beganne to fayle, and many of them dyed for hunger. MarginaliaPollicie of warre.For the Earle of Tholouse as a wyse man of warre, hearyng before of their commyng, tooke into the towne, all the prouision that was abroad, and left nothyng without to serue for their defence and succour: he plowed vp the fieldes that there should no stouer be founde to serue their horses: he put out of the towne all the olde people, and young children, least they should wante vittayles that kept the towne, and before their comming sent them farre away. So that within the towne they had plenty, and without they dyed for famine: and besides in seeking farre for their forage, many fell into the handes of them that kept the citie, who secretly lay in wayt for them abroad and slew many of them. MarginaliaFamine and pestilence in the french campe.Besides, a great number of cattell and horses dyed for want of forage: and poore souldiours that had no great store of money dyed for want of vittayles. By which mortalitie and stench both of men and cattell, grew great infection & pestilence amongest them, insomuch that the kyng hymselfe and also the Legate were greatly dismayed: thinkyng it to be no litle shame as well to the realme of Fraunce as also to Rome, that they should so depart and breake vp their siege. Thus agayne thought the souldiours, that much better it were for thē to end their lyues by battell, then so to dye like dogges and sterue, wherfore with one consent they purposed to geue a new assaulte at the bridge that goeth ouer the floud Rodanus into the towne, to which place they came in such number: that eyther by the debilitie of the bridge, or subtiltie of the souldiours that kept the towne: MarginaliaThe french souldiours destroyed at the siege of Auinion.Three thousand of them with bridge and all, fell armed into the violent streame and were drowned. What was there then but ioy and gladnes of the Citizens part, and much lamentation and heauynes on the other part. Then shortly after, the Citizens of Auinion (when they saw a cōuenient tyme whilest their enemies were in eatyng meate) came sodenly vpon them out of the towne and slew of them. 2000. and tooke the towne agayne with safety. But the Legate with his company of prelates (like good men of warre) practised none other martiall feates, but all to be cursed the erle of Tholouse, his Cities, & his people. MarginaliaLewes the french kyng dyeth at the siege of Auinion.Ludouicus the kyng, to auoyde the pestilence that was in the camp, went into an Abbey not farre of: where shortly after he dyed, of whose death are sundry opinions, some saying that he was poysoned, some that he dyed of a bloudy flixe.

Whose death notwithstandyng, the Legate thought to kepe secret and conceale till that the towne might be rendered and geuen vp: for he thought hymselfe shamed for euer, if he should depart before the towne were wonne: MarginaliaThe false dealing of the popes Legate, in betraying the citie of Auinion.wherfore, after he had incouraged the souldiours a fresh, and yet after many sharpe assaults could not preuayle: He bethought hym how by falshode he might betray them, and sent vnto them certaine Haroldes to will them that they should amongst themselues consult vpon articles of peace, and bring the same to their camp, whose safe conduite they faythfully promised and warraunted both of comming and goyng. And when they had geuen their pledges for the same, the messengers from the Citizens talked with the Legate: who promised them if they would deliuer vp their citie, they should haue their liues, goodes, and possessions in as ample maner as now they enioyed the same. But the Citizens and souldiours refused to be vnder the seruitude of the Frēch king, neither would so deliuer vp their citie, to those of whose insolent pryde they had so good experiment. After much talke on both sides and none like to take effect: the Legate requested them & frendly desired, that he and his Prelates which were about him, might come into their Citie to examine what faith & belief they were of, and that he neither sought nor ment any other thyng thereby, but their owne safeties, as well of body as soule, which thyng he faithfully sware vnto: MarginaliaThe popes legate wickedly periured.for (sayth he) the brute of your great infidelitie hath come to the Lord Popes eare, & therfore desired he to make true cetificate therof. Wherupon the Citizens not mistrustyng his faythfull othe and promise made to them, graunted entrance to him and the residue of the Clergy brynging with them no weapon into the towne. MarginaliaPeriury of the papistes.The souldiours of the camp as it was agreed before, made them ready: so that at the entraunce of the Prelates in at the gate, nothyng regardyng their othe & fidelitie: MarginaliaThe citie of Auinion takē by treason & periury of the popes Legate.The other sodenly were ready, and with violence rushed in, slew the porter and warders, and at length wanne the Citie and destroyed the same and slue many of them that were within. Thus by falshode and policie, when they had got this noble Citie, they caryed the kyngs corpes to Paris where they buried the same. MarginaliaThe number of the Frēch souldiours in this siege destroyed.Of the whole number of the French souldiors which in this siege were destroyed by famine, pestilence, and drownyng, be recounted mo then. 22000. Wherby sayth the story of Mat. Parisiens. it may euidently appeare the warre was vniustly taken in hand, &c. Ex Mat. Parisiens.

MarginaliaThe incontinent lyfe of these Romishe prelates to be noted.After these thyngs finished, and after the funerall of the kyng celebrated at Paris, it followeth more in the sayd history of Parisiens. that the sayd Legate Romanus was vehemently suspected, and greuously infamed to abuse himselfe with Blauca the kinges mother. Sed impium est (sayth he) hoc credere, quia æmuli eius hoc disseminauerunt. Benignus autem animus dubia in melius interpretatur. i. But it is vngodly to suspect any such thing of him, because his enemyes so rumored the same abroad, but a gētle mynde expoundeth thynges doubtfull in the better part.

MarginaliaAn. 1227.To passe further to the yeare next folowyng, which was 1227. of the Lord: first is to be noted, that in this yeare kyng Henry begynnyng to shoote vp to the xx. yeare of his age, came frō Redyng to Londō, where he began to charge the citizens of London for old rekenynges, namely for geuyng or lendyng 1000. markes to Lewes the French king at his departyng out of the Realme, to the great preiudice of him & of his kyngdome. For the recompense wherof, they were constrayned to yeld to the kyng the full summe of the like money. MarginaliaThe king claimeth to be freed from gouernours and to be hys owne man.That done, he remoued to Oxford where he assembled a great counsaile, there denouncyng and protestyng before them all, that he was come to sufficient age, no more to be vnder tutors and gouernours but to be his owne mā, requiring to be freed from the custody of other. Which thing beyng protested, and contraried forthwith: he, MarginaliaHubert the iustice made Earle of Kent.by the counsaile of Hubert the chief iustice (whō he made then the earle of Kent) remoued from his cōpany, the Byshop of Winchester, and other vnder whō he was moderated. MarginaliaThe kyng vndoeth & dissolueth the liberties, which before he graunted.And immediatly in the same coūsaile, by the sinister persausiō of some, doth adnihilate and make voyde the charters, and liberties before by him graunted, pretendyng this colour: for that they had bene graunted and sealed in the time of his minoritie, at what tyme he had the rule neither of himselfe, nor of hys seale. Wherupon much mutteryng and murmuring was amōg the multitude. Who did all impute the cause to Hubert the iustice. MarginaliaPractises of princes to fet in money.Moreouer it was the same time proclaimed, that who soeuer had any charter, or gift sealed vnder the tyme of the kynges minoritie, they should come and renew the same agayne vnder the new seale of the kyng, knowyng otherwise that the thyng should stand in no effect. And finally for renewyng of their seales, were taxed not accordyng to their habilitie, but accordyng as it pleased the iustice and other to leuie them.

Moreouer beside this generall subsidie of the fiftene graunted to the kyng through the whole Realme, and beside also the contribution of the Lōdiners, diuers other parcels and paymentes he gathered through seuerall places: as of the Burgesses of Northampton he required a thousād and 200. markes, for his helpyng of them, and so of other lykewise. All this preparation of money was made toward the furnishyng of his viage to recouer Normandy. MarginaliaThe citizens of Londō freed frō tole through all England.
An. 1228.
Ex Fabia. part. 7.And yet because he would gratifie the Citie of London agayne with some pleasure: he graunted the Citizens therof should passe tole free (saith Fabian) through all England. And if of any Citie, borough, or towne they were constreined at any tyme to pay their tole, then the Shyriffes of London to attach euery man comming to London of the sayd citie, borough, or towne: and him & his goodes to withhold, till the Lōdiners were againe restored of all such mony payd for the sayd tole, with all costes & damages susteined for the same. Ex Fabia.

I declared before, how after the death of Honorius, succeded Pope Gregory the x. betwene MarginaliaSeditiō betweene the Romanes & the pope.the which Gregory and the people of Rome, this yeare, fell a great sedition. In somuch that about the feast of Easter, they thrust the pope out of the Citie, pursuyng hym vnto his Castell at Viterbium. Where also they inuaded him so valiantly, that they chased hym to Perusium. Then hauyng no other remedy wherewith to reuenge his persecutors, fiersly did excōmunicate them. Ex Mat. Paris. pag. 69.

MarginaliaThe popes church may be iudged by their dissention and schisme.¶ Here, by the way, is to be obserued & considered Christian reader, not onely by this sedition, but by so many other schismes, diuisions, tumultes, fightynges, brawles and contentions, in the Church of Rome from the first begynnyng of the Popes vsurped power: and that not onely within the Citie of Rome, but vniuersally almost in all Popish Monasteries collegies, Churches, and Couentes vnder the Pope subiected, continually reignyng amongest them, what is to be thought of their religion and holynes, MarginaliaNo peace in the popes church.hauyng so litle peace, so great disquietnes, dissentions, and wranglyng amongest them, as in storyes both manifest it is to behold, and wonderous to consider.

MarginaliaDissention betwene the prior & couent of Durham, & the king.And for as much, I haue entred here into the mention of this schismaticall commotion betwene the Pope and his Citizens: it followeth moreouer in the history of Parisiensis, who maketh relation of a like brawlyng matter, which be-