whome he coupled in mariage hys nieces and kinswomen. And when any that stoode waityng before hym, durst once cast vp his eyes or dyd not demurely loke downward vpon the ground, he had a staffe in hand with a pricke, wherewith he vsed to pricke them, learning belike by the carter hys father, which vsed at the plough or carte to driue hys oxen. MarginaliaWil. Bishop of Ely garded with French men and Flemmings.Furthermore, as kings vse to haue their gard about thē, so he because he would not also be vngarded, refusing men of the English nation, had hys wayters and warders most of Frenchmen and Flemmings.

MarginaliaAn. 1191.It happened after this, in the yeare. 1191. that a great discord rose betwene Iohn Erle of Morton, the kings brother, with other states of the realme, and the sayd William bishop of Ely, MarginaliaA generall complaint to the k. of W. Bish. of Ely.so that vniuersally they all wrote ouer to the king concerning the misgouernemēt & enormities of the said Bishop. Who vnderstandyng of the case, sent from Messana into Englād, Walter Archb. of Roan, and William Marshall Erle, vnto the bishop of Ely with letters commaundyng hym, that in all his doynges he should associate vnto hym the sayd Archb. of Roan, W. Mareschall, Geffrey Peterson, W. Bruer, and Hugh Bardolfe aboue mentioned.MarginaliaOf these foure associates read the page before.Who when they came into England, durst not deliuer their letters, dreadyng the displeasure of the Chauncelor: for he despised all the commaundements of the kyng, nor woulde suffer any fellow to ioyne with hym in hys kingdome.

MarginaliaAn other dissension betwene Iohn the kinges brother & William Bish. of Ely.Hetherto you haue heard of the glorious vanitie of this Lordly Legate and Chauncelour of the Realme, now ye shall heare of hys shamefull fall, after hys shamelesse exaltation. For shortly after this followeth an other breach betwene the sayd erle Iohn the kinges brother and hym, about the besiegyng of the Castle of Lincolne. Concernyng þ^e which Castell þ^e sayd Iohn sent hym word, that vnles he raised his siege þ^e sonner frō thēce, he would send him away by force of sword. The bishop either not able to make hys partie good, or not daryng to resist, thought best to fall to some composition with the Erle, and so dyd. In which composition, he was contented agaynst his will, by mediation of diuers bishops and others, to make surrender, not onely of the castle of Lincolne, but also of Nottingham, of Tikhill, Walingford and many moe, which were then committed to the custody of sondry men of worship and honour. And thus was that controuersie agreed, wherin the bishop of Ely began a little to be cut shorter.

It followed then not long after in the same yeare, that an other like busines began to kindle betwene Geffrey the Archb. of Yorke the kynges brother, and the foresayd glorious bishop of Ely, vpon this occasion. MarginaliaAn other broyle betwene the Chauncelour & Geffray Archb. of Yorke the kynges brother.Ye heard before how the kyng at his setting out, left order, that Erle Iohn and Geffrey his brethren should not enter into the Realme the space of iij. yeres after hys departure (howbeit his brother Iohn was shortly after released of that bond): and also after that how kyng Richard being at Messana, sent his mother Alinore to the Pope for his brother Geffrey (elected before to the Sea of Yorke) to be consecrated Archbishop: wherupon the said Geffrey beyng consecrated through licence of Pope Colestine by the Archb. of Turon, the sayd Geffrey eftsones after his consecratiō differred no time, but would nedes come into England. Wherof the bishop of Ely hauyng intelligence, sent hym word beyng at Wissand in Flaunders not to presume to aduenture into the Rrealme cōtrary to hys othe made to kyng Richard before: commaundyng moreouer, that if he came, he should be apprehended. All which notwithstandyng the Archb. letted not for all þ^t, but nedes would repayre to his Sea, and so arriued at Douer in the month of September, where the Chauncelours men stoode on the Sea side to apprehend hym. But he by changyng hys apparell and by swiftnes of his horse escaped their hands, and came to the Monkes house of Douer. But the Chauncelors men whom he sent to take him, beset the Church of the Monkes round about, so that in no wyse he could auoyde their handes.

MarginaliaThe cruell handling of Geffray Archb. of Yorke, by the B. of Ely the Popes Legate & Chauncelour of England.To make the story short, as the Archb. on a day, when he had sayd Masse was standing at the altar, with his garmēts yet about hym, the rude souldiours hauing little good maners, and lesse deuotiō, spared not boldly to rush into the Church, and there layd hands vpon the Archb. as he stode: toke hym, bound hym and dragged hym through dirt & mire (and as we vse to say) through thicke and thin, and so committed hym to Mathew Clerke their Constable to be kept: whereat the people greatly disdayned, seyng hym that was a kinges sonne and the brother of a kyng so to be entreated. The hearyng wherof when it came to the eares of Earle Iohn hys brother, he beyng not a little offended therewith, sent to know of the Chauncelour, whether this was his doyng, or not. To whom when the Chauncelor sent aunswer agayne, and stoutly confessed the fact to be hys, then the erle MarginaliaGeffray Archb. of Yorke deliuered out of prison by commaūdement of Earle Iohn his brother.sent cōmaundemēt, that his brother should be deliuered, & so he was. Who then cōmyng to Lōdon, made his complaint to the erle his brother, and to other nobles of the realme, of the iniuries done to hym by the Chauncelour. Wherupon þ^e erle sent for the said Chauncelour & appointed a day peremptory for hym to appeare before the whole body of the Counsell, to make aunswer to such iniuries as he had done both to the Archbishop of Yorke, and also to the bishop of Durham aboue mentioned. But the Chauncellour driuyng of the tyme with delayes, would neither come nor send. Then the Earle, with the Bishops about hym, made their iourney toward London, to haue the matter there handled in greater audience.

MarginaliaA skirmishe betwene the seruauntes of the B. of Ely, and the seruauntes of Earle Iohn.The Chaūcelour seyng that, withdrew hymself frō Windsore, to the Citie of London. Where by the way it happened that the seruants of the Erle and of the Chauncelour meting, did skirmish together. In which fray one of the Erles family was slayne, but yet hys men had the better, and the Chauncelor with hys men were put to flight, and so fled to the Tower, where they did hide themselues. MarginaliaThe nobles assembled in counsell agaynst the B. of Ely.The next day after (which was about þ^e 12. day of October) Erle Iohn the kings brother, and the Archb. of Roan, with all the bishops, Erles, and Barons, and Citizens of London assembled together in Paules Church, where many and great accusations were layd agaynst the sayd Chauncelor, so that in fine it was agreed in that assembly, that the sayd Chaūcelor should be deposed, and in hys place was substitute the Archb. of Roan, accordyng to the tenour of þ^e kings letters sent from Messana, which was, that certeinMarginaliaThe B. of Ely Chaūcelor of the realme and Legate deposed.other persons should be associated with the Chauncelour for gouernement of the Realme, by whose counsaile if he would not be directed, the archb. of Roan should be set in hys place, & he to be deposed. MarginaliaThe B. of Ely resigneth his Castels.The third day after this the Chauncelor firmly promised, not to depart out of the Realme before he had deliuered out of his handes all such Castles, þ^e keping wherof he committed to certaine forreners and straungers, and for assuraunce therof he gaue his two brethren, and Chamberlaine for pledges, and so went to Canterbury, where he sayd he would take the crosse of a Pilgrime and leaue the crosse of hys Legateship.

Now when he was come to the Castle of Douer, and there had remayned a few dayes, contrary to hys promise made, his purpose was to take ship, and to passe ouer the Seas. MarginaliaThe B. of Ely clotheth himselfe in a womans apparell.And because he durst not do it openly, he deuised a new kyng of disguising, deckyng hymselfe in the apparell of a woman, and so as gouty as he was went to the sea side in hys womans weede, hauing in hys hand a met yarde, and on hys arme a piece of linnen cloth. And thus as he was sittyng vpon a rocke, waityng for hys ship to come and to cōuey hym ouer, a certayne Fisherman espiyng hym, and supposing the same to be a harlot, came to hym, and so w^t strugglyng with hym, found hym, as he was in dede, to be a man in lykenesse of a woman. Whereat he wondered, and began to make an outcry vpon hym. But the bishops seruaunts being not farre of, came runnyng and stilled hym. as well as they could.MarginaliaA fishermā taketh the B. of Ely to be a woman.

The Fisherman then goyng to the next Village, & there belike declaring what he had sene, to try out the matter further, came out certein women, who seyng the linnen clothe hangyng at hys arme, began to quesion with him of þ^e price of hys cloth, and what he would take for it. But to this he would aunswer neuer a word, but smiled vpon thē. MarginaliaThe B. of Ely in a womās apparel found to be a man.Wherat they musing with themselues, and whispering one with an other, at last with their handes were so bold to pluck downe hys mufler, and there by his beard new shauen, found hym in dede to be a man, and so with a loud exclamation raysed þ^e Village vpō hym, and would haue fallē vpō hym w^t stones. MarginaliaThe Bayted of womē by the Seas side.Then came runnyng a great multitude both of men & women, who wondering at hym, as birdes are wonte at an Owle, layd handes vpon hym, and pluckt hym downe to the ground, hailyng and drawyng hym by the sleues and colar of his gowne through stones and rockes, wherby he was shrewdly hurt. His seruauntes once or twice made out to rescue their old master, or new mistres, but could not for þ^e preace of the people, who beating hym with their fistes, and spitting at hym, drew hym through the whole towne, and so with shame inough at length layde him in a darke cellar in stede of a prison. Of whom all the countrey about wondered and cried out. In conclusion Earle Iohn hearyng thereof, within 8. dayes after sent worde, that they should deliuer hym, and let hym go.Marginaliacaste in a darke cellar in stead of a prison.
Set at libertie by Iohn Earle of Morton.

The bishop then set at libertie, sayled ouer as he could, to Flaunders, where he had but cold welcommyng. MarginaliaThe B. of Ely geueth lx. Markes, to be receaued with procession.From thence he went to Paris, where he gaue Mauricius their bishop 60. Markes of siluer, to be receaued in with procession, and so he was. Then returned he into Normandy.