taine did homage to kyng Iohn for Britaine and other.

At this time fell strife betwen King Ihon and Geoffrey the Archbishop of Yorke for diuers causes: first, because he would not suffer & permit the Sherife of Yorke in such affaires as he had to do for the Kyng within his diocesse. Secondly, because he did also excommunicate þ^e sayd sherife. Thirdly, because he would not saile with hym into Normandy, to make the mariage betwene Lewes the French kynges sonne and his niece. &c.

Marginalia1202.After this, in the yeare of our Lord. 1202. Philippe þ^e French kyng (in a communication betwene Kyng Ihon and hym) required: that the sayd Kyng Ihon should departe wyth all his landes in Normandye and Pictauia which he had beyōd the sea, vnto Arthur his nephue, and þ^t incontinēt, or els he would war against him, & do did. For when Kyng Ihon denied that request, the next day followyng, the Frēch kyng with the sayd Arthur, set vppon certaine of his townes and castels in Normandy, & put him to much disquietnes. But he (the Lord so prouidyng, whiche is the geuer, of all victory) had such repulse at the Englishmēs handes: MarginaliaNat. pariti in vita Ioannis Regis.
Arthur.that they pursuyng þ^e Frēchmen in their flight, did so follow them to their holde, and so enforced vpon them: that not onely they toke the said Authur prisoner with many other of the Frenchmē: but also gaue such an ouerthrow to the rest, that none was there left to beare tydinges home. This Arthur was nephew to Kyng Iohn, and sonne to Geffrey, whiche was the elder sonne to Ihon. For Kyng Henry the second (to make þ^e matter more euident,) had viij. childrē: one William which died in his childhod: the second Henry, which dyed also hys father being yet alyue: the third Geoffrey Earle of Brytaine, whiche likewise deceassed in hys fathers dayes, leauing behind him two children, Arthur & Brecca. The forth, Richard Cor de Lion King: the fifth, Ihon now reignyng: and three other daughters besides. The same Arthur being thus takē in war, was brought before the Kyng at the castell of Falesie in Normandy: who beyng exhorted w^t many gentle words to leaue the French kyng & to incline to his vncle, answered agayne stoutly and with great indignation: requiryng the kingdome of Englād with all the other dominiōs thereto belonging to be restored to hym as to the lawfull heyre of the crowne. By reason wherof he (prouoking the Kings displeasure against him) was sēt to the tower of Roane: where at length (whether by leaping into the ditch thinking to make his escape, or whether by some other priuy hand, or by what chaūce els: it is not yet agreed vpon in stories) he finished his lyfe. By occasion wherof, the foresayd Kyng Ihon was had after in great suspition: whether iustly or vniustly, the Lord knoweth.

Marginalia1203.
Normandy lost and gotten by the Frenchmē.The yeare folowyng, Historiographers write þ^t Kyng Ihon for lacke of reschue, loste all hys holdes and possessiōs in Normandy, through þ^e force of the Frēchking.

After these losses, came other troubles vpon him: with other as great or more greater enemies (that is with the pope & his popelings) by occasion of chusing of the archbishop of Cāterbury, as in hystory followeth by Christe his grace, to be declared.

Marginalia1205.The yeare of our Lord 1205. about the moneth of Iuly, Hubert the archbishop of Cāterbury decessed, whose decesse after it was in Caunterburye to the monkes knowen: and afore his body was yet committed to the earth: MarginaliaStriuing for the election of Canterb.the yonger sort of the monkes there gathered thē selues together at midnyght) and elected their superiour Reignold, and without the Kinges licence or yet knowledge priuely placed him in the metropolicall seat, synging Te deum at midnight. And because the King should not make their election of none effect, they charged hym by vertue of his othe to kepe all secrete by the waye, and to shewe nothyng what was done before he came to the pope: but he contrary to his othe, so soone as he came in Flaunders opened all abroad the matter, & vttered theircounsel:; wherupon the monkes being not a litle agreued with him, sent hym priuely to the court of Rome out of hād. The next day, they sent to the King: desiring of him, his gracious licence canonically to chose their Archbyshop. The Kyng most gently and fauorably graunted their petition: requiring them instauntly and desiring, þ^t for his sake they would shew fauour to Ihon Gray then bishop of Norwich, as they did in dede: erecting him into that seat of their hyghe primacy. Moreouer, because þ^e autoritie of Kynges and princes was then but small in their owne dominion without the popes consent, and cōfirmation to the same: he sent also to Rome of his owne charges, to haue the foresayd electiō ratified by the pope. The suffraganes of Canterbury then (beyng not a litle offended at these two elections) sent spedely to Rome to haue thē both stopped: for that they, had not ben of counsel with them. And hereupon at the last, grew a most prodigious tumulte.

Marginalia1206.The next yere after, the suffraganes of the prouince of Caunterbury on the one side, and the Monkes of Cāterbury on the other syde: came afore the Pope w^ttheyr brawlyng matter. MarginaliaPrelates of the churche had thē mony enough belike that they could keepe playe at Rome against their prince, whāche thynge caused the princes after to seeke such means to cut them short.Firste the Monkes presenting Reignold their superiour, desired that their election might be confirmed. The suffraganes likewyse complayned that the Monkes would presume to chuse the Archbishop w^tout their consent, and therfore desired by diuers reasons the first election to be of none effect. The pope decising þ^e matter betwene both, pronounced with þ^e monkes, charging the suffraganes and byshops, to meddle no more w^t that election, but to let the monkes alone. Marginalia1207.
Dissention among the Monkes of Cant. about the election of tharchb.The monkes of Canterbury now hauing the whole electiō in their own handes, fel also at square among thēselues, the younger sorte wyth the elder. The yonger sort whiche had chosen Reignold their superiour, would that election to stande. The elder sort of the monkes replied agayn, saying: that the first election was done by stelth and by night and by the yonger part, also w^tout the counsel of other monkes: ouer and besydes it was done wythout the kynges lycence or appointment, and without the due solemnitye therunto belongyng.

And as concerning our election (say they) it was done in the cleare lyght of the day, by which it had autoritie in presence of our liege lord the kyng and hys counsel beyng to the same.

This allegation thus proponed: the suffraganes proctour or man of law stoode forth, and proued the former election to be good, and this latter to be voyde and of no value, after this sort. Whether the first election (sayth he) were iust or vniust, ye ought first by the law to haue condemned it, afore ye should haue presumed to the second: but thus ye dyd not. Therfore is this your latter doyng no election at all: and the first therfore is rather to be ratified than yours. When they had thus multiplied talke on both sydes, with many friuolous allegations a long tyme, and could not agree vpon one person: Pope Innocent condemned both their elections, commaunding thē to chose Steuen Langton, then Cardinal of S. Chrisogone for their archbishop. The monkes then aunswered, that they durst not so do, wythout consent of theyr king, and for that it was preiudiciall to their auncient liberties. The pope by and by (sayth the texte) as one in a furye, takynge the woordes out of their mouthes, sayde thus vnto them. We wyll you to knowe, that we haue full power and autoritie ouer the church of Caunterbury: neyther are we wont to tarye the consent of princes: therfore we commaund you in payne of our great curse that ye chose him onely whom we haue appointed.

MarginaliaThe pride and tiranye of the popeThe monkes at these wordes abashed and terrefied, though they muche murmured in their hartes, yet consented they all in one, and therupon sange Te Deum. Onely Doctour Helias Brantfield withdrewe himselfe