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 to the French court to demand the English rights, but he and his fellows had nothing but hard words. He was foremost in persuading Richard of Cornwall to accept the crown of Germany offered to him in this year. When in 1258 the parliament of Oxford created a committee of twenty-four for the redress of the grievances set forth in a petition of the barons, Aymer and his brothers, Guy and William, were among the twelve nominated by the king. They refused to swear to the provisions drawn up for the reform of the state, and would not give up the royal castles they held. For fear of Earl Simon, William, Guy, and Geoffrey left Oxford suddenly, and fled to Aymer at Wolvesey. The castle was attacked by the barons. In the negotiations which followed it was at first proposed to allow William and Aymer to remain in the country; but it was finally decided that all the brothers should go with their followers. Their property was seized, and they were not allowed to carry away more than 6,000 marks. The feeling against Aymer was very strong. Not long before this his men had ill-used and slain a clerk who had been appointed by John FitzGeoffrey to a church of which he claimed the patronage; and when complaint was made to the king, Henry excused him. It was generally believed that before he and his brothers left England they poisoned the Earl of Gloucester and others at a feast at Aymer's house at Southwark. On their arrival in France they met with a cold reception. Aymer asked leave to stay in Paris to study. As, however, the French queen complained that the Poitevins had insulted her sister, the Queen of England, Lewis would not have them in his capital. Almost as soon as they landed they were followed by Henry of Montfort, eager to avenge the insults they had heaped on his father. He stirred up the French against them. Aymer and his brothers shut themselves up in Boulogne, and were kept in there almost by a kind of blockade. At last the bishop-elect was allowed to pass into Poitou. The castellan of Dover intercepted 1,000 marks which were being sent to him from England. Part of this sum was employed by the barons in defraying the expenses of an embassy they sent to Rome to complain of his conduct. The ambassadors carried letters setting forth the mischief and wickedness of which he had been guilty, urging the pope to annul his appointment, and declaring that the barons were determined not to allow him to return, and that even were they otherwise minded, the people of England would never suffer it. The next year, 1259, the chapter of Winchester elected Henry Wengham, the chancellor to the bishopric, and the king conferred the election conditionally, declaring his approval in case Aymer was unable to obtain consecration. Alexander IV, however, was by no means inclined to listen to the representations of the baronial party, and on 16 May 1200 consecrated Aymer at Rome. The bishop set out on his journey to England, intending to lay the country under an interdict in case he was not received. He died in Paris on 4 Dec, to the great joy of the English people. His body was buried in Paris, and his heart was sent to Winchester Cathedral, where his tomb may still be seen, and where, it is strange to read, many miracles were worked.



AYMER (d. 1324),  and lord of Montignac, was the third son of William of Valence, half-brother of Henry III and of Joan, daughter of Warine of Munchensi. His elder brothers died during the lifetime of their father, and Aymer succeeded to the earldom in 1290. He served in Flanders in 1297, and in Scotland in 1298. In 1302 he was employed in an embassy to France, and the following year assisted in making peace with Philip IV, He received a grant of land in Scotland, and built himself a castle at Selkirk, When Edward made war on Robert Bruce in 1300, Aymer was appointed guardian of Scotland, and led the van of the army. Bruce advanced to the neighbourhood of Perth and challenged him to battle. Aymer answered that he would not fight on that day, but on the same evening made a sudden attack on the Scots, and defeated them in the wood of Methven. He took captive the wife and daughter of the Scottish king, and crossed to Kantire, hoping to find Bruce himself. There he took Nigel Bruce, and sent him to Berwick, where he was put to death. The next year, on 10 May, he was defeated by Bruce at Loudon Hill, and forced, though without much loss, to retire to the castle of Ayr. There he and the Earl of Gloucester were besieged until the king sent a force to relieve them. On the accession of Edward II, Aymer lost the guardianship of Scotland. He was deeply offended at the insolence of Gaveston, who gave him the nickname of Joseph the Jew, because he was tall and of a pallid countenance. When he and other great nobles attended the tournament held by Gaveston at