no other cause being known but the Popes pleasure Levies of Moneys to the Popes use without cause In the year 1245 the Pope demanded of all Clerks that were Non-resident half their Revenues and of those that were resident a third part Matthew Paris writeth that in the year 1257 the Popes Proctors sent with his Bulls into this Realm extorted of Clerks and Religious Persons great sums of Money and if any found themselves Grieved and offered to appeal they were forthwith by one Commission or other Excommunicated Mat. Paris fol. 1002. In the year 1248 he exacted of the Monastery of St. Edmondsbury the place of the Abbot being void 1000 Marks and would not confirm the Election of the new Abbot until the Monks had promised to pay 800 Marks In the Reign of King Edward the Second Pope John XXII reserved to his See the First-fruits of all vacant Benefices for the space of three years At that time also certain Usurers set up in England called Caursins who by Usuries and strange Arts devised in Italy did eat up the poor People and the Clergy The King himself was much indebted to them The Bishop of London would have repressed them but because they were maintained by the Pope he was not able to efâ—ect it The Franciscans and Dominicans preached up the Popes Power â—nd drew all the Confessions to themselves and every day obtained â—riviledges to the prejudice of the Parochial Priests who became â—lmost useless The State of England was deplorable for hungry â—talians of the baser sort with Bulls and Warrants from the Pope came daily to fleece the People and to raise such sums of Money â—s they would demand upon the Clergy If any denied what they demanded he was presently Excommunicated And they that held the great Benefices were Strangers who were but the Popes Farmers This caused Matthew Paris that lived then and beheld these things to lament That the Daughter of Sion was become like a shameless Harlot that could not blush by the just Judgment saith he of hâ—m that made an Hypocrite to reign and a Tyrant to domineer Sometimes the Pope made his advantage by Grants made to other Bishops to spoil the Realm as to the Bishop of Rochester whose Name was Laurentius de Sancto Martino a Chaplain and Counsellour of King Henry the Third This Man got a Dispensation from the Pope to hold all his former Livings in Commendam with this Bishoprick And yet alledging that his Bishoprick was the poorest of England and therefore his Living yet unable to maintain the Port of a Bishop he never ceased till he had extorted from the Clergy of his Diocess a Grant of a fifth part of all their Spiritual Livings for five years and appropriated unto his See for ever the Parsonage of Friends-bury The Pope at the same time granted a Bull to the Archbishop of Canterbury to collect the Fruits of all vacant Benefices within his Province for one year Mat. Paris fol. 1000. SECT 18. The way that yielded to the Pope his greatest Harvest The Popes Legats was by Legats sent into this Realm for they coming hither under a plausible title of care to reform things that were amiss within the Realm and the presence of a Legate having an Authority little inferior to the Pope himself being terrible to the Subject they had opportunity not only to gather to their Masters whatsoever they liked to demand but also prevailed intollerably for themselves and some of them with such insolence as it is strange that any Prince could ever suffer them in his Realm I shall here speak something of the Original of these Legats and shew how by degrees the Legati à latere were brought in Authority amongst the Nations and how they did inlarge the Popes Phylacteries At first because Rome was the chief City of the Empire from thence as from a Seminary were preachers sent to sundry Nations to preach and plant the Gospel or to confute Heresies afterwards to provide vacant Benefices and to supply the absence of the Roman Bishop in Synods in all which they did no other thing but as other Bishops might have done and also did But when the Bishops of Râ—me were made Patriarchs and became ambitious these Legats did the same Offices at some times but therewith they began craftily to injoyn unto Archbishops and Metropolitans to execute some things which they were commanded by the Word of God to do and they would give them power within their own Diocesses as if Bishops had been Vicars of the Roman Patriarchs or his Legat. Petrie's Church History p. 272. These Primats did gladly imbrace the show of Honour that for reverence of the Roman Church they might be the more respected in their own Jurisdiction and sometimes the more easily advance themselves above their Competitors Sometimes the Popes sent Legats into other Diocesses with such modesty that they had Authority to attempt nothing without concurrence of the Bishops or Synod of that Countrey Albeit these Legations were partly good and just and at the worst were tollerable yet they were not potestativae or imperious but charitativae or exhortatory nevertheless the Popes brought the Churches and Bishops into subjection by such means for afterwards they were sent only for ambitious Usurpation Covetousness and Worldly Affairs The ordinary Legats at Pisa Romandiola Bononia Ferrara Avignon and if there be any other such are Provincial Deputies Praetores or Vice-Roys The Nuncio's at the Court of the Emperor or of any King Prince or State are Ambassadors or Spies for Secular Affairs The Affairs of any Church that are gainful if they be of less account are reserved unto the Judgment of the Nuncio yet not definitively but to be determined at Rome And things of greater importance are wholly reserved for the Court of Rome The Ancient Bishops of Rome did severely injoyn their Legats to acknowledge duly the inferior Bishops within their own Jurisdiction but now they pass by the Metropolitans and draw all Actions unto themselves and the Court of Rome Likewise their Ambition and Avarice have so provoked some Nations that they will scarce â—it any Legat as Sicily and France have intrenched their Office â—â—e particultrs are more largely written by Antonius de Dominis â—hbishop of Spalato de Republ. Ecclesiast lib. 4. cap. 12. â—f these some had the Titles and Ensigns others the power of â—ats or more without the Title or Badges Some were sent â—essively into England Wales Ireland France and elsewhere â—ublish Popes Excommunications Interdicts Bulls Croisados â—ms Suspensions Citations Mandats c. to and against Emâ—â—â—ors Kings Princes Bishops Abbots Priors and all sorts of â—sons to exact collect Moneys Pillage Sacred Churches â—â—nasteries Mansions founded by our devout simple Ancestors for â—â—ief of the poor of Strangers and Sustentation of Religious â—â—rsons c. â—t was an Ancient Priviledge of the Kings of England and Scotâ—â—â—d that no Legat à latere should come into any of
in divers Churches thorowout the whole year 7. Moreover Every Friday of the Moneth of March and in the days of the Invention and Exaltation of the Cross saying over the Corona or Beads or the Office of the Cross and upon Good-Friday the Seven Psalms with the Litanies being confessed or having purposed to be confest as soon as they may shall obtain therefore all the Indulgences of the Holy Sepulchre at Jerusalem of St. Cross in Rome of the Holy Chappel in Paris and all the places where any Râ—lictâ— be of our Saviour Christ's Passion 8. Item Upon All-souls day saying over the Beads with Contrition and being present at the Service said for the Departed out of thiâ— Life or at the least hearing a Mass or saying over or causing one to be said shall deliver one soul out of the Pains of Purgatory Every Monday also he that saith over his Beads or Dirige for the Departed out of this Life shall obtain the same Indulgenceâ— which be obtained in Rome for Visiting Holy places for that purpose 9. Item Every Sunday and Friday saying over the Beads for â—he increase of all Orders of Religion of Cathedral Churches Cural and others namely Tramontaines they shall be partakers of all the Prayers and Sacrifices of the same as though they were corporally present with them praying also for the Indans and parts without Europe they shall be partakers of their well-doing which travel in those Countreys in the Vineyard of God 10. Item It is granted That for once or twice an Unhallowed Grain or Bead may be put in the place of an Hallowed Bead or Grain if it be lost or broken and have the same Indulgences The Conclusion is in this manner Laus Deo Virginique Matri Praise be to God and the Virgin-Mother 16. Hereto may be added the Special Pardons and Bulls given to special Places of Pilgrimage and the advancing of new found Miracles and Pilgrimages with new granted Bulls and Pardons There is no Church of note among them no notorious Image to which Men go on Pilgrimage no Author of any new Sect scarce any Reâ—igious House which is not famous by one or more pretended Miracles If a man will trouble himself to read the Lives of their Saints their Legends and Books of the like nature he shall tire out himself with the Reports of Miracles far more strange than we can read of any in the Scripture Bellarmine glorieth in the daily Tydings of Miracles wrought by the Jesuits which are brought to Rome Large Narrations are of the Miracles of Navierius a famous Jesuite of our Lady of Mountaign of our Lady of Hall in the Low Countries and of many other such Idols Almost a mans life were too little to read over all of this kind and now more multiplied than ever heretofore And we may suspect their Miracles when divers of their own Authors have called in question the truth of them Lyranus saith That people are much deceived by Miracles made by Priests and their Fellows for worldly gain Alexander Hales a great Schoolman saith That they make sometime Flesh to appear in the Sacrament partly Humana procuratione interdum operatione Diabolica by humane procurement and sometimes by the working of the Devil And Claudius Espencaeus sometime Bishop of Paris saith No stable is so full of dung as their Legends are of Fables in this kind And Canus in hiâ— Common Places saith That in the Legend a man shall read Monsâ—â—â— Miraculorum Thus I say The words of divers eminent Men of their own side do make us suspect their Miracles to be but Tales Many of the things themselves in common conceiving are ridiculous as that old Tale of St. Dionysius that carried his Head in his hand after it was strucken off Of Clement the First that when he was cast into the Sea with a Milstone about his Neck the Sea fled three miles from the Shore and there was found a little Chappel ready built in the Sea where his Body was Bestowed I have also read of another who stuck his Staff down by him at the Bank-side which kept the River from over-flowing the Banks and soon after it sprang up and spread it self into a mighty Tree There are a world of such Tales enough to weary any one to recite them And yet even such as these had Bulls and Indulgences granted to them 17. The special Jurisdictions and Exemptions that one Bishop and Abbot procured above another 18. Their providing that no Condemned Clerk might be Executed SECT 23. In this state as hath been expressed this Realm stood for the most part by the space of 300 years after the Conquest The times that followed were somewhat freed from certain degrees of the Popes Tyranny by reason that the Kings of this Realm armed themselves with Laws made in defence of some of their ancient Liberties and Executed others with better Courage than their Predecessors But I doubt if God for our sins should cast us again under his Yoke none of those Laws would save us from the extreamest of all those mischiefs which I have here set down My Reasons are 1. The Popes are no Changelings but were the same after those Statutes and are the same men that they were before and to put us out of doubt made continual claim to their Usurped Authority in the time of the later Princes For in the Reign of King Henry V. Pope Martin the Fifth sent to levy a Subsidy upon the Clergy of this Land for maintenance of his Wars against the Bohemians And he made Henry Beaufort the rich Cardinal of Winchester his Legat for these Wars who did valiantly there for certain moneths together assisted with the foresaid Subsidy until he was re-called by the Pope And two other Subsidies were afterwards required to persecute two private persons of this Realm viz. Peter Clerk Fox Acts and Monuments and William Rusâ— In the time of King Henry VI. the Cardinal of Winchester notwithâ—â—â—nding the Statute against Provision procured the Popes Bull to â—â—e again his Bishoprick of Winchester which he had lost by his Carâ—alship and after obtained a Pardon from the Pope against the peâ—ty of the Statute And in the same Prince's Reign Lewes Archbishop of Roan after 〈◊〉 death of the Bishop of Ely had all the Fruits and Revenues of â—t Bishoprick granted unto him during life but was therein reâ—ed by the King Other Examples there be of like sort 2. In the last Council of Trent Concil Trident. Sess 5. c. 18â— there is a special Constitution for â—estitution of all Ecclesiastical Liberties and therein the Emperour 〈◊〉 Kings Princes and States are commanded that they see them â—otected The Title of Ecclesiastical Liberties reacheth to every of the â—ints before touched and therefore we may conjecture what 〈◊〉 are to look for 3. The Pope yearly publisheth one Excommunication which is â—led Bulla de Coena wherein by Name are comprised all that â—any let to such as would prosecute any Suit at Rome or that â—fer not the Popes Bulls Commissions and other Processes â—atsoever to be executed And all that execute any Statutes Degative to the Liberties of Rome be the custom to the contrary â—ver so ancient and such as impose Tenths Subsidies upon the â—ergy or receive them at their hands with good consent exâ—ot the Pope allow thereof and those also which force any Ecâ—â—siastical Person to answer before them in Criminal Causes beâ—â—g Lay-Judges c. So saith Martinus ab Azpil in Enchyridion 〈◊〉 27. Which Book was made by the special Commandement of â—ope Gregory XIII The warning given us by Bulls published in â—een Elizabeths Reign assureth us that if he may have place â—ain he meaneth not to dally with us 4. Some of our unnatural Countrey-men in some desperate Books 〈◊〉 theirs long since cast abroad against the Execution of Justice â—â—ve not spared to tell us that the Laws made in Catholick â—â—es viz. the Statute of Praemunire and some other were bad â—â—ws and not to be allowed And again there were found â—on some which came in Queen Elizabeths time to disturb the â—ace of this Realm small Pamphlets containing Directions as â—â—ey would have them taken for Mens Consciences wherein they â—â—livered many things to trouble those persons whose Consciences were possibly in those Points stayed in confidence of the 〈◊〉 Laws of this Realm and upon some Grants made by the 〈◊〉 himself 5. The Pope hath challenged a Soveraignty over this Realm bestow it where he listeth as feudary unto himself having foâ—merly received a Tribute viz. The Peter-pence which was 〈◊〉 times of Popery of every House a penny Whereby Bâ—diu in 〈◊〉 Book de Republica argueth that the Realm of England is not Soveraign Estate not to speak of the yearly Tribute paid unto thâ— Pope by King John and some other Princes his Successors Thâ— may serve the Pope for a mean to bridle all the Old Statutes anâ— the Liberties of our Countrey and to spoil the Prince of all 〈◊〉 Prerogatives We know how he dealt with Sicily and Naplâ—â— long agone wherein it were an hard matter for the proudest 〈◊〉 his side to justifie his Title And that he hath put out and put 〈◊〉 Kings at his will and sometime offered their Kingdoms to salâ— And from King Henry the Third by the shadow of a bare Title the Pope got infinite sums of Money to the great exhausting 〈◊〉 his Treasure and impoverishing of the Realm When Stukeley and Fitz-moris were at Rome they and the Poâ— practiced to give this Realm in Prey as he did the Kingdom 〈◊〉 Navarre and the Empire from the Emperor Frederick and also 〈◊〉 get an Investiture of the Realm of Ireland from the Pope as of Soveraign but they could not agree upon whom the Pope shouâ—â— bestow that Realm FINIS
unite appropriate divide such Livings and do many strange things else about them no cause appearing to any man but his own will The Popes Legates also procured of the Kings of England Stipends and Provisions of good value out of Ecclesiastical Benefices and other Dignities Rustand the Popes Legate being in Favour with King Henry the Third procured from him besides the Livings he obtained by the Popes Provisions a Grant of Provisions out of the Ecclesiastical Benefices Dignities and Prependaries which should first happen in his own Gift amounting to 300 Marks by the year to be preferred before all others formerly granted by him one only excepted SECT 16. Souldiers mustered and sent out of the Realm 16. Soulders have been Mustered and sent to Foreign Wars out of the Realm upon the Popes Commandment which Case hapned in the time of King Richard the Second the Pope gathering within this Realm a Band of Souldiers for the Wars of the Holy Land and appointing them for their Captain the Bishop of Norwich The Realm generally misliked that their Souldiers should be committed to the Guidance of an Ecclesiastical Person unacquainted with the Wars and therefore resisted for awhile but at length suddenly yielded upon a superstitious Conceit taken in their Heads The Croisado's for the Relief of the Holy Land was a Papal Cheat for Popes and others to pick simple Christians Purses for Popes Designs to maintain Wars against Christian Emperors and Princes the Greek Church and the Albigenses detesting and opposing Papal Usurpations and Corruptions to inthral depose and murder them So great was Pope Innocent's Animosity against the Emperor Frederick that when Forces of the Croisado came out of France or England or other parts to sail into Syria to defend Jerusalem and the Holy Sepulchre against the Saracens he stopt them and gave them the same Graces and Indulgences as if they had performed the Journey into the Holy Land upon Condition that they should turn their Armes against Frederick whose Power lay upon him because he stiffly maintained the Rights of the Empire The Pope proceeded so far as to give the Empire to Robert Brother of Lewis IX King of France upon condition that he should conquer it But Robert sent his Present back to the Pope both because he sent him no Money to furnish him for that Conquest and because he found it very strange that the Pope would give that which was none of his Also because he shewed himself an Enemy to a great and vertuous Prince who had done and suffered so much bravely fighting for the Cause of the Christians against the Infidels Then he added That the Popes are lavish of the Blood of others and that their end is to tread all the Princes of the world under their feet and to put on the Horns of Pride Mean-while persecution grew sore against those whom they called Vaudeois and Albigenses against whom the Pope caused the Croâ—sado to be preached and an infinite number of them to be massacred Pope Gregory IX who compiled the Decretals needing Money for his War against the Emperor Frederick sent a Legat into Engâ—and named Stephen who exacted a tenth part of all their moveâ—ble Goods that is of all their Flocks Rents Fruits Wares Offerings and Gifts to the Church And the said Legat had power â—o Excomunicate all that should refuse to pay and to put the Churches in Interdict He injoyned the Prelates upon pain of Exâ—ommunication to make that Collection speedily and without â—elay All that should cross that Holy Work he Excommunicated â—pso facto He would be paid in new Coin and of good Weight He took the Tithe even of the Corn in the first Blade that is of â—he Crop of the year after In these Exactions he was so urgent and griping that the Parishes were forced to engage the Chalices and Church-Plate to satisfie his Covetousness And he had certain Usurers with him who lent Money upon double use to those who had no ready Money This caused a great Clamour and Lamentation over all the Countrey but without effect The Money was imployed by the Pope in inâ—ading many Towns belonging to the Emperor in Italy And the Emperor could not defend them because he was ingaged against â—he Saracens in the Levant where he took Jerusalem and put the Affairs of the Christians in a flourishing Estate And it is probable â—hat he had utterly destroyed the Saracens if the Injuries which he â—eceived from the Pope had not re-called him For the Emperor making a League for ten years with the Saracens and returning â—nexpectedly from the Holy Lâ—nd Mat. Paris p. 351 352. Matth Westm p. 128 129. interrupted the Popes proceedâ—ngs and soon recovered all his Castles so that the Pope was â—orced by meditation of Friends to stoop to the Emperor and make his Peace with him beyond all Expectation Scarce was the Collection ended made by Stephen the Legate when Pope Gregory inventing Extortions grounded upon fair Reaâ—ons sent Nuncios with power of Legats who by Sermons Exâ—ortations and Excommunications brought an infinite number of English Men to Mendicity and turned them out of their Houses This was done under a pretence of contributing to the expence of the Holy War of which himself hindered the success and yet he promised to them that should contribute Money for it the remission of â—ll their sins and to them that should go in Person an Augmentation of Glory yet the Pope never gave any part of the Money raised â—or that expedition to any Prince that paid Armies and sought â—or that Quarrel All was thrown into the Popes Coffers as into 〈◊〉 Gulph and by him imployed to make War against Frederick for he presently broke the Covenant sworn unto him The Treasure of the Realm spent in the Popes Wars Mat. Paris fol. 703 704. Moreover Wars made by the Pope were oftentimes supported at the Charges of Forreign Countreys the Pope bearing them in hand that they were the Wars of the Church and therefore did in common concern every of their States and Interests under which colour large Contributions have been drawn out of this Realm In the year 1240 the Pope forced all Aliens within this Realm to contribute to the Wars against Frederick the fifth part of the Revenues of their Spiritual Livings and in the same year took another fifth part of all Bishopricks to the same use The Pope ceased not thus but immediately commanded new Collections to be made still pretending his Wars with the Emperor against which Commandment the Clergy made divers Exceptions which are at large set down by Matth. Paris fol. 714. and 7â—5 Idem 1219. In the year 1255 Alexander IV. sent a Legate into the Realm who exacted the tenth part of all the Goods and Chatels in England Scotland and Ireland pretending the Church-wars against Manfred who had invaded the Kingdom of Naples which the Pope claimed to appertain to his See SECT 17. Sometimes again great sums were levyed
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