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Medieval chronicles, historical sources, history of middle ages, texts and studies |
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.
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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 599
you are become richer than all the burgesses. Behold, our king is injuriously increasing the weight of his yoke upon us, imposing a tribute on the kingdom, such as has never been customary in the time of any of the preceding kings of France. See what a number of houses we have built, which if the king's revenue is trebled will be unable to be let, and will be all reduced to emptiness, and solitary sparrows will dwell in them instead of men. Ah, God ! before this takes place, we will leave all that we have, and seek a better master. Do you, therefore, as you are one of us, agree with us. Otherwise we will burn you and your house ; because it has been said, that it is owing to the suggestions of your cunning that this step has been taken." He answered them,—" I will do what this people exhorts me to, according to their words." Then departing from them, he secretly paid the ting of France the revenue which he had promised him. So a conspiracy was entered into, and his fellow-citizens rose in insurrection against Stephen, demolishing and levelling to the ground all his houses which he had in the city and near the city, and burning all his valuable furniture, and slaying his servants and his cattle with the sword. And on that day they dragged some carts belonging to the king, which were full of victuals which had been bought and contracted for for his table, into the middle of the market-place, and threw all their contents about, and trampled them contemptuously under foot. And even then their fury was not appeased, but they came raging to the temple, where the king was abiding at that time, and cried out, " Deliver up Stephen to us, otherwise we will burn you and the temple." But the king answered them warily : " Behold, you have come upon me unexpectedly. Return to the city, and on the sixth day return to me ; for then I will grant all that you wish, and I will listen to your complaints, and promise to correct them." So when they had retired, the king departed to another place, far from the city. And thus the anxiety of the complaining burgesses was eluded by the interposition of this disappointing delay.
After this, Charles, the king's brother, having summoned before him twelve of the more eminent of the citizens, under pretence of conferring with them peaceably, treacherously tortured them with all kinds of sufferings, till they revealed who were the traitors. And when the king had ascertained their names, he erected gibbets before the gates of the city, and
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