was somethyng better defended. At length, the pope perceauing him selfe not able to make his partie good, desired treuse with Schaira and his company, whiche was to him graunted, from one, till nine. During which time of treuse, the Pope priuely sendeth to the townes men of Arnagum, desiring them to saue his lyfe: whiche if they would do, he promised so to enrich them, that they should all haue cause neuer to forget or repent their benefite bestowed. To this they made answere agayn, excusing thē selues, þ^t it lay not in their habilitie to doo him any good, for that the whole power of the town was with the captaine. MarginaliaPope Boniface brought to a straight.Then the Pope all destitute and desolate, sendeth vnto Schaira, besechyng hym to draw out in articles, wherin he had wronged him, and he would make him amēdes to the vttermost. Schaira to this maketh a plaine aunswere, signifiyng to him agayn: that he should in no wise scape with his life, except vpon these iij. conditions. MarginaliaThree conditions put to the popeFirst to restore againe the ij. Cardinals of Colūpna his brethren whom he had before depriued, with all other of their stocke and kinred: secondly, that after their restitution, he should renounce his papacie: thirdly, his body to remaine in his power and custodie. These articles semed to the pope so hard, that in no case he would agree vnto them: wherfore, the time of treuse expired, the captaines and souldiers in all forceable meanes bending thē selues agaynst the Bishop, first fiered the gates of the pallace, wherby the army hauing a full entrāce, fell to ryfle and spoyle the house. MarginaliaHere may all kings by the Frēch king learne how to handle the pope. Boniface chuseth rather to dye then to geue ouer hys popedome.The Marques vpon hope to haue hys life, and life of his children, yeldeth him to the handes of Schaira and the other captaine: whiche when the Pope hard, he wept and made great lamentation. After this, through windowes and doores, at length with much a do they brast into the Pope: whom they intreated with wordes and threates accordingly. Vpon this he was put to his choise, whether he would presently leaue his life, or giue ouer his papacie. But that he denied stiffly to do, to dye for it: saying to them in his vulgare toung. Ec le col, Ec le cape. That is. Loe here my necke, loe here my head: protesting, that he would neuer while he liued renounce his popedome. Then Schaira went about & was redy to slay him, but by certain þ^t wer about him he was stayd: wherby it happened, that the pope receaued no harme, although diuers of his ministers & seruantes were slayne. The souldiers which ranged in the meane time through all the corners of the Popes house, did lade them selues with such treasure of gold, siluer, plate, and ornaments: that the wordes of my autor (whom I folow) do thus expresse it, MarginaliaEx Rob. Auesb.Quod omnes reges mundi non possent tātum de thesauto reddere infra vnum annum, quantum fuit de papali palatio asportatum, & de palacijs trium Cardinalium, & Marchionis. MarginaliaThe excessiue treasures of the popes house noted.That is. That all the kinges of the earth together, were not able to disburse so much out of theyr treasury, in a whole yeare: as then was takē and caried out of the popes palace, and of the palace of the iij. Cardinals, and the Marques. Thus Boniface beryued of all his goodes, remained in their custodie iij. dayes. MarginaliaA prety hādling of the pope.During the whiche space, they had set him on a wilde & vnbroken colte, his face turned to the horse tayle, causing the horse to run and course, while the pope almost was breathles. Moreouer, they kept him so without meat, that he was thereby nere famished to death. MarginaliaThe pope deliuered out of prisōAfter the iij. day: the Aruagians and people of the towne mustering them selues together (to the number of x. thousād) secretly brast into the house where the pope was kept, and so slayng the kepers, deliuered the pope by strōg hand. Who then being brought into the midle of the town, gaue thankes with weaping teares to the people for his lyfe saued: promising moreouer, that for so much as he was out of all his goodes, hauyng neither bread nor drynke to put in hys mouth, Gods blessing & his, to all them, that now would releaue hym with any thyng, either to eate or to drinke. And here now to see what pouerty & affliction can worke in a mā. The pope before, in all his pompe and most ruf-fling wealth was neuer so proud, but now was as humble and lowly: that euery poore simple man (as mine autor testifieth) might haue a bold and free accesse to his person. MarginaliaWhat pouertye and affection can do, in plucking down the pride of man.To make the story short, the Pope in that great distresse of famine was not so gredy of their vitailles, as they were gredy of his blessyng. Wherupon, the wemen and people of that towne came so thick, some w^t bread, some with wine, some w^t water, some with meate, some with one thing, some with an other: that the popes chamber was to litle to receaue the offring, insomuch þ^t when there lacked cups to receiue þ^e wine, they poured it down on the chamber flore, not regardyng the losse of wine, to winne the Popes holy blessyng. Thus Pope Boniface beyng refreshed by the town of Aruagum, tooke his iorney from thence accompanyed with a great multitude of harnessed souldiers, to Rome: where he shortly vpon the same, partly for feare which he was in, partly for famine, partly for sorrow of so inestimable treasure lost, dyed. MarginaliaPope Benedicturs. 21.After whō succeded Benedictus the xi. of whō these verses are written. A re nomen habe, bene dic, bene fac, benedicte. Aut rēperuerte male dic, male fac, maledicte. &c.  

And thus haue ye the whole story of pope Boniface the eight, autor of þ^e Decretales. Which story I thought the more diligently to set foorth, that all the Latine churche myght see, what an autor he was, whose lawes and decretals so deuoutly they folow.

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Now after the long debating of this matter betwene the French king and Pope Boniface, let vs proceede in our English story.  

About this time in the dayes of king Edward, the churche of Rome began dayly more and more to ryse vp and swell so high in pride and worldlye dominiō: þ^t no king almost in his own country could doo any thing, but as pleased the pope: who both had and ruled all, in all countries, but chiefly here in Englande: as partly by his intollerable tallage and pillage before signified may appeare, partly by his iniunctions and commaundementes sent downe, also by hys donations and reseruations of benefices and church liuinges: also in deposing and disposing such as him listed, in place and office to beare rule. MarginaliaThe kings election in hys owne realme frustrated.In so muche, that when the king and the churche of Canterburye in their election had chosen on Robert Burnel bishop of Bathe, to be archbishop of Canterbury: pope Boniface of his own singular presumptuous autoritie, ruling the matter after hys pleasure, frustrated their election, MarginaliaIohn Peccham archbishop of Cant.and thrust in an other named Iohn Peccham. For among all other, this hath alwayes bene one practise of the court of Rome: MarginaliaA point of practise in the court of Rome.euer to haue the Archbishop of their owne setting, or suche one as they might be sure on their side to weight against the king and other, whatsoeuer neede should happen. To this Iohn Peckham, Pope Boniface directed downe a solemne Bull from Rome, as also vnto all other quarters of the vniuersall churche. In the which bull was contayned and decreed, directly agaynst the rule of scripture, and Christian obedience: MarginaliaEcclesiastical persons exempted by the pope, for not paying tribute to the kyng.that no church, nor ecclesiasticall person should henceforth yelde to hys kyng or temporall magistrate, either any geuing or lending, or promising of tribute or subsidie, or portion what soeuer, of the goods & possessions to him belonging: but should be clearely exempted and discharged from all such subiection of tallage or subuention to be exacted of them in the behoofe of the prince and his affaires. Which decree manifestly rebelleth against the commaunded ordināce of God, and the Apostolicall canon of S. Peter, and all other examples of holye scripture. MarginaliaThe pope procedeth agaynst the manifest word, in setting the clergy free from the kinges tribute.For as there is no word in the scripture that excludeth spiritual men more then temporall from obedience and subiection of Princes: so if it chaunce the prince in his exacting to be to rigorous, or cruell in oppression: that is no cause for the clergy to be exempted, but to beare the common burden of obedience, and to pray to God to turne and moue the princes mynde, and so (wyth prayer and patience, not

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