meanes would stoupe vnder his subiection, nor vnder the rule of hys popish see, he sent vnto the French kyng, vpon remission of all hys sinnes, and of all that went with hym, that he should take with him all the power he might, & so to inuade the realme of England to destroy K. Iohn.

MarginaliaThe Popes great curseThis occasion geuen, Pope Innocent yet once againe commaunded in paine of his great curse: that no mā should obey king Iohn, neyther yet keepe company with hym: he forbad all persons to eate and drinke wyth hym, to talke with him: to commone or counsell with him: yea, his owne familiar houshold to doe him any kinde of seruice, eyther at bed or at boorde: in Church, hawle, or stable, and what folowed therof. The greater part of them which after such sort fled from him (by the ordinance of God) of diuers & sundry diseases the same yeare dyed. MarginaliaThe iust punishment of God vpon disobedient subiectes.And betwene both nations (English and French) fell that yeare great amitie: but secret, subtile, and false: to the bitter betraying of Englād. Neither was the pope content onely with this, but moreouer the sayd Pope Innocent gaue sentence definitiue (by counsell of his Cardinals) that king Iohn should be put from his seat regall and deposed, and an other put in hys roume. And to the speedy executiō therof, MarginaliaThe pope founde a murthererhe appointed the French king Philip, promising to geue him full remission of all his sinnes, and the cleare possession of all the realme of England, to hym and his heyres: if he did either kyll hym or expell hym.

MarginaliaAn. 1212.The next yeare the French king began hys attempt in hope of the crowne of England: being well māned with the Bishops, Monkes, prelates, and Priestes, and theyr seruantes to maintayne the same: bragging of the letters which they had receiued from the great mē there. But behold the worke of God: MarginaliaFrench ships takē by Englishmē.the English nauy tooke three hūdred of the French kinges ships, well loden with wheate, wyne, meale, fleshe, armour, and such other like, meete for the warre: and an hundred they brent within the hauen, taking the spoyle with them. MarginaliaPeter the false prophet.In the meane tyme the priests w^tin England, had prouided thē a certaine false coūterfait prophet called Peter Wakefield of Poiz: who was an idle gadder about, and a pratling marchaūt. This Peter, they made to prophecy lies: rumoring his prophecies abroad, to bring the kyng out of all credite with hys people. They noised it dayly among the commōs of the Realme, that Christ had twise appeared to this Prophet of theirs, in shape of a childe betwene the Priestes handes, once at Yorke, another time at Ponifret: and that he had breathed vpō him thrise, saying peace, peace, peace, and teaching many things which he anone after declared to the Bishops, and bid people amende their naughty liuing. Being rapt also in spirit (they sayd) he behelde the ioyes of heauen, and sorrowes of hell. For scant were there three (saith the Chronicle) among a thousand that liued christianly. This counterfeite soothsayer prophecied of king Iohn: that he should raigne no longer then the ascension day, within the yeare of our Lord, 1213. which was þ^e 14. yeare from hys coronatiō, MarginaliaThe false prophet found a lyar.and thys (he sayd) he had by reuelation. Then was it of hym demaunded, whether he should be slayne or be expelled, or should of himself geue ouer the crowne: He answered, that he coulde not tell. But of this he was sure (he sayd) that neither he, nor any of his stock or linage should raigne, that day once finished. The king hearing of this, laughed muche at it, and made but a scoffe therof. Tushe (saith he) it is but an idiote knaue, & such a one as lacketh his right wits. But when this folish Prophet had so escaped the daunger of the kynges displeasure, and that he made no more of it: he gate him abroad and prated thereof at large (as he was a uery idle vagabund) and vsed to tattle and talke more thē inough: so that they which loued the kyng, caused hym anone after to be apprehēded as a malefactor, and to be throwen in prison, the king not yet knowing therof.

Anone after, the fame of this phantasticall Prophet went all the Realme ouer: and his name was knowen euery where (as foolishnesse is much regarded of people, where wisdome is not in place) specially, because he was then imprisoned for the matter, the rumor was the larger: their wonderinges were the wantonner: their practising the folisher: their busie talkes and other idle occupying the greater. Continually from thence (as the rude maner of people is) olde gossips tales went abroad, new tales were inuented, fables were added to fables, and lyes grew vpon lyes. So that euery day, new slaunders were raised on the king, and not one of them true: rumours arose, blasphemies were spred, the enemies reioyced, & treasons by the priests were maintained: and what likewise was surmised, or other subtiltie practised, all was then fathered vpon this foolish prophet. As, thus sayth Peter Wakefield: thus hath he prophecied: and this shall come to passe: yea many times when he thought nothing lesse. When the Ascension day was come which was prophesied of afore: MarginaliaThe false prophet proued a lyar of K. Iohn.king Iohn cōmaunded his regal Tent to be spread abroad in þ^e open field: passing that day with his noble counsell and men of honor, in the greatest solemnitie that euer he did afore: solacyng himselfe with musicall instrumentes, & songes most in sight amongest his trusty frendes. When that day was past in all prosperitie and myrth: his enemyes beyng confused, turned all to an allegoricall vnderstandyng, to make the prophecie good, and sayd: he is no longer kyng, for the Pope raigneth & not he, yet raigned he stil and his sonne after him, to proue that prophet a lyar. Then was the kyng by his coūsell perswaded, that this false prophet had troubled all the Realme: peruerted the hartes of the people: and raysed the commons agaynst him. For his wordes went ouer the sea by the helpe of his Prelates, and came to the French kinges eare, & gaue vnto him a great encouragement to inuade the land: he had not els done it so sodenly. But he was most fouly deceiued, as all they are & shalbe, that put their trust is such darke drousie dreames of hypocrites. MarginaliaThe false prophet hanged.The king therfore cōmaūded that he should be drawen and hanged like a traytor.

After that, the popeishe, Prelates, Monkes, Chanons, Priestes, &c. saw this their crafty iugglyng by their fayned prophet would not speede, notwithstandyng they had done no litle harme thereby: to helpe the matter more forward, they began to trauaile and practise with pope Innocent of the one side, and with the French king on the other side: beside subtile treasons, which they wrought within the Realme and by their confessions in the eare, wherby they both blinded the nobilitie and the commons. MarginaliaK. Iohn submitteth him selfe to the Pope.The king thus compassed about on euery side with enemyes, and fearyng the sequele therof, knowyng the conspiracies that were in workyng agaynst him, as well by the Pope (in all that euer he might) as also by Philip the French kyng by his procurement: and moreouer his owne people, especially his Lordes and Barons beyng rebelliously incited agaynst him, as by the Popes curses & interdictions agaynst such as tooke his part: and by his absolutions and dispensatiōs with all those that would rebell agaynst him, commaundyng them to detaine from him such homage, seruice, duties, debtes, and all other allegiaunce that godly subiectes owe and are bound to yeld and giue their liege Lord & prince. All which things considered, the kyng in the. xiij. yeare of his raigne, for that the French kyng began to make sharpe inuasion vpon hym within his own Realme: MarginaliaK. Iohn entreateth for peace with the pope.sent speedy Embassadours to the Pope (as to the fountaine of all this his mischief pretensed) to worke & intreate his peace and reconcilation with him, promising to do what soeuer the Pope should will him and commaunde him in the reformation of himselfe, and restitution of all wronges done to holy Church, & to make due satisfaction therfore vnto all men that could complayne.

Then sent the Pope agayne into England his Legate Pandulphe with other Embassadours: the Kyng also at Caunterbury (by letters as it should seeme certified from his owne Embassadours) wayted their commyng. Where, the xiij. day of May the Kyng receaued them, makyng vnto them an othe, that of and for all thynges wherin he stode accursed he would make ample restitution and satisfaction. Vnto whom also all the Lordes and Barons of England (so many as there was with the Kyng attendyng the Legates commyng) sware in lyke maner, and that if the Kyng would not accomplish in euery thyng the othe which he had taken: that then they would cause him to hold and confirme the same whether that he would or not (or by strēgth) to vse the authors wordes.

MarginaliaK. Iohn submitteth himselfe and resigneth hys crowne.Then submitted the Kyng himselfe vnto the Court of Rome and to the Pope: And resignyng gaue vp his dominions and Realmes of Englād and Ireland from him and from his heyres for euermore that should come of him. With this condition, that the kyng and his heyres should take agayne these two dominions of the Pope to ferme: paying yearely therfore to the Court of Rome a thousand markes of siluer. Then tooke the kyng the crowne from his head, kneelyng vpon his knees in the presence of all his Lordes & Barons of Englād to Pandolphe the popes chief Legate, saying in this wise. Here I resigne vp the crowne of the realme of England to the Popes hands Innocent the thyrd, & put me wholy in his mercy & his ordinaunce. Then tooke Pandolphe the crowne of Kyng Ihon and kept it v. dayes as a possession and season takyng of these two Realmes of England and Ireland. Confirmyng also all thyngs promised by his charter obligatory as foloweth.