uest, which he was wont to reape in England, craftely deuised to send this aunswere agayne to the kyng, much like to the same which he sent before, which was: MarginaliaThe Popes aunswere agayne to the king of England.that although the Pope in tyme past vpon his owne will and pleasure to the importable greuaunce of the Realme of Englād, hath euery where and without respect, through the whole land made his prouisiōs, in giuing their benefices vnto his Italians: yet now the Lord be praysed, that tempest (sayd he) is ouerblowen: so that hereafter if the Pope shal graūt his prouision for any of his nephewes, or of his Cardinals, they shall come first and make their instant sute vnto the kyng, without all inforcement, so that it shall stand wholy in the kynges free arbitrement to do herein what he thinketh good &c. Paris. fol. 209. b.

MarginaliaThe Pope false in his promise.This aunswere of the Pope albeit it was but a subtile shift for the tyme: yet neither did he long stand to that he had thus promised vnto the kyng. For shortly after and within few dayes vpon the same, and in the tyme also of the sayd Parlament holden at Winchester, the Pope sent ij. English Friers into the Realme, whose names were Iohn and Alexander, with full authoritie after the largest sort for new contributions. MarginaliaNote the subtle practise of the Pope to gette money.Who first pretendyng lowly submission to the kyng, while they had leaue graunted to range about the realme, afterward commyng to the Byshops and rich Abbats, shewed them selues forth in their full authoritie, in such sort, as they became rather tyraunts then extortioners.

Amongest other commyng to Robert Byshop of Lincolne, who of all other bare a speciall mynd to the order of Obseruauntes, these two Friers as proud as Lucifers, bryngyng forth the terrible Mandate, with the popes Bulles, required, and eke commaunded vnder the Popes mighty curse, to haue the gatheryng in his Dioces of vj. thousand Markes. Likewise of the Abbat of S. Albans they required iiij. hūdred Markes, vnder great penaltie, and that in short tyme to be payd.

MarginaliaThe Bishop of Lincolne auns- to the fryers the Popes messengers.The Byshop although well lykyng before that order of those Friers, yet seing the impudent behauiour, & more impudent request of those Marchauntes, thus aunswered to them agayne: that this exaction (sauyng, sayd he, the Popes authoritie) was neuer heard of before, & neither was honest, nor yet possible to be performed: and moreouer was such as did not onely cōcerne him, but þ^e whole publicke state of the Clergie, and of þ^e whole Realme in generall, and therfore it should be absurdly and rashly done of him to giue them aūswere herein, before the kyng and rest of the Counsell, with other, to whom the matter generally did apperteine, were made priuy thereunto &c. and so for that tyme he shooke them of. Paris. fol. 210.

MarginaliaThe Abbat of S. Albones maketh great sute to the Pope for the 400. markes that he should pay.Furthermore, as touchyng the Abbat of S. Albans, whē he also alleged the same causes, he pretēded moreouer that he would appeale, and so did, to the Pope and his Cardinals. Wherupon immediatly was sent down from Pope Innocent, an other Legate called Ioānes Anglicus, MarginaliaThis Ioannes Anglicus was the more fierce vpon the Abbat because he comming to the house had not such reuerence shewed to him, as he thought mete for the Popes Legate.an English Frier and Cardinall, who bryngyng downe a new speciall precept to the foresayd Abbat, cited him either to appeare at London the morow after S. Giles day, or to disburse to the vse of the pope the forsayd iiij. hundreth Markes. By reason wherof the Abbat was driuen to send his Proctours, agayne with a new Supplication vnto the Pope at Lyons: who in the ende through great instaunce of monyed frendes, agreed with the Abbat for ij. hūdreth Markes, besides his other charges borne, and so was that matter compounded, litle to the Abbates profite. Parisiens. fol. 213.

To recite all damages and greuaunces receaued by the Byshop of Rome in this Realme of England, neither is any historie sufficiētly able to comprehend, nor if it were, vnneth is there any that would beleue it. Notwithstandyng to those aboue declared, this one I thought to commit likewise to memory, to the entent, that they which lyue in this age now, may behold and wōder in thē selues to see in what miserable seruitudeslauery, passing al measure, not onely the subiectes, but kynges also of this Realme were brought vnto, vnder the intolerable yoke of the Popes tyranny, which in those dayes neither durst any man cast of, nor yet was able to abyde it. As by this example ensuyng, and with infinite other like to the same, may appeare.

MarginaliaExample how this Realme of England was oppressed miserably by the Pope.In the yeare of our Lord. 1248. after that Pope Innocent the 4. had taken such order in the Realme, that all Prelates of the Church were suspended from collation of any benefice, before the Popes kynsfolkes and Clerkes of Italy had bene first prouided for: it happened vpon the same, that þ^e Abbat of Abingdon had a cōmaundement from the Pope, to bestow some benefice of his Church in all hast, to a certeine Priest of Rome, which the Abbat as an obedient child to his father the Pope, was prest and ready to accomplish accordyngly. But the Romane Priest not contented with such as fell next hand, would tary his tyme, to haue such as were principall and for his owne appetite, hauyng a speciall eye to the benefice of the Church of S. Helene in Abingdon, which was then estemed worth an hundreth Markes by yeare, besides other vayles and commodities belongyng to the same: the collation wherof the Priest required by the authoritie Apostolicall to be graunted to him.

As this past on, it chaunced at last, the incūbent to dye, and the benefice to be emptie. Which eftsoones beyng knowen, the same day commeth a commaundement, with great charge, from the kyng to the Abbat, to giue the benefice to one Æthelmare the kinges brother by the motherside, who at the same tyme was possessed with so many benefices, as the number and value therof was vnknowen. The Abbat here beyng in great perplexitie, and not knowyng what to do, whether to gratifie his kyng, or to obey the Pope, tooke counsell with his frendes. Who well aduising the matter, gaue hym counsell rather to preferre the brother of his Prince and patrone, so that the kyng would vndertake to stand in his defence agaynst þ^e pope, rather then þ^e Romish Priest whō alwayes hee should haue lying there as a spye and watcher of him, and lyke a thorne euer in his eye: and so the kyng assuryng the Abbat of his vndoubted protection, and indemnitie agaynst all harmes, the benefice was conferred forthwith to the kynges brother.

The Romane Priest not a litle aggreued thereat, spedeth him selfe in all hast to the Byshop of Rome, certifiyng him what was done, & partly also (as the maner is of mē) making it worse then it was. MarginaliaThe Abbat of Abyngdon cited to apreare before the Pope.Vpō whose complaint the Pope eftsoones in great anger cited vp the Abbat personally to appeare before him, to aunswere to þ^e crime of disobedience. The Abbat trustyng vpon the kyngs promise and protection, which neither could helpe him in that case, neither durst oppose him selfe agaynst the Pope, beyng both aged & seekely, was driuen to trauaile vp to the Court of Rome, in great heauines and bitternes of mynd. MarginaliaThe Abbat of Abyngdon condemned in 50. markes for deniyng of an English benefice to an Italian the Popes Nephew..Where in conclusion after much vexation and bitter rebukes, besides great expenses, he was fayne to satisfie þ^e pope after his own will, compoundyng to giue him yearely 50. Markes in part of makyng amēdes for his trespasse of disobediēce. Ex Mat. Paris. fol. 222.

MarginaliaA detestable extorsiō of the pope vsed against the priorye of Binham.To this also may be added an other like fact of the Pope as outragious as this, agaynst the house of Binham. For whē the benefice of Westle in the Dioces of Eley was voyde by the death of the incumbent who was an Italian and one of the Popes chamber, the donation of which benefice belonged to þ^e Priory of Binham, an other Italiā which was a bastard and vnlearned, borne in the Citie of Ianua, called Herrigetto de Malachana de volta, brought down the popes letters to M. Berardo de Nympha the Popes agent here in England, with strait charge and full authoritie, commaundyng him to see the sayd benefice to be conferred in any case to Herrigetto. Yea and though the bene-