observe these statutes and provisions were absolved from their promises. He further directed the archbishop to use his authority against all who abided by these oaths in spite of this absolution, or who in any way pretended that their association had papal approval.1 In the June of this same year 1263, the pope recalled his agent, Leonard, the precentor of Messina, and in his place appointed an English Franciscan, John of Kent. At this time, mainly through the exertions of Richard of Cornwall,' Henry was enabled to treat with his barons for some modus vivendi, likely to put an end to the civil strife, which now seemed almost inevitable. The bishops of Winchester, London and Coventry, were sent to the king on behalf of the barons with draft terms of peace; and Henry so far accepted their solicitations as to assume that the whole matter was accomplished satisfactorily, and directed the return of certain castles into his hands. This the holders of these fortresses considered as at least premature, since the peace had only been suggested and not as yet ratified.* In the midst of this uncertainty, and whilst the negotiations between the king and the barons were in a very critical state, the pope directed his new agent, the friar, John of Kent, to press for the payment of the tribute due to him. At the same time he wrote to warn the English king that the question of the crown of Sicily must be settled once for all, and that he was sending over a special envoy to arrange the business, urging the bishops of England to assist in bringing this interminable affair to a conclusion. In the following month, August, 1263, the king's brother, Richard of Cornwall, was nominated king of the Romans, the other candidate being Alfonso of Castile. By the end of the month, the pope informed the earl of his election, and explaining to him the meaning of the title "King of the Romans," warned him of the duties implied by the position. In a letter addressed "to all faithful Christians," Pope Urban once more proclaimed that all oaths taken against the English king were unlawful. It was the devil, he says, who had stirred up these conspiracies “in a country which for long ages has been specially devoted to God and the Apostolic See."" On 16th September, he ordered William, the archdeacon of Paris, to proceed at once to England to act as his nuncio, with power to dispense the king from any oaths to the barons which might hamper his action, and in any other needful way to protect his royal person. On the same day the pope wrote to urge Richard, the elect king of the Romans, as he is now called, to help the English king out of his difficulties with his barons, and blamed him for hitherto favouring the combination against his royal brother. At the same time, Urban IV shows that he is not wholly disinterested in preserving the peace, for in a letter to King Henry he reminds him that the current yearly tribute of a thousand marks remains unpaid, together with two years of arrears. The refusal of the custodians of Dover Castle to admit the king and his officials and to surrender their charge to him, almost precipitated an open conflict between the adherents of Henry and those of the earl of Leicester. The latter gathered his forces in London and proposed to march to the relief of Dover; but a truce of eight days being agreed upon, during that time both parties joined in asking the 1 Reg. Urb. IV, ii. No. 358. 2 Brit. Mus. Add. MS. 15,360, f. 266. Reg. Urb. IV, ii. No. 718. 3 5 Brit. Mus. Add. MS., 15,360, f. 280. Ibid., No. 724. • Ibid., f. 269. arbitration of St. Louis, king of France, whose upright honesty was acknowledged by all the world. Both parties pledged themselves to abide by the decision of the French king.' Meanwhile the pope took action. On 12th November, 1263, Urban IV wrote to the English king that he had determined to dispatch a legate to England in the person of Guy Foulquois, who had been created cardinal-bishop of Sabina two years before, and who afterwards succeeded to the papal throne, under the title of Clement IV. Regarding him as the most likely member of the college of cardinals to be able to deal with the civil disorders in England, the pope bestowed upon him plenary powers, and wrote to the French king to bespeak his assistance for this mission.* In regard to the bishops, whom the pontiff regarded as rebels because they notoriously sympathised with the party of the earl of Leicester, the cardinal-legate was given special faculties to suspend and correct them.5 3 St. Louis was not long in coming to his decision. The English king and his son, Prince Edward, had crossed the sea to meet the arbitrator at Amiens on 2nd January, 1265, and thither also went some representatives of the barons. After three weeks' inquiry into the scope and meaning of the "Provisions of Oxford," on the feast of St. Vincent, martyr, 22nd January, the French king gave his award, which was called the Mise of Amiens. It was entirely in favour of King Henry, on the ground that the statutes were destructive of the royal authority and subversive of his power, as subsequent events had already shown. St. Louis, however, expressly disclaimed any wish or intention to declare him1 Gervase of Cant., ii. 231; cf. Royal Letters, Henry III, ii. p. 251; Rymer, i. 433. Reg. Urb. II, ii. No. 583. 3 Ibid., No. 588. self against the charters of liberties which Henry or his predecessors had granted to the English people.' The barons, although they had pledged themselves to obey the finding of the French king, were reluctant to do so after the decision. Henry, on his return to England, landed at Whitsand on 8th February, 1264, and thence sent to demand admittance to Dover castle. This was refused once more. Before leaving France, the English king had sent to acquaint the pope with the result of the arbitration at Amiens; and on 14th March, the pope sent to congratulate him and to express his own feelings, promising to confirm the decision of St. Louis when the full text of the document should reach him. This he must have received immediately; for, on the following day, the letter of approbation was dispatched to England. After reciting the terms of the award, Urban IV says, that being asked both by St. Louis and King Henry to approve the decision, he hereby ratifies and "confirms it by his Apostolic authority."" The day following, the pope wrote to the archbishop of Canterbury, directing him to compel obedience to this judgement of the French king, now confirmed in all its parts by the papal authority, even by the use of the spiritual sword of excommunication, should this be necessary. The failure of the barons to keep their word to abide by the decision of St. Louis, no doubt alienated many who had hitherto been well disposed towards their efforts to procure right government. This was especially the case with some of the bishops, with Richard of Cornwall, and even with Prince Edward, who had shown himself against the king in his misgovernment. Still, the party supporting Simon de Montfort maintained its hold over many power 1 Rymer, i. 434. 3 Rymer, i. 436. 2 Reg. Urb. IV, ii. Nos. 766, 767. ▲ Ibid., 437. ful adherents, and actual civil war began early in the year 1264, only a very brief time after the date of the decision of St. Louis, by which it was hoped the national discontent would have been allayed. Against the popular party the pope continued to issue his condemnations. He declared null and void all promises and oaths against the finding of the French king, and ordered the archbishop of Canterbury to make this known.' He is distressed to understand that serious dissensions are rife between "the English king, who is known to be the devoted subject of God and the See Apostolic," and the people of the kingdom, whom as his specially beloved sons, the pope embraces with loving arms: and he tells them they will incur the indignation of God if they do not retire from all combinations and conspiracies against their sovereign.' On 14th May, in a battle at Lewes, in Sussex, Simon de Montfort's party was entirely successful. The king and his brother, Richard of Cornwall, and most of the leaders of the royalists, fell into the hands of the insurgents, and the following day, rather than continue the civil war, Prince Edward gave himself up to share his father's fate. Meanwhile, the legate Guy, cardinal-bishop of Sabina, was on his way to England with "a large retinue," and "having the power of both swords," as the annalist of Dunstable calls it, by which to put an end to the civil dissensions in England. Matters had come to a head more quickly than could have been foreseen, and when the cardinal reached Boulogne, Henry was already in the hands of his opponents. On 27th May, a messenger crossed to Dover, bringing letters to the English bishops which summoned them to meet the legate on the opposite side of 2 Rymer, i. 438. 1 Reg. Urb. IV, ii. Nos. 776, 777. 3 Ann. Mon., iii. 333. |