meanes could be reformed: so by occasion and meanes inordinate about this time, it begā somwhat to be bridled. The matter whereof was this, as it is in þ^e collector of Flor. hist. recited. In þ^e dais of þ^e raign of this king 44. The bishop of London one named Fulco, had geuen a certain prebend in the church of S. Paule, to one mayster Rustandus the popes messenger here in Englande. Who entring into the profession of the gray friars, and shortlye after dying on the other side of the sea: MarginaliaA prebendshyp of Paules geuen both of the pope and of the king at one tyme to ii. seueral persons.the Pope immediatly conferred the sayd prebend to one of his specials, a lyke straunger, as the other was before. About the same instant it befell, that the Bishop also of London deceased, wherby the bishopricke nowe vacant fell into the kings handes. Who hearing of the death of the forenamed Rustandus, gaue the sayde prebendshyp (geuen of the Pope before) to one Iohn Crakehale hys vnder treasurer. Who with all solemnity tooke hys installation, vnknowyng as yet that it was bestowed of the Pope before. It was not long after as time grewe, but this being noised at Rome, forthwith cōmeth down a certayne Proctor named Iohn Gras with the Popes embulled letters, to receaue the collation of the benefice by his cōmission procuratory, geuen by the pope: wherin Iohn Crakhale had bene alredy installed, as is aforesayd, by the kings donation. MarginaliaThe popes donation preferred before the kynges.Thys matter comming in trauise before Boniface archbishop of Canterburye, he enquiring and searching which donation was the fyrst, finding the Popes graunt to be the former, gaue sentēce with him against the king: so that in conclusion, the Romane clarke had the aduātage of the benefice, although the other had long enioyed the possession therof before. Thus the Popes man being preferred, and the English man excluded, after the party had ben inuested and stalled after the vse and maner, he as thinking to be in sure possession of his place, attempted wyth the rest to enter the chapter house, but was not permitted so to do: wherupon the Popes clarke geuing place to force and number, went toward the archbishop to complayne. MarginaliaTwo Romain clarks goyng to complayn were slaine by the wayThis being knowne, certaine recluses pursued hym, and so being compassed about, one in the thicknes of þ^e throng being neuer after knowē, sodēly rushing vpon him, a litle aboue his eyes so pareth of his head, that he fell downe dead. The same also was done to another of his felowes in fleing away. This haynous murder being famed abroad, straite inquiry therof was made, but the deededoer could not be knowen. Althoughe great suspicion was layd vpon Crakhale the kinges chaplen, yet no proofe could be brought. But most men thought, that bloudye fact to be done by certayne ruffines, or other lyght persons about the city or the court, disdaining belike, that the Romanes were so enriched with Englishe mens lyuings, by whom neither came reliefe to anye Englyshe man, nor anye godlye instruction to the flocke of Christ. MarginaliaA couler to the pops messingers for so ofte commynge in to the realme.And therfore, because they saw the churche and realme of England in such subiection, and so much to be troden downe by the Romanes & the Popes messengers: they thought hereby somthing to bridle, as with a snaffel, the popes messengers, from their vntemperate ranging into this land. Ex flor. histo.

MarginaliaThe storye of Math. parys. here ceaseth.¶ Here by the way is to be noted, that vnto death of this foresaid Fulco bishop of Lōdon, continueth the historye of Mathew Paris moonke of s. Albons, whiche was to the yeare of grace. 1260 The residue was continued by an other monke of the same house, but not w^t such like commendation, worthy to make any autentick story, as I haue sene it noted in a written booke.

It were to tedious and curious in order to prosecute what happened in euerye yeare, through this kynges raigne: as how it was prouided by the king, that whosoeuer could despend. xv. li. land by yeare, should be boūd to make the king a soldiour: that watche shoulde bee kept euery night in cities: that who so euer was robbedor otherwyse damnified in any country, he that had the custody, should be compelled to make vp the losse again, or els to pursue the malefactor, which was a. 1253. witnessing Flores histo. Item, how the king making his viage into Vascone, his expenses were reckened to mount to. xxvij. hundreth thousand Markes, beside. xxx. thousād markes bestowed vpon his brethren by the mother side, and beside other great giftes geuen abroade. By reason wherof, great taxes and tolonies and tenthes were requyred of his subiects, especially of the churchmen: who were wont to receaue tythes of other, now wer constrained to geue tythes to the laity. Flores hist. an. 1254. Item, how in the yeare next folowing, the Lōdoners offring a C. li. for a gift to the kyng with a precious cup of golde, at his returne out of Fraunce, were shortly after compelled by the kyng to paye. 3000. markes, for the scape of a certayne prisoner being a clarke condemned: which clarke being graunted of the king to the bishop, and he hauing no prison sufficient for him, borowed of the Lōdiners to haue him kept in the prisō of Newgate, who escaping therout, they as is sayde, were demaunded thys recōpence aforesayd. an. 1255. Item, how the king greatly complayning of his debt, the same yeare required the whole tenthes, which should be gathered in. 3. yeares, to be takē vp all at once. To whose request, the nobles and commons agreed to strayne themselues, so that the charter of their liberties and customes myght be ratefied, & fully by him confirmed. And so for that yeare they were Flores histo. MarginaliaPope Alexander 3 maketh warr.Item, how Pope Alexander the third, to destroy the citie Michera, with kyng Menfrede the sonne of Fridericke the Emperour, sent forth the same yeare Octauianus his Cardinal with a puisaunt army: MarginaliaThe popes armye slayne.who comming to the City with his siege, throughe the counsayl of Marchisius one of the chief captains, discharged a great parte of his host, wherby the most of the Popes army was slayne and destroyed, almost all, saue onelye the family of Marchisius an. 1255. Flor. Mat. Paris.

MarginaliaLewlinus K. of Walles warreth agaynst the kynge.Manye other thinges during the tyme of thys kyng might be congested, as the rysing of Lewlinus kyng of Walles and of the welchmen against the king and wasting the land vnto the towne of Chester, who destroyed diuers of the Englishē horsemen, taken in the Marres, MarginaliaLewlinus and the king concorded.with whom at length they fel to agrement by the means of Octobonus: and his successors should be called princes onely of Wales, & should do the king his homage. And the king of him to receaue. 3000. markes. And this being stablished in writing, was cōfirmed by the popes seale. an. 1257. Ex Polychro.

MarginaliaEx polychronico. lib. 7.About þ^e same time, such famine oppressed þ^e lād & lack of victtuals, that a somme of corne was then sold for. 26 shillings: in so muche, that the pouertye were forced to eate nettle rootes, thyssell rootes, and whatsoeuer they could get. Ex Eulogio. MarginaliaEx Autore Eulogij.
An. 1257Although some referre this to the yeare. 1262.

MarginaliaPope Alexāder to make shyfte for money maketh the kinge beleue his son should be king of Apulia.Hereunto moreouer might be adioyned, howe Pope Alexander abusing and mockyng the kinges simplicity, made him beleue that he would make his sonne Edmūd king of Apulia, so that he would sustayn the chages and costes thereof, to mayntayne the warre whych thereto should appertayne. Wherby the king cast in a sodayne hope, caused his sonne incōtinent to be proclaymed king of Apulia. And vpon the same sent vp to the Pope al the riches he could well make in his realme. And thus was the realme manifold wayes, miserably impouereshed to enrich the Pope. Ex Flor. histo. MarginaliaRychard the kynges brother made king of Almaine.About whiche season, Rirchard Earle of Exeter the kynges brother, was made king of Almaine by the Electours.

Here might bee shewed moreouer, and added to the stories aboue, how the yeare next folowing, which was 1259. (as Nicolas Triuet writeth) the king entring into Fraunce, required the restitution of such landes in Normandie and Angewe as of old right was due vnto him