kyngdome haue felte no small detriment. MarginaliaDamage receaued by the Pope in the realme of England.By reason of which prouisions the Church of England is so sore charged and burdened, that not onely the Patrones of Churches, to whom the donations therof de appertayne, are defrauded of their right: but also many other good workes of Charitie thereby do decay, for that such benefices which haue bene mercifully bestowed vppon religious houses to their sustentation, are now wasted and consumed by your prouisions.

MarginaliaThe Popes prouisions.Wherfore for so much as your Sea Apostolicke ought to be fauorable to all that be petitioners to the same, so that no person be wronged in that which is his right, we thought therfore to be suters to your fatherhood, most humbly beseching your holinesse that you will desist and surcease for a tyme, from such prouisions to be exacted. In the meane season, it may please your fatherhoode, we besech you, that our lawes and liberties, (which you may rightly repute none other but your owne) you will receaue to your tuition, to be conserued whole and sound, nor to suffer the same by any sinister suggestion in your Court to be violated and infringed. MarginaliaThe kinges too much subiectiō to the Pope.Neither let your holinesse be any whit mooued therfore with vs, if in some such cases as these be, we do or shall hereafter resist the tenour of your commaudementes forasmuch as the complaintes of such which daily call vpon vs, do necessarily enforce vs therunto, which ought by the charge of this our office and kingly dignitie committed to vs of almighty GOD, to foresee that no man in that which is their right be iniured, but truely to minister iustice to euery one in that which duely to hym apperteyneth. This letter was sent, the 28. yeare of the kinges reigne. Ex Parisiens. fol. 172.

A man would thinke that this so gentle and obedient letter of the king to the Pope, would haue wrought some good effect in hys Apostolicall brest, to withdraw his prouisions, and to haue tendered the kings so reasonable and honest request: but how little all this preuayled to stop his insatiable greedines, and vntollerable extortions and oppressions, the sequele well declareth. MarginaliaEx Math. parisiens. fol. 172.For besides that shortly after the Pope sent M. Martin with blankes beyng bulled for contribution of 10000. markes in all hast to be paied, also euen immediatly vpon the receauing of this letter, it followeth in myne author, that the sayd Pope Innocent the 4. after all this great submission of the king and so manifold benefites and payments yearely out of this Realme receaued, was not ashamed MarginaliaThe Pope setteth Welch men against the king of England.to take of Dauid Prince of Northwales 500. Markes by yeare, to set him agaynst the king of England, and exempted hym from his fealtie and obedience due to his owne liege Lord and king, to whom both he and all other Welchmen had sworne their subiection, before as by the seales and obligations, as wel of that Dauid himselfe, as other Welch Lordes in this behalfe, doth appeare. In Mat. Paris. fol. 172.

Neither did M. Martinus in the meane whyle sleepe his busines in making vp his market for the Popes mony of. 10000. markes, but still was callyng vpon the prelates and clergy. Who first excusing themselues by the absence of the king and the Archb. of Cant. afterward beyng called agayne by new letters, made their aunswere by the Deane of Paules their Prolocutor: First that the pouerty of the Realme would not suffer them to consent therto.

MarginaliaContribution required of the clergie of Englād for the pope with their excuses and reasons agaynst the same.Item, where as they had giuen before a contributiō to Cardinall Otho, for paying of the Popes debtes, & knew the sayd mony to be employed to no such end as it was demaunded for, more cause they had now to misdoubt, lest this contribution, in his handes which was a much more inferiour messenger then the Cardinall, would come to the same or a worse effect.

Item, if they should now agree to a new contribution, they feared lest it would grow to a custome, seyng that one action twise done maketh a custome.

Item, for so much as a generall Councell is shortly loked for, where euery Prelate of the realme must nedes bestow both hys trauayle and expenses, and also his presence to the Pope, if the Prelates now should be bound to thys taxe, they were not able to abide this burden.

Item, seyng it is alledged, that the mother Church of Rome is so farre in debt, reason and right it were that the mother so oppressed should be susteyned of all her deuout children meetyng together in the generall Councell, where as by helpes of many more relefe might come, then by one nation alone.

Item, last of all they alleged, that for feare of the Emperour and his threatninges, they durst not consent to the sayd contribution.

While these thynges were thus in talke betwene the Popes Priest and the Clergy of England, cōmeth in Iohn Marschall, and other messengers from the kyng, commaūdyng in the kings name, that no bishop that held his Baronage of the kyng, should infeft hys lefeode to the court of Rome, which they ought onely vnto hym &c. Ex Parisiens. fol. 139. an. 1244.

MarginaliaThe portes of England layde to stop the popes letters, yet all would not serue.Not long after this, in the yeare of our Lord. 1245. the whole nobilitie of the Realme, by generall consent, and not without the kings knowlege also, caused all the Portes by the Sea side to be laid, that no messenger with the popes letters and Bulles from Rome, should be permitted to enter the Realme. Whereupon some were taken at Douer, and their stayed. Notwithstandyng when complaynt therof was brought to the kyng by M. Martinus the Popes leiger, there was no remedy but the kyng must nedes cause these letters to be restored agayne, and executed to the full effect. fol. 185.

MarginaliaSixty thousand markes yearely going out of England to the Pope and his Italian clerkes.Then the kyng vpon aduise, caused a vewe to be taken through euery shire in England, to what summe the whole reuenewes of the Romans and Italians amounted, which by the Popes authoritie went out of England: the whole summe wherof was found yerely to be threescore thousand Markes: to the which summe, the reueneues of the whole crowne of England did not extende. Ex Math. Parisiens. fol. 185. a.

The nobles then vnderstandyng the miserable oppression of the Realme, beyng assembled together at Dunstable for certayne causes, sent one Fulco in the name of the whole Nobilitie, vnto M. Martinus the Popes marchaunt, with this message, that he indelaydly vpon the same warnyng should prepare hymselfe to be gone out of the realme, vnder payne of beyng cut all to pieces. At which message the Legate beyng sore agast, went streight to the king, to know whether his consent was to the same or not. MarginaliaM. Martine the Popes legate sent out of England in the deuils name.Of whom when he found litle better comfort, he tooke his leaue of the king, who bade him adue in þ^e deuils name (sayth M. Paris.) and thus was the realme rid of M. Martinus. Ex Mat. Paris. 185. b. an. 1245.

MarginaliaThe Pope in displeasure with the king of England.As soone as Pope Innocent had hereof intelligence by the complaint of his Legate, he was in a mighty rage: And furthermore remembring how the French king, and þ^e king of Arragon, not long before had denied him entraunce into their land, and being therfore in displeasure with them likewise, began in great anger to knit his browes, and said: it is best that we fall in agreement with our Prince, wherby we may the sooner bryng vnder * Marginalia* Istos Regulos.these little pety kinges and so the great Dragon being pacified, these little Serpents we shall handle at our owne pleasure as we list.MarginaliaThe proud wordes of the pope agaynst the French king and king of England.

After this immediatly then folowed the generall Councell of Lions, to the which Councell the states and Lordes of the Realme, with the consent of the comminaltie, sent two Billes: One conteyning a generall supplication to the Pope, and the Councell: the other with the Articles of such greuances which they desired to be redressed, wherof relation is made sufficiently before pag. 270. The other Bill of Supplication because it is not before expressed, I thought here to exhibite for two causes: First, that men now in these dayes may see the pitifull blindnesse of those ignoraunt dayes, wherin our English nation here dyd so blyndely humble themselues, and stand to the Popes curtesie, whome rather they shoulde haue shaken of, as the Grecians dyd. Secondly, that the pryde of the pope might the better appeare in hys colours, who so disdainefully reiected the humble sute of our Lordes and Nobles, when they had much more cause to disdayne rather, & to stampe hym vnder their feete. The Tenour of the Supplication was this.

Marginalia1245.
The supplication of the Lordes and commons of England exhibited to the pope.¶ To the reuerend father in Christ Pope Innocent, chiefe Bishop, the nobles with the whole comminalty of the Realme of England sendeth commendation, with kissing of his blessed feete.

OVr mother the Church of Rome we loue with all onr hartes as our duety is, and couet the encrease of her honour with such much affection as we may, as to whom we ought alwayes to flie for refuge, wherby the grief lying vpō the child may finde comfort at the mothers hand. Which succor the mother is bound so much the rather to imparte