Page:English Historical Review Volume 35.djvu/56

48 THE END OF THE NORMAN January The Annexation of Cheshire As considerable light is thrown upon the intentions of the king by an examination of his actions towards the coimty palatine from 1237 onwards, we will complete the story by relating what steps he took upon the death of the earl. Although the earl actually died about 6 June 1237, it seems probable that he had been ill (suffering, it is said, from poison) and likely to die for some little time, and that the king had fully made up his mind to intervene some little time before. As early as 13 May 1237 he issued letters patent sending Henry de Audley and Alexander de Stavensby the bishop of Coventry into Cheshire to keep the peace.^ All ' barons ', knights, constables, and men holding of the earl of Chester were called upon to assist Audley and the bishop according to the inborn fealty which they had always had towards their lords. This was followed by some orders to the constables of Chester and Beeston Castles dated 6 June ^ which, besides recording that the king had heard for certain that the earl was dead, at which he mourned deeply, are of interest in other ways. It seems that it had been at first the king's intention to send into Cheshire two commissioners only — ^namely, Audley, to take charge of Beeston and Chester Castles (then in charge of Wakelin de Ardeme), and, in conjunction with him, Hugh le Despenser, to keep the peace, to take possession of the earl's lands, and to receive the fealty of his men. After the letters had been entered on the roll, Stephen de Segrave was added to the commission, which was now addressed to the abbot of Chester as well as to the earl's justiciar, the ' barons', and others of the county. This appointment of Audley necessitated the substitu- tion of John Lestrange as the king's envoy to meet David ap Llewelyn of Wales at Shrewsbury to conduct him to a meeting with the king then arranged at Worcester. Henry's general intentions as regards the county palatine may be gauged to some extent by his instructions to his com- missioners.3 Audley's duties were concerned with the castles. Segrave was to be the king's justiciar of Cheshire and administer justice there, according to the local customs, and with the assis- tance of the palatine judges. Legal proceedings already initiated by the earl's writ were to proceed, except where the wTit had not (22 Hen. Ill), also on the Close Roll between entries of 7 and 20 June 1237. Order for seisin of all lands held in the name of earl of Huntingdon except the four manors above (Ccd. of Close Rolls, 16 June 1237). The writer has not attempted to trace the descent of the honour of Huntingdon. The petition, &c., of Balliol king of Scotland in Rot. Pari., 21 Edw. I, pp. 114-16, refers to the claim to a share of it by John de Hastings. See also Rep. on Dignity of a Peer, ii. 132. The king took the third penny of the county into his hands in the absence of an earl on 11 June 1248 (Close Roll, 32Hen. Ill, m. 8d). » CiU. of Pat. RoUs, 13 May 1237. « Ibid., 6 June 1237. ' Col. of Close RoUs, 22 June 1237.