he summoneth a Parliament at London by reason of the Complaints of the English against those Grievances which they could no longer tollerate without the brand of sluggishness and their own imminent ruin Great was the Indignation of the Pope against the miserable English for that they durst complain against their daily injuries and oppressions in the Council which he so multiplied that the English were more vile in his eyes and the Court of Rome than any other â—en of the remotest Nations Insolently saying It is expedient for 〈◊〉 to compound with the Emperour Frederick that we may trample the â—â—tle King of England under our Feet who now kicks with the heel aâ—â—inst us Then the King the Nobles Archbishops Bishops and Abbots â—ew up seven Articles in Parliament against the Popes Grievances â—â—d Oppressions 1. In Extorting and Collecting several Sums of Money by General â—axes and Assesses without the Kings Assent or Consent against the anâ—ent Customs Liberties and Rights of the Realm and against the Appeal and Contradiction of the Proctors of the King and Kingdom made 〈◊〉 a General Council 2. In hindering Patrons to present their Clerks to Vacant Livings and â—estowing them by Proviso's on other Roman Clerks utterly ignorant of the English Tongue to the peril of the peoples souls and impoverishing the â—ealm beyond measure by transporting Money out of it 3. In granting Pensions out of Livings by provision and more proviâ—â—on of Benefices than he promised after his Bull against them 4. That one Italian succeeded another That Subjects causes were â—â—awn out of the Realm by the Pope's Authority against the Custom of the Realm against the Written Laws that men ought not to be condemned among their Enemies and against Indulgences granted by his Predecessors â—o the Kings and Realm of England 5. The frequent mention of that infamous word Non-obstante in his Bulls by which the Religion of an Oath ancient Customs vigour of Writings the Established Authority of Charters Laws Priviledges were debilitated vanished away and his not carrying himself courteâ—ously towards the Realm in revoking the plenitude of his power as he promised 6. That in the Benefices of Italians neither their Rights nor sustentation of the poor nor hospitality nor preaching of God's Word nor the useful Ornaments of the Churches nor Cure of Souls nor Divine Services were performed as they ought to be and according to the Custom of the Countrey 7. That the Walls of their Houses fell down together with their Roofs and were dilapidated To which other Complaints to the King and Parliament against 〈◊〉 Court of Rome were super-added which they sent to the Pope by their respective Messengers with five several Letters two from the King to the Pope and his Cardinals a third from all the Archbishops and Bishops a fourth from all the Abbots and Priors the fifth from all the Earls and Temporal Lords speedily to reform all their Grievances to prevent unavoidable Mischiefs to the King the Pope and the Church of Rome and their revolt from Subjection to them They complained that the Pope demanded Knight-service due only to the King to Lords from their Tenants from Prelats and Clergy-men to find him so many Horse or Foot for half a year or pay a great Ransom in lieu of it under pain of Excommunication which they must reveal to no Man That he granted one years Fruits of all Benefices that fell void within the Province of Canterbury to Archbishop Boniface That he by sealed Bulls required the Abbots of the Cistercian Order in England to send him golden Jewels to adorn his Planets and Copes as if they might be goâ—â— for nothing That if any Clerk should from thenceforth die intestate his Goods should be converted to the use of the Pope which he commanded the Friers Preachers and Minors diligently to execute seizing on the Money Goods and Plate oâ— three rich Archdeacons which the King hearing of prohibited and by the common advice of his Nobles and Prelats in Parliament issued several successive Prohibitions to the Abbot of St. Albans and others not to pay any Tallage to the Pope or his Agents before the return of their Messengers to Rome against these Grievances under pain of seizing his Barony and to the Bishops not to exact or levy any such Tax for any Clerk Religious Person or Lay-man to the prejudice of his Royal Dignity against his and his Nobles Provisions in Parliament which he neither could nor would indure The Pope contemned the zealous Letters and memorable Complaints of the King and whole Kingdom against his Exactions requiring the Bishop of Norwich and others to levy a Subsidy for him at which all were amazed The King summons a new Parliament at Winton concerning the manifold Grievances of the whole Realm and especially of the Church wherein the Messengers sent to the Court of Rome reported That they could discern no Humility nor Moderation in the Popes Gestures or Words concerning the Oppressions wherein the Church and Realm of England were grieved and whereof they complained That when they expected a pleasing Answer the Pope told them The King of England who now kickâ— his Heel and Frederizeth hath his Council and I have mine which I will pursue That from that time scarce any English Man could dispatch any Business in Court yea they were all repelled and reviled as Schismaticks so as so many Epistles of the King and the universality of the Nobles and Prelats of the Realm had no efficiency at all At which Report the King and Nobles being much exasperated the King by their Advice commanded Proclamations to be made through all Countreys Cities Boroughs and Villages of the Realm that no Prelate Clerk or other Person throughout the Realm should consent to any Contribution to the Pope or transmit any Money towards his Aid or in any wise obey his Papal Commandement which was accordingly done The Pope hearing thereof wrote to the English Prelats more sharply than before requiring them under pain of Excommunication and Suspension to pay in the Aid he demanded to his Nuncio in the New Temple before the Feast of Assumption Hereupon the King was so terrified with the Popes Menaces that he and the Richest Prelats complied with his Designs paying 6000 Marks to the Pope to the great impoverishing of the Realm which was transported by the Pope's Nuncio and Merchants to aid the Landgrave against the Emperor Frederick part whereof he intercepting grievously reprehended the Effeminacy of the English and of Richard Earl of Cornwall for yielding to the Popes party to the Destruction of the Realm of England and detriment of the Empire The Pope intended to have interdicted the Realm of England had they not paid his 6000 Marks and the King by his Nuncio's signified his Compliance to it Now all the consolation and hope of relieving the English expired their Enemies being their Judges SECT 22. 22. Hereunto I shall add what I found in an Ancient Manuscript which briefly gives us an
Lay-subjects who greatly stomached this Indignity offered to the King The Pope fearing two such Potentates as the Kings of England and France Mat. Paris Hist Angl. fol. 1 4 135. determineth to labour a Reconciliation betwixt the King and the Archbishop and to make the French King a Mediator for the Archbishop This he effected and brought the two Kings together at Paris Thither also came Thomas Becket who being come into the King's presence falling down upon his knees used these words My Lord and Soveraign I do here commit unto your own judgment the Cause and Controversie between us so far forth as I may salvo honore Dei savâ—ng the honour of God The King being much offended with that last Expression Salvo honore Dei turned himself about unto the French King and said See you not how he goeth about to delude me with this Clause Saving the honour of God for whatsoever shall displease him he will by and by alledge to be prejudicial to the honour of God But this I will say to you Godwin's Catalogue of English Bishops whereas there have been Kiâ—gs of England many before me whereof some were peradventure of greater power than I the most far less and again many Archbishops befâ—re this man holy and notable men Look what Duty was ever performed by the greatest Archbishop that ever was to the weakest and simplest of my Predecessors Hereunto the Archbishop answered cunningly and stoutly That the times were altered his Predecessors which could not bring all things to pass at the first dash were content to bear with many things and that as men they fell and omitted their Duty often times that what the Church had gotten was by the diligence of good Prelates whose Example he would follow thus far forth as that if he could not augment the Priviledges of the Church in his time yet ye would never consent they should be diminished This Answer being heard all Men cried shame upon him imputing the cause of these stirs upon him and so they parted at that time without reconciliation Another instance I will give namely that of Cardinal Pool who in the Dispensation granted to the Realm in the time of Queen Mary for determining Church Lands c. Doth therein plainly declare that it was of favour and in regard of the Peace of the Realm that he so dispensed otherwise all Laws made in derogation of the Churches Rights were void SECT 3. The King forbidden to levy Subsidies upon the Clergy So are his Laws in c. adversus Ext. de Immunitate Ecclesiarum c. 1. de Immunit Ecclesiar in sexto c. Clericis eâ—dem 3. The Pope dischargeth the Clergy from all Payments of Money imposed by any Temporal Prince be it by way of Taxe or of Subsidy or for what necessity of his Realm soever except the Pope be first made privy thereto and give his assent And Clerks yielding to such Imposition do thereby fall into the Popes Curse Roger Hovâ—den Annal pars posterior p. â—11 817 Matth Paris p. 146 157 194 Holmshed p. 1â— 163 170 Godwin in hâ—s Life King John demanding of his Subjects as well Spiritual as Temporal a thirteenth part of their Goods and Chattels Geoffery Plantaginet Archbishop of York the Kings base Brother opposed it So saith Mr. Prynne out of divers Authors That he obstructed the levying of Carvage demanded and granted to the King by common consent and paid by all others on the Demesne Lands of his Church or Tenants beating the Sheriff of York's Servants excommunicating the Sheriff himself by Name with all his Aiders and interdicted his whole Province of York for attempting to levy it Wherefore the King incensed for these intollerable Affronts summoned him to answer these high Contempts his not going over with him into Normandy when summoned and also to pay him 3000 Marks due to his Brother King Richard and by his Writs commanded all the Archbishops Servants where-ever they were found to be imprisoned as they were for beating the Sheriffs Officers and denying to give the King any of the Archbishops Wine passing through York summoned Geoffery into his Court to answer all these Contempts and â—ssued Writs to the Sheriff of Yorkshire to seize all his Goods Temporalties and to return them into the Exchequer which was executed accordingly The King and Queen repairing to York the next Mid-Lent the Archbishop upon more sober thoughts made his Peace with the King submitted to pay such a Fine for his Offences as four Bishops and four Barons elected by them should adjudge and absolved William de Stutvil the Sheriff and James de Paterna whom he had excommunicated and recalled his former Interdict King Edward the First was in a like case resisted by means of Robert Kilwarby Archbishop of Canterbury For when the King in Parliament holden at St. Edmonds-bury demanded there a Subsidy of his Subjects the Temporalty yielded an Eighth part of the Goods of Citizens and Burgesses and of other Lay Persons the twelfth part but the Clergy encouraged by the Archbishop This is repâ—rted by William Thorn a Monk of Canterbury who had procured from Pope Boniface the VIII Immunity from Subsidies which I take to be the same that is before recited Ex. c. 1. de Immunitate Ecclesiarum in Sexto refused to yield any thing whereupon the King called another Parliament at London without the Clergy where the Goods of the whole Clergy were declared to be forfeited to the King so as afterwards most of the Clergy were content with any condition to redeem that forfeiture SECT IV. 4. Subjects Armed against their Soveraign The Kings own Subjects were by the Pope armed with Censures of Excommunication Interdiction c. by them to be denounced against him for redress of such wrongs as it pleaseth them to take themselves injured by Pope Innocent IV. hath decreed that a Prelate having wrong offered him by a Temporal Judge may defend himself with the Spiritual Sword of Excommunication c. Dilecto De sententia Excommunicationis in Sexto In the Fortieth year of King Henry the Third Boniface Archbishop of Canterbury made a large Constitution wherein he setteth forth how the Clergy shall proceed against the King by whose Writ a Clerk is called in his Court to answer for Matters pertaining to the Ecclesiastical Judge and declareth that it shall be lawful to interdict all the Kings Lands and Possessions This Archbishop had summoned a Council of Bishops and Archdeacons that like the Martyr Thomas saith Matthew Paris he might encounter the Enemies and Rebels of the Church and be a Wall of Defence unto it as was pretended The King directed his Prohibitions to him and the Bishops not to meet in this Council which they contemn The Articles and Canons made in that Council were against the Kings Prerogative Ecclesiastical and Temporal his Temporal Judges Courts Laws Prohibitions Writs and Judgments Exempting of themselves their Clerks Officers Lands and Goods from their Secular Jurisdiction
that in it the Pope began to authorize Perjury and to dispense from Oaths See the 6th Question of the 15th Cause of the Decree which is full of such Examples But leaving this let us return to the Matter in hand how Thomas Becket was discharged of his Oath it hath been shewn before and the Examples be many of Subjects that have sought and obtained like Liberty at the Popes hands in matter of their Allegiance and Duty promised by Oath King John had taken an Oath to observe the Laws of King Henry the First of Edward the Confessor and the great Charter of Liberties but he violated this Oath and was absolved from it soon after by the Pope And we find that Pope Vrban the Fourth absolved King Henry the Third from his Oath made to his Subjects for the observation of certain Articles Mat. Paris fol. 1322. called The Provisions of Oxford whereâ—o he had condescended after long trouble for the peace and quiet of his People Pope Clement the V also did the like to King Edward the First touching his Oath which he had made to the Barons of this Realm Thomas Waisingham f. 61. SECT 11. 11. Princes Wars examined by the Pope c. Sicut extra in Jurejurando The Pope taketh upon him Authority to Examine Princes Titles and the Causes of their Wars and to compound their Controversies at his pleasure compelling them to abide his Order upon pain of Excommunication Interdiction c. A matter very dangerous considering the Corruption of Just ce in that See whereof there be so many Examples in Histories as would fill a large Treatise and that the Pope can hardly be indifferent his Affairs and State being such as they are for the most part linked with the one part or the other The claim of this Authorlty appeareth in c. Tram. Extra de ordine Cognition David Prince of North Wales having Wars with King Henry III committed himself his People and his Land into the hands of the Pope promising to hold his Right of him and to pay Five hundred Marks by the year Several Charters were made to the King by the Prince and Nobles of North Wales ratified by their Oaths and voluntary Submissions to Ecclesiastical Censures of Excommunication and Interdict by the Bishops therein nominated in case of Violation Matth. Paris p. 606 607. Mat. Westm p. 180 181 182. And the manner of his Oath is set down by Matth. Paris Et ad omnia firmiter tenenda Ego David juravi super crucem sanctam quam coram me feci deportari And firmly to hold all these things I David have sworn upon the Holy Cross which I have caused to be carried before me And the Reverend Father Howel Bishop of St. Asaph at my request saith David hath firmly promised in his Order that he will do all these things aforesaid and procure them to be observed by all the means that he can And Ednevet Wagan at my Command sware the same thing upon the Cross aforesaid But the Pope layeth hold of the Cause the Controversie being committed by him unto two of his Clergy Matth. Paris fol. 880 881. The King was called before them to answer David's complaint which the King seeing how small likelihood there was of Indifferency refused to do King Edward the First having war with Scotland and being far entred into the Land was by Commandement of the Pope enjoyned to leave off his wars against that Realm upon pretence that Scotland and the people thereof were by his special exemption discharged from all Authority of other Princes and appertained to his See Thomas Walsingham addeth That the King refusing thus to be ordered was moved thereto again by the Pope and commanded to receive Order by way of Justice in his Court The King having received Pope Boniface's Letters assembleth a Parliament at Lincoln by whose advice he addresseth Letters Responsal to the Pope And the Lords Temporal in the name of the whole Parliament answered the Pope That the King of England ought by no means to answer in judgement in any Case nor should bring his Rights into doubt nor ought to send any Proctors or Messengers to the Pope c. And that they will not suffer their Lord the King to do or by any means to attempt the premisses being so unaccustomed and not heard of before Dated at Lincoln in the year 1301 in the 28th year of the Reign of King Edward the First Walsingham fol. 41. But the same King in time of war with the French King was required on the behalf of Pope Boniface VIII by his Legat to put their whole quarrel to be by way of Arbitrament decided by the Pope And further he was enjoyned upon pain of Excommunication to take truce with the French King for two years whereto he gave place saith Thomas Walsingham SECT 12. 12. Another Grievance was Subjects departure out of the Realm against the Kings will The departure of Prelats and other of â—he Clergy forth of the Realm and leaving the service thereof against â—he Kings will Of which sort some voluntarily have gone upon coâ—our of devotion as Anselm Archbishop of Canterbury in the time of King William Rufus notwithstanding that he was expresly forbidden by the King and told that if he went he should no more return into his Realm departed from hence pretending that he went Matth. Paris fol. 29. Ad Visitandum Limina Apostolorum To visit the Thresholds of the Apostles It may be he pretended his Oath for at that time Bishops used to bind themselves by Oath that once every year they should visit the See of Rome except they be otherwise dispensed withal which Oath by the Canon Law is now taken by every Popish Bishop Ego N Episcopus N. ab hac hora in antea fidelis obediens ero beato Peâ—ro sanctaeque Apostolicae Romà nae Ecclesiae ac Domino nostro S. P. suisque Successoribus canonice intrantibus Non ero in consilio aut consensu vel facto ut vitam perdant aut membrum seu capiantur mala captione c. Others again have been called forth of the Realm to the Pope's service as Peter Bishop of Winchester in the time of King Henry the Third was called to Rome by the Pope pretending that he would imâ—loy him in compounding certain differences which were betwixt him and the Inhabitants of Rome and betwixt him and the Grecians But truly as Matthew Paris noteth the Pope knew him to be a very rich Bishop and therefore sent for him to Rome to assist him Matth. Paris fol. 549. not only with his Advice in his Military Affairs but also with his Purse against the Romans and Grecians And the Pope having made as much of him as he could for those ends importuned the King for his return into England which the King assenting to wrote thus to the Pope and Bishop Domino Papae Rex Claus 15 H 3. Part. 2. memb 2. intus
fell â—oid within their Diocesses on these Aliens A dangerous Usurpaâ—ion on the Kings Prerogative the Churches Priviledges and the Patrons Rights The next year the King issued Writs to the Archbishops and Bishops of sundry Diocesses by way of Opposition â—o inquire how many Aliens were promoted to Benefices or Prependaries with their Values and Names In that injurious course of conferring Benefices upon Italians the Archbishop of York withstood the Pope and was constrained to leave the Realm Pope Gregory fore-mentioned in the same Kings Reign Mat. Paris fol. 735. wrote to the Abbot of Bury to bestow upon him a Benefice of the yearly value of One hundred Marks but so as they the Abbot and his Convent should farm the Benefice at his hands and pay him yearly 200 marks rent The same Author writeth of another Benefice Ibid fol. 815. and of the Treasureship of Sarum bestowed upon Innocent his little Nephew by one Martin at that time the Popes Legat in this Realm This Man was sent into England by Pope Innocent IV. to extort Moneys â—e was armed with Bulls to excommunicate to suspend and by manifold ways to punish all as well Bishops Abbots as others who opposed his Rapines and Extortions Provisions of Benefices Rents to the use of the Popes Clerks and Kinsmen He extorted Gifts Garments Palfreys from them suspending those who refused though upon reasonable Excuses till satisfaction He twice summoned the English Bishops and Clergy for a Contribution to the Pope and their Mother the Church of Rome against the Emperor The King sent a Prohibition to them not to give him any aid under pain of forfeiting their Baronies He suspended all to present to Benefices of ten Marks value or upward till his and the Popes Covetousness was satisfied The King sent memorable Prohibitions to him against his intollerable Provisions and Rapines who persevereth therein with a stony heart notwithstanding The Cinque-ports were guarded to interrupt the Popes Bulls and Provisions sent unto him His Messenger was imprisoned in Dover-castle but released upon his Complaint to the King The King by advice of his Nobles sent Prohibitions to all the Bishops in England and Chief Justice in Ireland not to suffer him or any other Nuncio to collect any Moneys for the Pope or confer any Benefices without his Privity or Consent The Nobles sent a Message to him in behalf of the whole Kingdom to depart the Realm within three days else they would hew him and all his in pieces And when he demanded the Kings Protection against the fury of the Nobles Mat. Paris p. 640. the King wished the Devil to take him whereupon he departed the Realm in a terrible Pannick fear The Abbot of Abingdon refusing to bestow upon a Roman the Benefice of St. Helens in Abingdon which was esteemed at the value of an hundred Marks and belonged to the Monastery of Abingdon because the King had demanded it for his Brother Idem fol. 1002. was cited to appear personally at Rome and could not obtain his Release until he had assured to the Pope a yearly Annuity of Fifty Marks to be paid out of his Monastery Pope John XXII bestowed the Bishoprick of Winchester upon his Chaplain Rigandus in the time of King Edward the Second having before made reservation thereof Tho. Walsingham fol. 90. and giving special charge that no Election should take place though approved by the King We find in the Canon Law that in the time of King Richard the First though from the Records of the Tower we understand in the Reign of King John that Pope Innocent contriving how to usher in his Provisions into England by degrees without any observation imployed the Archbishop of Ragusa whom he discharged from that Church because he could not live quietly there to move King John to bestow a Bishoprick and other Benefices upon him in England to relieve his Necessities and support his Dignity whereupon the King out of his Royal Bounty bestowed the Bishoprick of Carlile the Archbishop of York and the Church of Melbourn upon him Of these Wrongs the People of this Land made often Complaints but could find no Redress The Usurpations of the Popes Legats and Agents by Exactions Provisions Disposing Churches to Aliens and other Innovations became so intollerably Oppressive to all sorts of People in England that by several Letters of Complan it dispersed against them in the year 1231 1232 there was stirred up a general Commotion and Opposition against them throughout England for finding that most of the Ecclesiastical Livings of this Realm to be in the hands of Strangers they were so offended that they set fire on their Barns in all parts of the Realm The Pope on the other side stormeth with the King and commandeth the Bishops of the Realm to excommunicate the Authors of that injury and withal to send them personally to Rome to receive their Absolution at his hand Speed in his History relateth Speeds Chronic. In the Reign of King Henry III. that it was alledged by these Reformers that they had under-hand the Kings Letters Patents the Lord Chief Justices Assent the Countenance of the Bishop of London and the Sheriffs aid in divers Shires whereby the Armed Troops took heart every where violently to seize on the Romans Corn and their other Wealth which Booâ—ies they imployed to good purposes and for relief of the poor Roger de Wend. M. S. the Romans the mean while hiding their Heads for fear of losing them In the time of King Edward the Third Pope Clement granted to â—wo Cardinals at one time Provisions of so many Spiritual Livings as would amount to the yearly value of Two thousand Marks Hereof the King complained to the Pope Tho. Walsingham Hist in Edw. III. alledging that the Rights of Patronages were disturbed the Treasure of his Realm spent upon Aliens in Foreign parts and that the Students his Subjects were thereby discouraged Which Reasons are delivered in a Statute by him made for restraint of Provisions from Rome SECT 15. 15. The Pope claimeth to have one proper Authority Plenitudo Potestatis in Beneficialibus which he calleth Plenitudo Potestatis in Beneficialibus and is an infinite and unbridled Licence to do in Matters of Church-livings what himself â—isteth By force whereof he taketh from any Prelate or Beneficedman his Bishoprick or Benefice at his pleasure without yielding any Cause or Reason thereof He hath used to bestow Bishopricks of this Realm at his pleasure and when any of the Bishops died then the Pope claimed a Priviâ—edge to have the Gift of them as Decedentes in Curia Romana and so kept them many years as Decedentes in Curia for they never came into England to die here as Salisbury and Worcester which were claimed by that Title in Queen Maries time Again the Pope might dissolve Ecclesiastical Dignities and Benefices at will and turn them into what shape it best liked him Moreover he might
their Domiâ—â—ons by the Popes Mission unless at the Kings special instant reâ—est to the Pope who eluded this priviledge by sending Nuncio's â—aplains Clerks Friers Minors or Praedicants sometimes into â—â—eir Realm with the full power not Titles or Ensigns of Legats Some Irish Bishops without the Kings Privity endeavouring to â—â—ocure a Legat to be sent into Ireland the King upon notice â—â—ereof by his Chief Justice and others writes to the Pope to send 〈◊〉 Legat thither against his will Pope Gregory the Ninth his Legat was imprisoned for stirring 〈◊〉 Sedition in Lombardy against the Emperor Three Legats with â—ndry Archbishops and Bishops were taken by the Emperors Galâ—ys going to a Council upon the Summons of Pope Gregory IX Gualo a Presbiter Cardinal of St. Martin crowned King Henry 〈◊〉 causing him to do homage to the Church of Rome and Pope â—nocent for England and Ireland and to swear faithfully to pay â—e Annual Rent for them which his Father King John had granted 〈◊〉 long as he injoyed those Realms He deprived Simon Langton â—rchdeacon of Canterbury and Gervase de Habruge who obstinately â—dhered to Lewis and the Barons and celebrated Divine Service to â—hem and the Londoners after their Excommunication of their Beâ—efices for which they were compelled to go to Rome He sent â—nquisitors through all Provinces of England suspending and deâ—riving Clerks of their Benefices for very small faults and adhering â—o the Barons bestowing their Livings on his own Creatures Clerks â—nriched with others Spoils He received a thousand Marks from Hugh Bishop of Lincoln and vast sums from other Religious Peâ—sons Canons exhausting their Purses and reaping where he 〈◊〉 not sow He bare sway in the Councils of King Henry III wâ— sealed some Writs and Patents with his Seal before his own Sâ— was made and usurped on his Crown during his Minority witâ—out Opposition Bernardus de Nympha came Armed into Englaâ—â— with the Bulls of Pope Innocent IV to collect Money from thâ— Cruce signati for Richard Earl of Cornwall the Kings Brother Dâ—vers Blank Bulls of the Popes were found in his Chest after 〈◊〉 Death containing manifold Machinations of the Romans to debase and oppress England John de Diva an English Frier was armed with many Papâ— Bulls to extort Moneys from the English for Pope Innocent IV under dreadful Penalties and Fulminations He exacts six thousanâ— Marks out of Lincoln Diocess His Exaction at St. Albans waâ— appealed against who demanded 300 Marks notwithstanding thâ— Appeal to be paid within Eight days under pain of Excommunication and Interdict which the Pope upon an Appeal caused theâ— to pay He had a Bull from the Pope to inquire of all Lands alâ—enated from Churches and Monasteries Vexations by Proviso's aâ— Simoniacal Contracts for Livings to seize them to the Popes use and Excommunicate Interdict all Opposers without Appeal John Ruffin was sent with the power though not the title of a Legat into Ireland to collect Moneys there He extorted six thousand Marks from the Clergy there notwithstanding the Kings Prohibition Otto I. Pope Honorius his Nuncio was sent to King Henry III. Hâ— demandeth two Marks by way of Procuration from all Conventuaâ— Churches of England he demandeth two Dignities and two Monkâ— portions in all Cathedrals and Monasteries Pryn's Hist of Popes Usurpations Otho Cardinal Deacon of St. Nicholas in Carcere Tulliano Legaâ— to Pope Gregory IX was received into England with Processions anâ— ringing of Bells He disposed of vacant Benefices to all that camâ— with him whether worthy or unworthy the King almost did nothing without him and adored his foot-steps He was present iâ— the Parliament at York to mediate a peace between the Kings oâ— England and Scotland The Charter of Peace was sworn to anâ— ratified in his Presence He desireth leave of the King of Scots tâ— enter as a Legat into Scotland to regulate Ecclesiastical Affairâ— there as in England who answered That neither in his Fathers time nor of any his Ancestors any Legat had Entrance into Scotland neither would he permit it whilst he was in his righe senses But if he â—ntered at his own peril he must expect violence from his rude Subjects â—rom which he was unable to protect him yet he knighted and beâ—â—owed some Lands on his Nephew A great Fray was occasioned at Oxford by his Porters Insolence â—nd he was assaulted by the Scholars at Osney-Abbey stiled an Uâ—urer a Simoniack a Ravisher of Mens Rents a Thirster after Money a Perverter of the King and Subverter of the Kingdom 〈◊〉 forced to fly secretly from thence Both the King and he proâ—eeded severely against the Scholars for it by Ecclesiastical Cenâ—ures Excommunications Penances Imprisonments almost to â—he ruin of the University He was denied Entrance into Scotland by the King thereof the â—econd time He gave a Writing under his Hand and Seal to the King of Scots that his Admission into Scotland should not be drawn â—nto Consequence who took it away with him upon his privat reâ—cess He there collected the fifteenth part of the Goods of all Preâ—ats and Beneficed Clerks and sent it to the Pope The English Noâ—les send Letters of Complaint to the Pope against his confering of Benefices by Provisions upon Aliens and other Grievances Frederick the Emperor was incensed against King Henry III for this Legats collecting of Moneys in England imployed in Wars against him demanding his Expulsion out of England as the Emperors and the Kingdoms Enemy He demandeth Procurations for himself from the Clergy not exceeding the sum of four Marks for any Procuration The King sent a Prohibition to him to exact the fifth or any other part of the Benefices of his Clerks attending on his Service which he could by no means endure He joyneth with Peter Rubee in exacting a great Tax from the Prelats and Abbots to shed Christian Blood and to conquer the Emperor The Bishops and Canons except against his intollerable Demands He laboured to raise a Schism and Division among the Clergy to obtain his Exactions He demanded Procurations from the Cistercians who manfully denied them as contrary to their Priviledges which the Pope dispensed with by his Non obstante The King upon his Departure out of England by the Popes Summons feasted placed him in his own Royal Throne and at Dinner to the admiration of many Knighted his Nephew and bestowed an Annuity of Thirty pounds per Annum upon him which he presently sold He conferred above Three hundred rich Prebendaries and Benefices at his own and the Popes pleasure on their Creatures He spoiled the Church of Sarum and maâ— other Cathedrals leaving them destitute of Consolation He accompanied by the King and Nobles in great state to the Sea-sidâ— at his departure out of England He left not so much Money 〈◊〉 England behind him when he left it Mat. Paris fol. 735. as he drained out of it Church plate and Ornaments excepted He stayed three years in England great were the rewards demanded