vexation and daunger: consideryng that he was his owne deare dearlyng, and a child of his owne creation.

Vpon this occasion, kyng Iohn conceyued an exceedyng displeasure agaynst the Clergy and mōkes of Canterbury (as he had good cause) they doyng so many euils agaynst his Princely prerogatiue. Without his licence thei elected their Archbyshop, and put by the Byshop of Norwich whō he had appointed. They wasted a great part of his treasure for the warres: & to bryng all to the Deuill, they made Stephan Langton their high metroplitane, whome he tooke for a greuous enemy vnto the whole realme, beyng alwayes so familiar with þ^e Frēch king. Wherfore in his anger he banished them out of the land, to the number of 64. for this their contumacie and contempt of his regall power.

The monkes of Canterbury thus beyng expulsed, the kyng forthwith sendeth messengers to the Pope with hys letters, wherein he doth sharply and expressely expostulate with the Pope: MarginaliaThe kyng doth expostulat wyth the pope for consecrating Stephā Langton Archb. of Cant.First, for that so vncurteously he repulsed the election of the Bishop of Norwich, and set vp one Stephan Langton, a man vnknowne to him, and brought vp amōgst his enemies a lōg tyme in the kingdom of Fraūce, consecratyng him Archbishop of Caunterbury, and lettyng the other go. Also (which is more) it redoundeth to the subuersion and derogation of the liberties appertaining to his crowne: for notwithstandyng his consent past (beyng before of þ^e monkes not made priuy which should so haue done) yet he rashly presumed to promote and preferre an other. Wherfore, he can not meruaile (he sayth) nough, that neither the sayd Pope, nor the Court of Rome doth consider & reuolue with themselues how necessary his loue & fauour hath bene alwayes hetherto to the sea of Rome: and that they consider not what great profite and reuenewes, hath proceeded hetherto to thē out of the realme of Englād: the like wherof hath not bene receiued out of any other countrey besides, on this side the Alpes. He addeth moreouer and sayth, that for his liberties he wyll stand (if neede be) vnto death: neyther can he be so remoued and shaken of frō the election of the Bishop of Norwich, which he seeth to be so commodious to hym and profitable. Finally, he thus cōcludeth saying: that in case in this his request he be not heard, he will so prouide by the seas, that there shall be no such gaddyng and coursing any more ouer to Rome, suffryng the riches of the land no more to be transported ouer, wherby he should be himselfe the lesse able to resist hys enemies. And seyng he hath of hys owne at home, Archbishops, bishops, & other prelates of the Church (both of English men and of other) sufficiently prouided and instructed in all kynde of knowledge: therfore he shall not neede greatly to seeke for iudgement and iustice farther abroad.

When these came to the Popes intelligence, he directeth letters to the K. agayne in this forme.

MarginaliaThe popes letters aunswering Kyng Iohn.INnocentius P. seruaunt of the seruaunts of God, to our welbeloued sonne in Christ, the king of England health, and Apostolicall blessing. Wher as we haue writtē to you heretofore, exhorting and entreating you after an humble, diligent, and gentle sort (concernyng the Church of Caunterbury) you haue written to vs agayne after a threatnyng sort and vpbraydyng manner: both spitefully and also forwardly. And where, as we more & aboue that our right & duety required, haue borne and geuen to you: you agayne for your parte haue geuen to vs not so much as by right and duety you are bound to do. And though your deuotion as you say, hath bene to vs very necessary, yet consider agayne that oures also is not a littleMarginaliaIt is pitie but this pope should be honored of kinges & princes.opportune & expediēt for you. And where as we, in such like cases haue not shewed at any tyme the like honor to any prince as we haue vnto you: you againe haue so much derogated our honor, as no prince els hath presumed to do besides you alone: pretending certaine friuolous causes and occasions I cannot tell what, why you would not condescend to the election of Steuen Langton Cardinall of S. Chrysogono chosen by the Monkes of Canterbury: for that the sayd Steuen as you say, hath bene conuersant & brought vp amongst your enemies, and his person to you vnknown. But you know what is the prouerbe of Salomō: the net is cast, but in vaine in the sight of the flying birdes, &c. MarginaliaA pitiful case that a king cannot constitute an Archb. within his owne realme, who hym most lyketh.With much other matter in the same epistle, wherin he falleth into the commendation of Steuē Langtō his Cardinall: declaring how learned he was in the liberall artes, and in deuinitie, in so much he was prebendated at Paris: also come of an honest stocke and an Englishman borne, and not vnknowen to the king, seyng the K. had written his letters thrise to hym before. MarginaliaThe kyng might write to him, and yet his persō not greatly knowen to the King.Declaryng moreouer in the sayd letter, how the messengers of the kyng had specified to him an other cause: which was, for that the monkes of Canterbury which had to do in the election, came not to hym before for hiys consent, declaryng moreouer in the sayd letter, how the sayd messengers of the K. intreated in the kinges behalf: that for so much as the popes letters (wherin the K. was commaunded to send his proctors to Rome for þ^e same matter) came not to the kings hand, neither did the monkes direct any such letters or message to the kyng to haue hys consent: therefore the Pope consideryng the same, would graunt so much for the regard of the kings honour, that the monkes of Cant. should procede not without the kings assent therin. And for as much, as that hath not bene done as yet, therfore they desired some delay therin to be geuen, sufficient for the doyng therof. Wherunto he sayd, that he had graunted, and fulfilled their request, in sending hys letters and messengers once or twise to the kyng for the same purpose, although he sayd it was not the maner of the sea Apostolique, (who had the fulnesse of power ouer the Church of Canterbury) to waite for princes consents in such elections, who then could not be suffred to do that which they came for. Wherfore in knittyng vp his letter, he thus concludeth in these wordes.

And therfore, seyng the matter so standeth, we see no cause why we should require or tary for the kings fauour, or consent any more therin: but intend so to proceede in this matter, neither enclinyng on the right hand nor on the left, accordyng as the canonicall ordinaunces of the holy fathers shall direct vs: that is (that all impediments and delayes set aside) so to prouide, that the Church of Canterbury be no longer destitute of her pastor. Wherefore be it knowne to your discretion or kingly prudence, that for so much as this election of Stephan Langton hath orderly and concordly thus proceded without fraude or disceit, vpon a person mete for the same: therfore, we will not for no mans pleasure, neither may we without daunger of fame and of conscience, defer or protract any longer the consummation of the sayd election. Wherefore my welbeloued sonne, seyng we haue had respect to your honour, aboue that our right and duety requireth: study to honour vs so much as your duety requireth agayne, so that you may the more plentifully deserue fauour, both at gods hands and ours: least, that by doing the contrary, you bring your self into such a pecke of troubles, as afterwards you shall scarse rid your selfe of agayne. For this know for a certaine, in the ende it must nedes fall out that he shal haue the better, vnto whom euery kne (of heauenly, earthly, and infernall creatures) doth bowe: whose turne I serue in earth, though I be vnworthy. MarginaliaNote the procedinges of this ambitious pope.Therfore settle not your selfe to obey their perswasions, which always desire your vnquietnes: wherby they may fish the better in the water when it is troubled: but commit your self to our pleasure, which vndoubtedly shal turne to your praise, glory, and honour. For it should not be much for your safetie in this cause to resist God and the Church, in whose quarell that blessed Martyr and glorious bishop ThomasMarginaliaTho. Becket he meaneth.hath of late shed his bloud: especially seyng your father and your brother of famous memory, then kings of England, did geue ouer those three wicked customes into the hāds of the Legates of the see Apostolique. MarginaliaPrinces must be subiecte to the pope.But if you yeld your selfe hūbly into our handes, we will loke that you and yours shal be sufficiently prouided for, that no preiudice may arise hereupon to you warde. Geuen at Laterane the x. yeare of our Popedome.

Thus hast thou (gentle Reader) the glorious letter of the proud Pope. I beseche thee marke it well. Now to the story.

After this letter was sent out, not long after procedeth a charge and commaundement, sent also to England, vnto certayne bishops there: requiring them by autoritie Apostolicall, that if the sayd king woulde not receiue the said Prior of Cant. & his Mōkes, thē they should interdict hym throughout all his realme. MarginaliaFoure byshops appointed to interdict the realme.For þ^e executing wherof .4. Bishops were appointed by þ^e vsurped power of þ^e popes buls: namely Williā B. of Lōdō, Eustace B. of Ely, Walter B. of Winchester, & Giles B. of Herford. Which sayd foure bishops went vnto the K. and shewed hym their commission from the Pope, as is aboue sayde, willing hym to consent thereto. &c.

But the sayd kyng refused the same, and would by no meanes graunt to their request. Wherupon, they departing from hys grace, went the morrow after the Annunciation of our Lady, MarginaliaEngland interdicted by the pope.and pronounced the sayd generall interdiction throughout all England: so that the Church dores were shutte vp with keyes and other fasteninges, and wyth walles. &c.

Now when the king heard of this, he began to be moued agaynst them, and tooke all the possessions of the 4. bishops into his handes: appoynting certayne men to keepe