from that election, whome the kyng had sente for the admission of the bishop of Norwyche.

MarginaliaStephan Langton made Arch.bishop of Canterbury.Thus was Stephan Langton (in the high church of Viterby, by the popes hand) made archbishop of Canterbury. From thēce forth therfore (sayth Mathew Paris) the pope could do no lesse but mightely defend him from all vexation and daunger: considering that he was hys owne deare dearling, and a child of his owne creation.

Vpon this occasion, kyng Iohn conceyued an exceedyng displeasure against the cleargye, and monkes of Canterburye (as he had good cause) they doing so many euils against his princely prerogatiue. Without hys lycence thei elected their archbishop, and put by the bishop of Norwiche whome he had appointed. They wasted a great part of his treasure for the warres: and to bryng al to the Deuil, they made Stephan Langton their high metroplitane, whome he tooke for a greuous enemy vnto the whole realme, beyng always so familiar with the French kyng. Wherfore in hys anger he banished them out of the land, to the number of 64. for this their contumacie and contempt of his regall power.

The Monkes of Caunterbury thus beyng expulsed, the kyng forthwyth sendeth messengers to the pope w^t hys letters, wherin he doth sharplye and expressely expostulate wyth the pope: MarginaliaThe kyng doth expostulat with the pope for cōsecrating Stephan Langton archb. of Cant.First, for that so vncurteouslye he repulsed the election of the bishop of Norwiche, and set vp one Stephan Langton, a man vnknown to hym, and brought vp amongst his enemies a long tyme in þ^e kyngdome of Fraunce, consecrating him archbishop of Canterbury, and lettyng the other go. Also (which is more) it redoundeth to the subuersion and derogatiō of the liberties appertainyng to hys crowne: for notwithstandyng hys consent past (beyng before of the monkes not made priuy which should so haue done) yet he rashly presumed to promote and preferre an other. Wherfore, he can not meruayle (he sayth) enough, that neyther the sayd pope, nor the court of Rome doth consider and reuolue wyth themselues how necessary hys loue & fauour hath been alwayes hetherto to the see of Rome: and that they consider not what great profite and reuenues, hath proceeded hetherto to them out of the realme of England: the lyke wherof hath not ben receyued out of any other coūtrey besydes, on this side the Alpes. He addeth moreouer and sayth, that for his liberties he will stand (if neede be) vnto death: neither cā he be so remoued & shaken of from the election of the bishop of Norwiche, which he seeth to be so commodious to hym and profitable. Finallye, he thus concludeth saying: that in case in this hys request he be not heard, he wyll so prouide by the seas, that there shalbe no such gaddyng and coursing ouer any more to Rome, suffryng the ryches of the lād no more to be trāsported ouer, wherby he should be hymselfe the lesse able to resist hys enemies. And seyng he hath of hys owne at home, archbishops, bishops, & other prelates of þ^e church (both of English mē & of other) sufficiētly prouided & instructed in al kind of knowledg: therfore he shal not need greatly to seek for iudgemēt & iustice farther abroade.

When these came to the popes intelligence, he directeth letters to the kyng agayne in this forme.

MarginaliaThe popes letters answering K. Iohn.INnocentius P. seruaunt of the seruaunts of God, to our welbeloued sonne in Christ, the kyng of England health, and Apostolical blessing. Wher as we haue written to you heretofore, exhorting & intreatyng you after an humble, diligent, & gentle sort (concernyng þ^e church of Caunterbury) you haue written to vs agayne after a threatnyng sort and vpbraydyng maner: both spitefully and also forwardlye. And where, as we more and aboue that our right and duety required, haue borne and geuē to you: you agayne for your parte haue geuen to vs not so much as by right and duety you are bound to do. And though your deuotion as you saye, hath bene to vs verye necessary, yet consider againe that oures also is not a li-MarginaliaIt is pity but this pope shuld be honored of kings & princes.tle oportune and expedient for you. And where as we, in such lyke cases haue not shewed at any tyme the like honor to any prince as we haue vnto you: you againe haue so much derogated our honour, as no prince els hath presumed to do besides you alone: pretendyng certayne friuolous causes and occasions I cannot tell what, why you would not condescend to the election of Steuē Lāgtō cardinal of Chrisogono chosē by the Monks of Canterbury: for that the sayd Steuen as you saye, hath ben conuersant and brought vp amongst your enemies, and hys person to you vnknowen. But you know what is þ^e prouerbe of Salomon: the net is cast, but in vaine in the syght of the fleying birds, &c. MarginaliaA pitiful case that a king cā not cōstitute an archb. within hys own realm, who him most liketh.With much other matter in þ^e same epistle, wherin he falleth into the cōmendation of Steuen Langton his cardinal: declaring how learned he was in þ^e liberal arts & in deuinity, in so much he was prebendated at Paris: also come of an honest stock & an Englishmā born, & not vnknowē to þ^e king, seing þ^e king had written hys letters thrise to him before. MarginaliaThe kynge might writ to him, and yet hys person not greatli knowen to the King.Declaring moreouer in þ^e said letter, how þ^e messengers of the king had specified to him an other cause: which was, for þ^t the monks of Cant. which had to do in þ^e electiō, came not to him before for his cōsent, declaring moreouer in þ^e said letter, how þ^e said messēgers of þ^e king, intreated in þ^e kings behalf: þ^t for so much as þ^e popes letters (wherin the king was cōmaunded to send his proctors to Rome for þ^e same matter) came not to þ^e kings hād, neither did the monkes direct any such letters or message to þ^e king to haue his cōsent: therfore þ^e pope cōsidering the same, would graūt so much for þ^e regard of the kings honour, þ^t the monkes of Cant. should procede not w^tout þ^e kings assēt therin. And for as much, as þ^t hath not ben done as yet, therfore thei desired some delay therin to be geuē, sufficiēt for þ^e doing therof. Wherunto he said, þ^t he had graunted, & fulfilled their request, in sēding his letters and messēgers once or twyse to þ^e king for þ^e same purpose, although he sayd it was not þ^e maner of þ^e see Apostolique, (who had the fulnes of power ouer the church of Canterburye) to waite for princes consēts in such electiōs, who thē could not be suffred to do þ^t which they came for &c. Wherfore in knitting vp hys letter, he thus concludeth in these wordes.

And therfore, seyng the matter so standeth, we see no cause why we should require or tary for the kynges fauor or consent any more therin: but intend so to proceede in thys matter, neyther inclinyng on the ryght hand nor on the left, accordyng as the canonical ordinaunces of þ^e holy fathers shall direct vs: that is (that all impediments and delayes set asyde) so to prouide, þ^t the church of Canterburye be no longer destitute of her pastor. Wherfore be it known to your discretion or kingly prudence, that for so muche as this election of Stephan Langton hath orderly and cōcordly thus proceded wythout fraud or disceite, vpon a person meete for the same: therfore, we wyll not for no mans pleasure, neither may we without daunger of fame and of conscience, differre or protracte any longer the consummation of the sayd electiō. Wherfore my welbeloued sonne, seyng we haue had respect to your honour aboue that our ryght and duety requireth: study to honour vs so much as your duety requireth agayne, so that you may the more plentifully deserue fauour, both at gods hands and oures: least, that by doing the contrary, you bring your selfe into suche a pecke of troubles, as afterward you shall scarse rid your selfe of agayne. For thys know for a certayn, in the end it must needes fall out that he shal haue the better, vnto whom euery knee (of heauenly, earthly, and infernal creatures) doth bow: whose turne I serue in earth, though I be vnworthy. MarginaliaNote the procedyngs of this ambitious pope.Therfore settle not your selfe to obey their perswasions, which always desire your vnquietnes: wherby they may fyshe the better in the water whē it is troubled: but cōmit your self to our pleasure, which vndoubtedly shall turne to your prayse, glory, and honour. For