MarginaliaThe Grecians vsed to washe their altars, if any latin masse had bene sayd vpon them.
Ex Actis concilij lateranens. Cap. 4.Pope Gregory 9. an. 1230. to open warre and bloudshed, yet the same had begon and so continued long before, in such sort as in the tyme of Pope Innocent the third, if any Latin Priest had sayd Masse in theyr Churches, they would washe the aultar afterward: as appeareth by the Actes of Laterane Councell cap. 4. Wherfore Pope Innocent now (as his other predecessours had done before) bearyng an old grudge against those Churches of the Grekes, and neither willyng by conferēce to try with thē, nor able by learnyng to match with them, thought by force of armes to subdue them, sent the Prouincial of the gray Friers, with other associates of the same order into England, with his precept authenticall, cōteinyng in it these Arcicles.

MarginaliaGoodes gotten by vsury attached for the Pope.1. FIrst, that þ^e sayd prouinciall, or his Friers should inquire vpon all vsurers beyng alyue, and of all such euill gotten goodes gayned per vsurariam prauitatē, should make attachement for the vse and preparation of this warre agaynst the Greekes, MarginaliaExcommunication abused.excommunicatyng all them by district censures of the Church, that repugned agaynst it.

MarginaliaFalse Absolution of sinnes.2. That all they, which tooke the badge of the Crosse, for the recouery of the said Empire of the Grekes, or with goodes and catell would help sufficiētly vnto the same, should be absolued of all their sinnes.

MarginaliaVsararia prauitas.3. Item, that all the goodes left in the Testamentes of them that were departed, beyng gotten by vsurie, should be taken vp to the subsidie of the Empire aforesayd, and who soeuer repugned against the same should be excommunicated.

MarginaliaGoods left in dead mens wils for restitution conuerted to the Pope.4. Item, that such goodes as in the Testamētes of the dead, left or which should be left 3. next yeares to come, for restitutiō of such goodes as the dead had euill gottē, they should take vp for the subsidie of the Empire aforesayd, excommunicatyng &c.

MarginaliaGoods vnbequethed in dead mēs wills, or nor yet bestowed by executors cōuerted to war against the Germans.5. Itē, such goods as were left to be distributed in godly vses, after the arbitrement of executours, by the wils of þ^e dead, or were not in their willes deputed to any certeine places or persōs named, nor yet were bestowed by þ^e sayd executours to the foresaid vses, they should collect to the vse and subsidie aforesayd, and giue certificat to the sea Apostolicke of the quātitie therof, excommunicatyng all repugners and rebellers agaynst the same.

MarginaliaGoods ill gotten if the persōs be not foūd to whom they ought to be restored conuerted to the Pope.6. Itē, that they should diligently enquire of such mens goods euill gotten or euill come by, as were alyue, & thē they should attache for the subsidie aforesaid, in case the parties which ought to be satisified for those goodes euill gotten, could not be found, giuyng certificat therof, and excommunicatyng. &c.

MarginaliaAbsolution for money.7. Item, that the sayd prouincial, or his Friers should haue power to absolue those that were excōmunicated, which wittingly had done any fraude touching the collection aforesayd, so that the sayd persons did make dew satisfaction to the deputies aforesayd. Ex Mat. Par. fol. 205.

What man hauing eyes so blynd, which seeth not these execrable dealynges of the Pope to be such, as would cause any nation in the world to do as the wise Grecians did, and perpetually to abrenoūce the Pope, and well to consider the vsurped authoritie of that sea not to be of God. But such was the rude dulnes then of miserable England, for lacke of learnyng, and godly knowledge, that they feelyng what burdens were layd vpon them, yet would play still the Asse of Balaam, or els the horse of Æsope, which receauing the bridle once in his mouth could afterward neither abyde his owne misery, not yet recouer libertie. And so it fared with England, vnder the Popes thraldome: as partly by these stories aboue hath bene declared, partly by other in like case folowyng is to be sene.

MarginaliaIn vnreasonable exaction of the Pope, to haue of euery resident the third parte and of not resident, the one halfe of his goods.For so it foloweth in the historie of the sayd Mat. Paris. how the Pope takyng more courage by his former abused boldnes, and perceauing, what a tame Asse he had to ryde vpon, ceased not thus, but directed a new precept the same yeare. 1246. to the Prelates of England, commaundyng by the authoritie Apostolicke, that all beneficed men in the Realme of England, which were resident vpon their benefices, should yeld to the Pope the third part of their goodes, and they, whichwere not resident, should giue the one halfe of theyr goodes, and that for the space of three yeares together, with terrible comminations to all them that did resist: & euer with this clause withall, MarginaliaNon obstāte.Non obstante, which was lyke a key that opened all lockes. MarginaliaThree score thousād poūds exacted of the Clergy to bee payd to the Pope.Which summe cast together was found to amounte to 60. thousand poundes: which summe of money could scarse be foūd in all England to pay for kyng Richardes raūsom. Paris. fol. 207. The execution of this precept was cōmitted to the B. of London: who conferryng about the matter with his brethren in the Church of Paules, as they were busely consultyng together, and bewaylyng the importable burden of this contributiō, which was impossible for them to susteine, sodēly commeth in certeine messengers from the king, Syr Iohn Lexintune Knight, and M. Laurence Martin the kynges Chapleine, MarginaliaThe kyng agaynst þ^e popes contribution.straitly in the kynges name forbiddyng them in any case to consent to this contribution, which should be greatly to the preiudice and desolation of the whole Realme. Paris. fol. 207.

MarginaliaA Parlament.This beyng done about the first day of December, in the yeare aboue sayd, shortly after in the begynnyng of the next yeare. 1247. abut February the kyng called a Parlament, whereby common aduise it was agreed, that certeine Ambassadours should be sent to Rome, to make manifest to the Court of Rome the excedyng greuaunces of the Realme, deliueryng moreouer these letters to the Pope in the name both of the tēporaltie, & also of the Clergy, as here foloweth.

MarginaliaA letter sent to the Pope in the name of all the estates and commonaltie of the realme.SAnctis. Patri in Christo ac Do. Innocent. Dei prouidentia summo pontifici vniuersitas cleri & populi per prouinciā Cant. constituti deuota pedeum oscula beatorum Cum Anglicana Ecclesia &c. To the most holy father in Christ, and Lord Innocent, by Gods prouidence chief Byshop: The whole cōmunitie both of þ^e Clergy and laity within the prouince of Canterbury, sendeth deuout kyssyngs of his blessed feete. Lyke as the Church of Englād since it first receaued the Catholicke fayth, hath alwayes shewed her selfe faithfull and deuoute in adherynges to God and to our holy mother the Church of Rome, studiyng with all kind of seruice to please and serue the same, MarginaliaMore fooles you in giuyng to the Church so much.and thinketh neuer otherwise to do, but rather to continue and increase as she hath begon: euē so now the same Church most humbly prostrate before the feete of your holynes, intierely besecheth your clemencie to accept her petition, in sparyng this imposition of money, which so manifold wayes for the subuention of other nations, by the commaundement of your holynes is layd vpon vs: cōsideryng that not onely it is importable, but also impossible which is enioyned vs. For although our countrey sometymes yeldeth forth frute for þ^e necessary sustētation of þ^e inhabitaūts, yet it bringeth forth neither gold nor siluer, MarginaliaThe Pope thinketh belike England to swyme with gold and siluer.neither were able to bryng forth of long tyme, somuch as now a dayes is required. Which also beyng burdened and ouercharged of late dayes with an other such like imposition, but not so great as this, is not able any whit to aunswere to that which is exacted.

Furthermore besides this commaundement of your holynes, their is required of þ^e Clergie a subsidie for our temporall king, whose necessities neither possibly we cā, nor honestly ought to forsake, wherby he may both withstand the inuasion of the enemy, and mainteine the right of his patrimonie, and also recouer agayne that hath ben lost. In consideration wherof we haue directed the bearers hereof to the presence of your holynes with our hūble Supplicatiō, to explane to you the daungers and inconueniēces which are like to ensue vpon the premisses, which by no meanes we are able to susteine: although notwithstandyng we know our selues by all bondes of charitie to be obliged to your deuotion & obedience. And because our generall communitie hath no seale proper, we haue signed therfore these presentes with the publike seale of the Citie of London. &c. Ex Paris. fol. 209.

The like letters were sent also vnto the Cardinals to the same effect. The Pope vnderstandyng these thinges, and perceauyng that there was no striuyng agaynst such a generall consent, and yet loth to forgoe his swet har-