Page:VCH Sussex 1.djvu/593

POLITICAL HISTORY in Sussex/ the first occasion, apparently, being in 1276, when he spent the latter half of June at Chichester,^ Aldingbourne and Lewes, afterwards going on to Battle and Winchelsea. In May 1278 he visited Stansted, Chichester, Petworth and Horsham ; and in August 1 28 1 was at Chichester and Binsted. Chichester appears to have been his favourite stopping place in Sussex, and he came there in July 1285 from Leeds castle, passing through Buckholt, Bramber and Arundel, and was again there in the following April, when he also visited Bosham and Midhurst, and in 1290 and 1294. In March 1292 he was at Ralph de Camoys' manor of Trotton, and in 1295 spent the first half of November at William de Echingham's manor of Udimore and at Winchelsea. In the spring of 1297 ^^ passed through west Sussex, and in August of the same year stayed at Udimore while the fleet was preparing for the Flemish invasion, and here it was that the barons and prelates presented their petition against being summoned to do service in Flanders, and complaining of the excessive taxation, especially of the heavy tax on wool ; Edward, however, refused to do anything for the time being, and eventually sailed from Winchelsea without his barons. It was during this visit that the king had an escape from death so remarkable as to almost justify the title of miracle applied to it by the chroniclers. The old town of Winchelsea having been destroyed by the great storm of 1287, it had been refounded by the King on a small hill rather more inland ; the slope of the hill on the port side was very precipitous, and was only defended by an earth ram- part of no great height ; it happened that when the King was riding round this part of the town his horse took fright at a windmill and refused to go on ; Edward urged it forward with whip and spurs, when it suddenly leaped over the rampart. Every one present was certain that the King must have been killed, but by wonderful good fortune the horse landed on its feet and slid uninjured along the miry sur- face of the lower road, so that its royal rider was able to return at once to his escort without even dismounting.^ In the summer of 1299 King Edward visited Uckfield, Lewes, Bramber, Arundel and Petworth, and was subsequently at Midhurst and East Grinstead ; but his most important progress through Sussex was in September 1302, when he spent a fortnight in the county, going to Harting, East Dean, Chichester, Slindon, Arundel, Sele Priory, Bramber, Patcham, Lewes, Michelham Priory, Herstmonceux and Battle. His last recorded visit to the county in June 1305 was also of some duration and covered fresh ground, the halting places being Cocking, West Dean, Chichester, Arundel, Findon, Bramber, Clayton, Lewes, Horsted, Buxted and Mayfield. The emptiness of the royal treasury in 1289 caused the King to decree the expulsion of all Jews from England ; not only did their ' Gough, Itinerary of King Edward the First. 2 He was present at the translation of St. Richard in the Cathedral. 8 W. Rishanger, Chron. (Rolls Ser.), 173. I 505 64