A.D. 1243. THE ΚΙΒΓβ QTJAEBELS WITH WILLIAM DE BALE* 219 at enormous expense. And the king himself came down to the coast with a number of nobles to meet her, and received her joyfully, solemnising her arrival by the distribution of precious gifts, and the lighting of a countless number of torches, and the ringing of bells, and the clang of trumpets. And she brought with her her daughter, Senechia, who was to be married to earl Richard. But when she reached London, which was on the day week after the feast of Saint Martin, then, by the king's command, all the mud and every obstacle was removed out of the streets, and the whole city was brilliantly draped with cloths and curtains. And on Saint Clement's day, earl Richard espoused his wife, the aforesaid Senechia, the daughter of Raymond, count of Provence, and the aforesaid countess Beatrice, and sister of the queens of France and England, at Westminster. And at this marriage there was such a number of guests entertained, and such a general exultation of nuptial joy exhibited, that that general festival, which made the God Hymen himself marvel, would require a special treatise. And while the world, that conjuror of many forms, was agitating mortals in this mannet, a certain person, having the garb of religion only, a pretended and fictitious monk, by name John, who, being supported only by the royal authority, had rashly usurped the name and office of the prior of the cathedral church at Winchester, after he had disturbed that noble church, and the chapter of that church, in various manners, and by all kinds of distresses, met in the act great injury and scandal, yielded up his miserable life, and went to receive the due reward of his ways. But the king increasing his violence day by day, forbade every one from receiving in hospitality William de Rale, "who has falsely," said he, " caused himself to be proclaimed bishop of Winchester," or to have any mercantile dealings with him, or to supply him with any provisions or necessaries, or to assist him in any of these particulars, since he deserved to be accounted an enemy of the king, and indeed of the commonwealth. But the aforesaid bishop William went to Winchester to visit his church ; but the mayor of that city, and some of his fellowcitizens, being forewarned of this, and animated by the commands of the king himself, shut all the gates of the city against him. And the bishop coming barefoot to one of the gates of the city, after he, being accompanied by his priests and secular clergy, had addressed others who were outside