tyme of truce, the Pope priuily sendeth to the townesmen of Aruagium, desiring them to saue his life: which if they would doe, he promised so to enrich them, that they should al haue cause neuer to forget or repent their benefite bestowed. To this they made answere againe, excusing themselues, þ^e it lay not in their habilitie to doe him any good, for that the whole power of the towne was with the Captaine. MarginaliaPope Boniface brought to a straight.Then the Pope all destitute and desolate, sendeth vnto Schaira, beseching him to draw out in articles, wherin he had wronged him, and he would make him amends to the vttermost. Schaira to this maketh a plaine answere, signifiing to him againe: that he should in no wise escape with his life, except vpon these 3. conditions. MarginaliaThree conditions put to the popeFirst to restore againe the ij. Cardinals of Columpna his brethrē whom he had before depriued, with all other of their stock and kinred: secondly, that after their restitution, he should renounce his papacie: thirdly, his body to remaine in his power and custody. These articles seemed to the Pope so hard, that in no case he woulde agree vnto them: wherfore, the time of treuse expired, the captaines and souldiers in all forceable meanes bending thē selues against the Bishop, first fiered the gates of the Pallace, whereby the army hauing a full entraunce, fell to rifle and spoyle the house. MarginaliaHere may all kinges by the Frēch king learne how to handle the pope. Boniface chuseth rather to dye then to geue ouer his popedome.The Marques vpon hope to haue his life, and þ^e life of his children, yeldeth him to the handes of Schaira and the other captain: which when the Pope heard, he wept and made great lamentation. After this throughe windowes and dores, at length with much a doe they braste into the Pope: whom they intreated with words & threats accordingly. Vpon this he was put to his choise, whether he would presently leaue his life, or geue ouer his Papacie. But that he denyed stifly to doe, to dye for it: saying to them in his vulgar tongue Eccle col, eccle 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 and was redy to slay him, but by certaine that were about him he was stayd: whereby it hapned, that the Pope receaued no harme, although diuers of his ministers and seruantes were slaine. The souldiars which ranged in the meane time through all the corners of the Popes house, did lade themselues with such treasure of golde, siluer, plate, and ornamentes: that the wordes of my autor (whome I follow) do thus expresse it, MarginaliaEx R. Auesb.Quod omnes reges mundi non possent tantum de thesauto reddere infra vnum annum, quātum 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 muche out of their treasury, in a whole yeare: as then was taken and caryed out of the Popes pallace, and of the pallace of the three Cardinals, and the Marques. Thus Boniface bereued of all his goods, remained in their custodye iij. dayes. MarginaliaA prety hādling of the pope.Duringe the which space, they had set him on a wilde and vnbroken colte, his face turned to the horse tayle, causing the horse to runne and course, whyle the Pope almost breathlesse. Moreouer, they kept hym so without meate, that he was therby nere famished to death. MarginaliaThe pope deliuered out of prisōAfter the iij. day: the Aruagians and people of the towne musteryng themselues together (to the number of x. thousand) secretly brast into þ^e house where the Pope was kept, and so slaying the kepers, deliuered the Pope by strong hand. Who then beyng brought into the middle of the towne, gaue thankes with weapyng teares to the people for his lyfe saued: promising moreouer, that for so much as he was out of all hys goodes, hauyng neither bread nor drinke to put in hys mouth, Gods blessing and his, to all them, that now would releaue hym wyth any thyng, either to eate or to drinke. And here now to see what pouerty and affliction can worke in a man. The Pope before, in all hys pompe and most ruffling wealth was neuer so proud, but now was as humble & lowly: that euery poore simple man (as myne author testifieth) might haue a bold and free accesse to hys person. MarginaliaWhat pouertie & affection cā do in plucking downe the pride of mā.To make the story short, the Pope in that great distresse of famine was not so greedy of their vitayles, as they were gredy of his blessing. Wherupō, the women & people of þ^t towne came so thicke, some wyth bread, some with wyne, some wyth water, some with meat, some with one thyng, some with an other: that the Popes chamber was to litle to receyue the offring, in so much that when there lacked cups to receyue the wyne, they poured it downe on the chamber flore, not regardyng the losse of wine, to win the Popes holy blessing. Thus Pope Boniface beyng refreshed by the towne of Aruagum, tooke his iourney from thence accompanied with a great multitude of harnessed souldiors, 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, died. MarginaliaPope Benedicturs. 21.After whome succeded Benedictus the xi. of whom these verses are written. A re nomen habe, benedic, benefac, benedicte. Aut remperuerte maledic, malefac, maledicte. &c.  

And thus haue ye the whole story of Pope Boniface the eight, author of the Decretales. Which story I thought the more diligently to set forth, that all the Latine Church myght see, what an author he was, whose lawes and decretals so deuoutly they follow.

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

About this tyme in the dayes of king Edward, the Church of Rome began daily more and more to ryse vp and swell so hygh in pride and worldly dominion: that no kyng almost in his owne country coulde do any thyng, but as pleased the Pope: who both had and ruled all, in all countryes, but chiefly here in England: as partly by his intollerable tallage and pillage before signified may appeare, partly by his iniunctions and commaundementes sent downe, also by his donations and reseruations of benefices and church liuings: also in deposing and disposing such as hym listed, in place and office to beare rule. MarginaliaThe kinges election in hys owne realme frustrated.In so much, that when the kyng and the church of Canterbury in their election had chosen one Robert Burnell bishop of Bathe, to be Archbishop of Canterbury: Pope Boniface of hys owne singular presumptuous autoritie, rulyng the matter after hys pleasure, frustrated their election, MarginaliaIohn Peccham Archb. of Cant.and thrust in an other named Iohn Pecham. For amōg 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 settyng, or suche one as they might be sure on their side, to weigh agaynst the k. and other, whatsoeuer nede should happen. To this Iohn Peckham, Pope Boniface directed downe a solemne Bull from Rome, as also vnto all other quarters of the vniuersall church. In the which bull was contayned and decreed, directly agaynst the rule of Scripture, and Christian obedience: MarginaliaEcclesiasticall persōs exempted by the pope, for not paying tribute to the kyng.that no church, nor ecclesiasticall person should henceforth yeld to his kyng or temporall Magistrate, either any geuyng or lendyng, or promising of tribute or subsidie, or portion whatsoeuer, of the goodes and possessions to hym belongyng: 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 hys affaires. Which decree manifestly rebelleth agaynst the commaunded ordinaunce of God, and the Apostolicall canon of S. Peter, and all other examples of holy Scripture. MarginaliaThe pope procedeth agaynst the manifest worde, in setting the clergie free from the kinges tributes.For as there is no worde in the Scripture that excludeth spirituall men more then temporall from obedience and subiection of princes: so if it chaunce the Prince in hys exactyng 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 (with prayer and patience, not wyth pryde and disobedience) to helpe and amende that which is anuisse. Concernyng the Bull of Boniface, if any there be that eyther do no credite the same, so to contayne, or would for hys mynde see and read the same, the wordes therof here folow.

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MarginaliaEx chron. Rob. Gisb.BOnifacius. &c. Ad sempiternam rei memoriam Clericis, laicos infestos opido tradidit antiquitas. Quod & presentium experimenta temporum manifeste declarant, dum suis finibus non contenti nituntur in vetitum & ad illicita sua frena relaxant, nec prudenter attendunt quomodo sit eis in clericos ecclesiasticasue personas, & bona interdicta potestas. Quin imo ecclesiarum prælatis, ecclesiis ecclesiasticisq; personis regularibus & secularibus imponūtur onera grauia, ipsos talliant, & eis collectas imponunt, & ab ipsius suorumq; prouentuum, vel bonorum dimidiam, deccimam, seu vicesimā, vel quamuis aliam portionem quo tam exigunt & extorquēt, eosq; moliuntur multipharie subiicere seruituti, suæq; subdere ditioni. Et quod dolenter referimus, nonnulli ecclesiarum prælati, ecclesiasticæque personæ trepidantes, vbi trepidandum non est, transitoriam pacem querentes: plus timētes maiestatem temporalem offendere, quam æternam, talium abusibus non tam temerarie, quam improuide acquiescunt, sedis apostolicæ autoritate non obtenta. Nos igitur talibus actibus obuiare volentes, de fratrum nostrorum consilio * Marginalia* Apostolica autoritas frustra obtenditur, vbi Apostolica script ura cōtemniturApostolica autoritate statuimus: quod quicunq: prælati, ecclesiasticæue personæ, vel seculares quorumcunque ordinū conditionis, seu status, collectas vel tallias, dimidiam decimam, vicesimam, seu sentesimam suorum & ecclesiarum suarum prouentuum vel bonorum laicis soluerint, vel promiserint, vel se soluturos excesserint, aut quamuis aliam quanticatem, porcionem, aut quicquam ipsorum prouentuum vel bonorum

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