The History of William Marshal, Earl of Chepstow and Pembroke, Regent of England. Book 1 of 2, Lines 1-10152.

The History of William Marshal was commissioned by his son shortly after William’s death in 1219 to celebrate the Marshal’s remarkable life; it is an authentic, contemporary voice. The manuscript was discovered in 1861 by French historian Paul Meyer. Meyer published the manuscript in its original Anglo-French in 1891 in two books. This book is a line by line translation of the first of Meyer’s books; lines 1-10152. Book 1 of the History begins in 1139 and ends in 1194. It describes the events of the Anarchy, the role of William’s father John, John’s marriages, William’s childhood, his role as a hostage at the siege of Newbury, his injury and imprisonment in Poitou where he met Eleanor of Aquitaine and his life as a knight errant. It continues with the accusation against him of an improper relationship with Margaret, wife of Henry the Young King, his exile, and return, the death of Henry the Young King, the rebellion of Richard, the future King Richard I, war with France, the death of King Henry II, and the capture of King Richard, and the rebellion of John, the future King John. It ends with the release of King Richard and the death of John Marshal.

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Bishop Walter Langton -1321

1307 Death of King Edward I

1307 Return of Piers Gaveston

In 1295 Bishop Walter Langton was appointed Lord High Treasurer which office he held until 1307.

On 20th February 1296 Bishop Walter Langton was elected Bishop of Lichfield.

Annals Londonienses. In the same year, on the sixteenth day before the Kalends of August [17th July 1306], which is called Sunday, Sir Ralph Baldock, Bishop of London, was enthroned in the church of St Paul. Sir Walter Langton, Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield, and the Bishop of Rochester enthroned him with great solemnity and feasting.

Eodem anno, xvi kalendas Augusti, qui dicitur dies Dominicus, dominus Radulfus de Baldok, episcopus Londoniensis, fuit intronizatus in ecclesia Sancti Pauli: dominus Walterus de Langetone, episcopus Cestrensis, et Roffensis, ipsum intronizarunt cum magna sollempnitate in conviviis.

Chronicle of Walter of Guisborough. When, therefore, the malice of the new king [Robert the Bruce] became known, our king sent word to the magnates of the land that they should come to him at Carlisle, ready for battle, on the fifteenth day after the feast of Saint John the Baptist. Meanwhile, because the king was afflicted with a severe dysentery, and none could speak with him except his chamberlains, it was proclaimed among the people that the king was dead. When he learned of this, the king ordered that all be made ready for his march into Scotland, and he moved his camp from Carlisle on the third day of the month of July, about two miles distant; it was a Monday. On Tuesday he rode about another two miles; and on Wednesday he rested. On Thursday he came to Burgh-by-Sands [Map], and there planned to remain on the following day. It was his custom to lie in bed almost every day until the ninth hour [around 3 p.m.]. But on Friday, when he was raised up by his attendants so that he might eat, he expired in their hands. The king, therefore, departed from this world on the feast of the Translation of Saint Thomas the Archbishop and Martyr [7th July 1307]. His followers concealed the king's death until his son and the magnates of the realm could arrive, and many were imprisoned for having spread word of the king's death. When the prince, his son, and the other magnates came, they arranged for the king's body to be taken in honour by his treasurer, the Bishop of Chester1, together with his whole household, to the southern parts, to remain in the church of the canons at Waltham until a decision had been made regarding the land of Scotland, so that they might have leisure to attend to his burial. And so it was done. The new king [Edward II] remained, and received the homages and oaths of fealty of the magnates, and by their counsel set out as far as Roxburgh, where he received the homages and oaths of fealty of many of the magnates of the kingdom of Scotland. He appointed wardens2 in Scotland, and returned.

Cognita itaque malitia novi regis, misit rex noster magnatibus terræ ut sibi venirent Carliolum parati ad proelium in quindenam beati Johannis Baptistæ. Interim quia vexabatur rex dissenteria gravi, nec poterant ei loqui nisi cubicularii sui, prædicatum est in populo quia mortuus est rex. Quo cognito, jussit rex omnia præparari ut moveret in Scotiam, movitque castra sua a Carliolo tertio die mensis Julii quasi duobus milliariis, et erat dies Lunæ; die vero Martis equitavit quasi duo milliaria; et quarta feria requievit; die autem Jovis venit apud Burch-super-Sandes, et ibi disposuit in crastino permanere; erantque sibi modus et consuetudo singulis quasi diebus in lecto jacere usque ad horam nonam; die vero Veneris cum elevaretur a suis ut comederet, inter manus eorum expiravit. Translatusque est rex ex hoc mundo die translationis Sancti Thomæ archiepiscopi et martyris. Celaveruntque sui mortem regis quousque veniret filius ejus et magnates terræ, et incarcerabantur multi qui mortem regis prædicaverant. Cumque venisset princeps filius ejus et cæteri magnates, ordinaverunt de corpore regis, quod per thesaurarium suum episcopum Cestriæ et totam familiam suam honorifice duceretur ad partes australes, maneretque in ecclesia religiosorum de Waltham donec ordinaretur certum de terra Scotiæ, et vacaret eis intendere sepulturæ; factumque est ita. Remansitque novus rex, et cepit homagia et fidelitates magnatum, et de eorum consilio profectus est usque Rokesburch, et ibi cepit homagia et fidelitates multorum magnatum regni Scotiæ; ordinavitque custodes in Scotia, et reversus est.

Note 1. Walter de Langton, Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry. The prelates of this see were often styled Bishop of Chester by the ancient writers, until the erection of the latter place into a bishopric by Henry VIII.

Note 2. The King appointed Aylmer de Valence guardian and lieutenant of Scotland by letters patent dated at Tinwald, August 30. Rymer, Fœdera, 2.4.

He shortly after resigned his commission, which was then conferred on John, Earl of Richmond, by writ of Privy Seal, bearing date September 13. Rymer, Fœdera, 2.6.

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Chronicle of Walter of Guisborough. And, without consulting his magnates, he [King Edward II] granted to him [Piers Gaveston [aged 23]] the county of Cornwall1 and exalted him above all his relatives and kin. But Piers, thus raised up, looked down upon others, and in the end he was himself despised. When the body of the dead king was being carried, by short stages, from the place where he had died to the southern parts, the son, the new king, together with Lord Piers, went on ahead at a distance. The treasurer [Bishop Walter Langton], however, the aforesaid Bishop of Chester, accompanied the body of the dead king and rendered to it every honour that he could. When they had come to Waltham, near London, and the bishop was there with the body, the new king and Lord Piers conspired against him, because, in the lifetime of the father, he had refused to place entirely at their disposal the treasure of the deceased king. And so, having sent knights, they seized him and placed him in the Tower of London, and afterwards from castle to castle for many days. Nor would the king release him either at the command of the pope, or at the request of the two archbishops of Canterbury and York with their clergy, or of the magnates of his realm; but he always kept him in prison. And all his lands, which he had acquired during the life of the late king2, to the value of five thousand marks annually, the king seized into his own hand, and he gave all the profits of them to Lord Piers.

Deditque ei, irrequisitis magnatibus suis, comitatum Cornubiæ, et exaltavit eum supra omnes propinquos ejus et parentes. Ipse vero Petrus sic elevatus supra se despexit alios, et in fine despectus est. Cumque duceretur corpus regis mortui a loco quo obiit ad partes australes per modicas dietas, ipse filius novus rex cum domino Petro præcessit a longe. Dominus vero thesaurarius episcopus Cestriæ prædictus fecit comitivam corpori regis mortui, et omnem honorem quem potuit eidem exhibebat. Cumque venisset apud Waltham juxta Londonias, et esset The Lord cum corpore, rex novus et dominus Petrus conjuraverunt contra eum, pro eo quod in vita patris noluit eis omnia ad libitum ministrare de thesauro patris regis mortui; et missis militibus, comprehenderunt eum, et posuerunt eum in Turri Londoniis, et deinde de castro in castrum per multa tempora; nec voluit liberare eum rex ad mandatum papæ, neque ad rogatum duorum archiepiscoporum Cantuariæ et Eborum cum clero suo vel magnatum regni sui, sed semper eum tenuit in carcere, et omnes terras suas, quas ipse adquisierat in vita patris sui regis, ad valentiam quinque millia marcarum annuatim, in manu sua seisivit, omnesque exitus illarum dedit domino Petro.

Note 1. Piers Gaveston was created Earl of Cornwall by charter, dated at Dumfries on the 6th of August, by writ of Privy Seal, dated at 1307. Rymer, Fœdera, 2.2: "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."

Note 2. The possessions of Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry, were seized into the King's hand by writ of Privy Seal, dated at Clipston on the 20th September 1307. Rymer, Fœdera, 2.7.

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Adam Murimuth Continuation. In this year, before Pentecost, Archbishop Robert [aged 67] excommunicated Walter, bishop of Coventry, because he refused to answer in a provincial council concerning the fact that he had sworn to observe the aforesaid ordinances but afterwards, and contrary to them, had adhered to the king's council and had caused the said Piers de Gaveston to be reconciled and the ordinances to be invalidated. This, however, occurred before the death of the said Piers. Whereupon the same bishop appealed to the Apostolic See and went there in person; and Adam Murimuth, clerk of the said archbishop, was sent against him by the archbishop around the feast of Saint Barnabas [11th June 1312].

Hoc anno, ante Pentecosten archiepiscopus Robertus excommunicavit Walterum episcopum Coventriensem, quia noluit in provinciali concilio respondere super eo quod ipse fuit juratus servare dictas ordinationes, sed post et contra eas adhæsit concilio regis et fecit dictum Petrum de Gaverstone reconciliari et ordinationes infirmari; sed hoc fuit ante mortem dicti Petri. Unde episcopus idem ad sedem apostolicam appellavit, et personaliter ipsam adivit; et Adam Murimuth, clericus dicti archiepiscopi, contra eum per archiepiscopum destinatus, circa festum sancti Barnabæ.

Life of Edward II of Caernarfon by a Monk of Bridlington. In the year of Our Lord 1321, Walter Langton, Bishop of Coventry, died [on 9th November]. He was succeeded by Robert [Roger] de Northburgh, at the insistence of the lord king of England, as before. Not long afterwards, the aforesaid Anthony Bek was made Bishop of Norwich.

Anno Domini MCCCXXI obiit Walterus de Langetone cpiscopus Cestriæ, cui successit Rohertus de Northborghe, at instantiam domini regis Angliæ, sicut prius, nec multum post factus est Antonius de Bek prædictus episcopus Norwycensis.

On 9th November 1321 Bishop Walter Langton died.

Annales Paulini. In the same year, on the fifth day before the Ides [9th] of November, the lord king came to London from Leeds Castle. In the same year and on the same day, during the following night, Sir Walter de Langton, Bishop of Lichfield, died in his house at Fracta outside London. In the same year, on the sixteenth day before the Kalends of December [17th November], the lord king left London for Ongar Castle in Essex, and remained there for almost three weeks, afterwards returning to London.

Eodem anno, v idus Novembris, dominus rex venit Londonias de castello de Ledis. Eodem anno et die, nocte sequenti, dominus Walterus de Langetone Lichefeldensis episcopus obiit in domibus suis apud Fractam extra Londonias. Eodem anno, XVI kalendas Decembris, dominus rex recessit de Londoniis versus castellum de Angre in Essexia, et ibi morabatur fere per iii. septimanas, et postea rediit Londonias.