decessum prædictorum, Willielmi, Philippi & Henrici, remaneant eidem Petro & hæredibus suis imperpetuum.

Habenda & tenenda eidem Petro, & hæredibus suis, de nobis, & hæredibus nostris, simul cum prædictis, comitatu, castris, maneriis, villis, honoribus, hundredis, redditibus, officiis vicecomitum, stagnariis & mineris, & aliis quibuscumque prænominatis, per servitium supradictum.

Volumus etiam & concedimus, pro nobis, & hæredibus nostris, quod prædictus Petrus & hæredes sui imperpetuum, habeant in prædictis, comitatu, castris, maneriis, villis, honoribus, hundredis, redditibus, dominiis, officiis vicecomitum, chaciis, stagnariis, mineris, & aliis supradictis quibuscumque, omnes libertates, & liberas consuetudines, quas præfatus Edmundus, die obitûs sui, habuit, & quibus usus fuit in eisdem, & libertatibus, & liberis consuetudinibus prædictis plenè gaudeant & utantur.

Quare volumus & firmiter præcipimus, pro nobis, & hæredibus nostris, quòd prædictus Petrus habeat & teneat, de nobis & hæredibus nostris, sibi & hæredibus suis, prædictum comitatum Cornubiæ cum castris, villis, maneriis, hundredis, dominicis, homagiis & serviciis liberè tenentium, redditibus, villenagiis, villanis, eorum catallis & sequelis, feodis militum, advocationibus ecclesiarum, abbathiarum, prioratuum, hospitalium, & capellaniarum, feriis, mercatis, warennis, wrecco maris, & omnibus aliis libertatibus, liberis consuetudinibus, juribus, & aliis rebus quibuscumque, ad prædictum comitatum spectantibus:

Ac etiam officium vicecomitis dicti comitatûs, stagnariam & omnes mineras stagminis & plumbi, quæ fuerunt Edmundi quondam comitis Cornubiæ in comitatu prædicto:

Ac etiam prædicta castrum & manerium de Lydeford, cum pertinentiis:

Totam moram & liberam chaceam de Dertemore, cum pertinentiis; villam Exon' cum pertinentiis; castrum, villam, & honorem de Knaresburgh; cum liberâ chaceâ de Knaresburgh, & omnibus aliis pertinentiis suis:

Maneria de Routheclyf & Aldburgh, cum membris & aliis pertinentiis suis:

Castrum, villam, & honorem de Walyngford, cum pertinentiis:

Manerium de Watlyngton, cum pertinentiis:

Manerium de Bensyngton, cum pertinentiis:

Quatuor hundreda & dimidium Cyltriæ, cum pertinentiis:

Honorem de Sancto Valerico, cum pertinentiís:

Manerium de Bekeleye, cum membris & aliis pertinentiis suis:

Castrum & manerium de Mere, cum membris & aliis pertinentiis suis.

Villam Cicestr', cum pertinentiis:

Manerium de Neuport juxta Walden, cum membris & aliis pertinentiis suis:

Villam de Wylton, cum pertinentiis: Manerium de Cosham, cum pertinentiis:

Et prædictas centum libratas redditûs de manerio de Lychelad, per manus abbatis de Hayles & successorum suorum annuatim percipiendas, cum toto servitio ejusdem abbatis & successorum suorum prædictorum, indè debito:

Ac etiam omnia alia castra, villas, maneria, terras & tenementa, quæ præfatus Edmundus habuit, & tenuit die obitûs sui, de perquisito suo, & antecessorum suorum, tam de donis & concessionibus progenitorum nostrorum quondam Regum Angliæ, quam aliorum quorumcumque, in quibuscumque comitatibus Angliæ existant, cum omnibus ad ea, sicut prædictum est, spectantibus quoquo modo imperpetuum;

Faciendo nobis & hæredibus nostris servitium feodorum trium militum, pro omni servitio ad nos & hæredes nostros indè pertinente.

Et etiam, quod omnia castra, maneria, villæ, honores, terræ, tenementa, redditus, & hundreda, & officium vicecomitis, in comitatu Rotel', cum feodis militum, advocationibus ecclesiarum, abbathiarum, prioratuum, hospitalium, capellaniarum, servitiis liberè tenentium, villenagiis, villanis, & eorum catallis & sequelis, simul cum feriis, mercatis, warennis, wrecco maris, & omnibus aliis libertatibus, liberis consuetudinibus, juribus & aliis pertinentiis suis quibuscumque, quæ prædicta Margareta tenet in dotem de hæreditate nostrâ, & quæ, post mortem ejusdem Margaretæ, ad nos vel hæredes nostros reverti deberent, post decessum ejusdem Margaretæ præfato Petro & hæredibus suis remaneant imperpetuum.

Et quod centum solidatæ redditûs, quas Willielmus le Keu ad vitam suam ; & centum solidatæ redditûs, quas Philippus de Kancia, ad vitam suam : & decem mercatæ redditûs, quas Henricus de Cycestr' ad vitam suam, per manus majoris & cornmunitatis London' ex dono & concessione prædicti Edmundi percipiunt, ut prædicitur; & quæ post mortem prædictorum Willielmi, Philippi, & Henrici, ad nos & hæredes nostros similiter reverti deberent, post decessum prædictorum Willielmi, Philippi, & Henrici remaneant eidem Petro & hæredibus suis imperpetuum.

Simul cum prædictis comitatu, castris, maneriis, villis, honoribus, hundredis, redditibus, officiis vicecomitum, stagnariis, & mineris, & aliis supradictis quibuscumque, per servitium supradictum.

Volumus insuper & firmiter præcipimus, pro nobis & hæredibus nostris, quod prædictus Petrus & hæredes sui imperpetuum habeant in prædictis castris, maneriis, villis, honoribus, hundredis, redditibus, dominiis, officiis vicecomitum, chaciis, stagnariis, mineris, & aliis quibuscumque prænominatis, omnes libertates, & liberas consuetudines, quas præfatus Edmundus, die obitus sui, habuit, & quibus usus fuit in eisdem, sicut prædictum est.

Hiis testibus, Henrico de Lacy comite Linc', Thoma comite Lancastriæ, Johanne de Warenna comite Surr', Humfrido de Bouhon comite Hereford' & Essex, & constabu- lario Angliæ. Edmundo comite de Arundel, Johanne de Britannia comite Richemund', Adomara de Valencia, & aliis. Dat per manum nostram apud Dumfres, VI die Augusti, anno regni nostri primo.

Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke. [6th August 1307] It should not be omitted that, while the King was staying in the regions of France for his wedding, there presented himself¹ a certain man formerly familiar to him, but banished by his father's command, namely Piers Gaveston, who had been recalled from exile in England by the King. To him, the King also granted the Earldom of Cornwall and gave in marriage the daughter of his sister, namely Lady Joan of Acre, Countess of Gloucester.

Non extat pretereundum quod regi in partibus Gallie uxorem desponsaturo commoranti representavit se quondam sibi familiaris, set precepto patris abdicatus, Petrus de Gavestone predictus, quem rex ab exilio in Angliam reduxit; cui eciam dedit comitatum Cornubie et filiam sororis sue, videlicet domine Iohanne de Acres, comitisse de Gloucestre, in uxorem.

Note 1. This is incorrect. Gaveston was recalled immediately on Edward's accession; and was appointed guardian of the kingdom during the king's absence, 26th December, 1307. Fœdera, ii. 24. He received the grant of the earldom of Cornwall and of all lands late belonging to Edmund, earl of Cornwall, by patent, dated Dumfries, 6th August 1307. Fœdera, ii. 2. This grant was made with the assent of the earl of Lincoln, who appears as one of the witnesses to the deed, and whose action is specially noticed in the : "Indeed, the young king, upon Peter's return from exile, granted and bestowed upon him the Earldom of Cornwall, with the counsel and assent of certain nobles of the realm, namely, Henry de Lacy, Earl of Lincoln, and others. For the said Earl Henry, when it was questioned whether the king could separate the said earldom from the rights that belonged to the crown, argued that the king could do so, since other kings had done so twice before. Nevertheless, the greater part of the barons of the realm did not consent—both because Peter was a foreigner, being of Gascon origin, and also out of envy²".

Collectanea by John Leland. The VIth Day of the sayd Monneth [6th August 1503] that was the Sonday, the Qwene was conveyd in fayr Ordre, and Company of her Lordes, Knyghts, Ladyes, Gentylmen, and Gentylwomen to Masse, unto the Chappelle of the said Castell. Ther sche was acompayned of the Lady of the said Place in a Gowne of Cloth of Gold eged with Letyces, Ermynes, and hyr Gentylwomen arayde after the Gyle of the Countrey. And ther was a Sermon of one of the Qbservance.

After the Masse she was conveyd ageyn into hyr Chammer in the Manere before said, wher she satt at Dinner, and beneath the Table, at the lowest Place, the said Lady of the said Place, and the Countesse of Surrey (age 26) with hyr. An other Table was full of Ladies, and lastynge the said Dinner they blew Trompetts, Mynstrells, and Sakeboutts.

After the Dinner, incontynent the Mynstrells of the Chamraer begon to play, and then daunced the Qwene and the Countesse of Surrey, the Vicountesse Lille, and the Daughter of the said Place. And thys doon, they past the Tyme at Games, and in commonyng.

The sam Day at the Houre of Soupper, cam the Kinge, as the Custome precedente, acompayned of the Lords of the Day precedente, and others, to the Nombre of XL Horfys, he being mounted upon a Mewlle. When he entred within the Chammer of the said Qwene, that knewe of his commyng, they kyssed togeder without sparing Cortasy, and to the Ladyes gaffe Salutes. And after, they went asyd in commonyng, to the Tyme that all Thyngs war rady for the Soupper.

Incontynent they watched their Haunds, and satt in the Manere before, allwayes served of the Gentylmen of the Qwene. Ther soupped with them the Byschop of Morrey (age 38), the Erle (age 60) and Countesse of Surrey, the Lady of the said Place, and the Lady Nevill.

After Soupper the Minstrells played, and the Qwene daunced, and after the Kynge tuke Licence, and went to Edenbourgh. He had on a demy Gowne of blak Velvett fourred with Marten, and the Remanent of his Arayment all black.

Letters and Papers Foreign and Domestic Henry VIII 1517. 6th August 1517. Giust. Desp. II. 113. 3558. SEB. GIUSTINIAN to the DOGE.

The Catholic King is in Zealand, waiting to embark. Great cruelties have been committed by the Duke of Gueldres in the invasion of Friesland. As the King, in consequence of the new malady, had withdrawn himself to a distance, found great difficulty in speaking with him. "This disease makes very quick progress, proving fatal in twenty-four hours at the furthest, and many are carried off in four or five hours. The patients experience nothing but a profuse sweat, which dissolves the frame, and when once the twenty-four hours are passed all danger is at an end." Many of his own household are sick. Few strangers are dead, but an immense number of natives. Presented the King with the letters from the Signory and Hadrian, which last he "extracted from the packet addressed by his lordship to the Cardinal of York;" otherwise Wolsey would never have delivered it to his majesty. The King said he was perfectly acquainted with the business, and had heard from the Pope that he intended to deprive and degrade Hadrian. On Sebastian's endeavoring to excuse the Cardinal's absence from Rome, rather than incur danger, the King said: "I understand this matter better than you Venetians;" and seemed greatly exasperated against him. Thinks this is owing to Wolsey. Would have presented the letter to Wolsey, but he "has been ill of this sweating sickness, and would that the perspiration had carried off his wish for these benefices." Many of his household have died from the sweat.

Sebastian's son has returned from the Bp. of Winchester; his audience was delayed because this prelate likewise had taken the sweat. He had a gracious welcome by Fox, who represented the matter as desperate, saying: "We have to deal with the Cardinal, who is not Cardinal but King, and no one in the realm dares attempt aught in opposition to his interests." He was already in possession of the see, and Fox had resigned the administration of it. He said that one of the pontifical briefs greatly exaggerated Hadrian's crimes, and urged that the see of Bath should be given to Wolsey in commendam. But in the second brief the anger of the Pope was much softened, and he seemed to delay the execution of the former one. The second brief, however, is not to be found, and your highness will comprehend by whose means it has been secreted. The Bp. also wrote a letter to Chieregato, of which Sebastian encloses a copy. London, 6 Aug. 1517.