Annals of Margam
Annals of Margam is in Late Medieval Books.
01 Aug 1202. Rex Johannes (age 35) apud castrum Mirabel cepit Arthurum (age 15) nepotem suum in festum Sancti Petri ad vincula, et cum eo Galfridum de Lizanan1 et Hugonem de Brun2, et Andream de Chavenny, et vice-comitem de castro Haraldi3, et Reymundnm de Troarde, et Savaricum de Maulyon, et Hugonem de Banchai, et omnes alios inimicos suos Pictaviæ, qui ibi erant circiter cc. milites et plures. Ex quibus xxii. nobilissimos et strenuissimos in armis fame interfecit in castello de Corf [Map]; ita quod nec unus ex illis evasit.
King John (age 35) took his nephew Arthur (age 15) in chains at the castle of Mirabel on the feast of Saint Peter, and with Geoffrey de Lusignan1, Hugo the Brown2 and Andream de Chavenny, and Hugh III, viscount of Chastelleraud3, and Reymundnm de Troarde, and Savaricum de Maulyon, and Hugonem de Banchai, and all his other enemies of Poitou, who were around 200 soldiers and more. Of which 22 he killed the noblest and bravest men in arms by starvation in the castle of Corfe [Map]; so that not one of them escaped.
Note 1. Geoffrey de Lusignan (age 52).
Note 2. Hugh de Lusignan (age 19), surnamed le Brun, count de la Marche.
Note 3. Hugh III, viscount of Chastelleraud.
1202. Abbas de Firmitate4, cum quibusdam monachis Cistercii per ceptum regis veniens in Angliam, accepit saisinam de Ferendone ad abbatiam construendam. Missus est conventus a Forda xvi. kal. Decembris, ad ædificandam abbatiam de Dunekeswille.
The Abbot of La Ferto sur Grosne, coming to England with some Cistercian monks by the king's command, received seisin to build the abbey at Faringdon. The meeting was sent by Ford 16th. cal. December, to build the abbey of Dunkesville.
Note 4. i.e., La Ferto sur Grosne, The abbat's name was Nicholas.
1203. Fames valida et sæva mortalitas multitudinem pauperum extinguit. Rex Johannes post captionem Arthuri et Pictavensium, est reversus in Angliam: apud Cantuariam Natale celebrat. Castellum de Rupe capitur a rege Francorum.
Strong hunger and heavy mortality extinguish the population of the poor. King John, after the capture of Arthur and the Poitevins, returned to England: he celebrated Christmas at Canterbury. The Castle of the Rock [Chateua Galliard] is captured by the King of the Franks.
1204. Rege Johanne fugiente in Angliam, Philippus Rex Francorum Normanniam occupat et Andegaviam. Misso convontu a Cistercio, et abbate5 eis præfecto, abbatia Belli Loci construitur. Cornubienses primo, deinde Devonienses, proinissa pecunia, gravissimum jugum forestariorum a se excutiunt.
King John fleeing to England, Philip, King of the Franks, occupies Normandy and Anjou. With a summons sent by the Cistercians, and the abbot5 in charge of them, the abbey of Beaulieu [Map] was built. The Cornish people, first, and then the Devonians, with money advanced, shake off the heavy yoke of the foresters.
Note 5. Hugh.
1204. Obiit Alienor (age 82) regina. Obiit Godefridus1 Wintonise episcopus; successit Petrus de Rupibus archdiaconus Pictavæe, a domino Papa Romæ postea consecratus. Gwido2 Prænestinus, et quondam abbas Cistercii, factus est archiepiscopus Remensis.
Queen Eleanor died. Bishop Godfrey de Lucy died; he was succeeded by Peter de Rupibus, archdeacon of Poitiers, afterwards consecrated by the Lord Pope of Rome. Gwido2 Prænestine, and formerly abbot of the Cistercians, became archbishop of Reims.
Note 1. Godfrey de Lucy.
Note 2. Guido II., cardinal bishop of Præneste.
1204. Rex Francorum cepit castrum de Chynim [Map], et postea omnes munitiones Normanniæ, Andegaviæ, et civitatem Pictavis, cum aliis castellis, oppidis, et civitatibus quas voluit habere, et hac ratione; cum rex Johannes cepisset Arthurum, eumque aliquamdiu in carcere vivum tenuisset, in turre tandem Rothomagensi, feria quinta ante Pascha, post prandium, ebrius et dæmonio plenus, propria manu interfecit, et grandi lapide ad corpus ejus alligato, projecit in Secanam; quod reti piscatorio, id est, sagena, inventum est, et ad littus tractum, cognitum; et in prioratu Becci, qui dicitur Sanctse Mariæ de Prato, occulte sepultum, propter metum tyranni. Quod cum fama vulgante audisset prædictus rex Francorum, et pro certo sciret Arthurum esse occisum, fecit summoneri interfectorem ejus Johannem ut veniret ad curiam Francise, uti solent duces Normannise, de occisione tanti viri responsurus, et se si posset defensurus: tanti, inquam, viri ; erat enim legitimus hseres Anglise, comes Britannise, et gener regis Franciæ. Illee tanti mali sibi conscius, nunquam ausus est comparere, sed fugit in Angliam, et in ea super homines suos gravissimam tyrannidem exercuit, usque ad mortem suam. Postquam autem nunquam venit ad respondendum de morte Arthuri, et se defendendum, per judicium curiæ regis et principum Francorum, abjudicatus est, et exhæredatus est cum omnibus hæredibus suis de universis terris et honoribus quos teniiit de corona Francise; et fixum et justum judicium hoc.
The king of the Franks took the castle of Chinon [Map], and afterwards all the fortifications of Normandy, Andes, and the city of the Poitevins [Poitiers], with other castles, towns, and states which he desired to have, and in this manner; when King John had taken Arthur, and kept him alive in prison for some time, in Rouen Castle, Thursday before Easter, after dinner, drunk and full of demons, he killed him with his own hand, and a great stone bound to his body, threw it in the Seine; which was found in a fishing net, that is, a sedge, it was found, and the tract of land known; and in the priory of Becci, which is called Sanctse Maria de Prato, buried secretly, for fear of the tyrant. The aforesaid king of the Franks had heard it by popular report and he knew for certain that Arthur had been slain, he summoned John, his murderer, to come to the court of Francis, Norman leaders usually use it, he would answer for the killing of such a great man, and would defend himself if he could: so much, I say, men; For he was the legitimate heir of England, earl of Britain, and son-in-law of the king of France. He was aware of so much evil, he never dared to appear, but fled to England, and in it he exercised the most severe tyranny over his men, until his death. But after he never came to answer for Arthur's death, by the judgment of the court of the king and the princes of the Franks, he was adjudged and he inherited with all his heirs all the lands and honors which he held from the crown of Francis; and this judgment is fixed and just.
1204. Hyems horrida gelu et nivibus fere a Natali usque in medium Martii, oves et animalia ex magna parte extinxit, cum fœtibus eorum; frumentum vero purius provenire fecit, avenas et hordea pœne annihilavit.
A terrible winter of frost and snow from Christmas to the middle of March, sheep and animals to a great extent extinct, with their children; but he caused the corn to come forth purer, and almost annihilated the oats and barley.