Kings favour who neither respected him as his Spiritual Father or Arch-Bishop and utterly refused his Prayers and Blessings At the Kings return into England after the expence of a vast Sum of Money without effect [8.] Ib. n 30. Anselm would go to Rome for his Pall. Anselm went to him to let him know his intention of going to the Pope to demand his Pall. The King asked him from which Pope he would require it [9.] Ibidem n. 40 50. The King is not willing he should No Pope to be owned without the Kings Licence he answered him from Vrban to which the King replied that as yet he had not acknowledged him Pope neither had it been the Custom in his or his Fathers time that any one in the Kingdom of England should nominate or accept of a Pope without their Licence or Election and whosoever should take from him this power did the same thing as if he should endeavour to take away his Crown Anselm wondring at these things rehearsed what before he had said to the King at Rochester That while he was Abbat of Bec he had recognised Vrban Pope and that he would not by any means depart from his obedience and subjection which words very much [1.] Ibid. fol. 26. lin 1. moved the King so as he protested that the Arch-Bishop against his will could not keep the Faith he ought to him and Obedience to the Apostolick See [2.] Ibidem A Council of all the Bishops Abbats and great Men of the Nation Anselm therefore desired a Council or Convention of the Bishops Abbats and all the Great Men of the Nation for the determination of this Question Whether he might saving his Revenue and Obedience to the Apostolick See keep his Faith to a Terrene King Which [3.] Ibidem n. 10. was granted and almost all the Nobility of the whole Kingdom met at Rockingham in the Church within the Castle the Eleventh of March by the Kings Order and Decree for the ventilateing of this Cause In which Convention Anselm made a Speech [4.] Ibidem n. 20 30 40. c. recapitulating how hardly he had been drawn to accept of the Arch-Bishoprick and only by their perswasion and that he had told the King he could not one hour depart from his Obedience to Pope Vrban and then with much perplexity urging the difficulty of his bearing Faith to both King and Pope asks the Bishops Advice in the presence of the Great Men who [5.] Ibidem fol. 27. n. 10 20 30. The Bishops advise Anseâ—m to obey the King in all things Anselms Speech to the Bishops and Great Men. unanimously advised him to submit and obey the King in all things But he told them since he gave him their Prince Counsel only according to the will of one Man meaning the King he would apply himself to the chief Pastor and Prince of all Men and would follow what Counsel he should receive from him in the business of his own Church Because it was said to Peter Thou art Peter and upon this Rock I will build my Church and the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it and to thee I will give the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven and whatever thou bindest on Earth shall be bound in Heaven and whatever thou loosest in Earth shall be loosed in Heaven So also to all the Apostles in Commune it was said He that hears you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that toucheth you toucheth as it were the Pupil of my Eye And as things were taken to have been principally said to St. Peter and in him to the rest of the Apostles so we hold the same to be principally spoken to the Vicar of St. Peter and by him to the other Bishops Successors to the Apostles not to any Emperor King Duke or Count. Yet we are also taught in what things we ought to be subject to Temporal Princes Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars and the things that are Gods unto God These are the Words these the Counsels of God these I approve these I receive from these I will not depart Wherefore ye shall all know in general that in the things that belong to God I shall yield Obedience to the Vicar of St. Peter and in those that of right belong to the Terrene Dignity of My Lord the King I will give faithful Counsel and assistance according to my utmost skill and power With this Discourse he [6.] Ibidem fol. 28. lin 8. distracted the thoughts and brake the unanimity of the Bishops and Great Men yet they urge him again [7.] Ibidem n. 20. that he knew the whole Kingdom complained against him that he endeavoured to take away the Crown from their Commune Lord [8.] Ibidem The Bishops advise Anselm to relinquish Vrban and submit to the King for whosoever takes away or destroys the Customs of Regal Dignity takes away both Crown and Kingdom and withal advise him to quit his subjection to Vrban and wholly submit himself to the Will of the King He gave them the hearing of these things but would in no wise deny his Obedience to the Pope This troubled [9.] Ib. f. 29. n. 40 50. The Bishops grow saint in the Kings Cause the King but much more when the Bishops by his perseverance grew faint and cold in this Affair and especially one of his chief Champions William Bishop of Duresme plainly affirmed nothing could be brought to enervate the Reasons of Anselme being founded upon the Word of God and Authority of St. Peter yet he [1.] Ibidem The King advised to take away Anselms Staff and Ring advised to oppress him by Violence and if he would not submit to the Kings Will to take away his Staff and Ring and Banish him the Kingdom [2.] Ibidem That Advice pleaseth not the Great Men. This Advice pleased not the Great Men to whom the King said If this don't please you what will And adds While I live I will not suffer an Equal in my Kingdom Notwithstanding the Courage of the King he so far gained [3.] Ibidem fol. 30. n. 10 20 30. Anselm baffled the Bishops by urging the Popes Authority and his own ovâ—r them upon the Bishops by urging the Popes Authority over him and his over them that they told the King they were sorry they were not able to satisfie him for being Primate not only of England but also of Scotland and Ireland with the adjacent Isles and they his Suffragans they could not reasonably Judge or Condemn him although he was faulty After much Debate in this matter [4.] Ib. fol. 31. n. 40 50. it was referred to a further Hearing until eight days after Whitsunday In the mean while the King Banished Baldwin a Monk Anselms chief Counsellor and two of his Chaplains which much afflicted and troubled him [5.] Ib. fol. 32. n 20. 30. During this Truce or Respite of
Gemeticensis lib. 8. c. 29. THE REIGN OF King Stephen KING Stephen was third Son to Stephen [1.] Ord. Vit. f 573. D. 574. A. An. Do. 1135. Earl of Blois by Adela the fourth Daughter to William the Conqueror his Uncle King Henry made him Earl of [2.] Ibidem King Stephen Married the Daughter and Heir of the Earl of Bologn Mortaign in Normandy and gave him many Lands and Honours in England by reason of which Advantages and Preferments he became the Husband of the Daughter and Heir of [3.] Ibidem Eustachius Earl of Bologn After the death of King Henry he made haste into England and was too quick for Maud the Empress She was Daughter to Henry the First her Husband Geofry Earl of Anjou and her Brother Robert Earl of Gloucester who were delayed for some time with the Business of Anjou and Normandy [4.] Hen. Hun. f. 221. a. n. 50. Tempting God he invaded the Crown notwithstanding he had Sworn Fealty to the Daughter of King Henry as Inheritrix of the Kingdom of England And William Arch-Bishop of Canterbury who first sware to be faithful to her All the Bishops Earls and Barons consent to the Coronation of Stephen notwithstanding their Oath to Maud and do him Homage Crowned him on the 22 d of December King Henry dying the first of that Month in Normandy All the Bishops Earls and Great Men that made the same Oath to Maud assented to his Coronation and did Homage to him At that time he took an Oath â— First That after the deaths of [5.] Ibidem f. 221. b. n. 30 40. Stephens Oath at his Coronation Bishops he would never keep Bishopricks void for his own advantage but presently consenting â—to Canonical Election would invest Bishops in them â— Secondly That he would not retain the Woods of any Clerk or Layman in his hands as King Henry had done who every year impleaded or vexed them if either they Hunted in their own Woods or if for their own necessities they stubbed them up â—or diminished them â— Thirdly That he would for ever Release Danegelt that is two Shillings an Hide which his Predecessors were wont to receive â—every year Gervase of [6.] Col. 1340. n. 10. Canterbury says That coming over in a swift sayling Ship the People of Dover repulsed him and the Inhabitants of Canterbury shut their Gates against him and that the Londoners with some Great Men received him with Honour where in Discourse between Stephen and some of the Chief Men of England about the Succession of the Kingdom in the presence of William Arch-Bishop of Canterbury he said The Arch-Bishop scrupled the Coronation of Stephen and how he was satisfied Anno Domini 1135. That by reason of the Oath he had made to Maud the Empress he dare not Crown any other One of the most powerful Men of England standing by sware he was present when King Henry voluntarily and in good Faith released that Oath Which being heard Stephen was Elected by almost all of them and Crowned by Arch-Bishop William on the 22 d of December A more true and full Account how this Man obtained the Crown may be seen in the Exact History of Succession f. His Title such as it was he procured to be confirmed by the Popes Bull which may be found in the History of Richard Prior of Hagustald Col. 313. n. 30. He found a vast Treasure that King Henry had left [7.] Malmsb f. 101. a.n. 50. King Henry left a vast Treasure with that Stephen raised and maintained an Army of Strangers One hundred thousand Pounds in Money and Gold and Silver Vessels of all inestimable value This drew to him very many Soldiers especially out of Flanders and Brittany besides the English which at present so Established him as neither the Duke of Anjou nor his Brother in Law Robert Earl of Gloucester thought fit to attaque him who after [8.] Ibidem n. 40. Robert Earl of Gloucester doubtful what to do Easter came out of Normandy into England Being very thoughtful what to do if he should submit to King Stephen and acknowledge him then he should go contrary to the Oath he had made to his Sister if he did not submit he could have no opportunity of doing any thing for the advantage of his Sister and her Children [9.] Ibid. b. l. 5. n. 10. He doth Conditional Homage to King Stephen All the Noblemen had very freely submitted themselves therefore he dissembled for a time and did Homage to the King upon Condition that so long as he freely permitted him to enjoy his Dignity and Estate he should be true to him In the same [1.] Ib. n. 10. A. D. 1136. The Bishops sware Fealty to him upon Conditions year not much after the coming of the Earl the Bishops sware Fealty to the King so long as he should preserve the Liberty and Discipline of the Church And then he gave them a [2.] Ibidem n. 20 30. His Charter chiefly to the Church and what he granted by it Charter by which he obligeth himself to maintain inviolably the Liberties Ancient Customs Dignities and Priviledges of the Church and that it should enjoy all the Possessions and Tenures it had the day his Grandfather King William died He gave also leave to Bishops Abbats and other Ecclesiastical Persons to distribute and dispose of their Goods before their deaths When Bishopricks were void he granted that they should be in the Custody of the Clerks or other good Men of the Church until it was provided of a Pastor The Forests which his Grandfather King William and his Uncle King William had made or held he reserved to himself such as his Uncle King Henry had made or superadded he restored to Church and Kingdom All Exactions unjust Customs and Practises he prohibited and Commanded the good Laws ancient and just Customs should be observed This [3.] Ibidem n. 40. He confirmed his Charter by Oath but never kept it Charter was granted at Oxford in the first year of his Reign Anno Dom. 1136. to the observation whereof he bound himself by Oath but as the Historian noteth kept it not for he [4.] Ibidem seized the Treasure of Churches and gave their Possessions to Laymen He turned out the Incumbents His usage of the Church and Church-men and sold them to others he imprisoned Bishops and forced them to alienate their Possessions Abbies he gave and sold to unworthy Persons But 't is there said These actions are not so much to be ascribed to him as to such as advised and perswaded him And Monasteries never to want Money so long as the Monasteries had it The first that gave him any considerable Trouble was [5.] Gesta Stephan f. 934. A. 936. D. Baldwin de Redvers fortified Exceter Castle against him yielded for want of Victuals Baldwin de Redvers Earl of Devonshire and Lord of the Isle of Wight he
against him The Militarie men Dissatisfied at the Arch-Bishops proceeding against the Earl of Clare heightned the anger of the King and Militarie men of the Kingdom or Government That he designed to recover the Castle of Tonebrigge from the Earl of Clare and that whole honor long ago aliened from the Church of Canterbury because according to the Decretals it was lawfull for his Predecessors and the Stewards so to manage the farmes of the Church as to increase them not to lessen or alienate them To this Earl of Clare almost all the Nobility of England were allied The [6] Ibid. p. 15 Col. 1. The Arch-Bishop pretends to a right of presentation to all livings in all Towns possessed by his great Tenants and Monks He Excommunicates William de Eynsford a Tenant in Capite and Absolves him to please the King Arch-Bishop had or challenged a right to present to the vacant Churches in the Towns as well of his Barons as his Monks and gave the Church of Eynesford in Kent to one Laurence a Priest The Lord of the Town William de Eynesford molested the Servants of Laurence and forced them out of the Town The Arch-Bishop Excommunicated him he applies himself to the King who writes to the Arch-Bishop to Absolve him whose answer to the King was That it belonged not to him to command any man to be excommunicated or absolved The King insisted upon his Royal Dignity or Prerogative That no Tenent in Capite ought to be Excommunicated without his Knowledge or Consent At length the Arch-Bishop to please the King Absolved him from henceforward the King had no kindness for him tho before he had obteined of him libertie to enjoy the whole Dignity of his Church and that he might seek to recover all the Lands which had been aliened by his Predecessors or were possessed by Lay-men The Insolence and wickedness of Clercs Long before this the King had been angry with the Clergy in the time of Arch-Bishop Theobald having been provoked with the insolency of some of them who had committed Rapin Theft and Murder [7] Ib. Col. 2. Guilty of great Crimes For this reason the King demanded of the Arch-Bishop That by the Consent of him and his * Coepiscoporum The King would have â—hem tryed in his secular Court Fellow-Bishops such Clercs as were taken in convicted of or had confessed any great crime should first be degraded and forthwith delivered to his Court That they might be corporally punished and not have any protection from the Church [ ] Ib. p. 16. Col. 1. He demanded also That when any Clerc was degraded some of his Officers might be present to take him into Custody that he might not fly and escape that punishment The [9] Ibidem The Arch-Bishop calls together the Bishops They were of opinion Clercs were to be Degraded and Delivered to the secular Court Arch-Bishop when he could not obtein leave to deferre his Answer untill next morning went apart with the Bishops and discoursed the matter The Bishops were of opinion that according to the secular Law Clercs were to be degraded and delivered to the Secular Court to be corporally punished which they proved not only by Laws but authentic Examples But he [1] Ibidem The Arch-Bishop says it was against the Canons and Cautions them about the Liberty of the Church following the Canons thought otherwise asserting it was unjust against the Canons and against God that any man should be twice punished by two several Courts And added that they ought to be very carefull that they destroyed not the liberty of the Church by their own Consent for which by example of their High Priest they were by Duty bound to contend unto Death [2] Ib. Col. 2. p. 17. Col. 1 The Bishops replyed that if they consented to what the King demanded the Church was in no danger and that they ought to yield to the wickedness of the time as they called it lest the King should seize all their Temporalties The Arch-Bishop persisted in his opinion and told them they migt not expose any man to death That could not be present at a sentence of Blood The King [3] Ib. Col. 2. not like to prevail in this asked them if they would observe his Royal Customes or Laws The Arch-Bishop answered in all things [4] Salvo tamen per omnia in omnibus ordine nostro The Arch-Bishop and Bishops answer to the King about keeping his Royal Customes Saving their Order by and in all things Afterward he asked the same thing of every Bishop in order and they all gave him the same Answer At which the King was much troubled and left them The Bishops fearful of the Kings Anger followed him and consented to acknowledge his Laws without any [5] Ib p. 18. Col. 1. saving but the Arch-Bishop was immoveable and said far be it from him That for the fear or favor of any Mortalman he should be found to contemn God [6] Ib. Col. 2. The Case between a Burgess of Scarburgh and a Dean If an Angel should come from Heaven and give him advice to make such an absolute acknowledgement he would curse him When the [7] Richard de Lucy was then Justitiary of England Satisfaction Demanded for Breach of the Kings Law King on a certain time was at York a Burgess of Scarburgh complained to him of a Dean a rural Dean that had taken from him 12 s. and injoyned his Wife penance as an Adulteress without proof contrary to the Kings Law The Dean was Convented before the King the Arch-Bishop the Bishops of Lincoln and Durham and John Treasurer of York who not being able to clear himself the Kings Barons were joyned to the Bishops to pronounce sentence upon him John the Treasurer thought it sufficient if he restored the Burgess his money again and was left to his own Bishops mercy whether he should keep his Office or not [7] Richard de Lucy was then Justitiary of England Satisfaction Demanded for Breach of the Kings Law Richard de Luci asked what satisfaction the King should have for the Breach of his Law John answered nothing because he was a Clerc whereupon he refused to be present at the Passing of the Sentence and went out with the other Barons to the King who appealed from this sentence but being called beyond Sea upon extraordinary business did not prosecute the Appeal The The Insolency and Crimes of Clercs Justices Itinerant being at Dunstable there happened a Controversie between Simon Fitz-Peter and Philip de Broc Canon of Bedford Simon informed the King that Broc in a great audience had spoken dishonorably of him The King accused him before the Arch-Bishop and not being able to deny it excused himself that it was done in passion The King demanded judgment against him The Clergy judge him to lose the Benefit of his Prebend for a year and Banishment out of England for that time but this
all things as they did three moneths before he left England After his Peace made with the King he told him [8] Fitz-Steph p. 47. Col. 2. Thomas complains of the Arch-Bishop of York concerning the Coronation of the young King and presseth the old King about it That amongst all the Evils he susteined under his Anger and indignation as Banishment spoyling and Oppression of the Church of Canturbury c. there was one thing which he neither ought nor could leave unpunished And That was the Arch-Bishop of York his Crowning of his Son in the Province of Canturbury whic he caused him to do and so spoyled his Church of this Dignity The King â—aves it to him to take â—atisfaction of the Arch-Bishop of York c. where he by the Vnction of the mercy of God was anointed King and which amongst all her Dignities she had peculiar proper and special to her self ever since the time of St. Augustin And after a little further Discourse the King left it to him to take satisfaction of the Arch-Bishop of York and other Bishops for the [9] Ibidem p. 48. Col. 2. injuries done to the Church of Canturbury and himself The Pope thought the Arch-Bishop made not Hast Enough and therefore [1] Ibid. p. 51. Col. 2. sent a Messenger with Letters of Exhortation to him to go to his Church and with them he received Letters of severe Justice concerning the presumptuous Coronation of the new King by which the [2] Chron. Gervas Col. 1413. N. 40. The Pope writes to Thomas to make hast to his Church and sends him his Letters of suspension and Excommunication of the Bishops which he pronounced against them Arch-Bishop of York and Bishop of Durham were suspended and the Bishop of London Salisbury and other Bishops of England were Excommunicated He set Sail from Witsand and Landed at Sandwich in Kent on the first of December He pronounced the Sentence of suspension and Excommunication against the Bishops at which the people that came to meet him [3] Ibidem N. 60. were much Troubled and asked him why at his first coming into England he would in Reproach of the King suspend and Excommunicate the Bishops and threatned him with the Kings displeasure he answered the King ought not to be offended for it was done by his permission The Bishops [4] Ibid. Col. 1414. N. 10 20 30 40. The suspended and Excommunicated Bishops apply themselves to the King and complain of the Difficulties they were in by reason of the Peace He in a passion upbraids the Sloathfulness of his Servants that none would vindicate the Injuries and affronts done to him A. D. 1171. Four of his Knights Murther the Arch-Bishop sent to him very earnestly desiring Absolution He said they were bound by a Superior Judge and it was not in his power to release a Sentence given by so great a Judge yet he would Confide in the Clemency of the Pope and absolve them if they would give Caution to stand to the Judgment of the Church concerning those things for which they had been Excommunicated The suspended and Excommunicated Bishops went to the King into Normandy and threw themselves at his feet and told him he had made an ill Peace for them saying that they and all such as were present at the Coronation of his Son were Excommunicated At which words the King was mightily moved and in great Passion he cried out aloud he was a miserable man That fed so many Noble Sluggards none of which would vindicate him from the Injuries done unto him With which Words four of the Kings Noble Domestic Knights being highly Provoked Combined together to Kill him and when he would not absolve the suspended and Excommunicated Bishops nor submit in some other things to the Kings Will as they Demanded of him on the thirtieth of December They went into the Church and at Vespers with their Swords Clove his head and murthered him in the Cathedral at Canturbury when he neither would save himself by flight or have the doors shut against them [5] Ib. N. 50. Their names were Reginald Fitz Vrse William de Traci Richard Brito and Hugh de Morvill Fitz-Stephan says The Arch-Bishop of York [6] p. 58. Col. 1. The Arch-Bishop of York exasperates the King against Thomas told the King That so long as Thomas was alive he neither would have good Days nor a peaceable Kingdom nor Quiet times at which words the King conceived such indignation against him and shew it so much by his Countenance and gesture That four of his Domestic Barons the persons before named understanding what was the Cause of his Trouble and seeking to please him conspired the Death of the Arch-Bishop c. All men avoyded [7] Hoved. f. 299. a. n. 30. The Four Murtherers obteined Pennance from the Pope They dye at Jerusalem the Company and Conversation of these Murtherers at length they got to Rome and obteined pennance of the Pope who sent them to Ierusalem where according to his injunction doing Pennance in the Black Hill or Mountain they Dyed Concerning [8] Hoved. f. 299. a. n. 40. The King of France writes to the Pope to Revenge Thomas his Death the Death of the Arch-Bishop The King of France wrote to the Pope to unsheath the Sword of St. Peter to Revenge it and to think of some new kind of Justice and informed him That as it had been related to him The Divine Glory had been revealed in Miracles done at his Tumb by which it appeared for whose name he contended William Arch-Bishop of Sens [9] Ibidem b n. 10. The Arch-Bishop of Sens writes to the same purpose wrote also to Pope Alexander concerning the same and lays the Cause of his Death upon the King and urgeth him for the safety of the Church and the honor of God to confirm and Renew the Sentence of interdict against his Dominions Likewise Theobald [1] Ibidem f. 300. a. n. 10. 20 30. Theobald Earl of Blois wrote to the same purpose And avers he heard the King give Thomas leave to sentence the Bishops as the Pope and he pleased Earl of Blois wrote to him That he was present at the Agreement between them and that the Arch-Bishop complained to the King that he had too hastily and with too hot a zeal caused his Son to be Crowned for which he promised to do him right and give him satisfaction That he then also complained of the Bishops who contrary to the Right and Honour of the Church of Canturbury had presumed to Thrust a new King into the Royal Throne not for the Love of Justice or to please God but to please a Tyrant and That the King gave him leave to sentence them according to the Popes and his own pleasure This he said he was ready to prove by his Oath or any other way and told him the Bloud of the just called to him for vengeance In the mean
for the great Hazard and vast expenses which we can never hope to bear or overcome Also for the difficult and grievous conditions imposed upon the King upon his acceptance and first undertaking of this Business by reason whereof after infinite Charge and Labor he may easily be laid aside or * As holding it in Feud of the Church fall from the right of that Kingdom The Kings [5] Annal. Burton f. 374. Demands WHereas the King by the Common Advice of the whole English Church upon the Grant of the Kingdom of Sicily to his Son Edmund had obliged himself to the Pope The Kings demands for that Expedition to pay all past and future Charges of acquiring that Kingdom he desired that the whole Clergy and Laity universus Clerus populus in totum c. would become obliged for the whole or at least for the interest or penalties for the whole to which he had bound himself Also he Demanded of the Clergy That the Tenths of all their Benefices might be continued for five years according to the new Taxations which was according to the true [6] Append. n. 184. extended value only necessary expenses deducted Also he demanded the first years profits of all Benefices that should become void for five years Also he required half the profits of the Benefices of Non-Residents Also he asked the profits of all the Benefices of priviledged persons such as had Sine Cures or had Dispensations to hold Livings without performing service except one which the priviledged person might choose Also he desired all incertain Legacies such as were indistinctly given without naming any particular Charity and left to be disposed of according to the Discretion of the Priest Confessor or Ordinary Reasons of the Bishops and Clergy against the Kings Demands FIrst [7] Annal. Burton f. The Bishops Answers to the Kings Demands the Kings Demands cannot take effect because so great a Summ of Money hath been already unprofitably spent and utterly lost Also we were not required to contribute to the payment of that Money from the Beginning nor are we any ways bound nor did the King contract or make this Bargain with the Pope by our Consent either Tacit or Express yea we knew nothing of it and therefore we neither will nor ought to be urged to the Consummation of of this Business Also when we have nothing but the Patrimony of Christ whose Stewards we are That which by the Divine Law we are bound to give to the Poor we cannot give to Kings unless we may mock God and convert Ecclesiastic Goods into prohibited uses which for no reason we will or ought to do Also the whole Kingdom sufficeth not for such a Burthen although Gold might be made of Dirt etiamsi de Luto fabricaretur Aâ—rum especially since the Kingdom of Sicily is inexpugnable and inaccessible to our Army and although we might have stipendiary and hired Soldiers of that Nation yet their Faith might justly be suspected Also if the English Militia should be conducted to those parts with so much Money as was necessary for them we might fear the neighbour Kingdoms would invade ours and so both Kingdoms might be lost that in possession and that which is desired Especially when as the King of Romans that is to be Rex Romanorum futurus will carry a good part of our Militia with him Also we see the Inroads of the Welch and 't is most necessary to defend our own Kingdom rather than to look to obtein another Also 't is said there is a Composition between the Church and Manfred concerning the Kingdom of Sicily and all that belongs to it as Public fame relateth and Witnesseth Yet notwithstanding these Reasons the Clergy being Canonically admonished by Rustand they submitted and firmly [8] Append. n. 186. They at length submit to the Kings desires The Pope claims a great Debt of the King Hard conditions put upon the King by the Pope promised to obey the Popes Commands which was to do what the King desired That he might be furnished with Money to pay him what he demanded as expended in the Reduction of Sicily and Apulia The Debt the Pope claimed of the King besides what Money he had received of him was 135000 Marks principal and 540 for Interest to be paid before Michaelmass then next coming before which time also the King was either to come in person or send a General with Competent Forces and the whole Contract Bargain and Concession were void nor was he to come or send thither after that time and yet nevertheless the King was to be and remain Excommunicated and his whole Kingdom put under Ecclesiastic Interdict The fear of the Execution of which Sentences had such effect upon the King as he prayed further time of the Pope for performance of the Contract And notwithstanding these Discouragements and the Hard Conditions imposed upon him he resolved to prosecute this unfortunate undertaking against the sense of his Council and Nobility All which matter of Fact is very evident from his [9] Append. n. 185 â—86 Letters to the Pope and some of the Cardinals According to the Bishop of Herefords Contrivance of binding Abbies Monasteries Prelates and Churches to Foreign Merchants before mentioned The [1] Mat. Paris f. 924. l. 6. A. D. 1256. The Bishop of Herefords project put in execution by the Pope Abbat and Convent of St. Albans on Palm-Sunday received Letters from the Pope to let them know That they were to pay 500 Marks to certain Merchants to whom they were bound in that Summ within a Moneth otherwise they were to understand that after that time they were suspended This was inserted in the Tenor of the Letters whereas they did not know they were bound to any man And after the same manner it was with other Monasteries that were also thrust under the Yoak of of Merchant-Vsurers And that the Exactors might more effectually extort the Money they said it was for the Kings use who was preparing for his Voyage of Peregrination or Pilgrimage as then they called all Military Expeditions to the Holy-Land Fifteen days after Easter [2] Ibid. n. 10 the Bishops in great perplexity met at London to Answer Master Rustand upon * See before the Bishops resolution his and the Kings Demands who at first by reason of their disagreement were about to Break up and Depart but being incouraged by the Barons they denyed Rustand and would not contribute any thing to the King from their * See Append. n. 184. Baronies The Abbat of Westminster and Master Rustand with the Elect of Salisbury [3] Mat. Paris f 946. n. 30. Cl. 40. H. 3. M. 9 intuâ— passed beyond Sea upon the Kings private affairs in the beginning of June and the Bishops of [4] Ibid. Bath and Rochester went afterwards for the composing and extirpating secular Discords and Dissensions In August the [5] f. 930. n. 40 50. The