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MATTHEW OF WESTMINSTER
The flowers of history, especially such as relate to the affairs of Britain. Vol. II. A.D. 1066 to A.D. I307.
page 331
to a conclusion ; and secondly, in order, in a spirit of rash enterprise, to prove their own address and courage, and thespeed of their horses in a certain tournament, which was being greatly spoken of at that time. But after it was over, having been overthrown, and stripped of their armour and battered, they required a long course of fomentations and baths. About this time, the moon was seen to be four days old before it was calculated that it was new moon. The youths of London having set up a peacock for a prize, tried their strength and the speed of their horses in running at the quintain. But some novices of the king's household being indignant at this, reproached them, opposing themselves to them in the contest ; but the Londoners put them to the blush with the fragments of their spears, and wounded them, and cast them headlong from their horses, and put them to flight, and routed them. And as many complaints on this account were addressed to the king, he took his accustomed revenge, and demanded a large sum of money from the Londoners. After a few days, the news was heard that Aiguillon, in Guienne, and Saint Milhan, and several other castles, were taken and lost ; and that there had been no inconsiderable slaughter of men. Therefore, the king, being greatly alarmed, lest, m consequence of these losses, all Guienne should be endangered, gave an order that briefs should be sent about, and that in every county proclamation should be made, that every one should make a return of his fit and proper arms, and to show whether they were sufficient, that so, if need should be, every one might be prepared to
join in the war. He, moreover, issued an edict, that whoever had estates of fifteen pounds of yearly value should be made a knight ; and also, that regular night sentinels should be appointed in every city, who should take diligent care o f the paths and streets, and of the different exits and entrances. He also provided that if any one were accidentally injured by a robber or by other persons, they to whom the safety of the country was committed should make satisfaction to the injured party, and should prosecute the malefactors, and rid the country of them. But all these provisions, because they were enacted without the common consent of the barons, were in general accounted of little validity.
Master Richard de Witz, bishop of Chichester, died on the second of April ; he was a man of eminent learning and extraordinary holiness, and at one time chaplain and especial
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