their vowe for money. As by their owne stile of writyng is here to be sene, thus proceding.

N. Episcopus dilectis in Christo filijs omnibus archidiaconis per diocesim suam constitutis sal. Literas domini Legati suscepimus in hæc verba. Otto miseratione diuina. &c. Cum sicut intelleximus nonnulli cruce signati regni Angliæ, qui sunt inhabiles ad pugnandum, ad sedem Apostoli cam accedant: vt ibidē a boto crucis absolui valeāt, & nos nuper recepimus a summo pontifice in mādatis, vt tales nō solum absoluere, verum & ad redimenda vota sua * Marginalia* Note the style of Rome.compellere debeamus, volentes eorum parcere laboribus et expensis, fraternitatem vestram qua fungimur, monemus, quatenus partē prædictam a summo pontifice nobis concessam faciatis in nostris diocesibus sine mora qualibet publicari, vt præfati cruce signati ad nos accedere valeant, * Marginalia* Imo maleficiū et naufragiū pecuniæ.beneficiū super his iuxta formam nobis traditam accepturi, Datum Londini. xv. kal. Marc. Pont. D. N. Papæ Grego. xiij.

The cause why the Pope was so gredy and nedy of money, was this: because he had mortal hatred, and waged continuall battaile þ^e same time against þ^e good Emperour Fridericke the seconde: MarginaliaFridericke the Emperour maryed kyng Iohns daughter.who had to wife kyng Ihons daughter, and sister to this king Henry the third, whose name was Isabel. And therfore because þ^e Popes war could not be susteined without charges: that made the pope the more importunate to take vp money in all places, but especially in Englande. MarginaliaThe fyrst parte of euery spirituall mans liuing geuen to the pope.In so much that he shamed not to require the fifth parte of euery ecclesiasticall mans liuing, as Parisiensis writeth. And not onely þ^t but also the said pope Gregory (conuenting with the citizens of Rome) so agreed with them: that if they would ioyne with him in vanquishing the foresaid Fredericke, he would (and so did) graūt vnto them, that all the benefices in England which were or should be vacant (namely pertayning to religious houses) should be bestowed at their owne will and commaundement to their children and kinsfolkes. Wherupō it followeth in the forenamed history, MarginaliaThre hundred Romanes to be placed in the beste benefices in England.vnde infra paucos dies misit D. Papa sacra præcepta sua domino Cant. Archiep. Eliensi, et Lincol. et Salisb. episcopis vt trecentis Romanis, in primis beneficijs vacantibus prouiderent, scientes se suspensos a beneficiorum collatione donec tot competenter prouideretur. That is.

The pope sent in commaundement to the archbyshop of Cant. and foure other byshops: that prouision should be made for iij. hundred Romanes in the chiefest and best benefices in al Englande, at þ^e next voydance. So that þ^e foresaid archbishop, and byshops should be suspended in the meane time from all collation or gift of benefice, vntill these foresaid three hundred were prouided for: wherupon the archbishop the same time seing the vnreasonable oppression of the churche of England, left the realme and went into Fraunce.

MarginaliaPetrus Rubeus the popes agēt.Againe, marke an other as much or more easy sleight of the pope in procuring mony: he sent one Petrus Rubeus the same time, with a new deuise, which was this: not to worke any thing openly, but priuily to go betwixt Bishop and Bishop, abbot and abbot &c. telling in theyr eares such a bishop, such an abbot hath geuen so much & so much vnto the popes holinesse, trustyng that you also wil not be behind for your part &c. MarginaliaA Romysh sleight of the pope to get English monye.By the meanes wherof it is incredible to thinke what a masse of money was made out of the realme vnto the pope.

At length the foresaid bishops, abbottes, and archdeacons feling their own smart, came to the Kyng (whose father before, they did resiste) with theyr humble suite lamentably complainyng of the vnmeasurable exactions of the pope: and especially against Petrus Rubeus and his fellow Otto the legate, desiring the Kyng: that seing the matter toucheth not them selues alone, but the whole churche, & seing the valuation of churches was knowen better vnto theyr Archdeacons then to them selues: therfore they desired a general calling and talke to be had in the matter. In the Octaues of S. Ihon the Baptist, theday and place was assigned where they should talke. At whiche day and place, the prelates of England conuentyng together, durst not geue any direct denaye of that contribution, but after a modest sorte did insinuate certaine exceptions against the same.

MarginaliaExceptions alledged for not contributyng to the pope.First they say, that for somuch as the contribution is demaunded to war against him, who was ioyned in matrimony w^t their prince, they were not boūd so to do. Marginalia2.Secondly, for þ^t the said contribution tended to þ^e sheddyng of christē bloud: for so þ^e forme of þ^e bill pretended, to fight against the Emperour. Marginalia3.Thirdly, because it was against the libertie of the church: for so it is in the bill: that they þ^t would not, should be excōmunicate. Marginalia4.Fourthly, because þ^t whē alate they gaue þ^e tēth part of their goods, it was w^t this protestation, that they should contribute to the pope nomore hereafter. Marginalia5.Item, because they had cōtributed before, if they should now contribute againe, it were to be feared least an action twise done should grow into a custome, as is in the law Lege nemo. &c. Marginalia6.Item, for asmuch as they shall haue causes continually to seke to Rome through the Emperours land: it were to be feared, least the sayd Emperour by the way would worke theyr annoyaunce. Marginalia7.Item, because the Kyng hath many enemyes abroad, and for his warres hath nede of much money at home: it is not conuenient that the goodes of the realme should be alienated out of the realm. Marginalia8.Item, because that could not be done without preiudice to the patrones of their churches, not knowing whether their patrones did or would agree vnto the same. Marginalia9.Lastly, because they heare say, that the generall state of the churche is in daunger: for the whiche they vnderstand there shalbe shortly a generall councel, wherin such matters shal be determined: and therfore if they should contribute now, it should be to the hinderaunce and dammage of the churche.

The Legate and his felow hearing these allegaciōs, seing their own confusion, were the lesse importunate.

Not long after this, followed a generall councel at Lyons, called by Pope Innocentius, in the which councel the Englishe nation did exhibite certayne articles of their greuaunces, not vnworthye to bee knowen. Grauatur regnū Angliæ eo quod. D. Papa non est contētus subsidio illo quod vocatur denarius b. Petri. &c. In English thus.

MarginaliaArticles exhibited in the councell of Lugdune for the greuances susteyned by the pope.
The fyrst greuance.1. The kingdome of England is greued that the pope being not contented with his Peter pence, requyreth & extorteth from the clergy great exactions, and (more is lyke) without the consent both of the king, and agaynst the customes of the Realme.

MarginaliaThe second.2. Item, the church and kingdome of England is greued, that þ^e patrons of the same, cannot present as they wer wont into their churches, for the popes letters. But the churches are geuen to Romanes, which knowe neyther the Realme, nor the toung thereof, both to the great peril of soules, and robbing away the money out of the realme.

MarginaliaThe thyrd.3. Item, it is greued, for that the Pope promising by the tenor of his letters, þ^t in requiring of pensions and prouisions in the realme of England, he would require but onely. xij. benefices: now contrary to the tenor therof, manye more benefices and prouisions are bestowed away by hym.

MarginaliaThe fourth.4. Item, þ^e realme is greued & cōplayneth, þ^t in the benefices in England, one Italian succeedeth an other: the English men being not onely excluded, but also compelled (for þ^e determining of their matters) to seke to Rome: contrary both to the customes of the realme, and also to the priuilegies graunted by the Popes predecessours to the king and kingdome of England.

MarginaliaThe fyfth.5. The fift greuaunce is, for the oft recourse of that infamous Legate, MarginaliaHe meaneth percase Otho or maister Martinus.by whom both fayth and fidelitie, the auncient customes of the realme, the autoritie of olde grauntes, statutes, lawes, and priuileges, are imbeseled