Vindication of Ecclesiastical Volume 3, Volume 2 · Book 3 · Chapter 2 · Document 32
EGo Iohannes Dei gratia Rex Angliae, et Dominus Hyberniae, Carta 15 Johannis Regis namero 15.ab hac hora inantea fidelis ero Deo et Deo et Beato Petro, et Eccleſiae Romanae, ac Domino noſtro Papae Innocentio tertio ejuſque ſucceſſoribus Catholice intrantibus. Non ero in facto, dicto, conſenſu, vel conſilio ut vitam perdant vel membra, vel mala captione capiantux. *Eorum.Eorundem damnum ſi ſciero, impediam, et removere faciam ſi potero, alioquin eis quam citius potero intimabo, vel tali perſonae dicam, quam eis credam pro certo dicturam. Conſilium quod mihi crediderint, per ſe vel per nuncios, ſeu per Literas ſuas ſecretum tenebo, et ad eorum damnum nulli pandam me ſciente. Patrimonium Beati Petri et ſpecialiter Regnum Angliae, et Regnum Hyberniae adjutor ero, ad defendendum et tenendum, contra omnes homines pro poſſe meo. Sic me Deus adjuvet, et haec Sancta Evangelia. De quibus ne poſsit in poſterum dubitari, ad majorem ſecuritatem praedictae *Obligationis.oblationis, et conceſsionis noſtrae, praeſentem Chartam noſtram fecimus Sigillari, et pro conceſſu hujus praeſentis et primi Anni Mille Marcas Sterlingorum per manum praedicti Legati Eccleſiae Romanae perſolvimus. Teſtibus Domino *Thoſe Biſhops only atteſt it who were baniſhed.S. Cantu…ricnſi Archiepiſcopo. W. London, P. Winton, R. Elyenſi, H: Lincolnienſi Epiſcopis, Waltero de Gray Cancellario noſtro, W. Com: Sarum Fratre noſtro, R: Comite Caeſtriae, W: Mar: Comite Pembroc: W: Comite de Ferrariis, S: Comite Wintoniae, Roberto de Ros, Petro filio H. Briwer. M: filio Hereberti, Briano de Inſula, Dapifero noſtro. Dat: per manum Magiſtri Richardi de Mareſcis apud Sanctum Paulum London, tertio die Octobris, Anno ab incarnatione Domini MCCXIII. Regni vero noſtri Decimo Quinto.
Before I preſent you at large with the Judgements, Reſolutions of others concerning the Nullity of King Joh…s Charters, and the Rent reſerved on them, in the age wherein they were made, and ſince: I ſhall crave leave to acquaint you with my own thoughts concerning this doubt, whether he made & ſealed two Charters, or only one?
I am clear of opinion that King John never made and ſealed but one Charter, and took but one Oath of Homage and Fealty to the Pope, to wit the laſt, ſealed with a Golden Seal, not two, as Matthew Paris, and others miſguided by him, conceive; for which I have theſe ſtrong inducements.
1. This only is extant on Record in the Charter Rolls of King John, the other not, nor any mention or memorial concerning it; and had the firſt (of ſo great moment to the King, Kingdom, Pope) been real, it would have been carefully recorded in the Charter Rolls as well as the latter. 2ly. There is no mention made in any of Pope Innocents Letters, Meſſages to the Barons and Biſhops of England, King John himſelf, the French King, or any elſe, but only of this latter Charter, ſealed with his Bull of Gold. 3ly. King John himſelf, his Biſhops, Barons, in their Appeals and Invectives againſt him, hereafter cited, mention only the latter Charter, without any intimation of a precedent. 4ly. Matthew Paris himſelf, in his enſuing paſſages Anno 1231. concerning Stephen Langhtons proteſtation and appeal againſt it, and the vacating of the new Chancellors election by the Pope, and the Embaſſadors and Proxie of King Henry the 3d. and the whole Kingdom in the Council of Lyons, Anno 1245. mention only one Charter then caſually burnt; and the Parliament of 40 E. 3. do the like: Therefore but one. 5ly. Becauſe the Popes, Cardinals, Kings Letters and Records concerning it, hereafter tranſcribed, reſolve as much. 6ly. It is very improbable that the Pope would demand, or King John make two diſtinct Reſignations of his Crown and Kingdoms, by two Charters, and take two Oathes of Homage and Fealty to him, and that almoſt in the ſelf-ſame words, without any additional clauſes, covenants, either by the King or Pope, within the compaſſe of five moneths, the firſt bearing date May 15. the other the 3d. of October next following. And if King John was ſo unwilling, and hardly enforced, perſwaded to ſeal the firſt Charter, and ſo much grieved, perplexed, reproached, contemned, derided, as he was, for ſealing the firſt Charter, as Matthew Paris and others relate, & the releaſe of the Interdict continued ſtill as a bridle over him after its ſealing, when he expected its final releaſe, he would never have ſealed the ſecond, through any menaces, force, or perſwaſions whatſoever, eſpecially before the Interdict was finally diſcharged, which continued long after the laſt Charter was ſealed, through the Archbiſhops and Biſhops obſtinacy, Treachery, Impiety. 7ly. It is not probable the Barons or Biſhops would have permitted him in their preſence to have made a ſecond Charter and Homage to the Pope, ſince they ſo much deteſted the firſt. 8ly. Matthew Paris his relation of his proffer to reſign his Crown and Kingdoms to Murmelius the Sarazen, compared with thoſe Meſſengers relations to him, touching the preſent freedom of the Kingdom, ſubject only unto God, after his firſt ſuppoſed ſurrender of it by Charter and Homage to the Pope, proves this Embaſſy to be fabulous, or his firſt Charter of Reſignation fictitious, both being inconſiſtent. 9ly. His own relation what moved King John to ſend to the Pope to reſign his Crown and Kingdoms to him, on purpoſe to curbe the Archbiſhop, Biſhops, and Barons, after their reſtitution, and to bribe him with a great ſum of money to effect it, knowing him to be the moſt covetous, ambitious, proud perſon in the world, contradicts the ſtory and inducements for making his firſt Charter ſealed with Wax, upon far different grounds. In fine, I conceive this miſtake of two diſtinct Charters, (the one ſealed with Wax, the other with Gold,) ſurrendring the Kingdoms of England and Ireland to the Pope, and reſuming them under an annual rent, grew from this occaſion. Pandulphus the Popes firſt Legate brought a form of an accord of Peace between the Pope, exiled Biſhops, and their confederates and King Iohn, drawn at Rome, which if he would ſubmit to, he might be received into the Popes favour, the Churches boſom, and preſerve both his kingdoms and life: This agreement he ſwore to, and ſealed the 13th. day of May, and delivered to Pandulphus, recorded by Mat. Paris at large; the Earls and Barons ſiding with the Pope, were to enforce him to perform and ſee it duly obſerved; perchance he then treated with him three dayes after concerning the reſignation of his Crown and kingdoms to the Pope, and had ſome oath or engagement from him afterwards to ratifie it under his ſeal, which this Monk miſtook for the Charter, actually ſurrendring his crown in October following; which I conceive to be the Charter recited in the Autographum of Pope Innocents Bull under his Seal, witneſſed with the Subſcriptions and Seals of 12. Cardinals, and 3. Biſhops dated Novemb: 4. 1213. a full monethmonth after this ſecond Charter October 3. before, and ſent to King Iohn; wherein the Pope declared to him, how willingly and joyfully he accepted the Kingdoms reſigned to him, and ſet them again to King Iohn, (which *Of the Popes Temporal Monarchy, p. 245, 246.Dr. Crakenthorp miſtooke for his firſt Charter) and the ſame with that in the Manuſcript collection of Nicholas Cardinal of Arragon.
There are ſeveral Opinions among Popes, their Flatterers, Hiſtorians, and others concerning the Popes right to England and Ireland, and theſe two Charters of King John granting, and reſuming from Pope Innocent and his ſucceſſors his Realms of England and Ireland under an annual Rent; which I think fit here to relate and examin, ere I proceed further, being the grandeſt Papal encroachment on the Crown.
(a) Lelius Zecchus, (b) Marta, (c) Alvarus Pelagius, (d) Auguſtinus Steuchus, and other Popiſh paraſites, as they aſſert in general, That the Pope is abſolutely the a De Romano Pontif. p. 82, 83 b Pars 1. c. 25. 18. 20. c De Planctu Eccleſ. lib. 1. Artic. 37. to 66. d De Donatione Conſtantini p: 100. to 200. See Dr. Crakenthorp of the Popes Temporal Monarchy, cap: 1. p. 10, … 20Lord of the whole Chriſtian world, and that Kings and Emperors muſt acknowledge their Empires and Kingdoms to be held of him, the whole world being his territory: So they aſſert, that the Emperor of Rome, Germany, the Kings of France, Arragon, Naples, Granado, Portugal, Spain, Sicily, Jeruſalem, Bohemia, Hungaria, Denmark, Swecia, Norway, Croatia, Dalmatia, and Scotland, are the Popes Vaſſals, Tributaries, holding all their Crowns, Kingdoms from him as his Feudatories, under ſeveral annual rents and tributes, and an Oath of Homage and Fealty. It is no wonder therefore if they pretend the like Title under the like Tenure and Vaſſallage to the Realms of England and Ireland. Pope Alexander the 2d. had the impudency to affirm, That ever ſince the kingdom of England received Chriſtianity, it hath been in the hands and power of St: Peter, if his Epiſtle be not forged by (e) Baronius. If this were a truth, then King Iohns reſignation of his kingdom to the Pope, was only a reſtitution of that antient right the Pope had thereto before in Recognition of the Popes Soveraign Dominion over e Baronius Anno 1068. num. 1. Dr. Craken-thorp of the Popes Temporal Monarchy, p. 14.it; and his reſuming of it from the Pope under an annual rent, nothing but anf Part. 1. c. 15 n. 14. c. 25: n. 20. c. 29. n. 13, 14, 15. g De Poteſtate Romano Pont…f. l. 2. c. 21. n. 5. c. 16. n. 31. c. 21. n. 7 h Eccleſiaſt: c. 51. p. 168. 169. Dr. Crakenthorp of the Popes Temporal Monarchy, p. 11, 12, 13, 17, 19, 20. a Apologia pro Torto c. 3, 4. Staniſl. Chriſt. in Exam. Cathol: f. 33. Baronius, Anno 1173: n, 9, 10. Becanus contro. Angl: qu. 9. n. 1, 2. c. 26. n. 39. Dr. Crakenth: of the Popes Temporal Monarchy, p. 19, 20 b Mat: Paris, p. 277, &c. c See Halls Chronicle, Holinſhed, Fox, Stow, Baker, & others. d In the Supplicat: of Souls: ſee Speeds hiſt: P. 577. revival of the former Service due to Rome, as (f) Marta, (g) Carerius, and (h) Schioppius argue in the caſes of Conſtantines pretended Donation, Charles the Great, Pepins, and others grants of Lands and Territories to the See of Rome. But none of our Monks or Hiſtorians of that or any age ſince, though profeſſed Votaries to the Pope, ever made ſuch a pretence or concluſion as this. Therefore it is a meer forgery.
(a) Cardinal Bellarmin and other Romaniſts falſely averre, That the kingdom of England was ſemper Beneficiarium et Tributarium Romano Pontifici; becauſe King Ina and Offa, Anno 740. Adelphus Anno 847. paid a penny for every houſe to Saint Peter by way of Tribute, confirmed by ſeveral Lawes: And King Henry the 2d. acknowledged the Pope to be his Temporal Lord, himſelf his Feudatory, and his Kingdom the Popes Patrimony: The falſhood of which having at large refuted, I ſhall pretermit as fabulous; only if true, it quite ſubverts or enervates this Charter of King Iohn and reſervation of the annual rent, as a New thing, honor, rent, not formerly acknowledged by his predeceſſors. But their principal Title to England and Ireland is from King Iohns Charter under his golden Bull, which they boaſt to be yet extant in the Vatican; by which the Pope hath (as Bellarmine and Marta aſſert) Directum Dominium in Regnum Angliae et Hiberniae, that King Iohn and his Succeſſors are thereby made Feudatories and Vaſſals to the Pope, whence b Pope Innocent the 3d. in a vaunting manner ſaid of King Iohn, Vaſſallus noſter eſt Rex Angliae, et Romanae Eccleſiae.
To counterplead and enervate this Grand pretended Title of the Pope, I ſhall deſire the Readers to conſider;
1. That Sir Thomas Moor Lord Chancellor of England (who (c) loſt his head under King Henry the 8. his Maſter (in defence of the Popes Supremacy in England) is ſo far aſhamed of Pope Innocents proceedings againſt King Iohn, that he avowes it in print, (d) to be utterly UNTRUE; that King John did make his Realms thus Tributdry to the Pope, or that ever ſuch penſions were paid to Rome for them; (wherein doubtleſſe he miſtakes) Adding, That if he ſo did, or any other Engliſh King ſhould ſo do, ſuch an act was of no validity at all; as Roſſius Warwicenſis alſo reſolves.
2ly. That (e) Edmond Campian (a great Advocate for the Papacy) writes; Such Inſtruments might happily then be moved and drawn, and yet dye unratified, though the copies ſtand recorded; denying any annual penſions paid thereby for England or Ireland to Rome.
3ly. (f) M. Antonius Coccius Sabellicus informes us; That this pretended Rente Hiſt. of Irel. l. 2. c. 3. f Aeneadis 9. l. 5 Baſileae, 1538. p. 549. out of England and Ireland was granted by King Iohn out of a Religious Vow, to expiate his gaining theſe kingdoms by fratricide; without mentioning any Charter or reſignation. Ha…d m…ri…ò poſt Johannes Rex Angliae, Ricardum fratrem interfecit, Regnumque parricidio adeptus, à Ludovico Philippi filio, qui tum in Gallia regnabat gravi bello petitus eſt. Tum vero noviſſe fertur, ſi regnum ſibi incolume manſiſſet, futurum ut Anglia et Hybernia vectigales eſſent Apoſtolicae ſedis, magnumque auro pondus voto nuncupavit, quod duae illuſtres Inſulae quotannis Romano Pontifico penderent; ſui itaque Voti damnatus, quum ipſe, tum Succeſſores plerique ut rite actum erat, ratum habuere. But this voluminous Hiſtorian is utterly miſtaken in his whole relation of this penſion: For 1. King Iohn did not murder his brother,g Mat. Paris, Mat. Weſtmin. Wendover, Polichronicon, Walſingham Ypodigma. Bromton, Hen. de Knyghton, Speed, Holinſhed, Graſton, Stow in his life. King Richard, who died of a ſhot out of Chaluz Caſtle, as all our (g) Hiſtorians record. 2ly. He obtained not the Realm by parricide, but by his Brothers special bequeſt at his death, and heir to him. 3ly. This Rent was granted before Lewis the French Kings Sonne warred on him; upon Philips intended invaſion; but admit it true, the very force of warr nulls it. 4ly. None of our Hiſtorians mention any ſuch Vow of King John, as the cauſe of this grant. 5ly. Not one, much leſſe many of his Succeſſors acknowledged it rightly granted, nor ever confirmed, but proteſted againſt it, as null; though one or two of them now and then voluntarily paid it, upon other grounds. *Edit. 1511.Raphael Volaterans Geogr. l. 3. f. 54. concurring with Sabellicus records, that Johannis cum gravi bello à Ludovico Gallorum Rege premeretur, EX VOTO Angliam, Iberniamque Romano Pontifice Vectigales fecit, ut auri Marcas 70. quotannis penderent, Anno ſalutis 1208. he being miſtaken in the occaſion, quarrel, ſumme, year of the grant, which was not till 1213. and Lewis his warre above a year after that: And admit it true, this Vow, Grant being made by Dureſſe and force of Warr, can be of no validity.
4ly. (h) Polydor Virgil a Stranger, (but yet the laſt collector of the Popes Peter-pence g Hiſtor. l. 15. h Cent. Magd. 13. c. 8. col. 760. Speeds Hiſtory, p. 577.in England, who pried into our Hiſtories, Annals) and the (i) Century writers out of him, write thus of this Rent and Grant: reciting King Iohns ſurrender of his Crown, Nunquamniſi à Romano Papa recepturus (ſic enim fieri juſſerat Nocentius crudelis et ſanguinis Anglici▪ ſitientiſsimus, add the Centuriators) ex quo fama est Johannem cupientem perpetuare memoriam muneris accepti (therfore a meer free gift, not tribute, in their judgements) ea lege fuiſſe ſe Beneficiarium (not tributarium) ut Reges deinceps à Pontifice duntaxat Romano jura regni conſequerentur. Caeterum has reconciliationis Leges qui ſecuti ſunt Reges mimme ſervarunt, neque Annales Anglici de hujuſmodi donatione loquuntur. Iohanni tantummodo qui deliquiſſet impoſita, non item Succeſſoribus ſuſtinenda fuiſſe ſatis conſtat. So that by this reſolution of the Popes own Collector in England, the grant of theſe annual rents obliged only King John himſelf, the delinquent, who impoſed them, not his heirs, ſucceſſors or kingdoms in the leaſt degree: To which the Century collectors aſſent.
5ly. (a) Matthew Paris, and Matthew Westminſter themſelves, (both Monks,a Annis 1213, 1214, 1231. p. 245. extraordinary Votaries to the Popes, and inveterate Enemies to King John) deride & ſcorn his Charter to the Pope, which they firſt inſerted into their Hiſtories, ſtiling it Lugubrem, deteſtabilem, non formoſam, ſed famoſam ſubiectionem, Scriptum toto mundo execrabile, &c. And relate the Judgements of the Engliſh, French, and others, who reputed it Null, voyd, and a moſt deteſtable example; thereby ſufficiently intimating their own concurrence therein.
6ly. As the Archbiſhop of Dublin openly proteſted againſt the firſt Charter and the Legates inſolency when he received it, and the money he trampled under hisb Mat: Paris▪ … ▪ 237. Archiepiſcopo dolente & reclamante, feet, as [b] Matthew Paris himſelf records: ſo he writes, That Stephen Langton the Archbp. the Popes own Legate, great creature, and a Cardinal, though he underhand conſented to and abetted it, to render King Iohn deſpicable, deteſtable to his Barons, Subjects, and all forreign Princes, to accompliſh his own deſigns and wreck his malice upon the King, yet (to preſerve the hereditary Rights of the Kingdom inviolable, and accompiiſh his own ends the better) ſo ſoon as this Charter was ſealed, and preſented at the high Altar in Pauls, and delivered to the Popes Nuntio, he ſteppingc Mat. Parker, Ant…qu. Eccleſ. Brit. 15…. out in the preſence of the King, Legate, Barons, and all there preſent, in the name of the Clergy and Kingdom, boldly and earneſtly preſented at the ſame Altar in ſolemn manner his Appeal againſt this Charter, ſo deteſtable to the whole world, as Roſſius Martinus, Dr. Beard, and others relate. But hear [d] Matthew Paris d Hiſt: Angl. p: 370, 371 Edit: Londini 1640.himſelf. Ralph Biſhop of Chichester, then Chancellor of England being elected Archbiſhop of Canterbury by the Monks after the death of Richard, and the Monks of Canterbury preſſing the Pope to confirm his election, Anno 1231. thereupon the Pope made diligent inquiry of Simon Langton (Stephens Brother, elected, but rejected by King Iohn, and the Pope too at his requeſt, to be Archbp. of York:) concerning Ralphs perſon and diſpoſition; thereupon Reſpondit, illum curialem eſſe, & illiteratum, rapidum in verbis, & festinum: & quod durius eſt, ſi ad illam dignitatem promoveretur, moliri volentem, ut anhelante ad hoc Rege, cum toto regno juvante, excuteret Angliam de ſub jugo domini Papae et Curiae Romanae, qui eidem tenetur ſub tributo; ut ſoluto vinculo tributi, Nota.quo irretivit eam Rex Iohannes, ſolita Deo et Eccleſiae ſanctae ſerviret libertate. Et ad hoc vellet uſque ad expoſitionem capitis decertare, innixus juri et appellationibus Stephani Cantuatienſis Atchiepiſcopi; quas fecit ſolenniter idem Stephanus ante Altare Sancti Pauli Eccleſia Cathedrali Londinenſi, cum redderet coronam Angliae memoratns Rex Iohannes in manns Legati, conficiens ſcriptum toto mundo execrabile. Papa autem his auditis ſermonibus, poſtulatione caſſata, conceſſit, ut Conventus Cantuarienſis alium Archiepiſcopum, ac talem eligerent, qui ſibi eſſet Paſtor Animarum ſalubris, et Eccleſiae utilis Anglicanae, et Romanae fidelis ac devotus tus. Monachi igitur domum reverſi, Conventui retulerunt quomodo fuerant a ſno deſiderio defraudati. And after the Election of two others, whom the Pope rejected, were enforced to elect St. Edmond whom the Pope recommended… Gervaſius Dorobernenſi Antiquitates Eccleſiae Brit. in vita Edmundi & Godwins Catalogue of Biſhops, p 66, 67. to them.
In this Hiſtorical paſſage, there are ſeven moſt obſervable circumſtances conſiderable. 1. That Simon Langton, brother to Stephen Archbiſhop of Canterbury, his principal agent for his reſtitution, privy to all his Actions, being made Archdeacon of Canterbury by him, and at this time holding that office, informed the Pope of theſe Appeals of his brother Stephen Archbiſhop of Canterbury, publikely made at Pauls Church London, when King Iohn there ſummoned his Barons, and ſealed his Charter to him: Therefore no fiction, but a real truth. 2ly. That this information was within 16. years after the reſignation and charter thus made. 3ly. That King Henry the 3d. and the whole kingdom then groaned under, and reſolved to caſt off this unjuſt Tribute, Charter, and to proteſt againſt it as invalid. 4ly. That if Ralph were admitted and conſecrated Archbiſhop (the deſign in electing him to that place) he would certainly with the peril of his life proteſt againſt this reſerved Rent and Charter as voyd in Law, becauſe Stephen his predeceſſor had thus appealed againſt it at the very ſealing and delivery thereof, as not only voyd, but deteſtable, and therfore the King and kingdom would wholly exempt themſelves from it; which had been a vain ſurmiſe had there been no ſuch appeal. 5ly. That Simon himſelf, as well as his Brother Stephen, acknowledged this Charter and Tribute, to be not only deteſtable in it ſelf, and to the King and kingdom of England, but even to the whole world; and therefore certainly moſt illegal and invalid. 6ly. That Pope Gregory the 9th believed both the truth of this relation and Appeal, and upon this information and ground alone vacated the election of Ralph, to prevent this deſign of the King, kingdom, and Archbiſhop elect, to ſhake off this Tribute and yoak of bondage, enforcing them to elect another more complyant with his deſignes, to preſerve his intereſt in this annual Rent, though reſerved by ſuch a moſt deteſtable Charter. 7ly. That it was afterwards inſiſted upon in the Council of Lyons, and not gainſaid by the Pope.
8ly. That the Engliſh Barons themſelves, though they were preſent, and & connived at this charters ſealing and delivery by the King, the better to effect their own deſigns againſt him, being made moſt contemptible and quite deveſted of his Royal honor, and moſt of his authority thereby, yet they abominated, declaimed,Hiſt. Angl. p. 264. proteſted againſt it and him with higheſt Indignation and deteſtation when executed, witneſſe theſe paſſages and Speeches of theirs recorded by (a) Matthew Paris, Firſt, within few moneths after this ſecond reſignation and Charter, Anno 1215. All the Nobles aſſembled in a Great Council at London, together with the Archbiſhops, Biſhops, Abbots, Priors and Clergy (where the King ratified the Great charter, and Charter of the Forreſt, and Charter concerning the freedom of Elections to Biſhopricks and Monaſteries) perceiving King Johns heart both by his geſtures and ſpeeches to be totally averted from them, and himſelf almoſt diſtracted with ſad melancholly thoughts, for ſealing his ſecond Charter to the Pope, and Confirmation of the Great Charter, and that of elections) antequam ipſum Concilium ſolveretur continua mente praeſaga futuros eventus ponderabant; dicentes; Vae nobis immo toti Angliae carenti rege veraci, et oppreſſae Tyranno ſubdolo, et ſummis conatibus regnum Angliae evertenti. Nos jam Romae ſubjecit et Romanae Curiae, vt protectionem ab ea conſequeremur, timendum eſt ne injurioſas ſuppeditationes in poſterum inveniamus; Nunquam audivimus de aliquo Rege, qui nollet colla ſervituti ſubtrahere, iſte ſponte ſuccumbit. Et ſic lamentantes Regem recedendo reliquerunt, ad propria revertentes. A ſtrong evidence they never adviſed, aſſented to, or approved it (as both Charters falſly recite) but thus openly and joyntly declaimed againſt, lamented the ſad conſequences of it, which they both foreſaw, feared; and thereupon departed from him to their homes with much grief and diſcontent, as one who had uſed his utmoſt endeavours to ſubvert a miſerable Kingdom, by ſubjecting his own and their free necks to the Pope & Court of Rome, under pretext of obtaining protection from them. After this, Anno 1216. the Barons being driven almoſt to deſperation, reſolving utterly to reject King John and elect a new King, which they did, thus openly inveighed againſt him, for this his Charter, of Reſignation, and againſt Pope Innocent himſelf, making it the principal argument of their revolt from him.