VII. The aforesaid realm complaineth and is aggrieved, that in the benefices

given to Italians, neither the old ordinances, nor relief of the poor, nor hospi- tality, nor any preaching of God's word, nor care of men's souls, nor service in The Ra- the church, n'or yet the walls of the churches, be kept up and maintained, as |!^p°j\!-'y decency and the manner of the same realm requireth. Over and above these and sia- aforesaid grievances, there came, moreover, from the pope, other fresh letters, y.^''^ °*' charging and commanding the prelates of England to find of their proper costs uiuferUie and charges, for one whole year, some ten armed soldiers, some five, some pope, fifteen, to be ready at the pope's commandment where he should appoint.
After these and other grievances and enormities of Rome, the states of England, consulting together, direct their letters to the pope, for reformation thereof. First, the bishops and suffragans ; then, tlie abbots and priors ; afterwards the nobles and barons ; last of all, the kin
, , T 1 , 1 A 1 • (M Paris.)
SO the pope s purse had no cars to hear. And, as our common saymg goeth, " As good never a whit, as never the better," so went it with the pope, who not long after the same sent for new tallages and exactions to be collected ;^ which thing when it came to the king's ear, he, being moved and disturbed vehemently withal, writcth in this wise to the bishops severally, to every one in his diocese.
The Letter of King Henry III. to the Bishops. Henry III., by the grace of God, &c., to the reverend in Christ, the bishop of jy"? N., health. Whereas we have heretofore written unto you, once, twice, thrice, as in"[.f,m- well, under our privy seal as by our letters patent, that you should not exact for mandeth the pope's or any one else's behalf any tallage or aid of our subjects, either of the f_lj'^\,„" religious orders, or of the clergy, or of the laity, for that no such tallage or aid tallage be either can or is used to be exacted in our realm without great prejudice to our sent '« royal dignity, which we neither can nor will endure : yet you contemning and '^^ ^^' vilipending our commandment, and contrary to the provision made in our last council at London, granted and agreed upon by our prelates, earls, and barons, have, that notwithstanding, proceeded in collecting the said your taxes and tallages. Whereupon, we do greatly marvel and are moved, especially seeing
( 1 ) " Debilitantur et evanescunt :" ' embezzled,' i.e. imbeciled, or weakened. Todd's Johnson. — Ed.
(2) Tlie French say, " Ventre affame n'a point d'oreilles." — Ed.
(3) This was for 6,000 marks. Walter, bishop of Norwich, was authorised to collect it : his letter to St. Alban's is in M. Paris, dated Mar. 24, and one of the king's, forbidding it, dated April 1. — Ed.
VOL. II. E B
870 EXORBITANT DEMANDS OF TlIK POPe's LEGATE.
Henry vou ave not ashamed to run counter to your own act and deed ; whereas you and
^^^- otlier prelates at the said council in this did all agree and grant, that you would
• ,^ levy no more such exactions until the return of our and your ambassadors, with
\ ^,f' those of the nobles and of the whole realm, from the court of Rome, who were
I '— sent thither jnirposel}', as you know, to provide redress against these opj)rcs-
sions. Wherefore we straitly will and command you, that you no further proceed in collecting and exacting such tallages or aids, as you desire to enjoy your baronies, and such possessions of yours as within this our kingdom you have and hold ; and if you have already taken any thing on this account, that )ou suffer not the same to be transported out of our realm, but cause it to be kept in safe custody, till the return of the said ambassadors ; and be assured tiiat, in case you disobey, we sliall extend our hand upon your possessions, further than you may be inclined to believe. Moreover, we will and charge you that you communicate this our inhibition to your archdeacons and officials, which we here have set forth for the liberties of the clergy and of the people, as God knoweth, &:c.
At length, the ambassadors who were at Rome came home about the seventh day of July, brhiging word that the pope, hearing what was done in the council of London* by tiie king, was greatly dis- iTie i)lcased with him and the realm, saying, " Rex Anglorum, qui jam pope's rccalcitrat et frederisat, suum habct consilium ; ego vero et meum .TKainst liabeo, quod ct sequar," &c. Whereupon, when the ambassadors began Henry, to spcalv in the king's behalf, from that time they were half counted for schismatics, and could no more be heard in the court of Rome. Henry Thc king, hearing this, was marvellously incensed therewith, com- MrahieTh maudiug, by general proclamation throughout all his realm, that no taxJ^s"'"' "* '"^'^ should hereafter consent to any tax or subsidy of money for the The pope court of Romc. When this came to the pope's oar, upon a cruel rage aKainst""' ^'"^ directed his letters to the prelates of England, charging that under the king, pain of suspcusc Or interdiction, they should provide thc same sum of money to be collected against the feast of Assumption, thc charge being given to the bishop of Worcester, to be executor of the said The king cursc. The king, who lately intended to stand to the liberties of the toRi^^e"'^'^ church and kingdom, now, for fear of the pope, and partly for the over to menaces of his brother, carl Richard,* and of the said bishop of Wor- cester and other prelates, durst not stand to them, but gave over. Moreover, the greedy gulf of the Romish avarice waxed so immea- surable, that at length the pope shamed not, upon the censure of his curse, to ask the third part of the church goods, and the yearly fruit The pope of all vacant benefices. The chief doers and legates in England, fheulird ^^'^^*^ Otho, Stephen the pope's chaplain, Pctrus Rubcus, the nuncio, pariofthe Mag. Martin, and Mag. Marinus, and Johannes Anglicus, bishop of
church o ' o ' o ' i
goods, Sabino ; of whom to speak further (for that I have much more to write), I think best for the present to defer, lest in opening all the detestable doings and pestilent workings of those men, I might, per- haps, not only molest good cars, but also infect the air. Yet one thing concerning thc said Otho I cannot well overpass. A story of Tliis Otlio, as hc left no place imsought, where any vantage might oihoaf ^^ R"'' • S'^> -tniongst all others, hc came to Oxford, where lying in Oxford, the house of Osncy, he was received Avith great honour ; thc scholars presenting him honourably with such dishes and rewards as they had, thinking to gratify the cardinal after the best manner. This being done before dinner, and the dinner ended, they came reverently to see and welcome him, sujjposing that they also should again, of him, with like courtesy be entertained. As they came to thc gate, the
(1) Foxe says " Winchester," whereas it was the council of Winchester which was assembled Juiy. rth, to hear this report of the ambassadors. M. Paris, p. 70!). — Ed. (2) M. Paris, p. 709. — Ed.
AFFRAY WITH THE OXFORD SCHOLARS. 371
porter, being an Italian, witli a loud voice, asketh what they would iin>r,j have ? They said, they came to see the lord legate. But Cerberus, ^ the porter, holding the door half open, with proud and contumelious '"^-D. lanofuaije thrust them out, and would not suffer them to enter. The ^238.
scholars, seeing that, by force thrust open the gate and came in ; ^^'™;'*'' whom when the Romans, who were within, would have repelled with tiie sdio- their fists, and such staves as they had in their hands, they fell to oxfo'[d alarum and by the ears together, with much heaving and shoving, ""''""■,, and many blows on both sides. In the mean time, while some of men. the scholars ran home for their weapons, there chanced a poor scholar, an Irishman, to stand at the gate waiting for his alms, whom when the master-cook saw at the gate, he, taking hot scalding water out of the pan where the meat was sodden, did cast it in his face. One of the scholars, a Welshman, who came with his bow and shafts, seeing that, letteth drive an arrow, and shooteth this Nabuzardan (that master of cooks) clean through the body, and slayeth him out of hand. The cook falling dead, there was a mighty broil and a great clamour throughout all the house. The cardinal, hearing the tumult and The great noise about him, like a valiant Roman, runneth as fast as he runneth could into the steeple, and there locketh the doors fast unto him, *^"•^• where he remained till midnight. The scholars, in the mean while, not yet at all pacified, sought all corners about for the legate, exclaiming and crying out, " Where is that usurer, that simoniac, that piller and poller of our livings, that prowler and extortioner of our money, who perverteth our king, and subverteth his kingdom, enriching aliens with our spoils .?" All this heard the cardinal, and held his peace. When the night approaching had broken up the field, the cardinal coming out of his fort, and taking his horse, in the silence of the night, was privily conveyed over the river towards the king, conveying himself away as fast as he could. After the king heard this, he sendeth to Oxford a garrison of armed men, to deliver the Romans who were there hidden for fear of the scholars. Then Tiurty was Master Otho, a lawyer, with thirty other scholars, apprehended, taken and and carried to Wallingford castle, and from thence had in carts to I'^^djo London, where, at length, through much entreaty of the bishops, they, being brought barefoot to the legate's door, had their pardon, ^'.u.jass! and the university was released from interdiction. Thus much con- cerning the pope's legate in England.
Thus partly you have heard, and do understand the miserable thraldom and captivity of this realm of England and the clergy of the same, who before refused to take part with King John their natiiral prince against the foreign power of the pope, and now how miserably they are oppressed and scourged of the same pope; whose insatiable extortion and rapacity did so exceed in pilling and polling of this realm long after this, that neither the king now could help xhrcc- them, nor could the pope with any reasonable measure be content ; uumsand insomuch that writers record, that in the days of Sudbury, archbishop f^^^_ of Canterbury, a.d. 1360, the pope by his proctors gat from the j^'^'J'^^^ '» clergy, in less than one year, more than sixty thousand florins, of jiron"''"' mere contribution ; besides his other avails and common revenues \'^-'J- ^y out of benefices, prebendaries, first-fruits, tributes, Peter-pence, colla- cien;y. tions, reservations, relaxations, and such merchandize, &c.
B B 2
senses.
372 TOUI-OUSK BKSlF.GEn. TlIK HKSIEGERS REPULSED.
ntnry *And yet the state of this realm of England, although most mise- ^^'' rable, was not so lamentable, but that the case of Gcnnany and of the A. D. Emperor Frederic II. was then as much or more pitiful, who in the ^--Q- same time of King Henry III. was so persecuted and disturbed by popes Innocent, Honorius, Gregory, Celestine, and Innocent IV., that not only with their curses and excommunications most wretchedly thev did infame, impugn, and assault him, but also in open field con- tinually did thev war against him, and all with Englishmen's money. Albeit, concerning the troubles of this emperor, being a foreign story and pertaining to other countries, I have not much to do nor to write therein, having enough already to story at home. Yet I cannot but lament and marvel to see the ambitious presumption and tragical fury of those popes against the emperor.**
Mention was made a little before of the Albigenses keeping about the city of Toulouse. These Albigenses, because they began to smell the pope, and to control the inordinate proceedings and disci- pline of the see of Rome, the pope therefore recounting them as a people heretical, excited and stirred up about this present time Louis.the and year, a.d. 1220, Louis, the French king's- son, through the kTngVson, instance of Philip II., his father, to lay siege against the said city of lighteth Toulouse to expugn and extinguish these Albigenses, his enemies ; the Aibi- Avhcreupon Louis, according to his father's commandment, reared a puissant and mighty army to compass about and beset that city, and so did. Here were the men of Toulouse in great danger ; but see Besiegeth how tlic mighty protection of God fighteth for his people against the The hand might of uiau : for after that Louis, as Matthew Paris testifieth,^ had fighteth long wearied himself and his men in waste, and could do no good for his ^ith all their engines and artillery against the city, there fell, more- over, upon the French host, by the hand of God, such famine and pestilence both of men and horses, besides the other daily slaughter of the soldiers, that Louis was forced to retire, and, with such as were left, to return again home to France, from Avhence he came. In the slaughter of his soldiers, besides many others, was earl Simon Mont- fort, general of the army, to whom the lands of the earl of Toulouse were given by the pope ; he was slain before the gate of the city The siege with a stouc ; and so was also the brother of the said Simon, at the the Altai- Same time, while besieging a castle near Toulouse, slain with a stone genses j^ iji-g manner. And thus was the siege of the Frenchmen against
broken rri i i i 3 "
up. 1 oulouse broken up.
While the siege of these Frenchmen could do no good against the city of Toulouse, it happened at that time that the Christians, march- ing towards the Holy Land, had better success in laying their siege to a certain tower or castle in Egypt, near to the city Damietta, that seemed by nature, for the situation and difficulty of the place, inex- pugnable : wliich, being situate in the midst of the great flood Nilus, hard by the city called Damietta, could neither be come to by land, nor be undermined for the water, nor by famine subdued, for the nearness of the city ; yet, notwithstanding, through the help of God and the policy of man, erecting scaffolds and castles upon tops of
(1) This paragraph m single asterisks is from the Edition of 1563, p. 73, and is followed by a Bhort abstract of the ecclesiastical and civil history of this country to the time of Wickliff, given more fully in later Editions. — Ed.
(2) Ex Matth. Paris, in Vita Hen III. (3) E.\ Matth. Paris.
THK STORY OF ST. ELIZABETH. 373
masts, the Christians at last conquered it, and after that also the city neury Damietta, albeit not without great loss of christian people, (a.u.
1219.) In the expugnation of this city or fort, among others that A. I), there died was the landgrave of Thuring, named Tjouis, the husband ^•^"^' of Elizabeth, whom we use to call St. Elizabeth. This Elizabeth, Damietta as my story recordeth, was the daughter of the king of Hungary, and lue chrL married in Alniain, where she lived with the aforenamed Louis, land- Iih"'''tor grave of Thuring, whom she, through her persuasions, provoked and or st. eu- incensed to take that voyage to fight for the Holy Land, where he ^^ " in the same voyage Avas slain. After his death, Elizabeth, remaining a widow, entered the profession of cloistcrly religion, and made her- self a nun ; so growing and increasing from virtue to virtue, that after her death all Almain did sound with the fame of her worthy doings. Matthew Paris addeth this also, that she was the daughter of that queen, who, being accused to be naughty with a certain arch- The mo- bishop, w\is therefore condemned with this sentence pronounced against Eii2a°be'th her ;' although it be hard in English to be translated as it standeth in accused of Latin, — " To kill the queen will ye not to fear, that is good ; and if all men consent thereunto, not I myself do stand against it."" Which sentence being brought to Pope Innocent, thus in pointing the sen- tence, which otherwise seemeth to have a double understanding, he The saved the queen; thus interpreting and pointing the same, " Regi- s^vedby nam interficere nolite, timere bonum est, et si omnes consenserint, awehuer- non ego, contradico." That is, " To kill the queen will ye not, to pretation fear, that is good : and if all do consent thereto, yet not I, I myself doui.ie do stand against it," and so escaped she the danger. This queen was EUzabefii the mother, as is said, of Elizabeth the nun, who, for her holy nun- canonized nishness, was canonized of the pope's church for a saint in Almain, Aimain about A.D. 1220.^
And this by the way. Now to proceed further in the years and A.D.1221. life of tliis King Henry. The next year following, which was a.d. 1221, the king went to Oxford, where he had something to do with William, earl of Albemarle, who had taken the castle of Biham : but at last, for his good service he had done in the realm before, he was released by the king, with all his men, at the intercession of Walter, archbishop of York, and of Pandulph, the legate.^ About that year The Grey entered first the Friars Minorite, or Grey friars, into England, and e^n'^er''"' had their first house at Canterbury, whose first patron was Francis, England. who died a.d. 1 127. His order was confirmed by Pope Honorius III., Jo'Jv"'^''" A.D. 1224. «™^'J-
About the first coming of these Dominic and Grey friars Franciscan into the realm (as is in Nicolas Trivet testified), many Englishmen at that time entered into their orders, among whom was Johannes de Sancto Egidio, a man famously expert in the science of physic and astronomy, and Alexander de Hales, both Englishmen and great divines. This Johannes making his sermon "ad clerum," in the house of the Dominic friars, exhorted his auditory with gi-eat persuasions unto wilful poverty, and to confirm his words the more by his own example, in the midst of his sermon he came down from the pulpit and put on his friar"'s habit ; and so, returning into the pulpit again,
( 1 ) " Reginam intenicere nolite timere bonum est, et si omnes consenserint non ego coiitradico." I-'; Ex Matth. Taris. n) Ex tabula pensili in aede divi Pauli. (4) See InfrA, p. 528.— Ed.
Henry III.
A. D. 1221.
Charter- liou-e sionks founded.
Two con- demned at a coun- cil in Oxford.
Dissen- sion be- tween the citizens of London and West- minster.
Whole- some counsel of the mayor of London.
DIS.SKNSION BKIWEKN LONDON AND WESTMINSTER.
made an end of his sermon. Likewise Alexander Hales entered the order of the Franciscans, of whom remaineth vet tiie book entitled '' De Summa Thcologia-," in old libraries.
Moreover, not long after, by William Longspey, who was the bastard son of King Henry H. and earl of Salisbury, was first founded the house of the Carthusian monks at Hethorp, a.d. 1222. After whose death his wife Ela translated them to the house of Hen- ton, in Somersetshire, a.d. 1227; which Ela also founded the house of nuns at Lacocks, and there continued herself abbess of the place. The bishop of London, named William, the same time gave over ids bishopric, after whom succeeded Eustace in that see.'
In the town of Oxford, where the king then kept his court, Stephen Langton, archbishop of Canterbury, held a council, where was con- demned and burned a certain deacon, as Nicholas Trivet saith, for apostasy ; also another rude countryman, who had crucified himself, and superstitiously bare about the wounds in his feet and hands, was condemned to be closed up perpetually within walls.^ About the same year also, Alexander, king of Scots, married Joan, sister to King Henry.
Not long after began the new building of the minster of Salisbury, whereof Pandulph, the pope's legate, laid the first five stones ; one for the pope (such was the fortune of that church to have the pope''s stone in its foundation) ; the second, for the young King Henry ; the third, for the good earl of Salisbury ; the fourth, for the countess ; the fifth, for the bishop of Salisbury ; which was about the same year above mentioned, a.d. 1221.'
In the same year, about St. James's tide, arose a dissension between the citizens of London and the men of Westminster, the occasion whereof was this : — A certain match between these two parties was appointed, to try which party, in wrestling, could overcome the other. Thus, in striving for mastery, each party contending against the other, as the manner is in such pastime, it happened that the Londoners got the victory, and the other side was put to foil, but especially the steward of the abbot of Westminster ; who, being not a little con- founded therewith, began to forethink in his mind how to be revenged again of the Londoners. W^hereupon, another day was set, which was at Lammas, that the Londoners should come again to wrestle ; and whoso had the victory should have the bell-wether,* which was the price of the game appointed. As the parties were thus occupied in their play, the steward suddenly bringeth upon the Londoners, unawares, a company of harnessed men prepared for the same before- hand, and letteth drive at the Londoners ; who, at length, being wounded and grievously hurt, after much bloodshed were driven back again into the city. This contumely thus being received, the citizens, eagerly struck with ire and impatience, ran to the common bell, and by ringing thereof assembled their commons together, to consult with themselves what was to be done in that case so contumelious ; wherein, when divers sentences were given diversely, Scrle, at that time mayor of London (a wise and discreet man), gave this counsel, that the abbot of Westminster should be talked withal, who if he would rectify
(1) Flor. Histori,T. (2) Nicholas Trivet.
(4) Usually, the best sheep in the flock. — Ed.
(3) Ex Chron. de Sal.
CONTKNl'IOX AMONG CIIUKCHMKN. ^75
the injury done, and satisfy for the harm received, it should be to ii
t])cm suffioicnt. But contrary, one Constaiitine, a great man then in 1_
the city of London, in much heat exciting the people, gave this A. D. sentence, that all the houses of the abbot of Westminster, but espe- ^"--- cially the house of the steward, should be cast down to the OTound. f''"*?',''
•^ . , *^ by wild
In fine, that which he so imadvisedly counselled, was as madly per- heads, formed, for the furious people, according to his counsel, did. This tumultuous outrage, as it could not be privy, coming to the know- ledge of Hubert de Burgh, lord cliief justice of England, above mentioned, he coming with a sufficient strength of armed soldiers to the city of London, sent to the mayor and aldermen of the city to will them to come unto him ; -who so obeying his commandment, he required of them the principal beginners of the riot. To whom Con- stantine, there being present, answered, that he would waiTant that which was done ; sorrowing, moreover, that they had not done more constan- tlian they did in the matter. The justice, upon this his confession, dlted at' commanded him, with two others, without any further timiult, to be ^°'"|u" taken ; and so, along with the same two, he Avas hanged, he offering for his life fifteen thousand marks.
The said Hubert, earl of Kent, and lord chief justice, although he w^as a faithful and trusty officer to his prince, and had the whole guiding of the realm in his own hands, the king, as yet, being in his minority, yet afterwards, what indignation he sustained for this his severity and other things, both of the nobles and of the commons, and how sharply he was tossed and trounced of his prince, it is a wonder to see, as in its due place and time (by tbe Lord's leave) hereafter shall appear.'
As mention hath been made of the wrangling between the com- Di^cord moners of London and Westminster, both time and occasion bring Mention"" me in remembrance something to speak likewise of the ecclesiastical p,™°ch- conflicts among churchmen ; nothing inferior in my mind, nor less men. worthy to be noted than the other. For so I read in Matthew Paris, and in the Flowers of History, that at what time this wrestling was among the citizens for the sheep, the like contention kindled and inflamed between Eustace, bishop of London, and the chapter of Paul's, on the one side, and the abbot of Westminster, with his covent, on the other, about spiritual jurisdiction and subjection ; to wit, whether the monastery of Westminster were exempted from the subjection and jurisdiction of the bishop of London or not. This controversy at last coming to a compromise, was committed to the arbitrement of Stephen, archbishop of Canterbury, Peter, bishop of Winchester, Thomas, prior of Merton, and Richard, prior of Dun- stable ; and at length was thus agreed, that the monastery of West- minster should be utterly exempted from the jurisdiction of the bishop of London, and that Staines, with the appurtenances thereto belonging, should appertain to the monastery of Westminster, Also, that the manor of Sunbury should be due and proper to the church of St. Paul, and also that the church of St. Margaret, with all the lands belonging to the same, should be exempted from all other jurisdiction, but of the bishop of Rome only : and so was this matter decided. A.D. 1222.*
(1) Ex Matth. Paris. (2) Ibid.; ex Flor. Ilistoriaiuni
376 HORRIHLE TEMPEST IN ENGLAND.
jienry Tlic samc year, .as writeth Matthew Paris, hori'ible tempests, with
'. thundering and liglitning and whirlwinds, went throughout all the
A-l>. land, so that much liann was done; churches, steeples, towers, houses,
^""^' and divers trees, with the violence of the Avinds, were blown up liy the
Horrible roots. In Warwickshire, a certain wife, and eisfht others in her house,
teiiipt'st ' ' c? '
in Eng- were slain. In Grantham, the church was set on fire by lightning most
^ ■ terrible, with such a stink left behind, that no man could, for a long
time after, abide it. The author addeth, that manifest marks of the
tempest did remain long after in that monastery to be seen. Some
also write that fiery dragons and spirits were seen then flying in
the air.
A. D. 1223. A.D. 1223, Philip, the French king, died, after whom his son
kfnTof Louis succeeded to the crown ; to whom King Henry, sending his
^ise^to nicssage, and desiring him to remember his promise and covenant
his pro- made of renderinsj atjain the lands lost in Normandy, could obtain
nothing at his hands. Whereupon Richard, earl of Cornwall, also
William, the king"'s uncle, earl of Salisbury, with divers other nobles,
made over into France, where they recovered Poictou, and kept
Gascony imder the king's obedience.^
A.D.1224. In the same year, or as Fabian giveth it, the next year followin'r.
Wardship •■ . , t r>/-> i i • n • t '• i
arst which Avas a.d. 1224, by virtue ot a certain parliament, it was granted
fo^thl^*^ ^f the lords and barony of the land, that the king and his heirs should
«>ne- have the Avard and marriage of their heirs, which then Avas called, and
afterAvards proved to be, ' initium malorum,'' the beginning of harms.
In the same year, according to Gisbum and other WTiters, the said
king, holding another parliament at Oxford, by the advice of his
council and his clergy, did grant and confirm, under his great seal,
tAvo charts of the old liberties and customs of this realm, for ever to
be kept and observed, the one called ' Magna Charta,' the other
' Cliarta de Foresta ;' the contents whereof fully in the beforenamed
author be expressed. For this cause was granted agnin by the whole
parliament, a fifteenth of all his subjects, as well of laymen as also
of the clergy.
Here is to be noted, that these liberties were afterwards broken, and confirmed again by the said king, a.d. 1236.
A. D. 12:^6* died Louis VIII,, the perjured French king, at the siege of Avignon, Avhom the pope now the second or third time had set up to fight against Reimund, the good earl of Toulouse, and the heretic Albigenses of that country ; for so the pope calleth all those Avho hold not in all points Avith his glorious pride, usurped power, and ungodly proceedings. The origin whereof was this, as in Matthew Paris appeareth. In the days of Philip, the French king, this Reimund, earl of Toulouse, Avas disdained by the pope for holding Avith the Albigenses ; and therefore, by the instigation of the pope, the lands of the carl Avcre taken from him, and given to Simon Montfort, and instruments Avere made upon the same ; but Avhen the said earl Reimund Avould not be removed from the right of his possessions by unrighteous dealing, the pope setteth Philip II., the French king, to make open war against him. Where-
(1) Ex Matth. Paris.; Nich. Trivet. Flor. Hist.
(2> For two lines of text omitted here, see infri, p. 3S3.— Ed.
THE pope's malice AGAINST EARI, REIMUND. 377
upon Louis, the French king''s son,^ was sent with a great power, as Henry
is above declared, to besiege the city of Toulouse ; but being repulsed
from thence by the marvellous hand of God fighting for his people, A.D. he could not prevail, and so returned home, after he had lost the most ^^"^- part of his army by pestilence and other calamity, as hath been before ^he pope described. Thus continued the good carl still in quiet possession till \Yar. this present time, a.d. 1226 ; in the which year the pope, not for- a.d.122c. getting his old malice against the carl, and no less inflamed with pope's insatiable avarice, directeth down his legate, Master Romanus, to the niaUce parts of France, for two several purposes ; one to extirpate the earl, against
Z\ ,^ . 1 1 • r r ' r _ 'the clins-
the other to enlarge his own revenues. 1 hus the legate, bemg entered tian eari into France, beginneth to summon a council, willing the French king, °ouIr."' with the archbishops, bishops, and clergy of France, to appear before him at Bourges ; to whom eftsoons repaired six archbishops, with the bishops and suflfragans of nine provinces, to the number of a hundred, besides the abbots, priors, and proctors of all the covents of France, to hear the ])ope's will and commandment. But because there was a Mark, discord feared to rise, saith Matthew Paris, about pre-eminence of [^^"^^^j^j^j sitting, for that the archbishop of Lyons challenged the superior place nature of above the archbishop of Sens, also the archbishop of Rouen above striving " the archbishops of Bourges, Aix, and Narbonne, and their suf- c'hief^^ fragans ; therefore the session was holden there not in manner ?'* and form of a council, but of a certain parley or consultation. Thus The pope the meek and holy council being set, and the pope's majesty's letters fight''po''s! read and declared, appeareth before them Reimund, earl of Toulouse, ^^^^^lon of the one part, and Simon Montfort, on the other part. This Simon from the required to be restored unto him the lands and possessions of the °""^'^*- said Reimund, which the pope and Philip, the French king, had given to him and to his father before, having good evidences to show for the same, confirmed by the donation of the pope and of the king; adding moreover, that the earl Reimund was deprived and disin- herited in the general council at Rome for heresy, which is called the heresy of the Albigenses. At least, if he might not have the whole yielded unto him, yet the most part of his lordships he required lo be granted him.
To this the earl Reimund answered again, oflTering himself ready Reimund to all duty and office both toward the French king and to the church eari^of" of Rome, whatsoever to him did duly appertain. And moreover, 'l°^l°^T touching the heresy wherewith he was there charged ; he did not cth for only there offer himself, in that council, before the legate, but most humbly did crave of him, that he would take the pains to come into every citv within his precinct, to inquire of every person there the articles of his belief ; and if he found any person or persons holding Aibigen- that which was not catholic, he would see the same to be corrected suspecTia and amended, according to the censure of holy church, to the utter- «f I'eresy. most. Or if he should find any city rebelling against him, he, to the uttermost of his might with the inhabitants thereof, would compel them to do satisfaction there-for. And as touching himself, if he had committed or erred in any thing (which he remembereth not
(1) This Louis (afterwards Louis VIII. of France) was the eldest son of Philip II. To him the barons of England offered the crown, in the miserable days of King John. John died a.d. 1216, and Louis was doftated on the 20th of May in the following,' year, by the Lord Protector Pembroke, and compelled to evacuate the kingdom.— Kd.
378 DKLIHKllATIOXS CONCKRXI NO EAKL UEIMUND.
Henry that lie had done), he offered there full satisfaction to God and
///.
the church, as became any faithful cliristian man to do ; requiring, A. D. moreover, there, before the lesrate, to be examined of his feith. ^-"^- Hut all this, saith Matthew Paris, the legate despised ; neither could the catholic earl, saith he, there find any grace, unless he would depart from his heritage, both for himself, and for his heirs for ever. In fine, when it was required, on the contrary part, that he should stand to the arbitrament of twelve peers of France, Rei- mund answered, that if the French king would receive his homage, which he was ready at all times to exhibit, he was contented there- with. For, otherwise, they would not, said he, take him as one of their peers.
After much altercation on both sides about the matter, the legate willeth every archbishop to call aside his suffragans to deliberate with them upon the cause, and to give up in writing what was concluded. This being done accordingly, the legate denounceth excommunica- tion on all such as did reveal any piece of that which was there concluded, before the pope and the king had intelligence thereof.
These things, thus in hudder mutter among themselves, concluded,
the legate gave leave to all proctors of covents and chapters to return
home, only retaining with him the archbishops, bishops, and abbots,
and certain simple prelates, such as he might be more bold withal, to
open, and of them to obtain, the other part of his commission ; which
■was, indeed, to obtain of every cathedral church two prebendships, —
one of the bishop, the other of the chapter. In monasteries also,
after the like sort, where the abbot and covent had divers and several
portions, to require two churches ; one of the abbot, the other
of the covent ; keeping this proportion, that how much should
suffice for the living of one monk, so much the whole covent should
find for their part, and as much the abbot likewise for his. And,
forasmuch as he would not seem to demand this without some colour
of cause, his reason was this : that because the court of Rome had
long been blotted with the note of avarice, who is mother of all
evil, for that no man could come to Rome for any business, but he
must pay for the expedition of the same ; therefore, for the removing
away of the occasion of that slander, the pul.'lic help of the church
must necessarily be required.
Mark, The proctors and parties thus sent home by the legates, marvelling
the''"ac- ^^'^^^ themselves why the bishops and abbots should be staid, and
ticcof they sent home, and suspecting no less than as the matter was
for thy'' indeed, confcned their counsels together, and devised with them-
jeaming. ggjygg ^^ ggj,(j certain unto him in the behalf of all the cathedral
and conventual churches in France ; and sent to the said legate
this message, to signify to him, that they were credibly informed he
came with special letters from the court of Rome for the obtaining
of certain prebendaries in every cathedi^al and conventual church ;
which being so, they much marvelled that he wovdd not in the
The public council make manifest to them those letters which specially
Fran^c"*^ concemcd them, as much as the others. Wherefore, their request
answer- ^^s to him in the Lord, that no such oflfensive matter mi'dit arise
ing to the , , . . 1 i-i 11 1 • 1 • 1 11- 1
•egate. by hun m the r rench church ; knowmg tins, that the tlnng he entcrprised could not be brought to effect without great offence
THE FRENCH CLEUGY OBJECT TO PAPAL EXACTIONS. 379
taken, and inestimable damage to the church of France. " For iienry gi-ant," said they, "• that certain ■will assent unto you, yet their ^ '
assent standeth in no elFect concerning such matters as toucli the A.l). ■whole ; especially seeing both the states of the realm, with all the _L^r!!L inferior subjects, yea, and the king himself, they are sure, will with- stand the same, to the venture, not only of their honour, but of their life also ; considering the case to be such, as upon the offence whereof standeth the subversion both of the realm public, and of the whole church in general." Declaring, moreover, the cause of this fear to arise hereof, for that in other realms such communication hath been with bishops and prelates for the procuring of such prebend- ships, whereas neither the prince nor the subjects were made any thing privy thereto.
In conclusion, when the matter came to debating with the lesrate, inferiors
n... f>i-r>- • • 1 1 ." evermore
the objections ot the mierior parties against tlie cruel exaction were bold to these in brief effect, as in Matthew Paris are noted. than^he
First, They alleged their great damages and expenses which they q^^^,. were like to sustain thereby, by reason of the continual procurators tions of of the pope, who, in every diocese, must not live of their own, but ckrgy of be sustained by the charges of the cathedral churches, and other fJa"„7t churches also ; and many times they, being but procurators, will be '^'^ 1^"?^'^ lound as legates.
Item, By that means, they said, great perturbations might ensue to the covents and chapters of cathedral churches in their elections ; forasmuch as the pope's agents and factors being in every cathedral church and chapter-house, perhaps the pope would command the agent or factor in person to be present at their elections, and so might trouble the same in delaying, and deferring, till it might fill to the court of Rome to give ; and so there should be placed more of the pope's clientels in the churches of France, than of the proper inhabitants of the land.
Item, By this means they affirmed, that all they in the court of Rome should be richer, and should receive more for their propor- tion than the king of the realm : by reason of which abundance of riches, it was like to come to pass, that as the worm of rich men is pride, so, by the means of this their riches, the court of Rome would delay and drive off great suits, and would scarcely take any pains with small causes ; the experiment whereof is evident, for that now also they use to delay their matters, when they come with their gifts, and being in assurance to receive. And thus should justice stand aside, and poor suitors die at the gates of the court of Rome, thus flowing and triumphing in full abundance of all treasure and riches.
Item, Forasmuch as it is meet and convenient to have friends in the court of Rome, for the better speeding of their causes ; therefore they thought to keep them needy, whereby their gifts may be the sweeter, and their causes sooner despatched.
Item, As it is impossible to stop the fountain of gi-eedy desire, it Avas to be feared, either that they would do that by others, which they were wont to do by themselves, or else, that they should be forced to give greater rewards than before ; for small gifts, in the sight of great rich men, are not looked upon.
Item, Where he alleged the removing away of the slander whicJi
sso
THE CAHDIXAI, DKKKATED IX FRANCE.
lien ry III
A. IX 122*).
God grant, say we.
Thec.ir-
dinal
repulsed
and
defeated
ill France.
Tlie pope raiseth war against tJie earl and
jieople of Toulouse.
Testi- mony of the
author for the clear- ing of Reimund and of the Alhigen-
iPK.
gocth on tlic court of Rome : by thi.s means rather the contrary wore to be feared, uherein they alleged the sentence of the verse, tliat great riches stop not the taking of much, but a mind contented with a little :
" Quod virtus reddit, non copia, siifficientcm ; Et noil paupertas, sed mentis hiatus, cgentem."
l-'iirthcr, they alleged that great riches would make the Romans mad, and so might kindle among them sides and parts-taking ; so that, by great possessions, sedition might follow to the ruin and destruction of the city, whereof some experiment they had already.
Item, They added, that although they would condescend and oblige themselves to that contribution, yet their successors would not be so bound, nor yet ratify that bond of theirs.
Tjastly, They conclude the matter by desiring that the zeal of the universal church, and of the church of Rome, would move him : for, if this oppression of the church should be universal, it were to be doubted lest an universal departing might follow from the cluu-ch of Rome, which God forbid, say they, should happen.
The legate hearing these words, being therewith something moved, as seemed, excused himself, that he, being in the court, never agreed to this exaction ; and that the letters, hereof, came not to him before he was in France, whereat he said he was greatly sorry : adding this withal, that the words of his precept included this secret meaning in them, thus to be understood and taken, " so far forth as the empire and other realms would agree unto the same \ and as for him, he would stir no more in the matter, before it were proved what other countries would say and do therein.
And thus much concerning the second part of the blind commis- sion of this legate, touching his exaction of prebendships in every cathedral and conventual church ; wherein, as ye hear, he was repulsed.'
Now to return to the first part of his commission again, which was concerning Reimund, the godly earl of Toulouse, — thus the story proceedeth : that while the legate was in hand with this matter of the pope''s money, in the mean season, certain preaching friars were directed by the said Romanus, the pope's legate, into all France, to incite and stir up the Frenchmen to take the cross upon them, and to war against the earl of Toulouse, and the people thereof, whom they accounted for heretics. At their ])rcaching, a great number of prelates and laymen signed themselves with the cross, to fight against the people of Toulouse, being thereto induced, as the story saith, more for fear of the French king, Louis VIII., or favour of the legate, than for any true zeal of justice. For so it followeth in the words of Matthew Paris :^ " For to many," saith he, " it seemed an abuse to move war against a faitliful christian man, especially, seeing in the council of Bourges, before all men, he entreated the legate, with great instance, that he would come into
(1) Ex Matth. Paris, p. C2.
(2) " Videbatur enini niultis abusio, lit hominem fidelcm Christianum infcstarent, praecipue cuiu constaret ounctis, euni, in concilio nuper Hituricnsi. multi.s preribus per.siiasisse legato, ut veniret ail i>ingula.s terric sux civitatcs, inquirens a singulis articulos lldci: ct si quempi.-mi cuii'ra I'ulepj invcnirel," S:c.
CAMPAIGX AGAINST THE PEOPLE OF TOULOUSE. 381
every city within his dominions, and there inquire of every person Jrenry the articles of his faith ; where, if he found any man to hold any "^'
tiling contrary to the catholic faith, he promised a full satisfaction to A. D. be had thereof, according to the censure of the church, to the utter- ^-^^- most/'
Yet all this notwithstanding, the proud legate, contemning this so jheun- honest and reasonable purgation of the earl Reimund, ceased not by ^^te""" all manner of means to prosecute the pope's fury against him and his tyrannyof subjects, stirring up the king and the Frenchmen, under pain of againsr excommunication, to war against them. Louis, the French king, IfTm,"^''^ thus bemg enforced by the legate, answered again, that he, for his io"»e. own safety, would not achieve that expedition, or adventure against the earl, unless it were first obtained of the pope to write to the king of England ; commanding him, that, during the time of that expe- dition, he should invade and molest no part of his lands and posses- sions which he at that time did hold, whether by right or by wrong, or howsoever they were holden, while the time of the said war against the heretics (as they were then termed) did endure, but rather should aid and assist hun with counsel and money in that enterprise. All this being done and accomplished, the French king and the legate (crossing themselves to the field) appointed a day peremptory for the French army to meet together at Lyons, under Excom- pain of the pope's excommunication, and, with horse and harness, to umi""^'' set upon the people of Toulouse, namely the Ascension day next ^'^^^'^^ ensuing.
When the Ascension day was come, which was the day peremp- louIs, the torily appointed, the French king, having prepared at Lyons all IJ,^"'''^^^ things necessary for his army, marcheth forward with a gi-eat and R-oma- mighty host ; after whom also cometh the legate, with his bishops pope's'^ and prelates. The number of fighting men in his araiy, besides J^l^^^; the victuallers and waggoners, was fifty thousand men. The legate, against by the way, openly excommunicated the earl of Toulouse, and all genses." that took his part ; and, furthennore, interdicted his whole land. Toulouse Thus the king marched forward till he came into the province of '^'''^o?^- Toidouse ; and the first city which he came unto there of the earFs cated. was Avignon, which city they thought first to besiege, and so in order afterwards, as they went to destroy and waste all the whole province belonging to the earl. And first the king demanded of them to have his passage through their city ; feigning himself in peaceable wnse, but for the expedition of his journey, to pass through the same. The citizens, consulting with themselves what was to be done, at length gave answer, that they mistrusted their coming, and supposed that, in deceit, they required the entrance of their city, and for no necessity of their journey.
The king, hcreat being much offended, swore an oath, that he city of would not depart thence till he had taken the city ; and immediately, besieged. in those places Avhere he thought most meet, he began to make sharp attacks, Avith all manner of saultable engines ; the citizens again within manfidly defended themselves, and ctisting stone for stone, and shooting shot for shot, slew and wounded many of the French- men. Thus, when they had long besieged the city, and could not win the same, at length victuals in the French camp l)egan to fail,
382 THK DKATH OF LOUIS VIII.
S'nni and niaiiy of thoni died for hunger ; for tlie carl of Toulouse, as a wise man of war, hearing bei'ore of their coming, took into the town
A- D- all the provision that was abroad, and left nothing, without, to serve for their defence and succour; he ploughed up the fields, that there
should no stover' be found to serve their horses ; he put out of the
town all the old ])eoplc and young children, lest they should want
victuals that kcj)t the town, and before their coming sent them far
away, so that within the town they had plenty, and without, they died
for famine. And, besides, in seeking far for their forage, many fell into
the hands of them that kept the city, who secretly lay in wait for
them abroad, and slew many of them ; besides that, a great number
Famine of Cattle and horses died for want of forage ; and also poor soldiers,
"ence in" ^'lio had uo gTcat storc of money, died for want of victuals. By the
Fr!-nrh '^lortality and the stench, both of men and cattle, grew great infection
camp. and pestilence among them ; insomuch that the king himself, and
also the legate, were greatly dismayed, thinking it to be no little
shame, as well to the realm of France, as also to Rome, that they
should so depart and break up their siege. Thus again thought the
soldiers, that much better it were for them to end their lives by
battle, than thus to starve and die like dogs ; wherefore, with one
consent, they purposed to give a new assault at the bridge that goeth
over the Rhone into the town, to which place they came in such
numbers, that cither by the debility of the bridge, or by the subtlety
The of the soldiers that kept the town, three thousand of them, with
JjidieJs bridge and all, fell anned into the violent stream, and were drowned.
arthe"^^*^ What was there, then, but joy and gladness on the citizen's part,
siege of and much lamentation and heaviness on the other part ? Shortly
^iK'ion. j^fjgj. ^jijg^ j.]jg citizens of Avignon (when they saw a convenient time,
whilst their enemies were eating meat) came suddenly upon them
out of the town, and slew of them two thousand, and took to the
town again with safety. But the legate, with his company of ])relates,
like good men of war, practised no other martial feats, butall-lo be-
Louis, the cursed the carl of Toulouse, his cities, and his people. Louis VIII.
ki'^t^p,'^ ' the king, to avoid the pestilence that was in the camp, went into an
the'siege •''^bey not fiir off; where, shortly after, he died. Of his death
"1' . there are sundry opinions ; some saying, that he was poisoned ;
Mgnon. gQj^^g^ ^^^^^ j^g jj^^ ^^ ^ bloody-flux, A. D. 1226; whose death,
notwithstanding, the legate thought to keep secret and conceal, till
the town might be siuTendcred and given up : for he thought himself
shamed for ever if he should depart before the town were won.
Thefaise Wherefore, after he had encouraged the soldiers ai'resh, and yet
the popt^s ^ft
i^^traying ^^ falschood he might betray them, and sent unto them certain
the cityof heralds, to will them that they should among themselves consult
'gnon. ^jpjij^ articles of peace, and bring the same to their camp, whose safe
conduct they faithfully promised and warranted, both of coming, and
going. Wlien they had given their pledges for the same, the
messengers from the citizens talked with the legate, who promised
them, if they would deliver up their city, they should have their lives,
goods, and possessions in as ample manner as now they enjoyed the
(1) " stover," fodiler.— Ed.
PERJURY OF THE PAPISTS. ,'3iS3
same. But the citizens and soldiers refused to be under the servi- //'-wrjr tude of the Frencli king, neither Avould so deliver up their city to ^'^'
those of ^vhose insolent pride they had so good experiment. After A.D. much talk on both sides, and none likely to take effect, the legate ^^^"- requested them, and friendly desired, that he and his prelates who were about him, might come into their city to examine what faith and belief they were of, and that he neither sought nor meant any other thing thereby, but their own safeties, as well of body as soul, which thing he fiiithfully swore unto : " For," saith he, " the rumour of your great infidelity hath come to the lord pope's ear, and therefore desired he to make true certificate thereof." Hereupon the citizens, perjuryof not mistrusting his faithful oath and promise made unto them, granted ^^.^ p^- entrance to him and the residue of the clergy, bringing with tliem no cUy'of^'" weapon into the town. The soldiers of the camp, as it was agreed ^keT'' before, made themselves ready, so that at the entrance of the prelates in at the gate, nothing regarding their oath and fidelity, the others suddenly Avere ready, and with violence rushed in, slew the porter and warders, and, at length, won the city and destroyed the same, and slew many of them that were ^vithin. When by falsehood and policy they had thus gotten this noble city, they carried the king's corpse to Paris, where they buried the same. Of the whole number of the French soldiers who in this siege were destroyed by famine, pestilence, and drowning, be recounted more than two and twenty thousand : " AVhereby,"' saith Matthew- Paris, " it may evidently appear that the war was unjustly taken in hand."
After these things finished, and after the funeral of the king cele- brated at Paris, it followeth more in the said history of Matthew Paris, that the said legate, Romanus, was vehemently suspected and griev- ously infamed as having abused himself with Blanche, the king's "Sed im- mother: " But it is ungodly," saith he, " to suspect any such thing pJ^J"^^^**- of him because his enemies so rumoured the same abroad; but a dere, quia gentle mind expoundeth things doubtful in the better part." ^us^hoc
To pass further to the year next following, which was a.d. 1227, first ^ave™m- is to be noted, that in this year' died Pope Honorius III., a great adver- benipnus' sary against Frederic the emperor, after whom succeeded Gregory IX., anim™s more grievous than his predecessor. In this year also King Henry, be- meHus'i!,- ginning to shoot up unto the twentieth year of his age, came from Read- «er.pretu- ing to London, where he began to charge the citizens of London for old reckonings; namely, for giving or lending five thousand marks to Louis, the French king, at his departing out of the realm, to the great pre- judice of him and of his kingdom ; for the recompense w^hereof they were constrained to yield to the king the full sum of the like money. That done, he removed to Oxford, where he assembled a great The king council, there denouncing and protesting before them all, that he tobTfreed was come to sufficient age no more to be under tutors and governors, ^»°'" ^°-
■1,,. '-' .. ir>-io vernors,
but to be nis o-vvn man, requirmg to be freed firom the custody of and to be others. This being protested against and resisted, forthwith he, bv ^" "^'^ the counsel of Hubert the chief justice, Avhom he then made earl of Kent, removed from his company the bishop of Winchester, and others, under whom he was moderated ; and immediately, in the same council, by the sinister persuasion of some, he doth annihilate and make void the charters and liberties, before by him granted,
(1) The next two lines, to " this year also," are brought from p. 376.— Kd.
ov»n mas.
384 so IKACK IN THK I'OPk's CHUKCH.
^u'P prc'^cndinc: t'lis colour, for that they had been granted and scaled
'■ — in the time of his minority, at a time when he had the nile neither
A.D. of himself nor of his seal; whereupon much muttering and mur-
muring was among the multitude, who did all impute the cause to
nevokeih Hubert, the justice. Moreover, it was at the same time proclaimed, ii« which that whosoever had any charter or gift sealed in the time of the piMcd. ^^'"k's minority, should come and renew the same again under the new seal of the king, knowing otherwise, that the thing should stand in no effect. And finally, for renewing of their seals, they were taxed not according to their ability, but according as it pleased the justice and others to lew upon them.
Moreover, besides a general subsidy of the fifteenth granted to the king through the whole realm, and besides also the contribution of the Londoners, divers other parcels and payments he gathered through several places ; as, of the burgesses of Peterborough and Northampton he required an aid of twelve hundred pounds, and so of others likewise. All this preparation of money was made toward the furnishing of his voyage to recover Normandy. And yet, because he would gratify the city of London again with some Citizens pleasure, he granted that the citizens thereof should pass toll- ofLomion free, saitli Fabiau, throughout all England ; and if, of any city,
treed from ' ' » . » , ' . ' i •
toll. borough, or town, they were constramed at any tunc to pay their A.D.1228. toll, then the sheriffs of London were to attach every man coming to London of the said city, borough, or town, and him with his goods to withhold, till the Londoners were again restored of all such money paid for the said toll, with all costs and damages sustained for tlie same.'
I declared before, how after the death of Honorius succeeded Pope
Gregory IX., between whom and the people of Rome this year arose
a great sedition, insomuch that about the feast of Easter they thrust
the pope out of the city, pursuing him unto his castle at Viterbo,
where also they invaded him so valiantly, that they chased him to
Perugia. Then having no other remedy wherewith to revenge his
persecutors, fiercely he did excommunicate them.^
The Here, by the way, is to be observed and considered, christian
ciXch reader, not only by this sedition, but by so many other schisms, divi-
\id"odb sions, tumults, fightings, brawls, and contentions in the church of
thei'rais- Rome from the first beginning of the pope's usurped power, and
Inli'""" that not only within the city of Rome, but universally almost in all
schisms. pQpigij nionasterics, colleges, churches, and covents under the pope
in the subjected, continually reigning amongst them, what is to be thought
church, of tiicir religion and "holiness, having so little peace, so great discjuiet-
ncss, dissensions, and wrangling amongst them, as in stories manifest
it is both to behold, and wondi-ous to consider.
Dissen- Forasmucli as I have here entered into the mention of this schis-
twcen'thc i»«itical couimotiou between the pope and his citizens, it followeth more-
priorand „vcr, iu tlic History of IMatthew Paris, who maketli relation of a like
Duriiam brawling matter, which befell the same year and time, a.d. 1228,
MnV^ between the prior and covcnt of Durham, and this King Henry HL,
upon this occasion. After the death of Richard, bishop of Durham,
the prior and chapter of the said church came to the king, to obtain
(1) Ex I-abiano, par. 7. (2) Ex Matth. Paris, p. 09
DEATH OK STEPHEN' I.AN'GTOK. 38.T
license for the electing of their bishop. The king offered them one ti^iu^ Lucus, a chaplain of his, requiring them instantly to elect him for
their bishop. To this the monks answered, that they would receive A. I). no man, but by their order of canonical election ; meaning, belike, _i?^ by their canonical election, Avhen they either elect some monk out of their own company, or else some monkish priest after their own liking. Contrary, the king again sendcth word unto them, and bound it with an oath, that they should tarry seven years without a bishop, unless they would admit the aforesaid Lucas to that place of dignity. All which notwithstanding, the monks, proceeding in their election, refused the said Lucas; and preferred another clerk of theirs, named William, archdeacon of Worcester, and him they presented to the king : but the king, bringing in exceptions and causes against that party, would not admit him. Then the monks, in Tiie^ ^^ all hasty speed, sent up to Rome certain of their covent, to have Durham their election ratified by the authority apostolical. On the other ^^1:^1'' side, the king likewise hearing sendcth also to Rome against the ^^^^^ monks the bishop of Chester' and the prior of Lanthony on his behalf, jdng. to withstand the purpose of the monks. And so the matter, being traversed with great altercation on both sides, did hang in suspense, saith mine autlior ; till at length thus it was concluded between both, that neither Master William nor yet Lucas should be taken, but that Richard, bishop of Sarum, should be translated to Durham, and be bishop there, a.d. 1228.*
The like stir also happened, both the same year, and for a like matter, between the monks of Coventry and the canons of Lichfield, about choosing their bishop, which of them should have the superior voice in the election of their prelate. After much ado, the cause, at length being hoisted up to Rome, had this determination ; that the^ monks of Coventry, and the church of Lichfield, should choose their bishop by course, each party taking turn, the one after the other : provided, notwithstanding, that the prior of Coventry should always have the first voice in every election ; whereas the old custom was, "saith mine author, that the covent with the prior of Coventry was wont to have the whole election of the bishop without the canons. This was A.D. 1228.^
In that year died Stephen Langton, archbishop of Canterbury, Thectiap bv whom, as is recorded by Nicholas Trivet, the chapters of the BTbie'fi'rst Bible, in that order and number as we now use them, were first dis- ^^^^ tinguished. The said Langton also made postils* upon the whole tyjste- Bible. The same prelate, moreover, budded the new hall, in the LTgton. palace of Canterbury.
After the death of this Langton ensued another variance about the nissen- election of the archbishop of Canterbury, between the monks oft'^eentha Canterbury and the king ; the perturbation whereof as it was no less ™;;^jf^.°^ seditious, so the determination of the same was much more costly. i)»j>^a^d After the death of Langton, the monks of Canterbury, obtaining license of the king to proceed in the election of a new archbisho}), did choose one of their own society, named Master Walter Heme- sham ; whom, when the monks had presented unto the lung, he, after long deliberation, began to object against that election, saying, first,
(1) See p. 343, note (4).-En. (2) Ex Matth. Paris. (3) Ibid. fol. CS.
(4) " Postils," see Appendix.— Ed.
VOT.. TI. C C
386 WALTER ELECTED AUCIIBISHOP OF CAXTKIIBURY.
ifsnry that thc iHoiiks had elected such a one as was neither profitable to "^' 'lim, nor his kingdom. Secondly, he objected against the party elect,
^•^^- that his lather was convicted of felony, and hanged for the same. ■'^^" Thirdly, that he stood in causes against his father. King John, in the
time of the interdict. Moreover, the bishops, his suffragans, charged t the party elect, that by a certain nun he had had children ; adding further, that the election of the archbishop was without their presence, which ought not to be. But the archbishop, stoutly standing to the election, appealed up to Rome, and eftsoons taking with him certain monks, ])resented himself to the pope's own proper person, there to sue his appeal, instantly entreating that his election might stand confirmed by his authority pontifical ; but the pope, under- standing that the said election was resisted by the king and the bishops, deferred the matter until he did hear further of the certainty thereof. The king and the bishops, having intelligence that the archbishop with his monks were gone to Home, thought good to articulate the aforesaid objections above alleged, in writing ; and, Kii's sealing the same with thc seals both of the king and of the bishops, seiideth to exhibit them to the bishop of Rome. The messengers of these Jfppe* letters were the bishops of Rochester and Chester,' and Master John Houghton, archdeacon of Bedford, who, coming to Rome and exhibiting their message with their letters unto the pope (considera- tion being had upon the same), were commanded to wait attendance against the next day after Ash Wednesday, .then to have a resolute answer concerning the cause, which was the second day of March the Tithe of year following ; that is, a.d. 1229. In the mean season, the king's abiegoods proctors ccascd not with all instance to labour the pope and his in Kng- cardinals to be favourable to the kin'r^s side : but finding them somc-
lajid and iiii--i -i- o ^
Ireland wliat hard and strict in tlie matter, as is the guise oi that court, they
\l°iuc^ began to misdoubt their speeding. Wherefore, consulting together
pope- -with themselves upon the premises, they came to the pope, promising
in the king's behalf, to be given and granted to liim out of the realms
both of England and Ireland, the tithe or tenth part of all thc goods
within thc said realms moveable, to sustain his wars against the
emperor, so that he would incline favourably to the king's suit and
petition herein. " But the pope," saith Matthew Paris, " who
boiled with desire above all measure to have the emperor, his enemy.
It is pity cast down, being cheered with such gi-cat promises," (O auri sacra
i^iiuke fames!) " granted his consent to them;"^ who, sitting then in his
no bribes, consistory, had these words which here follow.
The Pope's Answer to the Election of Walter, Archbishop of Canterbury.
Tliere hath come, of late, to our intelligence, the election of a certain monk
named Walter, to be archbishop of Canterbury ; whereupon, after that we
heard and advised, as well those things which the said monk hath said for
liimself and for his election ; as also, on the contrarj' side, the objections and
No, but exceptions of tlu- bishops of EnL'lnnd, nllesrin? aL^^inst him and against his
when election, namely, of the bishop of Chester and the bishop of Rochester, and John,
Hn^Th^s. arclideacon of Bedford: we, upon the same, committed tlie examination toucliing
Bceket the person of the man unto our reverend brethren the lord bishop of Albano,
(1) See p. 385, note (1) —En.
(2) " Ad dominus p:ipa, qui rebcllem imperatorem super omnia xstuabat dejicere, tantis prcniis- sionlbns exiiilaratus, trahitur ad consensum."
THK I'OI'K DISSOLVES THE ELECTION. 887
and Thomas, lord bishop of Sabino, and Master Peter, cardinals. And when the iienry
aforesaid elect, coming before them, was asked of them, Jirst concerning the ^''-
Lord's descending into hell, whether he descended in flesh, or without his flesh, ^ j)
he answered not well. Item, being asked touching the making of the body of 1229
Christ on the altar, he answered, likewise, not soundly. Being asked, moreover, '—
how Rachel wept for her children, she being dead before, he answered not ^,^"'f' ''£. 11 Ti. t, ■ 11 -1 n ■ • 1 waslieard
well. Item, benig asked concerning the sentence 01 excommunication de- witiiout
nounccd against the order of law, he answered not well. Again, being required suchcom-
of matrimony, if one of the married parties be an infidel, and do depart, he tioi"''^''
answered thereto not well. Upon these articles, he was (as is said) diligently The elcc--
examined of the cardinals ; to the which we say he answ'cred not only not well, t'?" of
but also very ill. Forasmuch, therefore, as the church of Canterburj" is a noble ^zk\1-^'
church, and requireth a noble prelate, a man discreet and modest, and such as bishop of
ought to be taken out of the bosom of the church of Rome ; and forasmuch as b*"!*^ j" .
this new elect (whom not only here we pronounce to be unworthy, but also solved by
shoidd say more of him, if we would ])roceed with him by the rigour of the "^e pore,
law) is so insufficient, that he ought not to be admitted to such a room : we do kj^/Js^
utterly infringe, annihilate, and evacuate his election, always reserving to money.
ourselves the provision of the said church. 1
Thus, tlie election of Walter being frustrated and dissolved, the lung's procurators, bringing forth the letters of the king and of the suffragans of the church of Canterbury, presented the same unto the pope for the ratification of Richard, chancellor of Lincoln, to be appointed archbishop of Canterbury; whom they, •with gi-eat commen- dation of words, did set forth to be a man of profound learning and knowledge, of an honest conversation, and, w^hich was greatest of all, that he was a man much for the profit of the church of Rome, as also for the realm of England. The said Richard being thus commended to the pope by the letters procuratory of the king and of the bishops, had the consent of the pope and of the cardinals, and so was made bishop of Canterbury before he was elected. Whereupon the said Pope Gregory, in his behalf, directeth down his letters to all and singular the suffi-agans of the church of Canterbury, declaring thus, The effect and beginning first with a lie, that ' forasmuch as, by the fulness of pope'l ecclesiastical power, the charge of pastoral office is committed to him {^"^'^y" in general upon all churches, he, therefore, for the solicitude he g^ns of ' beareth, as well to all other churches in general, as in an especial bun'!"^ manner to the metropolitan church of Canterbmy, repudiating and wln^^e^tu disannulling the foraier election of Walter, the monk, upon just ^"'^aii'^- causes, hath provided for that see a man, as in all other good gifts perfect and excellent, by the report of them that know him, so, for tliat function very fit and commodious ; and willeth and com- mandeth them, and all others, by his authority apostolical, with aJl devout reverence to receive him^ and humbly to obey him. A.D. 1229.''
These things thus finished at Rome, the pope, not forgetting the This was sweet promises made of the English silver which he so greedily gaped ardi"'' for, omitting neither time nor diligence, in all speedywise sendeth bishop of unto the king of England Master Stephen, his own chaplain and bury, trusty legate, to requii-e and collect the aforesaid tithes of all the \sm^*' moveable goods both of England, Ireland, and Wales, Avhich were pf'^n''"'* promised to him before ; therewith to maintain his war against England. Frederic, the emperor. And, to the intent he might inflame all christian realms with the like hatred which he bare against Frederic,
(1) Hkc ex Matth. Parisicnsi ad vosbum. (2) K: Jfi'.tii Taris.
c c 2
388 KXTOKTION OK THK POPE.
Henry thc cmpcror, he scndeth also with the said Stephen special letters, full of manifold complaints and grievous accusations against the said
A.D. emperor, whereof more (Christ granting) shall be showed hereafter.
J229^ Upon the coming of this Stephen, thc legate, the king assembled all his earls and barons, witii the archbishops, bishops, abbots, priors, templars, hospitallers, parsons, vicars, and others, such as held of
^ him in capite, to a])pear before him at Westminster, to hear and to
TTie pope ^ r. \ ■ ^ iil'i i i
ruquin-th comuiunc of tlic matter ; in tlic assembly ot wliom the pope s patent of au"i!l;* letters were brought forth and read ; wherein he required the tenths "IT"' of all the moveables in En
ablcs 111 S . •, . ... -IP
Kngiand, clergy as of the laity, to maintain his expedition against the aforesaid and Ire- Frcdcric, tlic cmpcror. As he pretended to achieve and to take in '"'"'■ hand this expedition for the cause of the universal church, and False haj)pily had begun the matter already; and forasmuch as the riches oflhe"'^'' ^^ ^^^^ apostolic see did not suffice for the accomplishing of so gi-eat pope, an enterprise : he therefore, enforced by mere necessity, did implore uameof the aid and help of all the true obedient and natural chickens of the church, church of Komc, lest the members thereof, together with the head, wreaking should bc Subverted. These letters of the pope, to this effect, being cankered opculv rccitcd and explained by the pope''s chaplain, which he, with Ilia ice. j^^j^jcjj lY^ore allegation and persuasion of words, did amplify to his uttermost, the king, saith mine author, in whom all men did hope for help to their defence, became then as a staff of reed ; for, much as he "^^^ had obliged himself to the same before for the election of his arch- mouth bishop, now could he say nothing against it, but held his peace. The " °^^''' ■ earls, barons, and all the laity utterly refused so to bind their baronies to the church of Rome : but the bishops, abbots, priors, with other prelates of the church, first, requiring space and respite to deliberate for three or four days ; at length, for fear of the pope''s curse (although they durst not utterly withstand) had brought to pass to have concluded for a sum of money much less, had not Stephen Segrave, one of the king's counsellors, craftily convented with the legate, and by subtle means brought it so to pass, that the whole tenths were gathered and paid, to the inestimable damage, saith Matthew Paris, both of the ecclesiastical and temporal state ; the means whereof, saith the author, were these : the legate showing to the prelates his procuratory letters, to collect and gather up all the aforesaid tenths in thc name and authority of the pope, declared, Kxcom- nioreover, thc full authority to him granted by the virtue of his com-
miinica niission, to excommunicate all such, and to interdict their churches,
" ■■*",.. 1 • 1 11 ■
bused, whosoever did gainstand or go contrary to the said collection.
Whereupon, by the said virtue legantine, he sendeth to every shire 1^'=, his proctors, to gather the pope''s money, or else to excommunicate extortion, them who rcfuscd to pay. And, forasmuch as the present need of the pope required present help without delay, he sendeth moreover to the bishops and prelates of the realm, on pain of interdiction, forth- with to procure and send to him either of their own. or by loan or usance, or by what means soever, so much money, in all post speed, for the present use of the pope ; and after, to take up again the said money of the tenths of every single person, by the right taxing of their goods. Upon this, the prelates, to avoid the danger, han'ng no other remedy, were driven to sell their chalices, cruets,
USURKKS imOUGHT INTO KNGLANI). 389
copes, jewels, and other cluircli plate, and some to lay to mortgage Henry such things as they had, some also to borrow upon usance, to make '^^' the money Avhich was requh-ed. Moreover the said Stephen, the A.D. pope's chaplain, as reportcth Matthew Paris, brought with him into ^-^9. P]ngland, for the same purpose, such bankers and usurers ; who, lend- Usurers ing out their money upon great usury, did unreasonably pinch the hX^nf- h^nglish people, which merchant usurers were then called Caursini. uie'VXe- l^riefly, such strait exaction was then upon the poor Englishmen, that not only their present goods were valued and taxed, but also the corn yet growing in the field against the next harvest was tithed, com Only the earl of Chester, named Ranulph, stood stoutly against the "JXnd"^ pope, suffering none within his dominion, cither layman or clerk, titi'e to yield any tenths to the pope's proctors.' And this" was the end of a. o'l^au! the strife between the monks of Canterbury and the king for the election of their archbishop, which was about a. d. 1229 ; in which year was finished the new church of Coventry by Alexander, bishop of the said city, and partly by the help of the king, which church iiichard, a former bishop of Coventry, had begun.
The Frenchmen about this time again prepared themselves The towards Provence, to war against the aforesaid Keimund, earl of p°p]^^^' Toulouse, and to drive him out of his possessions; and, hearing that army, he was in the castle of Soretze they marched thither all their power, lo'dcstlw thinking there to enclose and compass him about ; but the earl, being |s"l' ""'^' privy to their conspired purpose, set for them by the way, appointing stroycci certain ambushments in woods, not so secretly as strongly, there to way. wait and receive the coming of the Frenchmen, and to give them their welcome. Thus when the French were entered the wood, the carl, with his train of well armed and able warriors, suddenly did fly upon them unawares, and gave them a bitter meeting, so that, in that conflict, five hundred of the French soldiers were taken and manv slain. Of their servitors, to the number of two thousand men witli their armom* were tal^en, of whom some lost their eyes, some their noses, some their ears, some their legs, and so were sent home ; the rest were carried away prisoners into the castle. " And to be l)rief," saith the history, " thrice in the same summer were the Frenchmen discomfited, put to flight, and taken and imprisoned by the aforesaid Reimund the godly earl.^ Wherein is to be seen and to be praised the gracious protection of the Lord our God against the i'urious papists, who is glorious always in his saints.^
(1) Ex Matth. Paris, fol. 74. (2) Ibid. p. 69.
(3) We must conclude that our author extols rather the goodness of God in giving the victory, than the cruel manner in which earl Reimund improved it. But while we shrink with disgust at tliese excesses inflicted upon the French soldiery, it must be remembered that Reimund, the seventh earl, was influenced more by political motives, than by the force of that love, which is taught in the pure doctrines of the gospel of Christ. Without this holy principle, we cannot be surprised that the atrocious severities which his predecessor suflered, and which he saw inflicted upon his ftwn people by the papal power, fostered within him a spirit of unrelenting rigour, which might in time become the dominant principle of his nature. Let us for a moment glance at some of the hideous scenes to which a most bitter persecution had familiarised his mind, and then let any candid reader judge whether the papists have not more cause to blush at the name of pope Inno- cent III., the founder of the Inquisition, than the Albigenses have at the name of the earls Reimund. " The subjects of Raymund [Vlth] earl of Toulouse, and of some other great per.sonages in his neighbourhood, so generally professed the Waldensian doctrines, that they became the peculiar objects of papal vengeance. The inhabitants of Toulouse, Carcassone, Beziers, Narbonne, Avignon, and many other cities, who were commonly called the Albigenses, were exjiosed to a persecution more cruel and atrocious than any recorded in history."— (Milner, Ch. Hist. vol. iii. ])■ -184.) The first victims of the destructive and insidious machinations of the Inquisition, iustituted about this period (a. d. 12n(i), were tlic people of the earl Reimund. " The beginning; ol the thirteenth century" (continues the above author), "saw thousands of personr l.aicgod or
390
INCONSTANCY OF ROYAL FAVOUR.
Henry 111.
A.D.
1229.
Incon- stancy of princes towards those that be chief about tliem.
The same year, the king, being at Portsmouth, had assembled togetlicr all his nubility, earls, barons, and knights of England, with siit'h an army of horsemen and footmen, as hath not been lightly seen, thinking to recover again the countries of Normandy, and other possessions wliich King John, his father, before, had lost; but ■when the captains and marshals of tiie held would take shipping, there were not half ships enough to receive the host. Hereupon the king was vehemently inflamed with anger, laying all the fault on Hubert, the lord chief justice, who, under the king, had all the government of the realm, calling him ' old traitor,' charging him that he would be the let of his voyage, as he was before, when he took of the French queen five thousand marks to stay the king's journey into Normundv. In so much was the rage of the king kindled against him, that, drawing his sword, he made at him to run him through, had not Ranulph, the earl of Chester, stopped the king. Hubert withdrew himself away till the king's rage was past. This was about Michael- mas, at which time arrived Peter, earl of Bretagne, in the haven of Portsmouth, in the month of October ; who should have conducted
bumed by these diabolical devices, whose sole crime was, that they tnistcd only to Jesus Christ for salvation, and renounced all the vain hopes of self-righteous idolatry and superstition." We will not relate details too terrible and disgusting to peruse; they may be found elsewhere : but a brief extract from Stockdale's History of the Inquisition (p. lyi) will give the reader some idea of the horrors of this ordeal. " When the accused was condemned to the torture, they conducted him to the place destined for its application, which v.as called The Place of Torment. It was a subter- raneous vault, the descent to which was by an infinite number of w^inding passages, in order that the shrieks of the unhappy sufferers should not be heard. In this place there were no seats but such as were destined for the inquisitors, who were always present at the infliction of the torture. It was lighted only by two ^'loomy lamps, whose dim and mournful light served but to show to the criminal, the instruments of his torment : one or more executioners atteiuled, as the case required. Tliese executioners were clothed nearly in the same manner in which penitcntj are dressed, — in a lart;e robe of black buckram ; their heads and faces concealed under a cowl of the same colour, with holes for the eyes, the nose, and the mouth. This spectre-like figure seized the criminal, and stripped him of his clothes," &c. The same author (p. 47) observes, in reference to the persecutions of the Albigenses, "The siege of Beziers commenced: it was urged by all the fury of persecution, and sustained » ith all the energy of despair. The contest was too unequal : upon the jJ2d of July, 120y, a day ever memorable in the annals of Europe, the ramparts were forced, and the crusaders entered the city, lileeding humanity attempts in vain to discredit the sad story of the scene which followed. Men, women, children, old and young, were murdered, without mercy and without distinction. Not even the temples of the Almighty were respected ; the unhappy victims were slaughtered upon the very altars to which they had fled for refuge ; and when the troops were wearied with massacre, they fastened the doors of the churches, wherein thousands were immured, and setting fire to the buildings, the conflagration completed the destruction of those whom the sword had spared." — " After this, we need not be astonished to hear, that upwards of sixty thou- sand victims perished on that day." Nor are these cruelties to be attributed to the spirit of an uncultivated age, for the reader may now be referred to one of the enemies of the Albigenses, who defends the enormities here described : we mean the Right Kev. John Milner, D. U. In the Seventh Edition of his " Letters to a Prebendary," p. 72, this Romish writ-er, in speakingof the Albigenses, observes, — " It was against these pests of society and human nature, that tires were first lighted in the West, &c. ; and it was to repress and rout out these, &c. that the crusade of nur Simon de Montfort and the Inquisition were set on foot, and that the canons, &c. were passed." And in the next page, this writer (who assures us that persecution is no tenet of the Romish church,) speaks of the " much lamented persecution of the Albigenses, to which, however, we are indebted for the continuance of society and the human race,"&c. — "Three hundred thousand pilgrims. Induced by the united motives of avarice and superstition, filled the country of the Albigenses v,ith carnage and confusion for a number of years." " The castle of Menerbe, on the frontiers of Spain, for want of water, was reduced to the necessity of surrendering to the pope's legate. A certain abbot under- took to preach to those who were found in the castle, and to exhort them to acknowledge the pope : hut tliey interrupted his discourse, declaring that his labour was to no purpose. Earl Simon (Montfort) and the legate then caused a great fire to be kindled : and they burned a hundred and forty persons of both sexes. These martyrs died in triumph, praising God that he had counted them worthy to sufl'er for the sake of Christ." — (Milner's Church History, vol. iii. p. iii'l.) The sixth earl Keimund, after a life of sufiering and persecution, died in peace, a.d. 1222. His succes- sor, the subject of the present historj', pressed on all sides by the enemies of the trutli and " the sinful seat of Rome," was constrained, a.d. 1229, to purchase an ignominious peace, by sacrificing a portion of his possessions to Louis IX., the French king, and making the accustomed peace offering to Pope Gregory IX. W'e come then to this conclusion: Our author, who, only on a foreign shore could escape the sanguinary rage of the papists in Queen Mary's reign, praises God for tiieir defeat, and attaches to them the epithet " furious," in his recollections of wrongs and injuries suflcred by his fellow-protestants. Reimund, the victim of papal cruelty, insult, and rage, in the flush of victory, surrounded by an infuriated soldiery, permitted the barbarities here related, against his prisoners. The church of Rome, in the written decrees of her councils— in the calm deliberations other primates — in the mournful dungeons of the Inquisition— in cold blood— in linmoditattMl crime, has made herself "drunk with the blood" of innocent millions, whose *' witncf* is in heaven, and whose record is on high.'' — Ed.
JEALOUSIES AGAIXST HUBERT. SO]
the king, upon his allegiance and oatli, into Normandy, but he, with ^^yj'-»
others of the king's ai-my, counselled the king not to take that —
voyage towards winter, but rather to defer it to the Easter following ; ^^J^- wherewith the king was stayed and well contented, and pacified again — - — L with Hubert, the justice, &c.'
Fabian recordeth this year the liberties and franchises of the city of London to be confirmed by the king ; and to each of the sheriffs to be granted two clerks, and two officers, without any more.-
Thcn followed a. d. 1230, in which, upon the day of the conver- sion of St. Paul, as saith INIatthew Paris, as a great multitude of people for the solemnity of the day were congregate in the temple of St. Paul, the bishop then being at his mass, a sudden darkness with such thickness of clouds fell in the air, that scarcely one man might see another in the church. After that followed cracks of thunder ^ sudden and liditninof so terrible, leaving such a scent in the church, that the * people, looking for doomsday, thought no less but that the steeple people in and whole church would have fallen upon their heads ; insomuch that c'hurdiby running out of the church, the people fell down together by thou- 3^'^"''*^'^ sands, as men amazed, not knowing for the time where they were ; lightning. only the bishop and his deacon stood still at their mass, holding fast by the altar.'
Of the death of Stephen Langton, and of the troublesome election A.D.1231. of the next archbishop, also of the costly and chargeable bringing in of Richard to succeed in his room, which did cost the whole realm of Engbnd the tenths of all their moveables, sufficient hath been declared before. This Richard, being now confirmed in his seat, com- came to the kijig, complaining of Hubert, the lord chief justice, oft ^^^jj^"/ mentioned before, for withholding from him the castle and town of arch- Tunbridge, with the appurtenances to the same belonging, and other cantM-'^ lands of the earl of Clare, late deceased, which lands appertain to the against right of his see, and to the chmxh of Canterbury ; for which the said Hubert, earl with liis ancestors were bound to do homage to him and to justice. his predecessors : and, therefore, he required the keeping of the aforesaid castle, with the domains thereof, to be restored to him. To this the king answered again, that the said earl did hold of him incapite, and that the castles of earls and barons during their vacancy, and the wardship of heirs till the lawful age of the said heirs, did belong to his crown. The archbishop, when he could get no other answer of the king, did excommunicate all such as invaded the aforesaid possessions, j;.^pp^. with all others that took their part, the king only excepted. Which done, miuiica- eftsoons he speedeth himself to Rome, there to prosecute his suit abu-cd. before the pope. The king hearing thereof, not long after sendeth up master Roger Cantelu, with certain other messengers, unto Rome against the archbishop.
Thus Richard the archbishop, coming before the pope's presence, beginneth first to complain of his king, for that he committed all the affairs of his realm to the disposition and government of Hubert, his justice, using only his counsel, all his other nobles despised.
Against the said justice, moreover, he complained, laying to his charge : first, that he had married a wife, being the kinswoman of her whom he liad married before ; also that the said Hubert, the
l\) Ex Matth. Pr.ris. (2) Ex Fabiano. (3) Ex Matth. Paris, fol. 75.
392 IIIK I'Ol'K, A UKSl'KC TKll OK I'EKsONS.
itenry justicc, did iiivadc, liolil, and wronirfully detain such possessions
as belon^fcd to tlic sec and church of Canterbury.
A.D. As touching: the wife of this Hubert, here is to be noted, that he '-•^^- married the ckk^r sister of the king of Scots : which, as it secnieth, could be of no great kin to her whom he married before.
h'urther, he coni])]ained of certain bishops, his suffragans, who, negk'cting tlieir ])astoral function, did sit on exchequer matters bch)ngingto tlie king, and exercised sessions and judgments of blood. Over and besides, he complaineth of beneficed persons, and clerks in (irilers, for having many benefices joined with cure of soul : and that they also, taking example of the bishops, did intermeddle in secular matters, and in judgments of laymen.
Of these and such other defaults he required redress to be had. The pope, weighing the cause of the archbishop, and considering it to stand upon right and reason, at leastwise seeming so to his ])urpose, commanded incontinent his petitions and requests to be despatched according to justice.
Against these complaints of the archbishop, the king''s attorneys
alleged and defended as much in favour of the king as they might,
Resi)ect but could do no good : such favour found the archbishop in the
ofpersons p^p^'g gjght, being, as the story reporteth, of a comely personage,
"VtMhe "^ ^^ ^^ eloquent tongue, that he obtained whatsoever he asked.
])ope. Thus the archbishop, with all favourable sj)ced being despatched from
Rome after his own will and desire, returned homeward ; who, in his
journey, within three da}s of his setting forth, departed in the house
of Grey friars at St. Gemmes, and so his cause departed with him :
who, winning his suit, lost his life ; for whom it had been better, I
suppose, to have taiTied at home. And here of him an end, with all
his complaints also.*
After the death of this Richard, the monks of Canterbury, accord- ing to the manner, address themselves to a new election, at which was chosen Radulph Nevil, bishop of Chichester, who was the king's chancellor, much commended in stories as a man faithful, upright, and constant, who from the way of justice declined neither to the right hand nor to the left, but was upright and sincere both in word and decd.'^, This Radulph, thus chosen of the monks, was presented unto the king to be their archbishop, wherewith the king was right well contented, and glad also of this election, and forthwith invested A rare ex- him for archbishop of the church of Canterbury. But this investing Hood"^ of the king Avas not enough, unless he should also be confirmed bisho ^^y ^^^^ ])opc. Wherefore the monks, ready to take their journey unto Rome, came to the new archbishop, requiring his help for their expenses by the way, and to know what service he would command them to the court of Rome. But he, fearing in his mind the same not to be without some scruple of simony and ambition, said, he would not give a halfpenny, and, holding up his hands to heaven, thus ]>rayed, saying, " O Lord God, if I shall be thought worthy to be called, although indeed unworthy, to the seat and office of this church, so be it as thou shalt dispose it. But if, otherwise, in this troublesome office of chancerv, and this my inferior ministery, where- unto I have been assigned, I shall seem more necessary for this
(1) Ex Matth. Paris. '2t Ibid.
TWO ELECTIONS REFUSED BY THE I'OPE.
thy kingdom and people, I refuse not my hiboiir ; tliy will be iioiry. done I" '
The monks, beholding the constancy of the man, notwithstanding A. I). they had of him no money, yet refused not their travail and journey ^ ^'^ ^ • to Rome, to have their election confirmed by the pope's authority. si,n(,u The pope inquiring of Simon Langton^ (brother of Stephen Langton, ';p,\']"'"' archbishop of Canterbury, before mentioned) respecting the person bishop of this man, it was reported to him by the said Simon (maliciously malicious^ depraving the good man behind his back), declaring to the pope, that of'^i'^ajpl,''^ he was a courtier, unlearned, hasty and fervent in his doings, and one " who, if he should be promoted to that dignity, would go about, with elect?' the help of the king ahd of the whole realm, to remove and bring the realm of England from under the yoke of the pope and the church of Rome, and so to bereave the see of Rome of the tribute, to which King John had once subjected himself and his realm, at the time he yielded his crown to the hands of Pandulph, the legate. With these and such other words Simon Langton falsely and maliciously depraved the godly bishop. The pope hearing with one car, and crediting iiash Avhat he heard, without further inquisition made of the other party 1"'^ ™®"' accused, sendeth immediately to the monks of Canterbury to proceed i'"i '^■ in a new election, and to choose them another archbishop, such as was an wholesome pastor of souls, profitable unto the church of England, and devoted to the church of Rome : and thus was the lawful election of this good archbishop made frustrate ; too good, peradventiu"e, to serve in that place whereunto he was elected.
After the repulse of this Radulph, the Canterbury monks, enter- Two eiec- ing on a new election, agreed for John, their prior, to be their }J,°"^ "^^y metropolitan, who, going up to Rome to have his election confirmed '^e pope, by the pope, was for three days together examined of the cardinals ; and when they could find no insufficiency in him, touching those things wherein they tried him, yet, notwithstanding, the pope, finding fault with his age (he peradventure being more aged himself), repealed him, for that he said he was too old and simple to sustain that dignity.^ What was the age of this person, I find not in the author expressed ; yet it is to be supposed, that he, who was able to take that journey to Rome and home again, was not so gi-eatly to be complained of for his age, but that he was able sufficiently to take pains in keeping the chair of Canterbury.
In the former parts of the preceding story partly, before, hath been ^^^ declared, partly, hereafter, shall further appear (Christ willing) how pope's the church of England and the commons of the same were grieved abictx- and miserably afflicted by the intolerable oppressions of the pope, E,'g"an]" who, through his violent extortion, had procured the best benefices to be given to his Romans, and the chief fruits of them to be reserved to his own coffers. What complaints thereof have been made, ye have heard before ; but yet no redress could be had. Such was the insati- able avarice of these Roman rake-hells, prolling, and polling, whereso- ever they came, ■with their provisions and exactions out of measure, and never satisfied ; insomuch that here in England, whosoever lacked, theii' barns Avere always full of corn ; and what penury soever pinched t!ie people, they were sure to have enough. And these importunate
(1) See Appendix.— Ed. (2) Ex Mattli. Pari*.
394 DKVICE TO STOP THE rOPE"'s PLUNDER,
iienru cxactioTis and contributions of tlicsc Italian harpies, besides the Peter- pence, besides the common tribute, daily more and more increased,
^•D. to the cjeat ijrievance of the realm, insomuch that the Avealth of this
^^•'^^- land was almost clean sucked up, and translated to the court of Rome,
Neither was the king ignorant hereof, but could not help the matter.
Wherefore it was devised by some of the nobles, as appeareth in the
story of Matthew Paris,* this aforesaid year, a. D. 1231, that certain
letters, under the pretensed colour of the king's authority, should be
sent abroad, willing and commanding, that such corn and grain, with
other revenues, as were taken up for the pope, should be staid
and forthcoming by a certain day in the said Ictt^crs appointed ;
Hubert, which letters are thought to proceed chiefly by the means of Hubert,
justic'e'l'a lord chief justice of England, Avho then, next under the king, ruled
r/^'/f most of the aflTairs of the realm. The words and contents of the
jams
the pope. letters be these : —
Copy of a Letter, written under the King's authority, to restrain the Benefices of the Romans within the Realm.
In consequence of sundry griefs and oppressions wliich this realm, as you know, hath sustained by the Romanists, and yet doth, as well to the prejudice of the king himself, as also of the nobility of the same, concerning the advow- sons of their churches, and about their tithes : who also go about to take from the clerks and s])iritual men their benefices, and to bestow them upon their own nation and countrymen, to the spoil and confusion both of us and our realm : we, therefore, by our common consents, have thought good (although very late) now, rather than any longer to suffer their intolerable oppressions and extortions, to resist and withstand the same ; and, by the taking from them tlieir benefices through all England, in like manner to cut short and bridle them, as they had thought to have kept under and bridled others : whereby they may desist any longer to molest the realm. Wherefore, we straitly charge and command you, as touching the farming of their churches, or else the rents belonging to them, wliich either you liave presently in your hands, or else do owe imto the said Romanists, that, from henceforth, you be no more accountable to them, or pay to them from lienceforth the same ; but that you have the said your rents and revenues ready by March 3rd, to pay and deliver unto our procurators thereunto by our letters assigned ; and that all abbots and priors have the same in readi- ness at the time appointed, in tlicir own monasteries : and that all other priests, clerks, and laymen, at the churches of the Romanists, be there ready to pay. And further, know ye for certainty, that if ye refuse thus to do, all that you have besides shall be by us burned and spoiled. And besides, look, what danger we purpose shall fall upon tliem, the same shall light upon your necks, if you refuse thus to do. Farewell.
When this was done, they sent their letters abroad by certain soldiers thereunto appointed, "to the which letters they had devised a new seal with two swords engraved, and between the swords was written in Latin, '• Eece gladii duo," " Behold two swords," implying their determination to take vengeance of all those that should with- stand the form and order in these letters contained. A.D.1232. At that time, the sixteenth day before the kalends of January, Jri^j;;"^" about the beginning of the year a.d. 1282, there was held at canon of gt^ Albau's a great consistory of abbots, priors, and archdeacons, witl
Paurs,
taken knd divcrs both of the nobility and clergy, by the pope's commandment, s^f/.'fr.s'!^ for the celebration of a divorce between the countess of Essex and her Imsband. At the breaking up of which consistory, when every man
(1) El Matth.Pi.ri5, fol. 79.
AND TO DISTRIBUTE IT TO THE TOOIl. 3.05
was about to depart tlience, there was a certain clerk, whose name //^nry
was Cincius, a Roman, and also a canon of PauFs in London, taken '—
by some of the said university' not far off from St. Alban's, and was -A-.D. carried away from his company by the soldiers. But Master John, "^ • archdeacon of Norwich, a Florentine, hardly escaping from that company, got to London, where he hid himself, and durst not be seen. Cincius, after five weeks, when they had Avell emptied liis bags, was safely sent again without any more hurt to London.
Not long after this, about the beginning of January, the barns of Bams of a certain beneficed man, a Roman, and parson of Wingham, being paKo'ii'"' full of corn, were broken up by a like company of armed soldiers, J'^'^aiJJj and the corn brought out to be sold, and given away to the poor t'.ie corn people. The farmer, seeing this, and not able to resist, complaincth butcd to to the sheriff of the sliire of this injury done to his master, and of the ""^ p^""^* breaking of the king's peace : whereupon the sheriff sent certain of his men to see what was done. Who, coming to the empty barns, and there finding the aforesaid soldiers, to them unknown, who had sold away the most part of the corn at an easy price, and some for charity had given to the poverty of the country about, required of them what they were, who so durst presume to break the king's peace. Whom the others then called secretly apart, and showed them the king's letters patent (pretending at least the king's name and seal), wherein was forbidden that any man should presume to stop or hinder them in that purpose. Of this the sherifTs servants being certified, quietly returned from whence they came.
This coming to the knowledge of Roger, bishop of London, he, with the assistance of other bishops, proceedeth in solemn excommu- nication, first against them that robbed Cincius, the Roman ; then of them who spoiled the barns of the parson of Wingham, another Roman ; thirdly, he excommunicated them that forged the letters and seal of the king above specified.
Neither yet, for all this, did that cease, but the same year, about General the Easter following, all the barns in England which were in the t'he'uo'- hands of any Roman or Italian, were likewise wasted, and the corn f^^lf,^' sold to the best commodity of the poor commons ; of the which, great England. alms were distributed, and many times money also, together with com, was dispersed for the needy people to gather up ; neither was there any that would or durst stand against them. As for the Romans and Italians themselves, they were stricken in such fear, that they hid themselves in monasteries and cells, not daring to complain of their injuries received ; but held it better rather to lose their goods, than to lose their lives. The authors and workers of this feat were, to the number of fourscore, armed soldiers, of whom the prin- cipal captain was one naming himself William Withers, surnamed Twing.
This coming to the pope's knowledge, he was not a little stirred xhc _ therewith, and scndeth his letters immediately to the king upon the 1,',"^,^.,'. same, with shai-p thrcatenings, and imperious commandments, charging ^ f^^^.^,, him for suffering such villany within his realm, straitly enjoining him, ^^^'[j^"''" under pain of excommunication, to search out the doers hereof with curist. all diligence, and so to punish them that all others by them may take example. LikeAvise he sendeth the same charge to Peter, bishop of
(1) Probably meaning the combination under Hubert, mentioned p. 394 : see Appendixi— F.r.
2'.)G TWING, CALLKD TO ACCOUNT
jirnry Winclicstcr, and to the abbot of St. Edmund, to inquire in the south
'- — parts. Also to the archbishop of York, and to the bishop of Durham,
A-D. and to Master Jolni, canon of York, a Roman, to inquire in the north parts for the said malefactors, and, after diligent inquisition made, to send them up to Rome, there to appear before him. iiKjuisi- Thus, after earnest inquisition made of all parties, and witnesses
tion made , . , * x- i i i i • i n
for the sworn anil exammed, many were lound culpable m the matter, of of ui'e'*'' ^^honi some were factors, some consenters, some bishops and chap- popes laijjs iQ i]^Q king, some archdeacons and deans, Avith others who were
corn. ^
soldiers and laymen. Among them were certain sheriffs and under- sheriffs, Avho, with their servitors under them, were apprehended and cast into prison by the king. Many for fear fled and escaped awav, who, being sought for, could not be found ; but the principal of this number aforesaid, was supposed to be Hubert, the lord chief justice ; who, both with the king's letters and his own, fortified the doers Hobert thereof, that no man durst interrupt them. Moreover, in the society •polled of of those who were noted in these doings, was the same Robert Twing fiMilfthe above mentioned, a comely young man and a valiant knight; who, Romans, of his own Voluntary accord, with five other servitors whom he took with him abroad to work that feat, came unto the king, openly })ro- testing himself to be the author of that deed-doing ; and said he did it for hatred of the pope and the Romans, because that by the sentence of the bishop of Rome, and fraudulent circumvention of the Italians, he was bereaved of the patronage of his benefice, having no more to give up than one ; wherefore, to be revenged of that injury, he enterprised that which was done ; preferring rather justly to be excommunicated for a season, than to be spoiled of his benefice for ever. Then the king, and other executors of the pope's command- ment, gave him counsel, that seeing he had so incurred the danger of the pope's sentence, he should offer himself to the pope to be absolved of him ag-ain, and there to make his declaration unto him, that he, justly and canonically, was possessed of that church. The king, moreover, with him sent his letters testimonial unto the pope, witness- ing Avith the said knight, and instantly desiring the pope in his behalf, that he might with iavour be heard ; at the request whereof, Pope Gregory afterwards both released him fi-om the sentence, and restored unto him his patronage, writing unto the archbishop of York, that he might again enjoy the right of his benefice, in as ample a manner as he did, before it was taken fi-om him. The Hubert de Burgh, lord chief justice, being one of those who held
go aijoiit against the Romish priests, as is before signified, was there-for not a Hubert little noted of the bishops ; who, to requite him with the like despite I""' "f , again, after their accustomed manner of practice, went about by
Ine Kings ^ . . ' . •'
favour, subtle Working to shake him out of the king's favour. And first Cometh Peter, bishop of Winchester, to the king, grievously com- plaining of certain about the king; but especially of the aforesaid Hubert, the king's justice : insomuch that he caused him to be objec- removed from his office, notwithstanding he had the kind's seal and tions laid \vriting for the perpetuity of the same, and procured Stephen Segrave Hubert to be pUiccd in his function. And after a fev.- days, the king, more kLig.'^ and more incensed ag-ainst him, called him to give account of all the tieasure for which he was accountable by his exchequer office: Also,
OBJECTIONS AGAINST HUBERT. S97
of all such debts by him due, from the time of ids father till his time : Henry Also of all the lordships of which he had been in possession since the ^"' death of William, earl of Pembroke, chief justice before him: Item, A.I), of the liberties which he did hold at that time in forests, warrens, _2"''^^- shires, and other places, how they were kept, or how they were made away with : Of fines likewise, also of losses committed through his negligence, and of wastes made contrary to the king's profit ; of his liberties, how he did use them : Item, of injuries and damages wrought against the clerks of Rome and other Italians, and the pope's legates ; for the redress whereof he would never adjoin his counsel, according as pertained to his office, being then chief justice of England: Also of scutages, gifts, presents, scapes of prisoners : Item, of mari- tages which King John committed to his keeping at the day of his death, and which were also in his time committed unto him. To Note.that these Hubert answered, that he had King John's own hand to show "'^^"i- for his discharge, who so approved his fidelity, that he never called the king's him to any, but clearly discharged him from all such counts. Where- nolonger unto answered again the bishop of Winchester, saying, " The charter jj"/""'' of Kmg .Tohn hath no force after his death, but that ye mav now ^'h'lst he be called to a reckoning of this king for the same."
Over and besides these, other greater objections were laid to his other charge by the king; as, for sending and writing unto the duke of ^[^'.'"^5^^^ Austria (to the prejudice of the king and of the realm), dissuading toHubert that he should not give his daughter in marriage to the king : Item, for counselling the king not to enter into Normandy with his army, which he had prepared for the recovery of lands there be- longing to his right, whereby great treasure was there consumed in vain : Item, for corrupting the daughter of the king of Scots, whom King John, his father, committed unto his wardship for him to marry: Item, for stealing from him a precious stone, which had a virtue to make him victorious in war, and for sending the same unto Lewellyn, prince of Wales ; and that by his letters sent to the said Lewellvn, William Briwere, a noble man, was caused there traitorously to be hanged. These, with other crimes, wlielher true or false, were suggested to the king against the said Hubert by his adversaries ; whereunto he was required to answer by order of law. Hubert then, seeing himself in such a strait, refused to answer presently, but required respite thereunto, for that the matters were weighty which the king objected to him : which was granted to him till the fourteenth day of September ; but, in the mean time, Hubert, being in fear of the king, fled from London to the priory of Merton. " And thus Hubert, who before, for the love of the king, and the defence of the realm," saith mine author, " had got the hatred of all the nobles of England, now being out of the king's favour, was destitute of comfort on every side ; save only that Lucas, archbishop of Dublin, with instant prayers and tears laboured to the king for him." By this Princes' example, and many like, is to be seen, how unstable and variable a !rot7Jr?.o thing the favour of mortal and mutable princes is : to teach all such lasted as have to do about princes, how to repose and plant their trust, not in man, but in their Lord God, by him to find help in Christ, the true prince of all princes, who never faileth. A like example was Clito, servant of King Alexander; also Joab, of King David;
•iOS I'EOCEEDINGS AGAINST HUBEllT.
jiniry Bclisarius, of Justinian ; IIarpa
'■ — Kin
A.D. lound.
^'•^'^"' When the clay was come that this Hubert should answer, kee})ing ^^.^ among the canons of Merton, he durst not appear. Then was it disi)iea- signified unto him from the king, that he should come up and appear agatnst in the court, there to answer to his charge. ^Vhereunto he answered JiubiTt. Qorain, that he misdoubted the king's anger, and therefore he did fly to the church, as the uttermost refuge for all such as sutfer wrong ; from whence he would not stir, till he heard tlie king"'s wrath to be J'f"'' mitigated towards him. With this the king, moved and sorely
M
mayor of dispfcascd, directed his letters, in all liaste, to the mayor of London,
commanding him, at the sight thereof, to muster and take up all the
citizens that could bear harness in the city, and to bring to him by
force of arms the aforesaid Hubert, either quick or dead, out of
Merton. Whereupon, the mayor immediately causing the great bell
to be ning, assembled together the people of London, and opening
before them the king"'s letters, commanded them to prepare and arm
themselves in all readiness for the executing of the king's will and
message.
uia The citizens, hearing this, were therewith right glad and ready, for
bornfln thcy all had gTcat hatred to Hubert, because of the execution of
mind. Coustautiue, their citizen, before mentioned. Notwithstanding,
Swce of ceitain of the citizens, namely, Andrew Buckerell, John Travers, and
discreet otlicrs, mcn of morc u-rave and saye discretion, Aviselv pondering with
themselves, what inconvenience might rise hereof, Avent in haste to
the bishop of Winchester, lying then in Southwark, and, Avaking him
out of his sleep, desired his counsel in that so sudden and dangerous
distress ; declaring unto him what peril might thereby ensue, as well
to the church of Merton, as also to the city, by the fury of the
inordinate and fierce nudtitude, which would hardly be bridled from
CruL'i robbing and spoiling, neither would spare shedding of blood. Unto
of"vter, Avliom again, the bloody bishop gave this bloody counsel, saith Mat-
winche°s*^ tlicw Paris : " Dangerous it is," quoth he, " both here and there ; but
i'--r- yet see that you obey and execute the precept of the king ; I counsel
you plainly." At this counsel of the bishop, they, being amazed, went
with an evil will about th.e business enjoined ; but the people, inflamed
with hatred, gladly coveted to be revenged, and to shed the blood of
Hubert.
Causes of The causc why Peter, bishop of Winchestei', was so cruelly set
sure'be" ^tJ'iinst the justice, was partly for the damages he had done to the
Hubert ^^"^"^''^^ pricsts, as before is touched ; partly, also, for the old grudge,
and the bccausc the king coming to his lawful age before (through the counsel
winchei- of this Hubert) loosed himself from the government of the said
*"• bishop, who had him then in custody. And thus rose up the grudge
and displeasure of this bishop towards him.
On the morrow, the Londoners, issuing out of the city, to the numl)er of twenty thousand, set forth toward the abbey of JNIcrtcn, where Hubert was lying prostrate before the high altar, commending himself to God.
In the mean season, while the citizens were on their journey, raging agr.inst the poor earl of Kent, it was suggested to the king by
PKOVIDEXTfAL DEHVEKANCE IN TIME Or DANGEK. 399
Radulpli, bishop of Cliiclicstcr, and lord chancellor, that it was ii'i>>ry dano-crous to excite the vulgar and unruly multitude, for fear of
sedition ; lest, peradventure, the rude and heady people, being stirred A. D. up, will not so soon be brought down again, when the king would _i.^-_ have them. Moreover, what shall be said, quoth he, among the sage Frenchmen and other nations, which of great things love to make ';°"",'^1^,, greater, and of evil things to make them worse than they are ? but "^ ti'tT'" thus jestingly and mockingly : " Sec what a kind bird is" the young juxta king of England, who seeketh to devour his old nurse, under whose Hl^"^'^;^ wings he had been brought up and nourished in his youth." And ^tory, thus the king, by this persuasion, changing his counsel, sent in all aiafails liasty -vvise after the army again, willing them to retract their journey, fongTas? and to retire. And thus the Londoners, although mucli against their »^'-"^- wills, returned home, missing their purpose,' Herein is to be observed xiie mar another notable example of God's working providence ; for M'hen the uolk^ng king, saith the history, had sent by two messengers or pursuivants to ^old^s revoke and call back again the army of the Londoners, going with help in gi-eedy minds to shed the blood of the innocent justice: one of need." the messengers, posting with all speed possible with the king's letters, overtook the army ; and coming to the fore-ward Avhere the captains were, by virtue of the king's letters stayed their course and bloody purpose, whereby they could proceed no further. But the other messenger, crafty and malicious, bearing hatred to the said LIubert, and rather wishing him to be slain than to be delivered, lingered by the way on purpose, although commanded to make haste ; and when he came, went only to the middle sort; more like a messenger meet to serve a dead man's errand, than to serve the turn of those Avho be alive. And so in like manner, by the just hand of God it fell upon him ; for this messenger stumbling with his horse, riding a notable but at a soft or foot pace, and rather walking than riding, fell down p? ^q^?'-'' backwards from his horse's back, and there brake his neck and died, just This merciful message of the king was (as is said) sent by the insti- me'nt! ' gation of Radulph, bishop of Chichester, lord chancellor, a virtuous and a faithful man, and one that could skill to have compassion on the miseries of men ; of whom it Avas declared before, that he, being elected archbishop of Canterbury, would not give one halfpenny to their expenses by the way, to get his election confirmed by the pope ; and who afterwards by the said pope was defeated and frus- trated of his election, as relation was made before. Thus, through God's providence, by the means of the king's letters, the army returned, and Hubert's life (contrary to this expectation) was preserved.
After this, the archbishop of Dublin with much labour and great The arch- suit entreated and obtained of the king to grant unto the said duw^"^ Hubert respite, till the thirteenth day of January, to provide himself afrain ma- with his answer to such things as were commenced against him. tiTcLlioa Then Hubert, trusting to enjoy some safety, by the king's permis- sion to him granted, to breathe himself a little, and to walk abroad, took his journey towards St. Edmundsbury, where his wife was; and, passing through the county of Essex, was inned there in a certain town belonging to the bishop of Norwich. Of this when the king was certified, fearing lest he would raise up some commotion
(1) Ex additamentis Matlh. Paris, fol. 81.
for Hu- bert.
400
IUHKUT COMMITTED TO TIIK TOWElt.
1232.
JIubert flicth to :h
Violently out of the church, and cast into the tower of Iiondon.
Henry '\w thc rcaliii, lic scndctli in liasty anger after liim Sir Godfrey '"' Craucombc, knight, witii three liundrcd men ; commanding, under A.D. pain of hanging, that they should apprehend him, and bring liim to thc tower of Ijondon : which commandment to accomplish, tliere lacked no haste. Hubert, having intelligence of their coming (rising out of his l)ed, naked as he was) ran unto the chapel standing near Kf'ry°^ unto the inn, where he holdeth with the one hand the cross, with the other hand the sacrament of the Lord's body. Then Godfrey, with his aioresaid armed soldiers, entering into the chapel, willed him to come out. ^Vhen he would not do this, with violent hands he drew him out of the chapel, and taking the cross and the sacrament out of his hands, fast bound him with fetters and gives under a horse's belly, and brought him, as they were commanded, to the tower. And so, certifying the king what they had done (who then tarried up waking for them), he rejoiced not a little thereat, and went merrily to liis bed.
On the morrow, Roger, bishop of London, having knowledge how, and in what order, he Avas taken violently out of the chapel, cometh unto the king, blaming him boldly, for violating the peace of holy church, and protesting, that, \uiless the party wTre loosed again, and sent to the chapel from whence he was drawn, he would enter sentence of excommunication against all the deed doers.
The king, as he did not deny his transgression herein, so he sendeth him, albeit against his will, out of the tower, unto the said chapel again, and by the same soldiers who brought him out before. This done, he giveth straight charge and commandment, under pain of hanging, to the sheriffs of Hertford and Essex, that thev, in their own persons, with the strength of both shires, should watch and com- pass about the chapel, anil see that the said Hubert might no wavs escape ; wliich commandment of the king was accomplished with all diligence. I^ut Hubert took all this patiently, and continued in the chapel praying both night and day, and commending his cause unto the Lord ; whom he desired so to deliver him from that instant danger, as he always sought the king''s honour by his faithful and trusty service. And, as he continued in his prayer, so the king, continuing in his rage, commanded that no man should entreat for him, or make any mention of him in his presence. Notwithstanding this, Lucas, archbishop of Dublin, his true, and almost only friend, ceased not to pray and weep to the king for liim, desiring the king at least to intimate to him, Avhat he purposed should be done with Hubert. Whereunto the king answering, said, That of these tliree things, one he should choose : Whether he would abjure the realm of England for ever, or be condemned unto perpetual prison, or else, confess himself openly to be a traitor.'* But llubert hereunto said, That he would choose none of these articles, as one wdio knew him- self neither guilty nor worthy of any such confusion : but, to satisfy somewhat the mind of the king, he would be contented to depart the realm for a season ; but to abjure the realm, he would not so do.
In this mean time it befel that K;;nulph, earl of Chester and Lincoln, one of his sorest enemies, died. Hubert all this while remained in the chanel, enclosed and guarded about with thc power,
The king com- pelled to send Hu- bert again to his sanc- tuary.
Kxample it a con- slant friend in time of need.
Three tilings put to Hubert.
BEREl'T OF AM, 11 IS TKEA.SUKKS. 401
as is said, of two shires, and so coiitinued, till at length, by the com- n-„ry mandment of the king, his two servitors, who ministered unto him '^''
within the chapel, were taken from luni. Then Hubert, seeing no A. I). other remedy but there to starve for famine, offered himself of his ^^■^-- own accord to the sheriffs, saying, that he would rather put hmiself ""^crt in the king's mercy, tlian there desperately perish for hunger. And IgainVo so was he taken, and being fast bound in fetters, was brought again, **'^"'"*^''- and clapped, by the king's commandment, in the tower of London.
Not long after this, word was brought unto the king by certain, that the said Hubert had much treasure lying in the house of the new Templars in London. AMiereupon, the king, to try out the trath thereof, sendeth for the prior or master of the house ; who, not dai'ing to deny, confessed that there was indeed treasure brought into the house, but the quantity and number thereof he could not tell. The king, desirous to seize upon the treasure, required and chaa-ged the master with his brethren, with threatening words, to bring forth the treasure to him, saying, that it was taken and stolen out of liis trea- sury. But they answered again, that the treasure was committed ^vith trust and fliith unto their hands, and therefore they neither would, nor ought, to let it go out of their hands, being trusted Avithal, without the assent of him who committed the same imto them. When the king could get no other answer at their hands, neither durst show any fiu'ther violence against them, he sendeth unto Hubert in the tower, requiring of him the aforesaid treasures. To whom he, answering again mildly, yielded both himself, his treasures, and all that ever he had, unto the king's will and plea- sure ; and so, sending word unto the master and bretluen of the temple, willeth them to take all the keys, and deliver the goods, with all that there was, unto the king, who, receiving the same, and taking an inventory of that which was received, caused it to be Bereft of brought to his treasmy, whereof the number both of the plate, ?^easures. of the coin, and of the jewels, was of price unknown. The enemies of Hubert, supposing thereby to take advantage against him to bring him to his end, came with open complaint unto the Mng, crying out against Hubert, that he was a thief, a traitor, and a robber of the king's treasure, and, therefore, by right was worthy to be hanged : and thus cried his accusers daily in the king's ear. " But the hearts God of kings," saith the wise man, " are in the hands of the Lord," to be he;^s Vr^ luled, not after man's will, but as it pleaseth God to direct them, "^"'s^' And so this king, having now his will and fill upon poor Hubert, and somewhat coming more unto himself, answered again in thiswise: "That there was no such need to deal so straitly with him, who from the time The of his youth first served mine uncle, King Richard, then my father, swc?1n" King John, in whose service (as I heard sav) bevond the seas, he „'!'"'! °^
1 • 1-1 111 • '•'it Hubert.
was driven to eat his horsey and who, m my time, hath stood so constantly in defence of the realm against foreign nations ; who kept the castle of Dover against King Louis, and vanquished the French- men upon the seas ; also at Bedford and at Lincoln he hath done such service. And if against me he hath dealt any thins: untruly, ,
!_•! • '11 1 Tin 11 A worthy
which yet is not evidently proved, yet he shall never be put by me word of to so villanous a death. I had rather be counted a king: foolish and ^ '°^'
VOL. II. D n
402 Tin: king hiu.kxts towards iiirnF.RT.
uenry siiiiplc, than bc judged a t}Tant or a seeker of blood, especially of such '"' as have served nic and mine ancestors, in many perils so dangerously,
A. D. weighinn- more the few evils which yet bc not proved, than so many Jj232^ o-ood deserts of iiis evident and manifest service, done both to me and to the whole realm." Tims the king, somewhat relenting to poor Hubert, his old servant, granted unto him all such lands as he had had ffiven him by King John, his ftithcr, and whatsoever else he had by his own ])urchase. The ' Thus Hubert, after long trouble, a little cheered with some piece
mh^i're- of comfort, set La\vrence, his trusty friend that never left him, one leiiteth ^j^jj^ b(>ion"-ed to St. Alban's, to be his steward and overseer of those
Hubert, posscssious granted to him by the king. Shortly upon the same, after the king's mind was seen thus something to relent, the envy also of the nobles, being now partly satisfied, began to turn to mercy; insomuch that four earls, to wit. Earl Richard, the king's brother ; William, earl of Warren ; Richard, earl Marshal ; and William, earl Ferrers, became sureties to the king for him ; upon whose luit'fn the surety he was transferred to the castle of Devizes, where he was castle of under the keeping of four soldiers by them appointed, having the liberty of the castle. But the bishop of Winchester, who always hunted after the life of Hubert, craftily cometh to the king, and desireth the custody of that castle, making no mention of Hubert, to the intent, that by the keeping thereof he might the sooner despatch A.D.1233. him. Hubert having thereof some inkling, breaketh the m.atter to two of his servants ; who, with compassion tendering his misery, watched their time, the keepers being asleep, and conveyed him by night upon their backs, fettered as he was, into the parish church Conveyed of the town, and there remained w4th him. The keepers, when parVh^ they missed their prisoner, were in great perplexity, and, after church, diligent search, finding him at length where he was in the church, Brought with violent force drew him from thence to the castle again ; for thecalue. ^^lucli injury to the church, the bishop of Sarum, understanding the order of the matter, cometh to the castle where the keepers were, and required that Hubert should be brought again into the church from whence he was taken. Which when the keepers refused to do, saying, they would rather he should hang than they, the bishop gave sentence of excommunication against them. This done, he, with the bishop of London, and other bishops, goeth immediately to the king, complaining of the injury done to Hubert, and especially of the con- tumely against holy church ; neither would they leave the king before they had obtained that he should bc brought back again into the church, and so he was. Not long after, the kmg, in great displeasure, sendeth to the sheriff of the shire to keep him well watched in the church, till he either came forth, or there perished with famine. Pciivercd It bcfel, in the mean season, that great dissension arose between the s"n °Ind' ^^'"n '"^"^^ ^hc noblcs of the realm, by reason whereof Hubert was taken carried and Carried away by Richard, earl Marshal, into Wales, and there re- waies mained until the king at length was reconciled with his nobles, and so received, along with the rest, the said Hubert again into his favour.' Of this dissension more shall be showed (Christ willing) hereafter.
;!) Ex Matth. Paris., et ex Floribu8 Historiarum
THE POPK, THE MASTER OF USUKEUS. 403
As tlie beginning of this trouble of Hubert's first sprang out of tJenry vexing the pope''s bai-ns, so likewise Roger, bishop of London,
suspected for the sjune cause, was forced to travel up to Rome, A.D. there to purge himself before the pope ; where, after mucli money ^^'^'^' consumed, and being robbed also by the way, he got nothintf else, ^opr, but lost his labour, and so came home again. There, doing the part of London, a good bishop, after his return from Rome, he attempted to expel and Kon!etj exclude out of his diocese all those Italian usurers, called, as is before {'"'K'^.^ said, Caursmi. 1 hese Caursinites coming with the pope s legates ii^fore the into England, and lending their money to religious houses, colleges, ^^^^' and churches, had their- debtors bound unto them in such sort as Avas of much advantage to them, and much injury to the others, as in the form of their obligations in the story of ^latthew Paris is largely expressed.^ Against these Caursinites the bishop of London being usurers worthily inflamed with zeal of justice, first, with loving admonition, f^„°{^" ■went about to reclaim them for the wealth of their souls, and after- cated and ■wards -with sharp ■svords he began to charge them. But they, by uie'^ disregarding cluistian counsel, and despising the bishop"'s threatenings, London"^ would not leave the sweetness of their occupation ; wherefore the bishop, proceeding to the sentence of excommunication, precisely and strictly charged them to depart his diocese. But they, again, being confident and emboldened upon the pope's defence, not only set at light his excommunication, but also wrought such ■nays ■with the pope that they caused the said bishop of London, being both aged and sickly, to be cited peremptorily to appear beyond the seas, there to answer to such objections as they should infer against him. And thus, the bishop, minding rather to cover than to open the faults of the church, and partly being let with infirmity and age, Avas com- pelled to let the cause fall.
And thus much of the pope's merchants here in England, who ■were not so busy here for their part, but the pope, the great master of these merchant usurers, ■was as busy for his. And although his barns here in England Avere destroyed, and his bank something decayed, yet he thought to Avin it up in another way, for he proclaimed, the sam.c year, a general visitation through all the religious houses, exempt or General not exempt, universally pertaining to his jurisdiction ; Avhere, by the ^f^ cruel dealing of the visitors, many Avere compelled to appeal and to P"pe ^ travel up to Rome, to the great expenditure of their money, and the aii reii- fiUing of the pope's coffers. But as touching this visitation, to make f/ou'ses. short, saith the story, it tended not to any reformation so much as to the defomiation of the universal order : ^ " While all those Avho before, ^J^^^^^^ . through all parts of the world, foUoAved only the rule of Benedict, among now, through nevv- dcAased constitutions, are found in all places so orders"" divided and divers, that of all monasteries, and other churches of religion, scarce may two be found Avhich do agree in one rule and institution of life."
All the Avhile that Hubert, above mentioned, was secluded from the king, Peter, bishop of Winchester, bare all the rule, and above all other alone ■was accepted. This bishop being in such principal
(1) Matth. Paris, fol. 65.
,(2) " Dum omnes, qui in diversis orbis partihus unicam Benedict! secuti fuerant resrulam, per novas constitution es ita inveniantur ubique discordes, quod ex omnibus ccenobiis, vel aliis religio- sorum ecclesiis vix duo habeantux in norma vivendi Concordes." — Ex Parisiensi.
D I) 2
itation the
404
WICKEU COUSSELLOKS ABOUT THE KING.
Henry III.
A.D.
1233.
Old ser- vitors of the king put out ■luil dis- charged.
Tlu- UiuK for Ins iioliles and stick- eth to strangers.
Hicliard, earl mar- shal, ad- inunish eth the king.
risdain- ful an- swer of
the bishop.
favour witli tlic kiiifj, as by whose counsel all thins^s were ailnii- nisteivd, reinovoil the natural servitors wlio were Eni>lislimeii, out of their oiFiees, and plaeeil otlicr straniicrs, namely, of Poictou, and of other countries, in their room. Amonu^ those who were thrust out, was William. under-mar.slial, who suj)])lied the room of Richard, lonl _t,'reat Marslial of En was mii,ditily oflended. Also Walter, treasurer of the king\s house, was not only expelled, but also amerced in a hundred pounds, and put from all his holds and munitions, which he had by the king's patent granted to him.
Moreover, by the counsel of the said bishoj) of Winchester, all the old counsellors, as well bishops, as other earls and barons, and all the nobles, were rejected from the king in such sort, that he would hear and follow no man's counsel, but only the said Peter, bishop of Winchester, and his cousin, Peter de Rivaulx ; whereby it came to pass, that all the greatest holds and nnmitions in the realm were taken from the old keepers, and committed to the custody of the said Peter. Then the bishop of Winchester, to plant and pitch himself more strongly in the king's favour, adjoined to his fellowship Stephen Segrave, succeeding in the place of Hubert, the justice : also Robert ]'*asselew, who liad the keeping of the treasure under the aforesaid Peter Rivaulx. So bv these three all tiie atljiirs of the realm were ordered. Moreover, to make their party more sure, by them was provided, that soldiers and servitors from beyond the sea, as Poicte- vins and Bretons, were sent for, to the number of two thousand, who were placed partly about tlie king, partly were set in castles and holds within the realm, and had the oversight and government of shires and baronies, who then oppressed the nobles of the land, accusing llliem to the king for traitors ; whom the simple king did easily believe, committing to them the custody of his treasures, the sitting in judg- ments, and the doing in all things. When the nobles, thus oppressed, came to complain of their injuries to the king, by the means of the bishop of Winchester, their cause was nothing regarded ; insomuch that the said Winchester, moreover, accused certain bishops also to the king, so tliat he did flee and shun them as open traitors and rebels.
These things standing thus out of order, Richard, the noble ^Marshal of England, with others of the nobles joining Avith him, seeing these oppressions and injuries daily growing, contrary to the laws and wealth of the realm, came to the king, and blamed him for retaining such pcrvei-se council about him of the Poictevins and other foreigners, to the great prejudice of his natural subjects, and of the liberties of the realm ; humbly desiring and beseeching him, that he, with as much speed as might be, would reform and redress such excesses, whereby the whole realm seemed to lie in danger of sub- version. Otherwise, if he refused to see correction thereof, he, with other peers and nobles, would withdraw themselves from his council, so long as he maintained the society of those foreigners and strangers about him.
To this Peter Winchester, answering again, said, that the king right well might call unto him wliat foreigners and strangers him listed, for the defence both of his kuigdom, and of his crown ; and
THE K1X(; WARNED OK HIS 1)AN(;KK. 40."
what number of thcni lie would, as by whom he might be able to ffenri> bridle his proud and rebellious subjects, and so to keep them in awe
and good order. — When the earl and the nobles could get no other A- 1^- answer of him, in great perturbation they departed, promising among ^'^■^'^ themselves, that in this cause, which so touched the state of the whole "f ^^'"'-
cliestcr
realm, they would with constancy join together, to the parting with their lives.
After this, the aforesaid Peter, bishop of Winchester, with his Pctms de accomplices, ceased not by all means to inflame the king's heart to "Xlp of hatred and contempt of his natural people, whom they so vehemently ^Ji'ic'i'^s- perverted, that he, accounting them no other than his enemies, sought, verier of by all diligence, the utter destruction of them, sending daily for byVicked more garrisons of the Poictevins, till in short space they replenished well near the whole land, whose defence the king only trusted unto : neither was any thing disposed in the realm, but through the guiding of this Peter, and of the Poictevins.
The king, thus guarded and strengthened with these foreign aliens and strangers, proclaimed a parliament to be holden at Oxford, where the nobles were warned to be present. They, considering the indignation of the king conceived, would not appear. Again, they were required the first, second, and third time to present themselves. The assembly proceeded, but they came not for whom the king looked. In this assembly or parliament, it was plainly told the king, by a Dominic friar preaching before him, that unless he removed from him the bishop of Winchester, and Peter Rivaulx his kinsman, he should not, neitlier could, long enjoy peace in his kingdom. Tlus although it was bluntly spoken by the friar against the bishop, yet this remedy he had ; the friar had nothing to lose. Yet was there another chaplain of the court, who perceiving the king somewhat mitigated by the former preaching, and after a courtlike dexterity handling his matter, being a pleasant conceited man, thus merrily came to the king, asking a question, " What is the thing most per- Merry nicious and dangerous of all other things to them that travel by the or the''^'" seas ?" " That,'' said the king, " is best known to such as travel l^'/^^^^^ in that kind of traffic." " Nay," saith he, " this is easy to be told." " ""^ *'"' The king demanding what it was, " Forsooth," quoth he, " stones and rocks ;" alluding merrily, but yet truly, to the bishop of Winchester, whose name and surname was Petrus de Rupibus, for ' Petrse' in Latin signifieth stones, and ' Rupes,' rocks. Notwithstanding, the king, either not perceiving the meaning, or not amending the fault, again sendeth to lii^ nobles, to have them come and speak with him at West- minster. But they, fearing some train to be laid for them, refused to appear, sending plain words to the king by solemn message, that Message his grace, without all delay, should seclude from him Peter, bishop of biesTo""" Winchester, and other aliens of Poictou, or, if he would not, they, ""''""=■ with the common assent of the realm, would displace him with his wicked counsellors from his kingdom, and have, within themselves, tractation for choosing a new king.
The king, at the hearing of this message, being mightily moved, war partly to fear, partly to indignation, especially having the late "'hi^n example of King John, his father, before his eyes, was cast into ^sfi^^ great perplexity, doubting what was best to be done. But Winchester, wes.
406 WAR rKTWKF.X THE KING AND THK BARONS.
Heyiry witli lils wickcd counsel, so wrought with the kinij, that jic pro- ^" cecdcd with all severity against them ; insoniueh that, in a short
A.D. time, tlie sparkles of poisoned counsel kindling more and more,
1233. grpw to a sliarj) battle between the king and Richard, earl Marsha],
with other nobles, to the great disquietness of the whole realm.
Great Tliis War was presignified by terrible thundering and lightning,
ami"k)"fs heard all England over in the month of March, with such abundance
in Kng- of j-ain and floods accompanying tlie same, as cast down mills,
overcovcred the fields, threw down houses, and did much harm
through the whole realm.
To prosecute here, at large, the whole discourse of this war between
the king and the earl marshal, which continued near the space of two
years ; to declare all the parts and circumstances thereof ; what
troubles it brought, what damages it wrought unto the whole realm,
what trains were laid, what slaughter of men, what waste of whole
countries ensued fi-om Wales unto Shrewsbury, how the marshal joined
himself with Llewellyn, or Leoline, prince of Wales,how the Poictcvins
were almost all slain and destroyed, how the king was distressed,
what forgery wily Winchester wrought by the king's letters to entrap
the Marshal, and to betray him to the Irishmen, amongst whom he
was at length slain : for all this I refer to other authors, who at large
do treat of the same, as INIatthcw Paris, Florilcgus, and others.*
This is to be noted and observed (which rather pcrtaincth to our
ecclesiastical historv'), to see what sedition and continual disquietness
there was in those days among almost all christian people, being
under the pope's catholic obedience ; but especially, to mark the
comipt doctrine then reigning, it is to be marvelled, or rather
lamented, to sec the king and the people then so blinded in the
principal point and article of their salvation, as we find in stories,
Avhich, making mention of a house or monastery of converts builded
the same year by the king at London, do express in plain words,
•WTiy mo- that he then did it " for the redemption of his soul, of the soul of
were ^ K^'"© •^^^^^■i his father, and for the souls of all his ancestors f^
builded. ■\v]icreby may be understood in what palpable darkness of blind
ignorance the silly souls redeemed by Clirist were then enwrapped,
Avlio did not know, nor yet were taught, the right doctrine and first
principles of their redemption.
MMmpox ^Mention was made a little before of dissolving the election of
Canter- .Tohu, prior of Canterbury, who was chosen by the monks to be
elected arclibishop of the said church of Canterbury, but by the pope was
cbapt'er, flt'fcatcd. Aftcr him one John l^lund was electeci who, travelling up
uneiected to Romc tliis ycar, A.D. 1233, to be confirmed of the pope, was also
i.ope. repealed and uneiected again, for that it was thought in England,
(1) A brief abstract of fift)' years of these melancholy times will serve to recal, to the recollection of the reader, the events to which our author here alludes. The king, at an early ape, came to the throne, a.h. 12l(i. Excess and extravagance pervaded the court. The people were oppressed— the rlerpy suffered the most disgraceful extortion from Pope Gregory IX.— violence and rapine troubled the realm— the baronial aristocracy seconded the ambitious designs of the earl of Leicester, a.d. 12.')8 — they usurped the power of the throne — a civil war, accompanied with its usual horrors, succeeded — the king and his brother Richard were defeated and taken prisoners, at Lewes, on the 14th May, a.d. 126-1 — in the following year the earl of Li'ltester called a parlianieut, distinguished as the one to which deputies fiom the boroughs were first summoned— and on the 4th of August that nobleman fell in the battle of Evesham, tighting ag.iinst I'rince Edward (aftcr- wardn Kd\vHr
(2) " ProredeniptioneanimaEsutcel Re^s Johannis patris sui.et omnium antccessorum suorum.' —Ex Matth. Paris, fol. 86.
FAITHFUL COUNSEL OK THE BISHOPS. 401
and so complained of to the pope, tlitit lie had received of Peter, ifennj bishop of Winchester, a thousand morks, and had another thousand
promised him of the said Winchester, who by his money thout^dit to A.D. make him on his side, and also wrote to the emperor to help forward ~'^'^- his promotion in the court of Rome. Notwithstanding, both he, [;^"'^''' "with his giving, and the other, with his taking of bribes, were both bribes, detected and disappointed of their purpose. For the pope, hating then the emperor, for the same cause, admitted not the election ; pretending as the cause, that he was proved to hold two benefices without his dispensation. After him, by the commandment of the pope, one Edmund, canon of Salisbury, was ordained archbishop, and had his pall sent to him from the pope. This Edmund, for his virtues, was afterwards canonized by the popish monks there for a saint, and called St. Edmund. About this time, also, Robert Grost- head w^as made bishop of Lincoln.
This Edmimd, accompanied w4th other bishops, during this trouble between the king and his nobles, being in council at Westminster, in the year next ensuing (a.d. 1234), came, uttering A.D.1234. their minds boldly, in the name of the lords, and declaring unto the king, as became his faithful servants, that the counsel, which he then followed, was not sound or safe, but cruel and dangerous, both to him, and to the state of the realm ; meaning the counsel of Peter W^in Chester and Peter Rivaulx, with other adherents.
Faithful Counsel of the Bishops given to the King.
1. For that they hate and contemn the Englisli nation, calling them traitors and rebels, and turning the king's heart from the love of his natiu-al subjects, and the hearts of them from him, as appeareth by tlie eai'l marshal and others, sowing discord among them.
2. Item, By the said coimsel, to wit, by the aforesaid bishop and his fellows, King John, the king's father, lost first tlie hearts of his barons, after tliat lost Normandy, and afterwards, other lands also, and in the end wasted all liis treasure, so that since that time the regiment of England had never any quiet after.
3. Item, By the said counsel also, in their time and memory, the kingdom of England had been troubled and suspended, and in conclusion, she that was before the prince of provinces, became tributary ; and so, war ensuing upon the same, tlie said King John, his father, incurred great danger of death, and at last was extinguished, after lacking both peace of his kingdom and of his own heart.
4. Item, By the said counsel the castle of Bedford was kept a long time against e king, to the great loss both of men and treasure, beside the loss of Rochelle, to the shame of the realm of England.
5. Item, Through their wicked counsel, at this present, great perturbation seemed to hang over the whole realm ; for else, if it had not been for their counsel, and if tnie justice and judgment might have been ministered unto the king's subjects, these tumults had never been stirred, and tlie king might have had his land luiwasted, and his treasure iinconsumed.
6. Item, In that faith and allegiance, wherewith they were obliged unto him, they protested "unto him, that his said council was not a council of peace, but of division and disquietness, to the end that Uiey who otherwise, by peace, couJd not aspire, by disturbing and disheriting others, might be exalted.
7. Item, For that ail the castles, forts, munitions, also all the officers of the exchequer, with all other the greatest escheats of the realm, were in their hands, of the which if the king would demand account, he should prove how true they were.
8. Item, For that iieither by the king's seal nor comniambnent, except it
408
THK KlXr, Tinn-.ATF.NI'.I) Willi KXCOMMUNICATIOX.
III.
A.D. 1234.
Excoiii- municii- tion de- nounced by the bishops against tlie king.
His an- swer.
TliP pity of t)ie kinpc to- ward the wife of Hubert.
Edmund conse- crated arch- bishop of Canter- bury, af- terwards canonized by Pope Innocent IV.
Excotn-
ninnica-
tion
riphtly
practised.
bore \vit])al the seal of Peter Rival, almost any business of any weight could be J despatched in the realm, as though they counted tlieir king for no king. \
9. Furthermore, by the aforesaid counsel, the natural subjects and nobles of the realm were banished the court, which it was to be feared would grow to some inconvenience both to the king and to the realm ; forasmuch as the king seemed to be more on tlieir side, than they on his, as by many evident con- jectures may apj)ear.
10. Item, It was not well to be taken and liked, the said council standing of strangers and aliens, that they should have in their power both the king's sister, and many other noblemen's daughters, and other women marriageable, with | the king's wards and marriages, which they bestowed and divided among them- i selves iind men of their alKnity.
11. Item, The said council, regarding neither the laws nor the liberties of the realm, confirmed and corroborated by excommunication, did confoimd and pervert all justice : wherefore it was to be feared, that they woidd nm under excommunication, and the king also, in communicating with them.
12. Item, Because they kept neither promise, nor faith, nor oath with any person, neither did observe any instrument made, never so formal, by law, nor 3'et did fear any excommunication ; wherefore they were to be left for people desperate, as who were departed from all truth and honesty.
" These things," said the bishops, " we, as your faithfid subjects before God and men, do tell and advertise your grace, desiring and beseeching you, that you will remo\e and seclude from you such counsel : and as the custom is of all other kingdoms to do, that you will so govern in like manner your kingdom by your own natural liege people, and such as be sworn unto you of your own realm. For thus," said they, " in verity we denounce imto you, that unless in short time you will see these things reformed, we, accorduig to our duty, will proceed by the censure of the church against you and all others that gainstand the same, tarrying no other thing, but only the consecration of this our reverend archbishop."
These words of tlie bishops thus said and finished, the king re- quired a little time of respite, wherein to advise with himself about the matter, saying, that he could not, on such a sudden, remove fi*om him his council, before he had entered with them account of his treasure committed to them ; and so that assembly brake up.
It followed then, after this communication so broken up, that the king resorted to the parts of Norfolk, where, coming by St. Edmunds- bury, where the Avife of Hubert, the justice, was, he being moved with zeal of pity toward the woman, who very humbly behaved herself to the king, did grant her eight manors,' wliich her husband before with his money had purchased, being then in the custody and possession of Robert Passclew, one of the king's new counsellors above specified. It was not long after this, that Edmund, the archbishop, was invested and consecrated in the church of Cantcrburv ; who, shortly after his consecration, about the month of April, coming with his suffi-agans to the place of council, where the king with his earls and barons were assembled, opened to him the cause and pui-pose of his coming, and of the other prelates, which was, to put him in remembrance of then- fonner talk had with him at Westminster ; denouncing, moreover, to him expressly, that luiless with speed he would take a better way, and fall to a peaceable and godly agreement with the true and faithful nobles of his realm, he immediately, with the other prelates there present, would j^ass the sentence of excom- munication against him, and against all them that would be enemies to the same peace, and maintainers of discord.
The Icing, after he heard the meanirg of the bishops, with humble
(1) " Manor places."— Old editions.— Ed.
RICHARD, EARL MARSHAL, FRAUDULENTLY SLAIN. 409
and gentle languaj^e answered them, promising to condescend to tlicm neyinj
in all things. Wliercupon within few days after, the king, coming L_
to some better remembrance of himself, commanded the aforenamed A. U. bishop of Winchester to leave the com-t, and to return home to his •
bishopric, there to attend unto the spiritual charge and care of his flock committed to him. Moreover, he commanded Peter Rivaulx, the peter bishop's cousin, some stories say his son, who had then the disposing ^g'^^^''^ of all the affairs of the realm, to render unto him his castles, and to acoount give account of all his treasures whereof he had the keeping, and so king's to void the realm ; swearing, moreover, unto him, tliat if he had not "'=a*"res been beneficed, and within orders of the church, he would have caused both his eyes to be plucked out of his head.
Henry likewise expelled the Poictevras out of the court, and from poicte- the custody of his munitions, sending them home into their country, JtJlfngel's and bidding them no more see his face. Thus the king, wisely senthomc; despatching his wicked counsellors, first did send Edmund, the king. archbishop, with the bishops of Chester^ and of Rochester, into Wales to Llewellyn, and to Richard, earl Marshal, and others, to treat with them of peace. Also he received back to his service men of his natural country, to attend about him, offering himself willing to be ruled by the counsel of the archbishop and the bishops, by whose prudence he trusted his realm should be reduced again to a better quietness.
But in the mean time, while these things were doing in England, Richard, the aforesaid Richard, carl INIarshal, by the falsehood of the bishop of sh!,' jf^'',^: Winchester, and Peter Rivaulx, forging the king's letters to the Irish- ^,'^'j^^"|Jy men against him, and partly by the conspiracy of Gilbert de Marisco, Ireland. being circumvented by the Irishmen in war, and there taken and wounded, was by them, through the means of his surgeon, slain.
Great slaughter at the same time there was of them who were catini, called Catini, about the parts of Almain. These Catini were ^jfjjjj esteemed of Pope Gregory and the papists to be heretics, but what Aimain, their opinions were, I find it not expressed in Matthew Paris. the pa-
in like sort the Albigenses before mentioned, accounted also by ^'exlxs^l. the pope's flock to be heretics, with their bishops, and a great number Aibigen- and company of them, were slain by commandment of Pope Gre- i^svai'n. gory IX., at the same time, in a certain plain in Spain.^
How tlie archbishop of Canterbury, with two other bishops, was sent into Wales for entreaty of peace, ye heard before ; at whose return, after the time of Easter, the king going toward Gloucester to meet them by the way, as he was in his journey at Woodstock, there came messengers from Ireland, declaring to the king the death of Richard, earl Marshal, and the order thereof, through the forged letters of Winchester, and others; whereat the king made great lamentation and mourning, to the gi-eat admiration of all them that were by, saying and complaining, that he left not his like in all the realm again.
After this, the king proceeding in his jom-ney, came to Gloucester, The say- where the archbishop, with the other bishops, coming to the king, i"2weii>n declared to him the form and condition of peace, which they had !j^,';'«J"" concluded with Llewellyn, which was this : — If the king would bo
0) See p. 58e, note(l).— Ed. (2) Ex Matth. Puris, fol. 87. [Ed. I'aris. IGH,i'-271J
410 HUBERT UESTORED TO THE UOYAI, FAVOUR.
Henry rcconcilcJ bcforc wiih the other nobles with whom he was eonfetlerate, such as the kint' had banishcil out of his reahii, to the end that the
A-D. concord mis^lit be the more firm between them: thus, said they,
^^•^^- was Llewellyn contented, although with much ado and great difficulty,
to receive the league of peace, saying and protesting tliis unto them,
that he feared more the king's alms than all tlu; puissance both of
him and of all his clergy in England.
Peace This ilone, the king, there remaining with the bishops, directed his
concluded letters to all the exiles and banished lords, and to all his nobles, that
between . i-i ii-- o t
the kintr they should repair to him about the beginning of June, at Gloucester, nobles* promising to tliem his full favour, and reconcilement to them and to their heirs ; and, that they might suspect no fraud therein, they should Huiiert, have their safe conduct by the archbishop and bishops. Whereupon, Kent,' re- througli tlic mediation of the said archbishop and the bishops, first t'lc'^k'^ng-s Cometh to the king Hubert, earl of Kent, otiering himself to the favour, king's good will and favour, whom the king, w'ith chcerl'ul counte- nance, received and embraced, restoring him not only to his favour, but also to his household and counsel, with his livings and possessions, tiiank^ from which he had been disseized before. Then Hubert, lifting uj) to God. his eyes to heaven, gave praise and glory to God, by whose gracious providence he, being so marvellously preserved through so great dis- tresses and tribulations, Avas again so happily reconciled to the king and to his faithful friends. After him, in like sort, came in Gilbert Basset, a nobleman ; Richard Suard ; also Gilbert, the brother of Richard carl Marshal, who was slain ; which Gilbert recovered again his whole inheritance, as well in England as in Ireland, doing his homage to the king, and his service due for the same ; to whom also was granted the office of the high niarshal court, belonging before to his brother Richard. Paishoort In the same council or communication, continuing then at GIou- derc"m-' ccstcr, thc Said Edmund, archbishop of Canterbury, bringing the Ki'n°s"' forged letters, wherein was betrayed the life of Richard, earl Marshal, ™uiy sealed with the king's seal, and sent to the great men of Ireland, read
times
abused by the samo openly, in the presence of the king and all the nobles. At counsel. ^^^^ hearing whereof, thc king, greatly son-owing and weeping, con- fessed there in truth, that being forced by the bishop of "NVinchester and Peter Rivaulx, he commanded his seal to be set to certain letters presented unto him, but thc tenor thereof he said and sware he never heard ; whereunto the archbishop answering, desired the king to searcli well his conscience, and said, that all they who were procurers, or had knowledge of those letters, were guilty of thc death of the earl Mar- shal, no less than if they had mm-dercd him Avith their own hands, nishop of Then the king, calling a council, sent his letters for the bishop of wir,c|us- Winchester, for Peter Rivaulx, Stephen Segrave, and Robert Passelew, "'I'w ^^ -ippcar and yield account for his treasures unto them committed, w'lswer." ^"^1 ffr liis seal by them abused. But thc bishop and Rivaulx, kcepino- themselves in the sanctuary of the minster church of Winchester, neitlier durst nor would appear. Stephen Segrave, who succeeded after Hubert, thc justice, and was of the clergy before, after became a layiiian, and noAv, hiding himself in St. Mary's church, in the abbey of Leicester, was tunied to a clerk again. Robert Passelew covertly hid him:sclf in a certain cellar of the New Temple, so secretly, that
VARIANCE BETWEEN THE I'OPE AND THE CITIZENS. 411
none could tell where he was, but thought he was gone to Rome. At iie„ry length, through the aforesaid Edmund, archbishop of Canterbury, ^"' means was made that a dilatory day was granted by the king, for A. D. them to answer. At which day, first appeared Peter Rivaulx, then J^^ Stephen Segrave, after him Robert Passelew, each of them severally one after another, showed themselves ; but, not able to answer for them- selves, like traitors were reproved, and like villains were sent away.
VARIANCE BETWEEN POPE GREGORY IX. AND THE CITIZENS OF ROME.'
While peace thus between the king and the nobles was reconciled in England, dissension and variance the same time and year began in Rome between the pope and the citizens of Rome. The cause was, for that the citizens claimed by old custom and law, that the bishop of Rome might not excommunicate any citizen of the city, nor sus- pend the said city with any interdiction, ft)r any manner excess.
To this the pope answered again, " Quod minor Deo est, sed quolibet homine major" (to use the very words of mine author); " Ergo, major quolibet cive, nse, etiam rege vel imperatore :" that is, " That he is less than God, but greater than any man : ergo, greater than any citizen, yea also, greater than king or emperor." And for so much as he is their spiritual father, he both ought, and lawfully may, chastise his children when they offend, as being subjected to him in the faith of Christ, and reduce them into the way again, when they stray out of course.
Moreover, thecitizens allege again for themselves, that thepotestates The pope of the city and the senators do receive of the church of Rome yearly p°y"'o''^ tribute, which the bishops of Rome were bound to pay unto them, i^"""^ both by new, and also ancient laws. Of the which yearly tribute tdbuL they have been ever in possession up to the time of this Pope Gregory IX.
Hereunto the pope answered, and said, that although the church of Rome in time of persecution, for her own defence and for the sake of peace, was wont to aid the head rulers of the city with gentle rewards,^ yet ought not that now to be taken for a custom ; for that custom only ought to stand, which consisteth not upon examples, but upon right and reason.
Further, a thing unheard of and never before done, the citizens wanted, at the commandment of the Senator,^ to appropriate their country within new and larger limits, and to subject the same, being so enlarged, to new assessments.
To this the pope again made answer, that certain lordships, and even cities and castles, of his own be contained within the compass of the said limits, as the city of Viterbo and the town of Montalto, which they presume to appropriate within their precinct ; but, to asciibe to themselves and usurp that which pertaineth to others, is against right and justice.
For these and such other controversies rising between the pope and Fiieth the the Romans,, sucli dissension was kindled, that the pope with his uoml , cardinals, leaving the city of Rome, removed to Perugia, as partly before is recited, thinking there to remain and to plant themselves ;
(I) Ex Matth. Paris. f.)l. 01. [Edit. 1G40, p. 408] (2) " Donis gratuitis." Lat.— Ed.
(3) The title of the chief magistrate of Rome : see Ducange in vocem.— Ed.
412 DEGEXKRACy OK TlIK CHUIUII OF HOME.
Jienry but tlic Roiiians, prcvailinif against liira, overthrew divers of liis ^'^' houses in the city, lor the which he did excommunicate them. The
ujaiiist mans.
A.D. Romans then, flyinij to the emperor, desired his aid and succour; ^"■^Q- but he, belike to pleasure the poj)e, gathering an army, went rather Warrcth agaiust tlic Kouians. 'I'licn the pope's army, whose captains were the •''ic'Ko- carl of Toulouse (to purchase the pope's favour) and Peter the afore- said bishop of Winchester (whom the pope for the same end had sent for from England, partly for his treasure, partly for his practice and skill in feats of war), and the emperor's host joined together, and cast down the villages belonging to the citizens in the suburbs bordering about the city of Rome, to the number of eighteen, and destroyed the vineyards. Whereat the Romans, being not a little offended, brast out of the city with more heat than order, to the number of one hundred thousand (as the story reporteth), to destroy Viterbo, the pope's city, with sword and fire. But the multitude, being unordered and out of battle-array, and unprovided for jeopardies Avhich by the way might happen, fell into the hands of their enemies, who were in wait for tliem, and of them de- stroyed a great number; so that altogether' were slain to the number of thirty thousand ; but the most part was of the citizens. And this dissension thus begun was not soon ended, but continued long after.* Church of By thcse, and such other stories, who seeth not how far the church K^'ncrai'e"d 0^ Rouic hatU dcgcncrated from the true image of the right church iromtiic of Christ, which, by the rule and example of the gospel, ou'dit to be
inia^'i-of Tin 1 i- 1 1 o I ' ^
the true a daughter ot peace, not a mother or debate ; not a revenger or ^ ^'^^' herself, nor a seeker of wars, but a forgiver of injuries, humbly and patiently referring all revenge to the Lord ; not a raker for riches, but a winner of souls ; not contending for worldly mastership, but hum- bling themselves as servants ; and not vicars of the Lord, but jointly like brethren serving together, bishops with bishops, ministers with ministers, deacons with deacons, and not as masters, separating them- Differ- sclvcs by Superiority one from another ; and briefly communicating uveenthe together in doctrine and counsel, one particular church with another; church of j-jq^ Qg ^ mother one over another, but rather as a sister church one that was, with auotlicr, seeking together the glory of Christ, and not their own. urciTof And such was the church of Rome first in the old ancient beginning of her primitive state, especially while the cross of persecution yet kept the bishops and ministers under, in humility of heart and fervent calling upon the Lord for help ; so that happy was that Christian then, who with liberty of conscience only might hold his life, how barely soever he lived. And as for the pride and pomp of the world, striving for patrimonies, buying of bishoprics, gaping for benefices, so far was this off from them, that then they had little leisure, and less list, so much as once to think upon them. Neither did the bishops, then, of Rome, fight to be consuls of the city, but sought how to bring the consuls unto Christ, being glad if the consuls would permit them to dwell by them in the city. Neither did they then presume so high, to bring the emperors' necks under their girdles, but were glad to save their necks in any corner from the sword of the emperors. Then lacked they outward peace, but abounded in inward consolation,
(1) " nine indc," hetwcen both parties. — Kd.
(2) Ex M. I'aris. fol. 'J2, [p. 408, wliencc (he text )ias bcci' in several instances corrected. — Ed. J
Koine that is.
nX'PTURE AND SCHISM OF TIIK CHUKCir. 413
God"'s Holy Spirit miglitily working in tlieir hearts. Then was one Ji
in.
catholic unity of truth and doctrine amongst all churches, against errors and sects ; neither did the east and west, nor distance of place, -^- 1^-
divide the church, but both the east church and the west church, the "'
Greeks and the Latins, made all one church. And, albeit there were ^^^l^^^ then five patriarchal sees appointed for order sake, differing in regions, west and peradventure also in some rites one from another ; yet all these consenting together in one unity of catholic doctrine, having one God, one Christ, one faith, one baptism, one spirit, one head, and linked together in one bond of charity, and in one equality of honour ; they made altogether one body, one church, one communion, called one catholic, universal, and apostolic church. And so long as this knot catholic
. , . - ~ 1 church.
of charity and equality did join them in unity together, so long the church of Christ flourished and increased, one being ready to help and harbour another, in time of distress, as Agapetus and Vigilius, flying to Constantinople, were there aided bv the patriarch ; so that, all this while, neither foreign enemy, neither Saracen, nor soldan or sultan, nor caliph, nor Chorasmian, nor Turk, had any power greatly to harm it.
But through the malice of the enemy, this catholic unity did not schism long continue, and all by reason of the bishop of Rome, who, not the^c'relk contented to be like his brethren, began to extend himself, and to ^jJH^he claim superiority above the other four patriarchal sees, and all other church of
• • Romp
churches in the world. And thus, as equality amongst christian Equality, bishops was by pride and singularity oppressed, so unity began, by ™",cord."^ little and little, to be dissolved, and the Lord''s coat, which the soldiers left whole, to be divided. Which coat of christian unity, albeit of long time it hath been now seam-ript before, by the occasion aforesaid, yet notwithstanding, in some sort it held together in some mean agree- ment, in subjection to the see of Rome, till the time of this Pope Gregory IX., a.d. 1230, at which time this rupture and schism of the church brake out into a plain division, utterly dissevering the east church from the west church, upon this occasion.
There was a certain archbishop elected to an archbishopric among The cause the Greeks, who, coming to Rome to be confirmed, could not be sfon why' admitted unless he promised a very great sum of money. Which when ^^ ^J^^^ he refused to do, and detested the execrable simony of the court of utterly Rome, he made his repair home again to his own country, uncon- fronAhe firmed, declaring there to the whole nobility of that land, the case Ro™a"»- how it stood. For the further confirmation of this, there were also others, who, coming lately from Rome, where they had proved the same, or worse, came in and gave testimony to his saying. Where- upon all the churches of the Greeks, at the same time hearing this, departed utterly aAvay from the church of Rome, which was in the days of this Pope Gregory IX., insomuch that the archbishop of Aiioreece Constantinople, coming afterwards to the general council at Lyons, fCoi™"- there openly declared, that whereas before-time he had under him ^h^frchiT above thirty bishoprics and suffragans, now he had not three ; adding, R«"»=- moreover, that all the Greeks, and certain others, with Antioch, and the whole empire of Romania, even to the gates, almost, of Constan- tinople, were gone from the obedience of the church of Rome, Scc.^
(I) Ex Matth. Paris, fol. 112, &c. fol. 180.
4U
SUBSTANCE OF A I.F.TTKR OF THE PATRIARCH
Henry HI.
A. D.
Germ.v nus, pa- triarch of Constan- tinople, writeth to Pope Gre- gory IX.
The pope setteth the west church to fight against the east church.
By the occasion of the aforesaid separation of the Greeks from Pope (xregorv, it happened sliortly after (a.d. 1232), that Gemianus, archbisliop and patriarch of Constantinople, wrote to the said Pope Greii;ory IX., hiunhly desiring him to study and seek some means of unitv, liow the seamless coat of the Lord Jesus thus lamentably rent, not with hands of soldiers, but by discord of prelates, may be healed a^ain ; offering this, moreover, that if he will take the pains to stir out, he, for his part, notwithstanding his old age and feeble body, would not refuse to meet him in the mid way, to the intent that the truth on both sides being debated by the Scriptures, the wrong part may be reduced, the slander stopped, and unity re-formed between them.
This request of the patriarch, as it was both godly and reasonable, so it had been the bishop's part again, with lil;c humility, to have condescended to the same, and to have been glad with all his might to help forward the reformation of christian unity in the church of Christ, and so to have showed himself the son of peace : but the proud bishop of Rome, more like the son of discord and dissension, standing still upon his majesty, refused thus to do ; but wrote again in answer to his letters with great disdain, seeking nothing else but how to advance his see above all other churches ; and not only that, but, also, shortly after, he sent forth his preaching friars, to move all Christians to take the sign of the cross, and to fight against the Greeks, no otherwise than against the Turks and Saracens ; insomuch that, in the Isle of C}i:)rus, many good men and martyrs were slain for the same, as by the letters of the said Germanus, patrituxh of Constan- tinople, is to be seen.'
The patriarch's letter to the pope, and the pope's answer thereto, being long and tedious to read, are omitted here, but are extant in the history of Matthew Paris ;"^ the summary effect whereof, notwith- standing, I thought here briefly to notify, for the simple and unlearned multitude, who, not understanding the Latin, may hereby perceive the favdt of this schism not so much to rest in the Greek church, as in the church of Rome, as by the contents of this letter may appear.
The in- conveni-' ence of discord.
SUBSTANCE OF A LETTER OF GERMANUS, THE PATRIARCH OF CONSTANTINOPLE, TO POPE GREGORY IX., A.D. 1232,
In this letter the said Germanus, patriarch of Constantinople, writing to Pope Gregory, fijst after his reverend salutation and pre- amble following upon the same, entering then upon the matter, showeth the occasion of his writing, which was by five observant friars repairing thither, whom he, gently receiving into his house, had conference with them touching this discord between the two churches, liow it might be reduced again to unity ; and afterwards, perceiving the said friars to make their journey towards Rome, he thought, therefore, by them to write his letters, wherein fij-st lamenting this division in the house of God, and reciting the inconveniences which come there- of, by the example of Judah and Israel, Jcrusdem and Samaria, Cain and Abel, Esau and Jacob, also of other such like, both private and public societies, where brother fighteth against brother, like as among
(I) Ex Matth. Paris, fol. 112. (2) Ibid. fol. 3, et 111.
OF COXSTAXTIXOPLK TO POPE C.RECORY IX. 4K
flslics tlie greater devourcth the lesser; he proceedcth then further Henry gently to exhort Pope Gregory to the study of unity.
And forasmuch as the pope had accursed, belike, those churches A.I). of the Greeks before, he therefore, taking his ground upon the words _li^^ of St. Paul, [Gal. i.] -where he accurseth every such person and persons, whatsoever they be, either man or angel of heaven, that shall preach any other gospel than hath been preached, willeth the pope to stand with him u]Jon the same ground of the apostle's curse ; so that if the stroke of that curse have lighted upon him or his churches, he desireth him to show the wound, and to help to wipe away the blood, to minister some spiritual plaster, to bind up the sore, and to save his brethren from perishing who lay in danger, according to the saying of the wise man, " A brotherly friend is tried in adversity."
" But if we (saith hej, of the Greek church be free from the stripe of this Whether
curse of the apostle, and you Italians, and of the Latin church, be stricken '.|'^,r(.ii
therewith and lie thereby in danger of destniction, I trust that you, through or the
ignorance and wilful obstinacy, will not so suffer yourselves to be separated tifetks
from the Lord, but rather will suffer a thousand deaths before, if it were pope's
possible for a man so often to die." church
And as touchine: this great discord between us, if either contrariety of '"'*'' ™°''® 1 . •
doctrme, or swerving irom the ancient canons, or diversity oi rites received of danfier of
our forefathers, be any cause thereof, we here take heaven and earth to witness, that we for our parts are ready, and desire also, upon due trial of profound tiiith of God's word, and invocation of the Holy Ghost, to join hands with you, or you to join with us. But, to say the very truth, and to tell you plainl}', this we suppose, that many mighty and noble potentates would sooner incline to q^ gi. your obedience, were it not that they feared your imjust oppressions, your afraid of insatiable exactions, and inordinate provisions wherewith you wring your "^'^ pope's subjects, by reason whereof have risen amongst us cruel wars, one fighting su'ns*.^ against another, desolation of cities, bulls and interdictions set upon church- The pa- doors, division of brethren, and churches of the Grecians left without service, '''''■^'^^'' "^ where God should be praised. So that now only one thing lacketh, which I believe tinopie to be predefined and appointed from above long before to us Grecians, the time pjophe- 1 mean of martyrdom, which also now hasteneth fast upon us, that the tribunal tj,^ ^lar- of tyrants should be opened, and the seats of torments be set, that the blood of tyrdom of martyrs should be spilled, and we brought to the stage of martyrdom, to fitrht ".'^ ^''^' tor the crown ot glory.
" This that I do speak, and wherefore I speak it, the noble island of Cyprus The doth already know and feel, which hath made many new martjTs, and hath pope's seen valiant soldiers of Christ, who of long time before, passing through water {^o'j^'i',,'' and tears of soitow, now at last have also passed through fire, and so entered tiie isle of into the heavenly rest. How say you, be these good and seemly, O holy pope ! '-"JPrus- the successor of St. Peter, the apostle ? Is this the bidding of that good Peter, The ty- the meek and humble disciple of Christ ? Doth he thus instruct the seniors and ran"y elders in his epistle, where he writeth in thiswise? " The elders which are rice of tlie among you, I beseech, which am also a fellow-elder with them, and witness of popecims- the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be opened : !|:""'','*^, feed the flock of God which is amongst you, having care and sight over it, of St. not of coaction, as compelled against your wills, but willingly, of your own l^^ter. accord ; not for filthy lucre' sake, but freely and heartily ; neither as bearing dominion and lordship over the church, but showing yourselves as an example to the flock : and when the chief Pastor shall appear, you shall receive an incor- ruptible crown of eternal glory." [1 Pet. v. 1, 4.] And this is the doctrine of Peter, as they shall see who do not obey it. As for us, tlie other part of the said epistle is sufficient: wherein he willeth them to rejoice which are in heaviness through manifold temptations, tliat the trial of their faith being much more precious than gold that perisheth, and is tried in fire, maybe their laud, honour, and glory, at the appearing of the Lord Jesus. [1 Pet. i. / .] But bear with me,
416 AXOTilKK KMSTI.E OK GERMANUS.
Jli-nry I pray you, O holy father, and of all your predecessors most meek, and suffer ^^'- my words though tliey be something sharj), for they be sighings of a sorrowful A.I), licart.'
\o[\o *' Wherefore, gird about your loins with fortitude, and light up the candle of
— "^-^-^^^ your discretion, and seek the groat that is lost, of the unity, I mean, of faith, liorteith "A"^ ^'-' ^^"'1' "''^'' ^^"''^' ^^^^ compassion join with your holiness, and I will not the pope spare this weak body of mine, in pret-nding any excuse either of age or the to come length of the way : for the more laborious the travail is, the more crowns witii'hhu, it bringeth. And St. Paul saith, ' Every man shall receive reward according that they to his travail.' "
coiifer to- " Neither are we ignorant, if it please yoiu- hohness, that like as we Grecians, Ret her for our parts, do labour in all respects to keep and observe the sincerity of true about the fjiitij ^xiA. doctrine, not to err, nor swerve in any part or point from the statutes faith." of the blessed apostles and ancient fathers, so the church, likewise, of old
Rome doth, for her part, labour also, we know well, to follow the sincere verity CJri'ck of christian doctrine, and thinketh herself to eiT in nothing, nor to need any church remedy or reformation. And this we know is tlie judgment and sayings of both amUin- ^'^^ churches, as well of the Greeks as of the Latins. For no man can see any cere in spot in his own face, without he stoop down to the glass, or else be admonished dociriue. i,y gome other, whether his face be blotted or no. Even so have w-e many
great and fair glasses set before us : first, the clear gospel of Christ, the epistles He ex- of the apostles, and divinity books of ancient writers. Let us therefore iiorteth look into them well ; they will show every man's mind and judgment, whether church of he go right or w'l'ong. The God of peace tread down Satan speedily under our Rome to feet. The Author of peace confound the sower of discord. He that is the face i'n '^ caiise of all goodness destroy the hater of all that which is good, and which Goi's giveth cause of offence and slander. And he who is God of all joy and peace, plass ; ggj^j ^is^ ^y]jo are shepherds of his sheep reasonable, the angel of peace, and the try their messenger of great glad tidings, as he did in the Nativity of Christ to the doctrine shepherds of brute slieep and unreasonable ; and make us worthy to sing that word" * j*'}'^^^^ song of God's praise, " Glorj' to God in the highest ; on earth peace ;
good-will to men ;" and to receive one another with an holj"^ kiss. The grace
of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the peace of God the Father, and the communion
of the Holy Spirit, be with you always. Amen."*
SUBSTANCE OF ANOTHER EPISTLE OF GERMANUS, PATRIARCH OF
CONSTANTINOPLE, AND PRIMATE OF THE GREEK CHURCH,
TO THE CARDINALS OF ROME.
Another letter the said Germanus, patriarch of Constantinople, wrote also the same time to the popc^s cardinals, wherein he first commendeth them for their wisdom and comisel, and then, showing what utility cometh by giving good counsel, he saith :
" Forsomuch as God, man)' times, that which he hideth from one, inspireth to another, so that that good thing which by the Almighty God is sunderly dispensed to divers, through common counsel and conference spreadeth to the public utility of many," &c.
After this, eftsoons, he beginneth to exhort them, that they, like charitable ministers and discreet counsellors, should take in hand the spiritual armour of God, to cast down the stop and partition wall of the old discord between the Greek and Latin church, and that they should be a means to the bishop of Rome, that they who so long have been dissevered by dissension, may now be conjoined in unity of peace, in brotherly charity and communion of faith.
" Concerning which matter, I have (saith he) already written to his holiness. And now, I beseech the King of heaven, who took the shape of a servant to help his miserable servants, and was exalted upon the cross to raise them up
(I) Ex libro Matth. Paris manuscripto, ff. 3 et 1 1 1.
TO THE CARDINALS OF ROME. 417
wlio were fallen into the profundity of desolation, that he will vouchsafe to put iienni from your hearts all elation of mind, extolling itself over and above the unity of ^"
your brethren and fellow-servants, and to enlighten your consciences with tlie ^_ ^ true light of understanding, that we may altogether agree in one, and that there 1232.
be no schism amongst us. Let us, therefore, as we are instructed, so abide in 1
one mind, that it be not said of us, as it was of the Corinthians before us, ' I hold of Paul, I of Apollos, I of Cephas, and I of Christ;' [1 Cor. i. 12;] but that all we, as we hold the name of Christ, and are called Christians, so may also abide in that wherein we are instructed, in one mind ; that is, to follow love and charity in Christ Jesus, having always in our hearts the words of the apostle, saying, ' One Lord, one faith, one baptism.'"
" And now to be plain with you in that I have to say, I ghall desire you not to be offended with me in uttering the truth as a friend unto you. ' The words,' saith Solomon, ' of a wise man' telling tmth, be like to nails which be driven in deep:' and truth for the most part breedeth enemies; and, therefore, though I am partly afraid, yet Avill I simply confess the truth unto you. Certes, this The ty- division of christian unity amongst us, proceedeth of no other cause but only of "'"'J^*"*^ the tyranny, oppression, and exacticms of the church of Rome, who of a mother sionoithe is become a stepdame, and hath put her children from her whom long time she ciiiuch of nourished (after the manner of a ravening bird, which driveth her young from the raly her) ; which children, how much the more humble and obedient they are to her, cause of the less she esteemeth them, and treadeth them underfoot, not regarding the ^^'^jjy'j^f. sajang of the gospel, 'Whoso humbleth himself shall be exalted.'" [Luke tweenthe xviii. 14.] Greek
" Let modesty, therefore, somethingtemper you, and let the avarice of the com-t ^^^^he of Rome, although that cannot well out of the flesh which is bred in the bone, Latin, yet surcease a while, and let us together condescend to the ti-ial of the tnith ; which tmth being found out on "both sides, let us constantly embrace the same."
" For why ? we have been altogether sometimes, both Italians and Greciaas, in Th« old one faith, and imder the same canons, having peace with each other, and ^""p'^^"*^ defending one another, and confounding the enemies of the church. At what between time, many flying out of the west parts (while the t3Tanny of the heretics en- the east diu-ed) made then- concourse to us, and were received ; and part fled unto you, ^l^^'^j'g that is, old Rome, as to a sti-ong tower of refuge, and so received they comfort west. in both places, and one brother was thus received into the bosom of another, by mutual love for their defence."
" 'Dien, afterwards, when Rome had been often distressed by the barbarous and heathen nations, the Grecians were ever ready to rescue and deliver them. Did not Agapetus and Vigilius flee unto Constantinople by reason of the dissen- Apapetus sions then at Rome, and being honourably received, were here defended under a^d VMpi- our protection? although the like kindness was never yet showed on your part to Con- to us again in our hke necessities. Notwithstanding, we ought to do good to stantino- them also that be ungrateful; for so doth the sea participate her smooth and f^J^l^^ calm tides even unto the pirates, and so ' God causeth the sun to shine upon the just and unjust.' But, alas for sorrow, what bitter division is this, that hath thus sequestered us asunder ? One of us detracteth another, shunning the company one of anotlier, as the damnation of his soul. What a mortal hatred is this that is come among us ? If you think we are faUen, then do you help to lift us up, and be not to us a stumbling-block to our bodily ruin, but helpers unto the spiritual resm-rection of our souls ; so shall we acknowledge ourselves bound unto you to give you condign thanks accordingly."
" But if the blame and first origin of all this oftence proceedeth from Rome, and the successors of Peter, the apostle ; then read ye the words of St. Paul to the Galatians, saying, ' When Peter came to Antioch I withstood him to the face, Paul re- because he was to be rebuked.' [Gal. ii. 11.] Howbeit this resistance was no i^'^^^^^^h cause of any discord, or breach between them, but the cause rather of further search and profoimder disputations, provoking temporal agreement ; for they were fast joined together in tlie bond of charity in Christ, agreeing^ in faitli and conformity of doctrine, separated by no ambition or avarice, in which points, would God we also were like vmto them ! This to us, in our minds, gendereth a gi-eat offence, that you gaping so greedily after terrene possessions. scrape together all that you can scratch and rake. You heap up gold and VOL. II. E E
418 ^VAR PROCLAIMED AGAIXST THE GREEK CHURCH.
Iffnry silvcr, and yet pretend that you be the disciples of Him who said, ' Gold and
■'■"■ silver I have none,' &-c. [Actsiii.fi.] You make whole kingdoms tributary
. yT to you, and kinps and princes your vassals. You augment your money by usury,
\o'>o ^"^ ''y ^^^^^ cf merchandise. You unteach by your deeds that wliich you
— "'- teach in words."
lie mean- " Moderate yourselves, therefore, witli more temperance, that you may be an fill of the example to us and to all the world. You see how good a thing it is for one of'ifn "-" brother to help another. Only God alone necdeth no help or counsel, but men land, and need to be hol])cn one of another. And were it not that I do reverence tho °'r* h blessed apostle I'eter, the chief of Christ's apostles, the rock of our faith ; I were Would here put you in remembrance how greatly this rock was shaken a:i(l made fri- removed from tlie foundation at the sight of a silly woman ; and Christ of his ti'ic'tee oi secret puqiose permitted the same, who, by the crowing of the cock, brought Rome. him again to remembrance of that which was foretold him, and raised him from Tiie im- j]jj> slmuber of desperation. Then he, being thus waked, wa.shed his face with avarice cf tears, confessing himself, before God and all the world, to be a true pattern the court of repentance, who before bare the keys of the kingdom, saying tlius unto us, 0 ome. faith behold me, and hearken unto me, ti'avelling towards Paradise ; the gates where- shaken, of to open I have received power.' "
" And thus do I write vmto you, not for any instniction, but only to put you in remembrance : for I know how God hath endued you with all wisdom and Peter an knowledge; as Solomon saith, ' Give only occasion to the wise, and he will ofreptnt- Isarn wisdom : teach the just man, and he will be glad to take instruction.' " ance. " This one thing more I will say, and so make an end : There be great and
Christian mighty nations that are of like mind and opinion with us. First, the Ethiopians, countries ^^jj^ inhabit the chief part of the east. After that the Sp-iai^s, and others tions in besides, of greater number than they, and more disposed to virtue, as the Hiberi, the cast Alani, Gothi, Chazari, with innumerable people of Russia, and the kingdom of not'unlicr great victor)-, that of the Bulgarians. All these are obedient unto us as their the bishop mother church, persisting hitherto constantly in the ancient and true orthodo.v of Home, fjjjti, immoveable."
Christ the " The God of all holiness, who for our sakcs became man, and who onlj- is the only head head of his church and congregation, vouchsafe to gather us again together in cliurch ""'*■>' '^"'^ grant that the Grecian church, together with her sister church of old Rome, may glorify the same Christ, the Prince of Peace, by the unity of faith, to the restitution of sound and wholesome doctrine, wherein many yeai's agone tliey have agreed and were united. God grant unto you brotherly charity, and the hand of the most mighty God govern you all. holy cardinals, till that ye jo)-fully arrive in the haven of everlasting tranquillity. The grace of God be with you all. Amen." ^
Tiie pope Shortly after the sending of these letters, pope Gregory prepared
Hr^^aT to send men of war, signed with the cross, to fight against the
Y"'"*' k G^^'^i^i'is ; 'whereupon the archbishop of Antioch, Avith the said Gcr-
church. nianus, solemnly excommunicated the pope, after he first had exconv
bishopTof niunicatcd tliem.^ In the mean time, by the tenor of these letters of
^Ii Con- t^'^ patriarch sent to the pope and to the cardinals, it is evident to all
stantino- mcn who havc eyes in their heads to see : First, how the whole
ccnimu- universal church of Christ, fi-om the east parts to the west, in ancient
po'i^'*"** times, was altogether united in one consent of doctrine, and linked
j-iye together in brotherly charity, one church brotherly to help another, both
be con- with temporal aid and spiritual counsel, as the cn.se rcquii-ed. Neither
sidered. .^^j^g ^^^^^ ^^^ ^^^ mother-cliurcli above other churches, but the whole
universal church was the mother-church, and spouse of the Lord, to
every laithl'ul Ijclievcr; under which universal cliurch, in general, were
comprehended all other particular churches in special, as sister churches
together ; not one greater than another, but all in like equality, as
(1) Ex Matth. Paris, fol. 111. (2; Ibid. ti.l. US.
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH DEFINED. 419
God gave his gifts, so serving one anotlicr, ever holding together the /Wy
unity of faith and sisterly love. And so long was it, and rightly L^
might so be called, the catholic church, having in it true unity, uni- A. D. versality, and free consent. Unity in doctrine, universality in com- — L^_ municating and joining together of voices, consent in spirit and The true judgment. For whatsoever was taught at Rome, touching faith and church? salvation, it was no other than was taught at Antioch, Syria, &c. Zl"l^i
Secondly, how in process of time, through occasion of the tyranny what. and violent oppression of the bishops of Rome, this ring of equality, universa- being broken, all flew in pieces, the east church from the west, the I'^J^;^^-^^^ Greek from the Latin ; and that wliich was one before, now was made ti« ^^^ two ; unity turned to division, universality to singularity, and free hath her
. , -I- • name of ■
consent to dissension. catholic,
Thirdly, here is also to be noted, after this pitiful breach of equa- ^^^'^^^^ lity, how many and what great nations departed from the communion of the church of Rome, and especially about this time above specified of pope Gregory IX., a.d. 1230 ; so that both before and after that time, many councils were holden, and many things concluded in the west church, whereunto the one half of Christendom, lying in the east parts, did never agree ; and contrary, many councils holden by them, which in the Latin church Avere not received ; so that the church now, as she lost the benefit of universal consent, so also she lost the name of ' Catholic.'' Whereupon this question is to be asked, namely, whether, whether when the council of Lateran, under pope Lmocent IIL, ordained the trine of doctrine of transubstantiation and auricular confession, here, in the ^^l^^^; west church, without the free consent of the east church, the same tion.made doctrine is to be counted catholic or not ? the &ee
Foiu-thly, in tlie departing of these chm-ches from the bishop of thf/^^t"^ Rome, here also is to be noted, that the same churches of the Greeks, ^^"^^^^^^j^^^^- notwithstanding they sequestered themselves, and fell out with the uc or no? church of Rome, and that justly, yet they kept their unity still with their God, and retained still the true ' 6jo0oSo^tav,' that is, the true and sincere doctrine of faith ; ready to debate and try the truth of their religion by the Scriptures, as they here, in their own writings, desire to have the truth examined, according as ye have heard. AVherefore the chm-ch of Rome hath done them open wrong, which being offered so gently to try, and to be tried, by the truth of God's word, not only ■would stand to no trial, nor abide conference, but also hath excom- municated those as heretics, who appear here to be more orthodox Christians than themselves.
Fifthly, these things thus standing, then have we to conclude that the The church of Rome flilsely pretendeth itself to be catholic : for if the name ^f r^L of 'catholic' must needs import an universal consent of the whole, how proved
i _ J , not to be
can that be catholic where the consent of so many iamous and true catholic. christian churches hath been lacking; and, furthermore, where the consent that hath been amongst themselves, hath rather been coacted ^^^ pr^ than any true or free consent .'' Which is easy to be proved ; for let of Rome these fires and faggots cease, let kings and princes leave to press their ^''""' subjects with the pope's obedience, let the Scripture and the bishops fr-j^e alone, every one in his own diocese, govern their flock after the are co rule of God's word, and how few be there in this west end of the ^"^ *■ " world, trow you, tlmt would not do the same that these Grecians,
K E 2
tarid pen no con- but
oduetis.
420 THE pope's unreasonable gatherings.
Menry Ethiopians, and Spians, have done before us ? — ^And thus much of ^"' this patriarcirs letters, sent to pope Gregory, conccrniug the Greek A.D. church.
l^^-''- ^Vhcn I consider tlie doings of these Grecians, as I cannot but com- Themise- nicnd their Avis(U)m, and judge their state liappy and blessed, in of the*'* shaking otl from their ncci TfTh'ru-* so, on the other hand, considering with myself the wretched thraldom tendom ^f thcsc our churclics here in the west part of the world, under the pop" * bishop of Rome; I cannot tell whether more to marvel at, or to lament, Excom- their pitiful state, who were brought into such oppression and slavery tlo"n"'"ke under him, that neither could they abide him, nor yet durst cast him J *^°°^r off. So intolerable were his exactions, so terrible was his tyranny, The false his suspcnsious and excommunications so much like a madman's lilToi dagger, drawn at every trifle, that no christian patience could suffer the pope's \^^ jj^jj. natiou abide it. Again, so deeply did he sit in their con- ey, cause sciences, they falsely believing him to have the authority of St. Peter, trT\c-h^ that for conscience"' sake neither king nor Ceesar durst withstand him, much less poor subjects once mute against him. And although his takings and spoilings, namely, in this realm of England, were such, that neither the laity nor spiritualty could bear them, yet was there no remedy ; but bear them tliey must, or else the pope's sentence was upon them, to curse them as black as pitch.
In reading the histories of these times, any good heart would lament and rue to see the miserable captivity of the people ; what they suffered under this thraldom of the bishop of Rome, whereof part hath been showed before ; more, God willing, shall follow here- after, and some part here presently I express.
A BRIEF table OR DECLARATION OF THE POPe's UNREASON- ABLE GATHERINGS, EXACTIONS, AND OPPRESSIONS, IN THE REALM OF ENGLAND, IN THE DAYS OF KING HENRY III.'
And first, to begin with the elections of the bishops, abbots, deans, and priors within this realm : it cannot be told what mass of money grew to the pope's coffers thereby, especially in this king's days ; for- asmuch as in his time scarcely any election happened, either of arch- bishop, bishop, abbot, or any room of dignity, but, when the covent or chapter had chosen one to their mind, the king, who had mamed a stranger, and sought therefore to prefer strangers, would set up another. By reason of this, when the other part was fain to appeal to Rome, and there to plead the case, no small rivers of English money, besides expenses and travel by the way, went flowing to the pope's see. And tliough the election went never so clear, yet the newly elect nuist needs respect the holy father with some gentle reward, and further, by his oath was bound every three years, either in his own person, or by another, to visit ' limina apostolorum.'
So in the house of St. Alban's, when John Hertford was elected abbot, their public election was not enough, but for the confirmation of the same, the monies were &in to send Rcinold, tlie physician,
(1) The substance of the facts here recorded appear to be contained in theHarl. MSS. Brit. Mus. No. 419, Art. 9: " Concerning the wicked and unreasonable demeanour of divers popes, against christian princes, th'- f historical oUiiervations," with a note: " Written probably by Matthew Paiis."— £d.
UNPRINCIPLED PAPAL EXACTIONS. 421
and Nicholas, a monlc, to Rome, with a sufficient bag of money, /^«» through the mediation whereof the election might stand, and the new ^^^'
abbot was sworn every third year, by himself or another, to visit the A. D. dorsels' of the apostles. ^"2.27.
Another such contention happened between the king and the monks of Winchester, about the election of William Rale, whom the monks had chosen, but the king refused, willing to place a stranger, and therefore sent to Rome his messengers, namely, Theobald, a monk of Westminster, and Master Alexander, a lawyer, Avith no small sum of money, to evacuate the election of the aforesaid William Rale ; commanding, moreover, that the gates of Winchester should be shut Eight against him, and that no man should be so hardy, there, as to receive "'arTs"'* him into his house. Whereupon the said William, being excluded, &>"«" after he had laid his curse upon the whole city of Winchester, made wshopric* his repair to Rome, where, for eight thousand marks promised to the cLYt«"to pope, his bishopric (spite of the king's heart) Avas confirmed, and he ^^^ p*^*- received.* a.d. 1243.
After the death of Stephen Langton, archbishop of Canterbury, ye heard before how the monks had elected Walter, a monk of Canter- bury. But the king, to stop that election, sent up his proctors, Alexander Savensby, bp. of Coventry, and Henry Sanford, bp. of Rochester, to the pope, to evacuate that election, and to place Richard chancellor of Lincoln. Which proctors perceiving at first how hard and unwilling the pope and cardinals were thereunto, and considering Tenth how all things might be bought for money, rather than the king should p^^tof au fail of his purpose, they promised on the king's behalf to the pope, i^'^Eng-'^ for maintaining his wars against Frederic, the emperor, a disme, or irefa^^ tenth part of all the moveables in the realm of England and Ireland. ^^^"^ '" At the contemplation of this money, the pope, eftsoons, thinking to ^°^^ pass with the king, began to pick quarrels with the aforesaid Walter, for not answering rightly to his questions about Christ's descending to hell, the making of Christ's body on the altar, the weeping of Rachel for her children, she being dead before ; also about the sen- tence of excommunication, and certain causes of matrimony ; his answers whereunto, when they were not to the pope's mind, he was put back, and the king's man preferred, which cost the whole realm of England and Ireland the tenth part of their moveable goods, by reason whereof, what money was raised to the pope's Gazophylacium,* I leave to the . estimation of the reader.* a.d. 1229. And yet, for Money all this, the said Richard, the costly archbishop of Canterbury, within dL less than two years after, falling out with the king about the castle ^Tn^'ana'' ^nd lordship of Tunbridge, went and complained of him to the pope ; H'^ =^'^''- in the traverse whereof it cost the king a great piece of money, and c!«t?r-''*' yet missed he his purpose. In that journey the said archbishop, ''"^^• returning homeward, by the way, departed, a.d. 1231.
Of the like dissension ye heard before, between the king and the Tiie costly covent of Dm-ham, for not choosing Master Lucas, the king's chap- ofwS. lain, whom the king offered to be their bishop ; about the suit whereof,
(1) " The dorsels of the apostles." "Limina apostoloruni." The arrival of the aI)bot, every third year, to visit, with a full purse, the seats of the apostles, was both agreeable and advaiitageuua to the pope.— Ed.
(2) Ex Matth. Paris, fols. 164, 240. '(3) The ecclesiastical treasury.— Ed. (4) Ex Matth. Paris. M. 71^|
422 EXPENSES OF ECCLESIASTICAL LITIGATION'S.
Hepiy when mucli money was bestowed on botli sides well-fiivonrcdlv, tiie '- — pope, defeating them both, admitted neither Master William nor
A- IX blaster Lucas, but ordained the bishop of Sarum to be their bishop, ii^ A.I,. 1228.' .
Money Between the monks of Coventry and the canons of Lichfield, arose
thTpo'^e'' •'^'^other like quarrel, which of them should have the superior voice in for the choosing; their bishop ; in which suit, after much money bestowed in the thebisho"p court ot" Ronic, the pope, to requalify each party with some retribution uj°anA ^*^'' their money received, took this order inditferently between them, Lichfield, that each party by course should have the choosing of their bishop.
A.D. 1228.' Edmund, What busincss arose likewise between Edmund, archbishop of bishop of Canterbury, and the monks of Rochester, about the election of bury.Ton- Richard AVcndour, to be their bishop ; and what was the end thereof.'' demiRd First, the archbishop was fain to travel himself to the pope, and so
at Rome i-ii i ii i iiii-i
In 3 thou- did the covent also send their proctors, who, probably being better
marks, movcd. Weighed do^vn the cause, so that the good archbishop in
that affair against the monks, and partly in another cause against
the earl of Arundel, was condemned of the pope in a thousand
marks, whereof the greatest part, no doubt, redounded to the pope"'s
coffers. A.D. 1238.='
The fifih After the return of the said Edmund, archbishop of Cantcrbur}',
Boodfof *" froi"^^ Rome, it chanced that the monks of Canterbury had elected
the clergy \\^q\t[ m\ox without his asscut ; for which he did excommunicate the
granted to , ^ , i ■ i • x-^ i p i • i i
the pope, monks, and evacuate their election. JNot long after this, the popes exactors went about to extort from the churchmen the fifth part of their goods to the pope's use, fighting then against the emperor. This cmel exaction being for a great while resisted by the prelates and clergy, at length the aforesaid archbishop, thinking thereby to get the victory against the monks, was contented to yield to the said exaction ; adding, moreover, of his own, for an overplus, eight hundred marks, Avhcreupon the rest of the clergy were fain to follow after, and con- tribute to the pope's exactors, a.d. 1240.* Great ex- In the church of Lincoln (which see, before the Conquest, was at money°m Dorchcstcr, and afterwards by William Rufus translated from thence of^iiome ^^ Lincoln) rose a grievous contention between Robert Grosthead, between then bishop, and the canons of the cathedral church, about their visi- bishopof tation, whether the bishop should visit them, or the dean; which andThe matter being put to arbitrators, could not be composed before the church^^' bishop and the chapter, after then- appeal made imto the pope, had both gone to Rome, Avhere, after they had well wasted their purses, they received at length their answer, but paid full sweetly for it. A.D. 1239.'
At what time the canons of Chichester had elected Robert Pas- selew to be their bishop, at the king's request, the archbishop with certain other bishops, taking part against the king's chaplain, repelled him, and set up Richard Witch. Upon this, what sending and going there was unto Rome, and what money bestowed about the matter, as well on the king's part as on the bishop's, read the story thereof in Matthew Paris.®
(1) Ex Matth. Paris. (2) \h\A. fol. KS. (.1) Ibid. foi. 114.
(4) Ibid. fol. 132. b. (.->) Ibid. fo). II'J. ((i) Ibid. fols. 182, 184, 186.
I'KIIVKUSION' OF JirsTlCK.
423
Rome. The
san-
Robcrt Grostlicad, bisliop of Lincoln (of whom vclution was maile Ji^'x^y
l)cforc), having- a great care liow to bring the privileged orders of '. —
religious houses within his precinct under liis subjection and dis- A- j) cipline, went unto Rome, and there, with great labour and much A't'^ cfiiision of money, as the storj' saith, procured of the pope a mandate, whereby all such religious orders were commanded to be under his power and obedience. Not long after, the monks, who could soon weigh down the bishop with money, uot abiding that, sent their factors to the pope, who, with their golden eloquence so ]:)ersuaded him, and stirred his affections in such sort, that soon they purchased to themselves freedom from their ordinary bishop. Robert Grost- head having intelligence of this, made up to Rome, and there com- plaining to the pope, declared how he was disappointed and confounded in his purpose, contrary to promises and assurance made to him before ; to whom Pope Innocent, looking with a stern countenance, ho-.v made this answer : " Brother," said he, "what is that to thee ? Thou {';;f J,^^^ hast delivered and discharged thine own soul. It hath pleased us to cim taXe
in 1 T 1 • M f 1 T 1 '11 with both
silow favour unto them. Is thine eye evil, ior that i am good .'' iiands. And thus was the bishop sent away with a flea in his ear, murmuring Avith himself, yet not so softly, but that the pope heard him say these words : " O money ! money ! w-hat canst not thou do in the court of ,^1°""^ Rome .''" Wherewith the pope beiiig somewhat pinched, gave this much at answer again : " O ye Englishmen ! Englishmen! of all men most wretched ; for all your seeking is how ye may consume and devour p°^^j.' one another.''''^ a.d. 1250. iiobert
It happened moreover the same year that the said Robert Grost- head, head excommunicated and deprived one Ranulph, a beneficed person in his diocese, being accused of incontinency ; who, after the tenn of forty days, refusing to submit liimself, the bishop wrote to the sheriff of Rutland to apprehend him as one contumacious. The sheriff, be- cause he deferred or refused so to do (bearing favour to the party), and being there-for solemnly excommunicated by the bishop, uttered his complaint to the king. Whereat the king taking great displea- sure with the bishop for excommunicating his sheriff, and not first making his complaint to him, sendeth forth a substantial messenger, Master ^loncta, such as he Avas sure would speed, unto Pope Inno- cent ; by virtue of whose words, the pope, easy to be entreated, sendeth Justice down a proviso to the abbot of Westminster, charging that no 'ly'the'^ ])relate or bishop in the realm of England should molest or enter [',"J,\'^ty^' action against any of the king's bailiffs or officers, in such matters for as to the king's jurisdiction appertained. And thus was the strife "'°"'^^* ended, not without some help and heap of English money ; so that no wund of any controversy here stirred in England, were it never so small, but it blew some profit for the pope's advantage.^ a.d. 1250.
In like manner no little treasure grew to the pope's coffers by the Money election of Boniface, the queen's uncle, a Frenchman, to be arch- !hc"iiope, l)ishop of Canterbury, a.d. 1243, and of Ethelmare, the ouccn's |,'|>gp||^^ brother, to be bishop of AVinclicster, against the wills of the prior and "f »^\o covent there, a.d. 1250, besides many such other escheats, which i-oth" made England poor, and the pope rich. strangers.
(1) Lx JIaUli. Paris. f;)l. 230. (2) Ibid. fol. 231.
424* EVILS CAUSED BY THE rOPE''s DISPENSATIOXS,
//
'- — pcnsations, provisions, exactions, contributions, and extortions in
A. D. Eni,dan(l in this kinL;''s days, for to discourse all, it is not one book
^-■'^^- will hold it.
with"'** Simon Montfort, carl of Leicester, had married Elenor, the kinn^'s
Eienor sistcr, and daughter of King John, who by report of stories had taken
si'9't(^'."a* the mantle and ring; wherefore the king, and his brother Richard,
nuTi,niade ^arl of Exctcr, wcrc greatly offended with the marriage. The earl
tiiepope Simon seeing this, made a hand of money, and posting over to Rome,
money. H^cr hc had talked a few words in Pope Innocent's ear, the marriage
was good enough ; and letters were sent to Otlio, the pope's legate
here, to give sentence solemnly with the carl. Not^vithstanding, the
Dominic friars, and others of the like religious fi-aternity, withstood
that sentence of the pope stoutly, saying, that the pope's holiness
was therein deceived, and souls were in danger; that Christ was
jealous over his wife ; and that it could not be in anywise possible
that a woman who had vowed maniage ■with Christ, could afterwards
maiTy with another, &c. a,d. 1238.^
•WTiatin- As tlicrc was nothing so hard in the wide world, wherewith the
encecom- pope would not dispcusc for money, so, by the said dispensations,
fhe poll's '^''^i^"li mischief was wrought abroad; for, by reason thereof, the people
disi)cnsa- rclyiug upon the pope's dispensation, little regarded what they did,
what they promised, or what they swore. This well appeared in
the case of this King Henry III. ; who, being as gieat an exactor of
the poor commons as ever was any king before him or since, and
thinking thereby to win the people sooner to his devotion, most faitli-
fuUy promised them once or twice, and thereto bound himself with a
solemn oath, both before the clergy and laity, to grant unto them the
old liberties and customs as well of Magna Cliarta, as of Charta de
Foresta, perpetually to be observed ; whereupon, a fifteenth was
granted to the king. But, after the payment Avas sure, the king
trusting, by the pope's dispensation, for a little money, to be dis-
cliargcd of his oath and covenant, went fironi what he had before
promised and sworn.
In like manner, the said king, another time, being in need of money, signed himself with the cross, pretending and swearing deeply in the fiice of the whole pai-liament, that he would himself personally fight Wilful in the Holy Land against the Saraccn.s. But, as soon as the money niain-^^ "was tdvcu, suiall card was had for performance of his oath, it being \hei^,yJs P'^^ ""''^^ ^"^ ^^^^^ ^y certain about him, that he needed not to regard tioM*^^' ^^^^^ P^'J^'^T' forasmuch as the pope, for one or two htindicd pounds,
would (piickly discharge him thcreof.-
Enarmi- Out of the same coiTupt spring of these popish dispensations, have
Spring '*''' proceeded also many other foul absurdities, for there were many
from young men in those days who enjoyed benefices, and yet were not
priests ; and when, by the procurement of Robert Grosthead, bishop
of Lincoln, the said young men should be forced, whether they would
or not, to enter orders, they, laying their purses together, sent to
Rome, and obtained of the pope a dispensation to remain still as they
Avcre ; that is, to have the fi-uits of benefices to find them at school or
university, and yet being themselves neither ministers to take charge,
(1) Ex Matth. Parii. fcL 114. (2) Ibid. fol. 273
INTOLERABLE EXACTIONS OF THE POPE. 425
nor yielding any service for their profits taken.* Besides innumeraLle ni-'x-y
heaps of enormities more, proceeding from tlic pope's dispensations, :
as dispensing one man to have sundry bishoprics, encroach on phi- A.I). raUtics of benefices, making children parsons, legitimatizing bastards, Jilili. with other such things, the particulars -whereof, for brevity'' sake, I do omit till fiirthcr opportunity.
THE INTOLERABLE OPPRESSION OF THE REALM OF ENGLAND
BY THE pope's EXACTIONS AND CONTRIBUTIONS, AND OTHER
SLEIGHTS, USED IN THE TIME OF KING HENRY III.
Although these emoluments, thus rising daily to the pope's purse by simony and bribery, by elections and dispensations, might seem sufficient to satisfy his greedy appetite ; yet so insatiiible was the avarice of that see, that he, not yet contented herewith, over and besides all this, sent almost every year some legate or other into this realm to take for his advantage. Insomuch, that during all this king's time, the realm was never long without some of the pope's leaguers, with all violence exacting and extorting continual provisions, contributions, and sums of money to be levied out of cells, abbeys, priories, fruits of benefices, and bishoprics, and also laymen's purses, to the miserable impoverishing both of the clergy and temporalty, as hereunder followeth.
First, after Pandulph, was sent into this realm Cardinal Otho, The re- procured by the king, without the assent of his nobles, to assist him of otho in certain affairs he had to do. At receiving of this legate, gi-eat J;^4?e'"" * preparation was made ; many rich and precious gifts in scarlet, in '"'« 'i^^ plate, in jewels, in money, and in palfreys, were given him ; whom the king also himself went as hx as the sea-side to receive, bowing down his head in low courtesy to the cardinal's knees ; to whom also the bishop of Winchester for his part gave, towards keeping his house, fifty fat oxen, an hundred semes of wheat, and eight great vessels of pure wine. This legate, at his first coming, beginneth first to bestow such benefices as he found vacant upon those whom he brought with him, without respect to whether they were meet or unmeet.^ a.d. 1237.
After this, the pope, hearing how the nobles and commons of the realm began to stomach the cardinal for his excessive procurations and exactions, sent for him home ; but the king, because he stood in fear of his nobles, and thought to have a stay by the cardinal against all occurrents, entreated him to stay while he wrote to the pope to obtain frirther license for him to tarry ; and so he did, not without some English money, ye may be sure.
In this mean time of vacation, Otho, thinking to lose no time, but otho to gather also some crumbs in Scotland, made as though he would tot'o^ne set things there in order, which were in the church of Scotland, to be |^'^^ ^''°^- reformed ; and so cometh to the Icing of Scots,^ being then in York with King Henry, to have leave to enter. Unto him the king thus The king made answer, that he never saw to his remembrance, any pope's legate answer in his land, neither was there any such need (God be praised) for ^'' ^^^ such to be sent for. Matters there were well enough, and needed no scntinnd help of his. And as he could never learn either in the days of his ucv'eV'°
fl) Ei Matth. Paris, fol. 256. (2) Ibid. fol. 103. (3) Alexander II.— Ed.
42G OITRKSSIONS OI CAUDIXAI. OTIIO.
Henry father, or any liis predecessors, tliat any sucli entrance to any legate
_ Avas gi-anted ; so lie, for liis part, would not now begin. " But yet,
A-I^- notwitlist;inding, fomsniucli as I hear," said he, " that you are a good
^^'^^- man, this I tell you before, that if you will needs adventure in, do it
troubled warily, and take liccd to yourself, lest it happen to you otherwise than
popt-s I would wish ; for they be a savage and unruly people, given much
legate. ^^ niurdcr, and shedding blood, whom I myself am scarcely able to
bridle ; so that if they fall upon you, I shall not be able to help you ;
for how thev also invaded me, and sought to expel mc from my
Icingdom, vc heard of late. Antl therefore I warn you before, take
o"'" liced betime what you think best to do." After the cardinal heard
from* the king speak these words, he plucked in his horns, and durst
scotian"d.° procccd no further, but kept him still by the side of King Henry.
Notwithstanding, shortly after, the same legate coming to the borders
of Scotland, there called the bishops to him, and so, when he had well
filled his bags, came back again. ^
It w^is not long before license came from Pope Gregory to liis
legate Otho, for his longer abode here in the realm (as welcome a3
water in the ship), with new authority also to proceed in the pope"'s
Oppres- affairs ; who, first showing the bishops and the clergy his letters of
the car- longer tarrying, required of them, forasmuch as no man, said he,
dinai. -vvarreth of his own charges, to be supported with new procurations ;
wliich was, to have, of every able church, four marks ; and Avhere one
church was not able to reach thereto, that other churches should join
withal to make up the said money. Notwithstanding, the bishops a
great while stood in the denial thereof.^
A.D.1238, Besides he assembled together all the black monks of St. Benedict's
order, giving to them strict orders, which shortly after, for money, he
released to them again.'
Moreover, by the said Otho, and the pope^s other exactor?, with
special bulls directed doA\Ti for the same, the collaticm of benefices
being taken out of the hands of the patrons, they were given to light
and vile runagates, coming from Italy and other places, such as it
pleased the pope and his legate to bestow them upon ; to the great
prejudice of the ancient liberty and right of the true patrons thereof.
Nobles of Whereupon the earls, and barons, and nobles of the realm, addressed
■ivTite to letters unto Pope Gregory IX. by Sir Robert Twing, knight, for
fof c^oiia- redress of such wrongs and injuries ; who otherwise should be forced,
tkm of they said, to invocate the succour of their king, who both was able,
wrested and was no less willing, according to his duty, they trusted, to reform
their such euormitics, and to defend the liberties of his realm. The tenor
hands, of ti^g letters is to be read in Matthew Paris."*
Peter Not loug after, A. D. 1240, came a new precept from Pope
the pope's Cr^egory, by Peter Rubeus, the pope''s mmcio, to the aforesaid Otho, carrier, ^j^^t j^]} ^Ije beneficed clergy, as well in England as in France, should ficed men' pay to the pope the fifth part of their revenues. Whereupon when i"nd"coni- ^^'^ elergy made their complaint to the king, seeking to be relieved peiied to by him, the kinjr answered them, that he neither would, nor durst
ifive the "^ ' ^ o "
jifthpart stand against the pope in any case; and so without all hope of "' """"^ succour he sent them away.* Then were the archbishops, bishops,
(1) Ex Matth. Paris, fols. 106, 123.b. (2) Ibid. fols. 12.3, 128, 132. (3) Ibid. fols. 116, 119. (4) Ibid. fol. 128. a. (5) I'jiri. fol. 132.
ENGLISH BENEFICES BESTOWED ON UOJIANS. 427
abbots, and prelates of the cliurch commanded to assemble together iienry at Reading, there to hoar tlie pope's pleasure and commandment
concerning the payment of this fifth part, where, in the end, the A.I), matter concluded thus : the prelates desired a further time to be ^-^^Q- given them to advise upon the matter, and for that season the revenues assembly brake up.^ Many excuses and exceptions were alleged by pope. the clergy ; first, that whereas the money was gathered to fight against A.D.1240. the emperor, they ought not to contribute their money contrary to ofThT^* the liberties of the church. Item, that forasmuch as they had paid '^^!^^f\[ a tenth not long before unto the pope, upon condition that no more would not such payments should be required of them, much less now the fifth ^ute to part should be exacted of them, because an action twice done, maketh *^^ p°p®- a custom. Item, that seeing they had oftentimes to repair unto the court of Rome, if they should give this money against the emperor, it would turn to their danger when going through his knd. Item, tliiit seeing their king had many enemies, against whom they must needs relieve the king with their money, they could not so do if the realm were thus impoverished. All these excuses, with divei-s others, notwithstanding, they were compelled at length to conform themselves to the pope's good pleasure, through the example given by Edmund, arcJibishop of Canterbury, who, to obtain his purpose against the monks of Canterbury, with whom he was then at strife, began first to yield to the legates eight hundred marks for his part, whereby the rest also were fain to follow after.^
Furthermore, the same year, the pope agreed with the people of Tbree Rome, that if they would aid him against Frederic the emperor, cM(Jen whatever benefices were to be given in England, the same should be pfa^e°™n at their arbitrement to be bestowed upon their children. Where- benefices upon commandment was sent to the aforesaid Edmund, archbishop, land. and to the bishops of Lincoln and Sarum, that all the collations of benefices within the realm should be suspended, till provision were arc™""' ' made for three hundred children of the citizens of Rome to be first ^f^canter- served. Upon this so miserable request, the said Edmund, arch- ^^^y, . bishop of Canterbury, for sorrow to see the church so oppressed, exile, departed the realm, and so continuing in France, died at Pontigny.^ ^^^t&% This Edmund was afterwards made a saint, and canonized by pope ?^n«n- Innocent IV.
This done, Peter Rubeus, the pope's nuncio, and Ruffinus, went into Scotland, from whence they brought with them three thousand pounds for the pope's use about All-hallow-tide the same year. At Twenty that time, moreover, cometh another harpy from the pope to Romans England, named ^lumelius, bringing with him three and twenty ^"'^,f^: Romans here into the realm to be beneficed. Thus, what by the jj'JJ^'^^;^^^*' king on the one side, and what by the Cardinal Otho, Peter Rubeus, Ruffijnus, and Mumelius, on the other side, poor England was in a wretched case.^
Another pretty practice of the pope to prowl for money, was this : the aforesaid Peter Rubeus, coming into religious houses and into their chapters, caused them to contribute to the pope's holiness, by the example of this bishop and that abbot, pretending tliat he and he, of their own voluntary devotion, had given so much and so much,
(1) Matth. Paris, fol. 122. (2) Ibid. fols. 132, 136. (3) Ibid. fol. 13J.b. (i) Ibid. fol. 137,
428 TllKATMKNT Ot THE ABliOT OF PETERBOROUGH.
Henry and SO scduccd thcni.' Also the pope craftily suborned certain Sriars,
'. authorized with full indulij:cncc, that whosoever had vowed to fight in
A.D. the Holy Lund, and was disposed to be released of his vow, needed
^"^^- not to repair to Kome for absolution, but paying so much money as
The pope ]|is cliurucs would comc to in goin^- thither, he, resortin^: to the said
for money ... ^ i i -i i . i t r^
rcicaseth iruirs, might be assoiled at liome. a.d. 1210.
uans of *No\v all tlicsc troublcs laid together, were enough to vex the
their meekest prince in the world, besides which, by way of access to the
king's molestation, he had much ado with the prelates and clergy of
his realm, who were always tampering with his title, especially in their
assemblies and councils ; to whom the king, to restrain them from
that presumption, did both send and write, as appeareth by the
evidence of record, commencing, " Rex misit Galfridum de Langley," ^
&c. That is, the king sent GcofFry Langley to the archbishop of
York and to other bishops purposed to meet at Oxford, to appeal for
him, lest, in the said council there called, they should presume to
ordain something against his crown and dignity. This was done
A.D. 1241.^* In the same year came a commandment apostolical to
the house of Peterborough, that they, at the pope's contemplation,
must needs grant him some benefice lying in theii- donation, the fruits
whereof were worth at least an hundred pounds, and if it were more
it should be the better welcome ; so that they should be as the
farmers, and he to receive the profits. In fine, the covent excused
themselves by thq abbot being then not at home. The abbot, when
he came home, excused himself by the king being the patron and
founder of the house. The king being grieved with the unreasonable
ravening of these Romanists, utterly forbade any such example to be
ofPetcr- given.'* Rut what happened .'' The abbot, being for this accused to
thrusfout ^^'^ pope by one of the legates, and coming up about four years after,
of the in the time of Pope Innocent, to the council of Lyons, was so rated
?oSrt! and reviled, and so shamefully thrust out of the pope's court, that for
sorrow he fell sick upon the same, and there died.^
The Ob- In the time of this council of Lyons, pope Innocent IV., foras-
ofkVng much as the instrument or obligation, whereby the realm of England
tribute to ^'^^^^ tributary to the pope, was thought to be burned in the pope's
the pope chamber a little before, brought forth either the same, or another
"^"■^ ■ chart like unto it ; whereunto he straitly charged and commanded
every English bishop there present at the council, severally to set liis
hand and seal. This unreasonable petition of the pope, albeit it
went sore against the hearts of the bishops, yet (see in what miserable
subjection the pope had all the bishops under him) none of them
The durst otherwise do, but accomplish the pope's request therein, both
KngiTn
Cnd'f "^ realm. Amongst which bishops, the longest that held out, and last
and seals that put to his Seal, was the bishop of London. This act, when the
pope's king and the nobility understood, they were mightily and worthily
"^ therewithal offended.' a.d. 1245.
After tlrnt time Cardinal Otho was sent for by pope Gregory in all haste to come to the general council ; two others in liis room
(1) Matth. Paris, p. 1,'!4. (o) jurris T.ond.
(3) The pa.>;sage in asterislcs is not found in the lulitions previous to 159B.
(1) Ex Matth. Paris, fol. 1 13. (5) Ibid. fol. 184. (6) Ibid. fol. 192.
CRAFTY POLICY OF THF POPE. 409
liere remained, -whose names were Peter Rubeus and Petnis de Sii- Henry pine. Of whom the former, bearing himself for tlie pope's kinsman, ^^'' brought out his bills and bulls under the pope's authority, to such an A. I). abbot, or to such a prior, or to such and such a bishop, and so Jr-'JL extorted from them a great quantity of gold and silver. The other, a ti.ou- to wit, Petrus de Supino, sailed to Ireland, from whence he brought immUcd with him a thousand and five hundred marks for the pope's use, 'u'^^m A.D. 1241.' All which money notwithstanding, gotten by both the °^l^ll^ collectors, in the carriage of it up to Rome, about the death of pope for u'e Gregory, fell into the hands of Frederic, the emperor ; who caused it ^''^^' to be restored, as nearly as he could, to those from whom it was taken.^
After these came in Master Martin, a new merchant from the ^not'.er new pope Innocent IV. (a. d. 1244) armed with full power to "'^-^sen- suspend all prelates in England from giving benefices, till the fhejope's pope's kinsmen were first preferred; neither would he take the A.D.n^4. fruits of any benefice, unless it were above the value of thirty marks. At his first coming, he required prelates, and especially religious houses, to furnish him with horses and palfreys, such as were convenient for the pope's especial chaplain and legate to sit upon ; also with plate, raiment, provision for his kitchen and cellar, &c. ; and such as refused, or made excuses, he suspended, as the abbot of Malmesbury, and the prior of Merton. All prebends that His ex- were void he sought out and reserved for the pope's behoof; among upm""iie which was the golden prebend of Sarum, belonging to the prEecentor Ei'i'^and of the choir, whom he preferred to the bishopric of Bath, and so seized upon the prebend, being void, against the wills both of the bishop and the chapter.^ Moreover, he brought with him blanks in paper and parchment, signed in the pope's chamber with his stamp and seal ; wherein he might afterward write to whom, and what he .would,* requiring, furthcnnore, of the king, in the pope's behalf, to contriim- help his holiness with a contribution to be taxed amongst his clergy, HX^nnT of at least ten thousand marks ; * and, to the end that the pope m«ks tor might win the king sooner to his devotion, he writeth in the king s xhe^pTpe behalf to the nobles and cominons of the realm, that they should not "ouie'th fail, upon pain of his great curse, to confer such subsidy of money to ^^ll^^\^^ the assistance of the king, as, .he then had demanded of them ; "but tb"*king they stood stiff in not granting it him. . how'lith
While the insatiable avarice of the pope thus made no end in ^™- gathering riches and goods together in England ; the nobles and tiongivcu barons, with the community as well of the clergy as the laity, kinj^ weighing the miserable state of the realm, and particularly of tlie |°j^i{j^J',° church, the clergy of which now neither had liberty left them to portawe'" choose their own ministers, nor yet could enjoy their ovra. livings, sKthe laid their heads together, and so exhibited an earnest intimation to ^^g'™ ''^ the king ; beseeching him to consider the pitiful affliction and oppression of his subjects under the pope's extortion, living in more thraldom than ever did the people of Israel under Pharaoh. Where- upon, the king beginning at last to look up, and to consider the injuries and wrongs received in his realm, through the avarice of the court of Rome, directeth to pope Innocent IV. "the following letter.
(1) Ex Matth. Paris, fol. 247 ,b. (2) Ibid. fol. 151. (3; Ibid. fols. 107, ISO.
(4) Ibid. fol. 178. b. (3} Ibid.
430
KIKG HKNRY RKMOXSTRATES WITH THE TOVT..
"uT' King Henry's Letter to Pope Innocent IV.*
To tlic most lioly father in Christ, and lord Innocent, by the grace of God, chief bislu)]) : Henry, by tlie same grace, king of England, &c., greeting and kissings of his bUssed feet. The more devout and obsequious the son sliowcth liiniself in obeying the fatlier's will, the more favour and supportation doth he deserve to iind again at his fatlier's liands. This therefore I write, for that whereas both we and our realm have ever and in all things been, hitherto, at the devotion and conunandment of your fatherhood ; and that, although in some certain affairs of ours and of our kingdom, we have found your fatherly favour and grace sometimes pro])itious unto us, yet in some things again, as in pro- visions given and granted to your clerks of foreign nations, both we and our kingdom have felt no small detriment; by reason of Mhich provisions, the church of England is so sore charged and burdened, that not only the patrons of churches, to whom the donations thereof do appertain, are defrauded of their right, but also many other good works of charity thereby do decay, for that such benefices as have been mercifully bestowed upon religious houses to their sustentation, are now wasted and consumed, by your provisions.
\\'hcrefore, forasmuch as your sec ajjostolic ought to be favourable to all that be petitioners to the same, so that no person be wronged in that which is his right, Ave thought therefore to be suitors to your fatherhood, most humbly beseeching your holiness, that 3'ou will desist and surcease for a time from such provisions to be exacted. In the mean season, may it please your fatherhood, we beseech you, that our laws and liberties (which you may rightly repute none other but your own) you will receive to your tuition, to be preserved whole and sound, nor to suffer the same, by any sinister suggestion in your court, to be violated and infringed. Neither let your holiness be any whit moved there-for with us, if, in some such cases as these be, we do or shall hereafter resist the tenor of your commandments ; forasmuch as the complaints of those who daily call upon us, do necessarily enforce us thercimto ; who ought, by the charge of this our olKce and kingly dignity committed to us of Almight)* God, to foresee that no man, in that which is his right, be injured, but tndy to minister justice to every one, in that which duly to him appertaineth. — Tliis letter was sent the eight and twentieth year of the king's reign.*
A man Avonld think that this so gentle and obedient letter of tlie Idng to the pope, ■would have wrought some good effect in his apo- stolical breast, to withdraw his provisions, and to have tendered the king's so reasonable and honest request : but, how little all this prevailed to stop his insatiable gi'eediness and intolerable extortions and oppressions, the sequel well declarcth. For, besides that shortly after the pope sent Master ]\Iartin witli bhmks, being bulled for con- tribution of ten thousand marks, in all haste to be paid also, even immediately upon the receiving of this letter — ' it followeth in mine author, that the said pope Innocent IV., after all this great sub- mission of the king, and such manifold benefits and payments yearly out of this realm received, was not ashamed to take of David, prince of North Wales, five hundred marks a year, to set him against the king of England, exempting him from his fealty and obedience due to his own liege lord and king, to whom both he and all other Welshmen had sworn subjection before, as by the seals and obliga- 'itTng tions as well of that David himself, as of other Welsh lords, in this hind"^ behalf doth appear.*
In the meanwhile Master Martin did not let sleep his business, in making up his market for the pope's money of ten thousand marks, but was still calling upon the prelates and clergy, wlio, first excusing
(1) "Sanotissimo in Christo patri, ac Domino Innoccntio, Dei gratia summo pontifici: Henricus eailcm cratia rex AnRlim, &c., salutem et pcdr.ni osrula bfatorum,' &c.
(2) Ex Matth. Paris, fol. 172. (.t) Ibid. {i) Ibid.
The pope setteth Welsh- men against
WEALTH ABSTRACTED BY THE POPE AND FOREION PRIESTS, 431
tliemselves by the absence of the kiiig and tlic archbishop of Canter- iff»ry bury, afterwards being called again by new letters, made their answer ^'''
by the dean of PauTs, their prolocutor : — A. D.
First, That the poverty of the realm would not suffer them to ~'^'^' consent thereto.
Item, Whereas they had given before a contribution to cardinal Excuses Otho, for paying the pope's debts, and knew the said money to be sons'^'''' employed to no such end as it \ras demanded for, more cause they against had now to misdoubt, lest this contribution in his hands, who was tions. a much inferior messenger than the cardinal, would come to the same or a worse effect.
Item, If they should now agree to a new contribution, they feared lest it would grow to a custom, seeing that one action twice done maketh a custom.
Item, Forasmuch as a general council is shortly looked for, where every prelate of the realm must needs bestow both his travel and expenses, and also his presence, to the pope, if the prelates now should be bound to this tax, they would not be able to abide this burden.
Item, Seeing it is alleged, that the mother church of Rome is so far in debt, reason and right it were, that the mother so oppressed should be sustained by all her devout childi-en meeting together in the general council ; as by help of many, more relief might come than by one nation alone.
Lastly, They alleged, that for fear of the emperor and his threat- enings, they durst not consent to the said contribution.
While these things were thus in talk between the pope's priests and the clergy of England, cometh in John Mariscal and other messengers from the king, commanding, in the king's name, that no bishop, that held his baronage of the king, should infief his lay fee to the court of Rome, which they owed only to him.'
Not long after this (a.d. 1245), the whole nobility of the realm. An in by general consent, and not without the king's knowledge also, caused iakf "n" an injunction to be laid on all the ports by the sea-side, that no ^f^j.^""^'^ messenger Avith the pope's letters and bulls from Rome, should be land, to permitted to enter the realm ; whereupon, some were taken at Dover, po^ifo's^*^ and there stayed. Notwithstanding, when complaint thereof was Jfj,"",';' brought to the king by Master Martin, the pope's legate, there was would not no remedy but the king must needs cause these letters to be restored again, and executed to the full effect.^
Then the king, upon advice, caused a view to be taken through sixty every shii-e in England, to what sum the whole revenues of the n,ai"kt"* Romans and Italians amounted, which, by the pope's authority, ^oin'J„„t went out of England : the whole sum whereof was found yearly to of Eng- be threescore thousand marks, to the Avhich sum the revenues of the the pope whole croAvn of England did not extend.' uaUa.r
The nobles, then, understanding the miserable oppression ofciwts. the realm, and being assembled together at Dunstable for certain causes, sent one Fulco, in the name of the whole nobility, unto Master Martin, the pope's merchant, with this message : That he, without delay, upon the same warning, should prepare lumself to be
(I) Mattli. Paris, foi 139. (2) Ibid. fol. 1£3 (8) Ibid. fol. 185. a.
432 A SUPPLICATION' ADDRESSED TO THE POPE,
Jifnty nronc out of tlic realm, under pain of being cut all to pieces. At which
///.
o( Kii
niessaire the leiratc being sore aghast, went straight to the hing, to
'^oii ^^n*'^^' whether his consent was to the same or not. Of whom when
— ^^-^-^ lie found little better comfort, he took his leave of the king, who
batle him adieu in the devil's name, saith Matthew Paris, and thus
was the realm rid of Master JNIartin.* a.d. 1245.
As soon as pope Innocent IV. had hereof intelligence by the coni])laint of his legate, he was in a mighty rage; and furthermore, roniembcring how the French king and the king of Arragon, not Theproud long bcforc, had denied him entrance into their land, and being, thTpope therefore, in displeasure with them likewise, he began in great anger aB;uu»t to kuit liis brows, and said, " It is best that we fall in agreement French witli our priucc, whcrcby we may the sooner bring under these little t^il" kill's^ petty kings (istos rcgulos), and so the great dragon being pacified, these little serpents we shall handle at our own pleasure as Ave list."
Immediately after this followed the general council of Lyons, to which the lords and states of the realm, with the consent of the commonalty, sent two bills ; one containing a general supplication to the pope and the council ; the other, with tlie articles of such grievances as they desired to be recbessed, whereof relation is made sufficiently before. The other bill of the supplication, because it is not before expressed, I thought here to exhibit for two causes : First, that men, now in these days, may see the pitiful blindness of those ignorant days, wherein oiu: English nation here did so blindly humble themselves and stand on courtesy to the pope, Avhom rather they should have shaken off, as the Grecians did. Secondly, that the pride of the pope might the better appear in its true colours, who so dis^ dainfully rejected the humble suit of our lords and nobles, when they had much more cause rather to disdain and stamp him under their feet. The tenor of the supplication was this.
The Copy of the Supplication written in the names of all the Nobles and Commons of England, to Pope Innocent IV. in the General Council at Lyons, a.d. 1245.
To the reverend father in Christ, Pope Innocent, chief bishop ; the nobles, with the whole commonalty of the reahn of England, send commendation, with kissing of his blessed feet.
Om- mother, the chm-ch of Rome, we love with all our hearts, as our duty is, and covet the increase of her honoui- with as much aficction as we may, as to whom we ought always to fly for refuge, whereby the grief lying upon the ^ child, may find comfort at the mother's hand; which succour the mother is bound so much the rather to impart to her child, how much more kind and beneficial she findcth him in relieving her necessity. Neither is it to the said our mother unknown, how beneficial and bountiful a giver the realm of England hath been now of long time for the more amplifying of her exaltation, as anpeai-ed by our yearly subsidy, which we term by the name of Peter-pence. Now the said church, not contented with tliis yearly subsidy, hadi sent divers legates for otlicr contributions, at divers and sundry times, to be taxed and levied out of the same realm : all which contributions and taxes, notwith- Rtitloiis standijig, have been lovingly and liberally granted.
fouadiiig Eurthennore, neither is it imknown to your fatherhood, how our forefathers, ofinonas- jjj^g good cathohcs, both loving and fearing their Maker, for the soul's health Kjitiajid. as well of themselves, as of their progenitors and successors also, have founded
'!) Ex Matth. Paris, fol. 1S5. b.
COMPLAINT OF THE DEALINGS OF THE rGI'E''s LEGATE. 433
monasteries, and largely have endowed the same, both with their own proper iienry lan:ls, and also with patronages of benefices, whereby such religious persons, m professing the first and chiefest perfection of lioly religion in their monasteries, . .. might with more peace and tranquillity occupy themselves devoutly in God's , r,', ^ '
service, as to the order appertained : and also the clerks, presented by them to "
their benefices, might susUiin the other exterior labours for them in that second order of religion, and so discharge and defend them from all hazards : so that the said religious monasteries cannot be defrauded of those their patronages and collations of benefices, but the same must touch us also very near, and work intolerable grief unto our hearts.
And now see, we beseech you, which is lamentable to behold, what injuries Injuries we sustain by you and your predecessors, who, not considering those our sub- received sidies and contributions above remembered, do suffer also your Italians and pope.'' foreigners, who be out of number, to be possessed of our churches and benefices Benefices in England, pertaining to the right and patronage of those monasteries afore- wickedly said : which foreigners, neither defending the said religious persons whom they fj^ay to ought to see to, nor yet having the language, whereby they may instruct the Italians, flock, take no regard of their souls, but utterly leave them of wild wolves to be devoured. Wherefore, it may tnUy be said of them, that they are not good shepherds, whereas they neither know their sheep, nor do the sheep know the voice of their shepherds ; neither do they keep any hospitality, but only take up the rents of those benefices, carrying them out of the realm, wherewith our brethren, our nephews, and our kinsfolks, might be sustained, who could and would dwell upon them, and employ such exercises of mercy and hospitality as their duty required, of whom a great number now for mere necessity are lay- men, and fain to fly out of the realm.
And now, to the intent more fully to certify you of the truth, ye shall under- Three- stand that the said Italians and strangers, receiving of yearly rents out of ^'^''re England not so little as threescore thousand marks a year, besides other avails nwrks" and excises deducted, do reap in the said our kingdom of England more emolu- yearly ments of mere rents than doth the king himself, being both tutor of the church, f j^*^" '° and governor of the land. out of the
Furthermore, whereas at the first creation of your papacy we were in good church ot hope, and yet are, that by means of your fatherly goodness we should enjoy our "^.^° franchises and free collation of our benefices and donatives, to be reduced again received to the fomier state ; now cometh another grievance which we cannot but signify more in unto you, pressing us above measure, which we receive by Master Martin, gf^g^" who, entering late into our land without leave of our king, with greater power rents, than ever was seen before in any legate, although he beareth not the state and ">^" '1''',
• • the kiniT s
show of a legate, yet he hath doubled the doings of a legate, charging us every crown. day with new mandates, and so most extremely hath oppressed us : First, in Detest- bestowing and giving away our benefices, if any were above thirty marks, as able deal- soon as they were vacant, to Italian persons. Secondly, after the decease of the {hf pope's said Italians, unknown to the patrons, he hath intruded other Italians therein, legate in whereby the true patrons have been spoiled and defrauded of their right. England. Thirdly, the said Master Martinus yet also ceaseth not to assign and confer such benefices still to the like persons ; and some he reserveth to the donation of the apostolic see ; and extorteth, moreover, from religious houses, immoderate pensions, excommimicating and interdicting whosoever dare gain-stand him.
Wherefore, forasmuch as the said Master Martin hath so far extended his Com- jurisdiction, to the great perturbation of the whole realm, and no less derogation t'lJe'Dopl^s to our king's privilege, to whom it hath been fiilly granted, by the see apostolic, legate, that no legate should have to do in his land, but such as he by special letters did send for : with most humble devotion we beseech you, that as a good father will always be ready to support his child, so your fatherhood will reach forth your hand of compassion to relieve us, your humble children, from these grievous oppressions.
And, although our lord and king, being a catholic prince, and wholly given to his devotions, and to the sernce of Christ Jesus our Lord, so that he respecteth not the health of his own body, will fear and reverence the see apostolic ; and, as a devout son of the church of Rome, desireth nothing more than to advance the estate and honour of the same : yet, we who travail in his afljiirs, bearing the heat and burden of the day, and whose duty, together with him, is VOL. ir. F F
434 henry's chakge tu tuk irklates of England.
Henry to tender tlie preservation of the public wealth, neither can patiently suffer such
''^ oppressions, so detestable to God and man, and grievances intolerable, neither
A. D. ^y (»od's prace will suffer them, through the means of your godly remedy.
121.'). wbich we well hope juid trust of you speedily to obtain. And thus may it
please your fatherhood, we beseech vou to accept this our supplication, who in
words of ^° doing shall worthily deserve of all the lords and nobles, with the whole com-
the lords monalty of the reidm of England, condign and special thanks accordingly.
•"'*•* A.D. 1215.' pope.
This siiy)plication being sent by the hands of Sir R. Bygot, Knight, and W. dc Powick, Esquire, Henry de la Mare, with other knights and gentlemen, after it was there opened and read, pope Innocent, first keeping silence, deferred to make answer thereunto, making haste to proceed in his detestable excommunication and curse against the good emperor Frederic. Which curse being done, and the Eng- lish ambassadors Availing still for their answer, the pope told them flatly they should not have their request fulfilled. At this the Englishmen, departing in gi-eat anger, swore, with terrible oaths, that they would never more suffer any tribute, or fraits of any benefices (speaking of those whereof the noblemen were patrons) to be paid to that insatiable and greedy court of Rome, worthy to be detested in all worlds.' The pope The popc, hearing these words, albeit making them no answer, with Eng- thought to watch his time, and did. First, incontinently upon the The" same, during the said council, he caused every bishop of England to bishops put, his hand and seal to the obligation made by king John for the land set popc's tribute, as is above specified ; threatening, moreover, and seals to saying, that if he had once brought down the emperor Frederic, tribute'^* he would bridle the insolent jjridc of England well enough.
*M}ut here, on occasion of this council at Lyons, that the reader may see upon what slippery uncertainty and variableness the state of the king did depend ; it is material to interlace the form of a letter, sent by Henry HI. to the prelates of his land, before they were transported over sea to Lyons ; wherein may be gathered, that the king doubted they would be shoving and heaving at his royalty, and, therefore, directed these letters unto them, otherwise to prepare their affections, — the tenor wliercof folio weth.
Charge to the Prelates of England about to assemble in the Council at Lyons, that they should ordain nothing to their King''s preju- dice.
The king to the archbishops, bishops, and to all other prelates of his land of England, appointed to meet at a council at Lyons, greeting : you are, as you know, bound unto us by oath, whereby you ought to keep all the fealty that you can unto us, in all things concerning our royal dignity and crown. Wherefore we command you, upon the fealty and allegiance wherein you are firmly bound unto us, enjoining that you do your uttermost endeavour, as well to get as to kcej), and also to defend the right of us and our kingdom ; and that neither to the prejudice of us, nor of the same kingdom, nor yet against us or our rights, which our predecessors and we, by ancient and approved custom, have used, you presume to procure or attempt any thing in your council at Lyons : nor
(I) Ex Mafth. Paris, fol. 188. (2) Ibid. fol. 193.
(3) This passage in single asterisks is not found in the editions which were published previous to 4. i>. 1S96.
(•1) " Rex archiepiscopis, episcopis, et omnibus aliis prselatis terrae sua Anglia, conventuria ad concilium Lugduncnse, salutcm. Vinculo jxuamenti nobis (ut nostisl adstricti," Sjc.
EXACTION OF BONIFACE, ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY. 435
tliat you give assent to any that shall procure or ordain ought in this case, upon iicnrii
your oath aforesaid, and the loss of your temporalities, which you hold of us. ^'^•
AVherefore, in this behalf, so behave yourselves, that for your good dealing and » r\
virtue of thankfulness, we may ratlier specially commend you, than for the lo'.if:
contrary by you attempted, which God forbid, reprove your imthankfulness, ' ^
and reserve vengeance for you in due time. Witness ourself, &c. the nine and twentieth year of our reign."
In like sort wrote he to the archbishops and bishops, &c. of Ire- land and Gascony.*
After this council ended, about the feast of St. Andrew [Nov. SOtli] The pope pope Innocent came to Clugny, where was then appointed a secret upToVis meeting or colloquy between the pope and Louis, the French king *pj.g„p,, (who was then preparing his voyage to Jerusalem), in which colloquy king the pope sought all means to persuade the French king, in revenge- thekfng ment of his injury, to war 'contra rcgulum,'' as he termed it ; that is, \l^^^^' against the weak and feeble king of England ; either to drive him utterly from his kingdom, or else so damnify him, that he should be constrained, Avhether he would or no, to stoop to the pope''s will and obedience ; w^herein he also would assist him with all the authority he was able. Nevertheless, the French king to this would not agree; first for the consanguinity that was between them, for their two queens Avere sisters; secondly, for the truce that they had taken ; thirdly, for fear of the emperor, lest he should take his part ; fourthly, for that it could not be without the spilling of much christian blood ; and, lastly, because he was preparing his voyage to the Holy Land, where his coming was already looked for. And thus the French king, denying the pope''s bloody request, refused not only to enter upon a war with the king and the realm of England, but also, shortly after, concluded with hmi longer truce, a. d. 1246.'
Straight upon the neck of this followed the exaction of Boniface, First archbishop of Canterbm-y, that he had bought of the pope ; which seven "'^ was, to have the first year's fruits of all benefices and spiritual livings ^a^^ered in England for the space of seven years together, until the sum for the should come to ten thousand marks ; whereat the king at first was bishop ot greatly grieved, but in conclusion, he was fain at last to agree with b^f'" the archbishop, and so the money was gathered.^
Over and besides all other exactions, wherewith the pope miserably Prelates oppressed the church of England, this also is not to be silenced ; \l^l^' how the pope, sending down his letters from the see apostolic, '^^^f^ charged and commanded the prelates to find him, some five, some horse and ten, and some fifteen, able men, well furnished wath horse and foTthe" harness, for one whole year, to fight in the pope''s wars. And, lest \°^f^ the king should have knowledge thereof, it was enjoined them, under pain of excommunication, that they should reveal it to none, but to keep it secret to themselves for half a year.'
The pope still, notwithstanding, partly being belaboured by suitors. The partly of his own mind thinking it good to give someAvhat to the [Jaft^aia king and people of England, as fathers are wont to give something *■ to their babes to play Avithal to keep them still, sent dowm this releasement to the king, that hereafter, whensoever any of the pope's nephews or cardinals were to be beneficed in any church of
(1) Ex Matth. Pari!., foi. 196 (2) Ibid. ioV 59?. (3) Ibid, foi 200.
FF 2
436 Tin-: miskuaui.i: tkoiulks of Christendom.
Henry Eiiglund, citluT lio or till' cnrcliiials should first make the king privy thereto, and instantly cnivo his good will in obtaining the prucura-
A. D. tion, or else the same to stand as of no cfFeet.* llowbeit, all this
^'-^'^- seemed to be done but of l><>liey, to get the king's favour, whereby
he might be suffered more freely to pass with greater exactions, as
Anew afterwards apj)eared. For when the aforesaid pope. Innocent IV.,
law of the ]^ ^jj knowledire, about that time, of ccrUiin rich clerks leavin" CTcat
pout; to O' ^.i« .
seize substance of money, who died intestate, as of one Robert Hailes, t'hc""omis archdeacon of fjincoln, who died, leaving thousands of marks, and wilo'^iife*^ much plate behind hiin, all which, because no will was made, came uitestate. to temporal men's hands ; also of Master Almarike, archdeacon of Bedft)ril, who was found worth a great substance when he died ; and likewise of another, one John Hotosp, archdeacon of Northampton, who died suddenly intestate, leaving beliind him five thousand marks, and thirty standing pieces of plate, with other infinite jewels besides : he sent forth upon the same a statute to be proclaimed in England, that whatsoever ecclesijistical person henceforth should decease in England intestate, that is, without making his will, all his goods should redound to the pope's use.^ Six thou- Furthermore, the pope, not yet satisfied with all this, addresseiii marks to ncw letters to the bishop of Winchester, and to Walter, bishop of thered of Norwicli, for gathering up, amongst the clergy and religious houses *fV'"^ in Englaml, six thousand marks to the behoof of the holy mother land t'br church, witliout any excuse or delay, by ^^rtue of obedience. This e pope. j.j^]j,^(^g being greatly grudged by the clergy, when it came to the king's ear, he eftsoons directeth contrary letters to all the pre- lates, commanding them, on pain of forfeiting their tempomlities to the king, that no such subsidy-money should be gathered or trans- The pope ported out of the realm. But the pope apiin, hearing hereof, in '" '*'''"''^^- great anger writeth to the prelates of England, that this collection of money, upon pain of excommunication and suspension, should be provided, and brought to the new Temple, in London, by the feast of the Assumption next ensuing.
And furthermore, forasmuch as he perceived the king to go about to withstand his proceedings, taking tlieroat great disdain, he was, at the same time, about to interdict the whole land; to whom then one of his cardinals, called Johannes Anglicits, an Englishman born, speaking for the realm of England, desired his fiitherhood for God's sake to mitigate his moody ire, and with the bridle of temperance to assuage the passion of his mind : " which,"" said he, " to tell you plain, is here stirred up too much ■\rithout cause. Your fetherhood,""' •Hie mi- quoth he, "may consider tliat these days be evil. First, the Holy tr eMaom"' (Ippfirted from us. Frederic, the emperor, is against us, the mightiest prince this day in all Christendom. Botli you and we who arc the peers of the church, are banished from the papal see, thrust out of Rome, yea, excluded out of all Italy. Hungary, with all coasts bordering about it, looketh for nothing but utter subver- sion by the Tartarians. Germany is wasted and afflicted with inward wars and tumults. Spain is fierce and cruel against us, even to the
VD Matth. Paris, foi. 202. (2) Ibid. fol. 203.
BKIiAClI BETWEEM THE LATIN AND GKEEK CHUUCHKS. 437
cutting out of the bishops' tongues.' France by us is so inipuvcr- //.«'//
ished, that it is brought to beggary ; whicli also conspireth against us.
Miserable EngLand, being so often plagued by our manifold injuries, A.D. even much like to Balaam's ass beaten and bounced with spurs and ^'"^^- staves, beginneth at length to speak and complain of her intolerable griefs and burdens, being so wearied and damnified, that she may seem past all recovery ; and we, after the manner of Ishmael, hating all men, provoke all men to hate us."
For all these words of Johannes Anglicus, his cardinal, the pope's Power choleric passion could not yet be appeased, but forthwith he scndeth fhe\,'islmp commandment, Avith full authority, to the bishop of Worcester, that "gj^."';, in case the king would not speedily surcease his rebellion against his interdut apostolical proceedings, he would interdict his land ; so that in con- TheUnK elusion the king, for all his stout enterprise, was fliin to relent at last, re'i"nj",o and the pope had his money, a. d. 1246.^ thei'ope.
Ye heard before of the Greek churches, under the empire of Constantinople, how they sequestered themselves from the company of the Romish church, insomuch that Germanus II., the patriarch of Constantinople, and the archbishop of Antioch, did excommunicate the bishop of Rome:^ and after the said Germanus, another bishop of Constantinople * at the council of Lyons protested, that whereas before there were thirty suffragans belonging to that province, now there were not three that held with the church of Rome. This breach, albeit it chiefly brast out in the time of Pope Gregory IX. (a.d. 1230) to open war and bloodshed, yet the same had begun, and so continued, long before, in such sort as in the time of pope Innocent III. if any priest had said mass in their churches, they The ore- would wash the altar afterwards ; as appeareth by the acts of the "^eaio Lateran Council.* Wherefore pope Innocent IV. now (as his other ^'^^^^.^ ])redecessors had done before) bearing an old grudge against those altars, if churches of the Greeks, and neither willing by conference to try with mass hall them, nor able by learning to match with them, thought by force of l^^'^^J'^-^'*^ arms to subdue them, and sent to the provincial of the Grey Friars, tiic"- with other his associates of the same order, in England, his precept authentical, containing in it these articles : —