and of our kyngdome, we haue found your fatherly fauour and grace sometymes propice vnto vs: yet in some thynges agayne, as in prouisions giuen and graunted to your Clerkes of foreine nations, both we and our kyngdome haue felt no smale detriment. MarginaliaDamage receaued by the Pope in the realme of England.By reason of which prouisions the Church of Englād is so sore charged and burdened, that not onely the patrons of Churches, to whō the donations therof de apperteine, are defrauded of their right: but also many other good workes of charitie therby do decay, for that such benefices which haue bene mercyfully bestowed vpon religious house to their sustentation, are now wasted and consumed by your prouisions.

MarginaliaThe Popes prouisions.Wherfore for somuch as your sea Apostolicke ought to be fauorable to all that be petitioners to the same, so that no person be wronged in that which is his right, we thought therfore to be suters to your fatherhode, most humbly besechyng your holynes that you will desiste and surcease for a tyme, from such prouisions to be exacted. In the meane season, it may please your fatherhode, we besech you, that our lawes and liberties, (which you may rightly repute none other but your owne) you will receaue to your tuition, to be conserued whole and sound, nor to suffer the same by any sinister suggestion in your Court to be violated and infringed. MarginaliaThe kinges to much subiectiō to the Pope.Neither let your holynes be any whyt moued therfore with vs, if in some such cases as these be, we do or shall hereafter resiste the tenour of your cōmaudemētes for asmuch as the complayntes of such which dayly call vpō vs, do necessarely enforce vs therunto, which ought by the charge of this our office and kingly dignitie committed to vs of almightie God, to foresee that no mā in that which is their right be iniured, but truly to minister iustice to euery one in that which duely to him apperteyneth. This letter was sent, the 28. yeare of the kynges reigne. Ex Paris. fol. 172.

A man would thinke that this so gentle and obediēt letter of the kyng to the Pope, would haue wrought some good effect in his Apostolicall brest, to withdraw his prouisions, and to haue tendered the kynges so reasonable and honest requeste: but how litle all this preuailed to stop his insatiable greedynes, and vntolerable extortions and oppressions, the sequele well declareth. MarginaliaEx Math. paris. fol. 172.For besides that shortly after þ^e pope sent M. Martin w^t blākes being bulled for cōtribution of 10000. markes in all hast to be payed, also euen immediatly vpō the receauyng of this letter, it foloweth in myne author, that the sayd Pope Innocent the fourth, after all this great submission of the kyng and so manifold benefites and paymentes yearely out of this Realme receaued, was not ashamed MarginaliaThe Pope setteth þ^e Wealchmen against the king of England.to take of Dauid Prince of Northwales fiue hundreth Markes by yeare, to set him agaynst the kyng of England, and exempted him from his fealtie and obedience due to his owne liege Lord, and king to whom both he and all other Welchmen had sworne their subiection, before as by the seales & obligatiōs, as well of that Dauid him selfe, as other Welch Lordes in this behalfe, doth appeare. In Mat. Paris. fol. 172.

Neither did M. Martinus in the meane while slepe his busines in makyng vp his market for the Popes money of. 10000. markes, but still was callyng vppon the Prelates and Clergy. Who first excusing them selues by the absence of the kyng and the Archbyshop of Cant. afterward beyng called agayne by new letters, made their aunswere by the Deane of Paules their Prolocutour: First that the pouertie of þ^e Realme would not suffer them to consent therto.

MarginaliaContribution required of the clergy of England for þ^e Pope with their excuses and reasons against the same.Item, where as they had giuen before a contributiō to Cardinall Otho, for paying of þ^e Popes debtes, and knew the sayd money to be employed to no such end as it was demaunded for, more cause they had now to misdoubt, lest this contribution, in his handes which was a much more inferiour messēger then the Cardinall, 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 custome, seyng that one action twise done maketh a custome.

Item, for somuch as a generall Councell is shortly looked for, where euery Prelate of the Realme mustnedes bestow both his trauaile and expenses, and also his present to the Pope, if the Prelates now should be bound to this taxe, they were not able to abyde the burden.

Item, seyng it is alledged, that the motherchurch of Rome is so farre in debt, reason and right it were that the mother so oppressed should be susteined of all her deuout children meetyng together in the generall Coūcell, where as by helpes of many more relefe might come, then by one nation alone.

Item, last of all they alledged, that for feare of the Emperour and his threatnynges, they durst not consent to the sayd contribution.

While these thynges were thus in talke betwene the Popes Priest, and the Clergy of England, commeth in Iohn Marschall, and other messengers from the kyng, commaundyng in the kynges name, that no Byshop that held his Baronage of the kyng, should infeft his lefeode to the Court of Rome, which they ought onely vnto him &c. Ex Paris. fol. 139. an. 1244.

MarginaliaThe portes of England layde to stoppe the Popes letters, yet all would not serue.Not long after this, in the yeare of our Lord. 1245. the whole nobilitie of the Realme, by generall consent, and not without the kynges knowlege also, caused all the Portes by the Seaside to be layd, that no messenger with the Popes letters and Bulles from Rome, should be permitted to enter the Realme. Whereupon some were takē at Douer, and their stayed. Notwithstandyng when complaynt therof was brought to the kyng by M. Martinus the Popes leiger, there was no remedy but the kyng must needes cause these letters to be restored agayne, and executed to the full effect. fol. 185.

MarginaliaSixty thousand markes yearely going out of England to þ^e Pope and his Italian clerkes.Then the kyng vpon aduise, caused a vewe to be taken through euery shyre in England, to what summe the whole reuenewes of the Romanes and Italians amounted, which by the Popes authoritie went out of England: the whole summe wherof was found yearely to be lx. thousand markes: to the which summe, the reuenewes of the whole crowne of England dyd not extend. Ex Mat. Paris. fol. 185. a.

The nobles then vnderstandyng the miserable oppression of the Realme, beyng assembled together at Dunstable for certeine causes, sent one Fulco in the name of the whole nobilitie, vnto M. Martinus the Popes marchaunt, with this message, that he indelaydly vpon the same warnyng should prepare hym selfe to be gone out of the Realme, vnder payne of beyng cut all to peeces. At which message the Legate beyng sore agast, went streight to the kyng, to know whether his consent was to the same or not. MarginaliaMaster Martine the Popes Legate sent out of England in the deuils name.Of whom when he found litle better comfort, he tooke his leaue of the kyng, who bad him a dew in the deuils name (saith M. Paris.) and thus was the realme ryde of M. Martinus. Ex Mat. Paris. 185. b. an. 1245.

MarginaliaThe Pope in displeasure with the king of England.As soone as Pope Innocent had hereof intelligence by the complaynt of his Legate, he was in a mighty rage: And furthermore remembryng how the French kyng, and the kyng of Arragon not long before had denyed him entrance into their land, and beyng therfore in displeasure with them likewise, began in great angre to knit his browes, and sayd: it is best that we fall in agreement with our Prince, wherby we may the sooner bryng vnder * Marginalia* Istos Regulos.these litle pety kynges and so the great Dragon being pacified, these litle Serpentes we shall handle at our owne pleasure as we lyst.MarginaliaThe proud wordes of the Pope against the French king and king of England.

After this immediatly then folowed the generall Councell of Lyons, to the which Councell the states and Lordes of the realme, with the consent of the comminaltie, sent two Billes: One conteinyng a generall supplication to the Pope, and the Councell: the other with the Articles of such greuances which they desired to be redressed, wherof relation is made sufficiently before pag. 347. The other Bill of Supplication because it is not before expressed, I thought here to exhibite for two causes: First, that men now in these dayes