Bishop Henry de Sanford -1235

Annals Londonienses. Henry, Bishop of Rochester, died on the sixth day before the Kalends of March [24th February 1235]. A solemn preaching of the taking of the cross was conducted throughout the world by the Friars Minor and the Friars Preachers. In that same year, Emperor Frederick [aged 40] married Isabella [aged 21], sister of the King of England, on the feast of Pentecost [27th May 1235]¹. Córdoba, a noble city of Spain, was captured by the King of Castile. In the same year, the lord King Henry sent his envoys to Provence so that, in his name, they might take Eleanor, daughter of the Count of Provence, as his wife, and this was done. Robert fitz Walter died during Advent. Peter, Bishop of Winchester, departed at the pope's command. The Gregorian Decretals were compiled in a concise abridgement.

Obiit episcopus Henrious Roffensis, sexto kalendas Martii. Facta est prædicatio sollempnis de cruce assumenda per universum orbem per Minores et Prædicatores. Ipso quoque anno Fredericus imperator desponsavit Isabellam sororem regis Angliæ, die Pentecostes. Corduba, nobilis civitas Hispaniæ, a rege Castellæ capte est. Eodem anno misit dominus Henricus rex nuntios suos in Provinciam, ut nomine suo Alienoram filiam comitis Provinciæ ipei ducerent in uxorem: quod et factum est. Obiit Robertus filius Walteri in Adventu Domini. Petrus Vyntoniæ episcopus ad mandatum papæ profectus est. Compositæ sunt sub compendiosa abbreviatione decretales Gregorianæ.

Note 1. Isabella, 1214-1241, daughter of King John and Queen Isabella of Angoulême, married Frederick, Holy Roman Emperor, at Worms. The 'Annales Wormatienses' i.e. 'Annals of Worms' describes the wedding as having taken place on 15th July 1235 at Worms Cathedral [Map]. The 27th May, Pentecost, may have been the date of a private ceremony since the wedding was delayed as a consequence of Emperor Frederick being at war with his son.

Chronica Majora by Matthew Paris. September 1236. The pope, on hearing such profound reasonings, in order that he might not seem opposed to such incontrovertible arguments, pretended to give his consent; and that he might cross the mountains and enter Italy according to his purpose, his holiness promised, without fail, as far as he was able, to afford him his paternal assistance in every necessity. The emperor, encouraged by this, having by an imperial edict collected all the forces he could muster, entered Italy, followed by a large body of troops. The Milanese, not without reason, fearing his terrible anger, sent to the pope, asking advice and effectual assistance from him; and he, after receiving a large sum of money, with a promise of more, sent them much relief and assistance, to the injury of the emperor, and this seemed incredible and contrary to every one's opinion, that in siicli case of necessity the father would be converted into a stepfather. The citizens then sallied forth from the city in great force, to the number of about fifty thousand armed men, and proceeded with their standard (which they called "carruca," or "carrochium,") to meet the emperor, sending, word that they were ready to fight him. About this time, a certain knight named Baldwin de Yere, had come from England as a messenger from the English king to the emperor, to arrange some secret business concerning the said king and the emperor; and on all these matters he afterwards gave his hearers full information. When the emperor heard that the Milanese had broken out into such audacity as to kick against him, he at once prognosticated that they liad conceived this boldness, depending on the support of others than themselves; and after the matter had been carefully weighed in council with his nobles, it was agreed by acclamation that all who were present on the side of the emperor, from the highest to the lowest, should, without delay, fly to arms and attack this Milanese rabble, which dared, like mice coming from their holes, to provoke their lord to battle and to try their strength with the imperial forces. When this determination was made known to the Milanese, they halted for a little, and one of the elder citizens, on whose judgment the opinion of all depended, arranged the others in a circle around him and spoke a^ follows: "Hear me, noble citizens. The emperor is at hand in great power and vnih a large army, and he, as is known to the whole world, is our lord. If this lamentable struggle should take place, irreparable harm will arise from it; for if we are victorious in it, we shall obtain a reproachful and bloody victory over our lord, but if we are conquered, he will destroy our name, and that of our people and our city for ever, and we shall be a disgrace to every nation. Since, therefore, in every event it is dishonourable and dangerous to proceed further in a hostile manner, I consider it a wise plan to return to our city, where, if he chooses to attack us, it will be lawful for us to repel force by force; and whether he allows us to make peace with him, or compels us to drive liim from our territory by force, our city will be preserved and our good name will remain unimpaired." All the rest acquiescing in this plan, they acted upon it, which was a pleasant sight to the emperor; however, that no fear or alarm might be shown on his part, he pmvsuecl them and prepared for a siege. Whilst all these events were passing, either by the instrumentality of the Roman church, or the enemies of the emperor, an internal discord was stirred up in the German provinces, by the duke of Austria, to quell which, letters and messengers were sent with all haste, explaining the great urgency of the case, and to summon him to return immediately. The emperor therefore raised the siege, for which he had made preparations, and returned into Germany, and the Milanese, on hearing this, seized by force on some castles, which the emperor had taken, and their garrisons, and put all the knights and soldiers of the emperor to death. When the emperor heard of this, he was much enraged, and not without good reason, and poured forth all his just indignation against the author of this evil; and punished the duke of Austria, by depriving him of his honours, lands, castles, and cities, scarcely granting him hislife; so that vengeance for the crime perpetrated by him against King Kichard, on his return from the Holy Land seemed even at this time unsatisfied, as the prophet says, "Although late, God severely punishes wickedness," and "visits the sins of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generation."

In this year, about Michaelmas-day, Baldwin de Vere, a discreet, faithful, and eloquent man, returned to England and brought the emperors reply to the king, and gave a full account of all those matters to all who chose to listen to him.

About the same time, too, Peter, bishop of Winchester, returned from the continent, deprived of his bodily strength by disease. Near about the same time, too, namely on the Monday following that feast, deluges of rain fell in the northern parts of England, to such a degree that the rivers and lakes, overflowing their usual bounds, caused great damage by destroying bridges, mills, and other property near the banks.

In the same year, on the 16th of August, died Thomas de Blundeville, bishop of Norwich. And about the same time died William of Blois, bishop of Worcester, and Henry de SANFORD, bishop of Rochester. Thomas, abbat of Evesham, also died in this year, and was succeeded by Richard, prior of Hurle.

Annals Londonienses. In the same year, John [Blund], prior of the church of Canterbury, was elected Archbishop of Canterbury. When he came to Rome, the pope, seeing that he was too old, simple and insufficiently suited to so great a dignity, gently persuaded him to withdraw, since he believed him to be a holy and devout religious. He therefore humbly renounced the election which had been made. In those same days, Henry [Sandford], Bishop of Rochester, after celebrating ordinations at Sittingbourne in the presence of the clergy and people, preached as follows: "Rejoice, all of you, in the Lord, knowing without doubt that, recently, on one and the same day, Richard, formerly King of England, Stephen, Archbishop of Canterbury, and one chaplain of that archbishop departed from purgatory, to pass into the presence of the divine Majesty. On that day, none but these three departed from the places of punishment. This has now been clearly revealed to me and to another person for the third time in a vision, so that every uncertainty of doubt has been removed from my mind."

Eodem anno electus est Johannes prior ecclesiæ Cantauariensis in archiepiscopum Cantuariensem, qui veniens Romam, et videns eum pape nimis senem et simplicem et minus ydoneum tenis dignitati, persuasit ei ut incederet in spiritu lenitatis, quia credidit eum sanctum et bene religiosum. Ipse vero humiliter facts electioni renunciavit. Sub eisdem diebus Henri. cus Roffensis episcopus, cum spud Sidynbourne ordines cele. brasset, astante clero et populo, predicavit dicens, "Gaudete omnes in Domino, scientes indubitanter, quod uno et eodem die nuper exierunt de purgatorio, rex quondam Anglorum Ricardus et Stephanus Cantuariensis archiepiscopus, cum uno capellano ejusdem archiepiscopi, ad conspectum divine Majestetis migraturi, et illa die non nisi hii tres de locis pœnalibus exierunt, et hoc mihi et cuidam alii tertia jam vice per visionem revelatum est manifeste, ita quod ab animo meo omnis dubitationis ambiguitas removetur."

Annals Londonienses. In the same year, a truce was established between the king and Earl Marshal from the Purification until Easter. During that period, the earl crossed over to Ireland, where he was killed soon afterwards. Master Edmund of Abingdon was consecrated Archbishop of Canterbury by Roger, Bishop of London, on the Sunday on which "Rejoice, Jerusalem" is sung. On the same day, he received the pallium through the hands of Henry, Bishop of Rochester. He found such favour in the king's eyes that, at his request, the counsel of the foreigners was set aside, and the said Hubert, together with all the magnates who had adhered to Marshal, was restored and reconciled to the king's peace. When a dispute arose between the pope and the Romans, the pope withdrew with his cardinals to Perugia, where he remained for some time. In that same year, Hugh Foliot, Bishop of Hereford, died. Master Ralph of Maidstone succeeded him and received consecration from Edmund, Archbishop of Canterbury.

Eodem anno firmatæ sunt treugæ inter regem et comitem Marescallum & Purificatione usque ad Pascha, infra quod tempus comes in Hiberniam transfretavit, qui in brevi ibidem interfectusest. Magister Edmundus de Abyndone in archiepiscopum Cantuariensem a domino Rogero Londoniensi episcopo [consecratur] Dominica qua cantatur "Lætare Jerusalem." Eodem die per manus domini Henrici Roffensis episcopi pallium Accepit, qui tantam gratiam in oculis regis invenit, quod ad instantiam suam, mutato consilio alienigenaram, dictum Hubertum et omnes magnates, qui Marescallo adhæserant, ad pacem regis reduxit et reconciliavit. Orte dissensione inter papam et Romanos, idem papa cum suis cardinalibus recessit Perusium,! ubi per aliquod tempus morabatur. Anno ipso obiit Hugo Foliot Herefordensis episcopus; successit magister Ranulphus de Maidenstane, qui ab Edmundo de Cantuaria archiepiscopo consecrationis munus accepit.