Vindication of Ecclesiastical Volume 3, Volume 2 · Book · Chapter 3 · Document 26 – Document 46

Vindication of Ecclesiastical Volume 3 · Volume 2 · Book · Chapter 3 · Document 26 – Document 46

p. 911Per Bonifacium Cantuarienſem Archiepiſcopum.

In moſt of theſe Conſtitutions of Archbiſhop Boniface, and all our Engliſh Biſhops and Clergy in this Convocation, (ſpecially contrived, as I apprehend, againſt Judge Bractons forecited Treatiſe of Prohibitions, written about that time, & other Prohibitions forecited) I cannot but take notice of theſe particulars, worthy ſpecial obſervation.

1. Their high contempt and daring preſumption, in holding this Convocation upon Archbiſhop Boniface his own ſummons, not only without the Kings ſpecial Writ, againſt Law and former preſidents, but alſo againſt his expreſs **Here p. 890.forementioned Prohibitions iſſued to him and them, not to hold or reſort thereto, under pain of ſeiſing or forfeiting their Temporalties. 2ly. In preſuming to make ſuch Conſtitutions as theſe, not only without the privity or conſent of the King, Lords and Commons of the Realm, very highly concerned in them, in their Liberties, Properties, Conſciences, but in direct avowed oppoſition againſt them, having refuſed from time to time upon their Petitions, to grant what they here decreed, as themſelves atteſt in their prologue, and that upon juſt grounds of law, prudence, policy, right, conſcience. 3ly. In exempting their perſons, lands, goods from all ſecular perſons and Courts Juriſdictions by theſe Conſtitutions, whereto they prohibited any Clergyman to ſubmit, under ſevereſt Eccleſiaſtical cenſures. 4ly. In ſubjecting not only the perſons of all the Nobility, Commonalty to their Eccleſiaſtical Excommunications with bell, book and candle, and their Mannors, Lands, Goods to their Interdicts, but even the King himſelf to their admonitions, and his Lands, Caſtels, Cities, Mannors, Subjects to their arbitrary Interdicts in ſeveral caſes, for oppoſing their tranſcendent, if not treaſonable encroachments upon the Eccleſiaſtical & Civil Rights, Prerogatives of the Crown, the Laws and antient Cuſtoms of the Realm, his Temporal Judges, Juſtices, Sheriffs, Bayliffs, Lay-Subjects Liberties, all proſtituted to their exorbitant cenſures & arbitrary pleaſures. 5ly. In inflicting ſevere penalties on all inferiour Clergymen, who ſhould not purſue, or violate theſe their Conſtitutions, by ſequeſtrations, deprivations, diſabilities to receive or enjoy any Eccleſiaſtical Benefices or Dignities whatſoever; & inflicting penalties on all ſuch Biſhops as ſhould neglect or refuſe to put them in execution. 6ly. In their moſt execrable abuſe of Excommunications, Interdicts of whole Cities, Pariſhes, Villages from all ſacred Ordinaries upon every trivial occaſion, and conceived neglect or diſobedience of ſome particular perſons only, in not executing or oppoſing theſe their Conſtitutions; yea for the Kings, his Courts, Judges granting, and not recalling their legal Writs of Prohibition, Judgements, for defence of the Rights of the Crown, Laws, or Subjects Liberties, againſt their Papal Encroachments on them; and the Juriſdiction of all his Temporal Courts, in caſes of Advouſons of Churches, Lay-fees, Chattels, Contracts, not properly belonging to Eccleſiaſtical cogniſance, all which they endeavoured to engroſſe into their own hands, Courts. 7ly. That though all the Biſhops, Clergy, Prelates, Priors formerly **See here, p. 740, to 748, 751, 752, 762, 788, 789, 790, 793, 842.oppoſed Archbiſhop Boniface his Viſitations and Encroachments on themſelves, and publickly declaimed againſt him for his rapines, covetouſneſſe, violence, non-reſidence, neglect of his Paſtoral duty, oppreſſion, and other vices, yet here they cryed him up for another St. Thomas of Becket, and canonized him as a kind of Saint before his death, for theſe his Antimonarchical Conſtitutions in defence and advancement of the Prelates, Churches, Clergies pretended Liberties, and Eccleſiaſtical Juriſdiction, for which they would conteſt even to death under this their Martial General. 8ly. That though theſe Conſtitutions were kept ſecret, and not publickly divulged at firſt, (as Mat. Paris intimates) with a clauſe of adding to or ſubſtracting from them, to avoid the juſt cenſure of the King and Kingdom upon the makers of them, for their high contempts and p. 912treaſonable deſigns againſt the Kings Crown, Dignity, the antient Laws, Cuſtoms Government of the Kingdom, which they would totally ſubvert; upon which account Joha Peckham Archbiſhop of Canterbury was complained againſt in Parliament, and enforced by the King and Lords to revoke ſundry of his Conſtitutions made in the Council at ^a Radyng under him, Anno 7 E. 1. with a deleatur, et pro non pronunciata a Clauſ. 7 E. 1 m. 1. dorſo. See Ryleys Appendix, p. 442. Revocationes Proviſionum Concilii Radyng.habeatur, illa clauſula in prima ſententia Excommunicationis, quae facit mentionem impetrantibus Literas Regias ad impediendum proceſſus, in cauſis quae per ſacros Canones ad forum Eccleſiaſticum pertinent, &c. (relating to theſe Conſtitutions of Boniface, then firſt divulged as I conceive) whoſe Canons were not altogether ſo high as theſe of Boniface; yet their ambitious ſucceſſors, and ſome bold Doctors of the Canon and Civil Law, (as ^b Johannes de Aton, and ^c William Lindewode) preſumed to publiſh them with theirb Johannes de Aton Conſtit. f. 131. c Provincialis Guil. Lindewode, l. 5. De ſententia Excommunicationis, f. 254. expunged, revoked Clauſes, and Gloſſes on them, ſome ages after, endeavouring to make them obligatory both to the Engliſh Clergy, Church, Kings, Subjects, to create every Archbiſhop, Biſhop, Archdeacon of England a Pope, and make the Kings, Nobles, Judges, Civil Officers, Courts of Juſtice, and Commonalty of England, little leſs then their ſlaves and vaſſals: Which Conſtitutions, though never ſubmitted to, nor approved, but revoked, nulled by them, yet ſome aſpiring Prelates, and bold ignorant Canoniſts of late times, have cryed them up to be, and executed them as the Eccleſiaſtical Laws of England, though never received nor ratified as ſuch, but alwayes oppoſed in ſuch manner as I have related; yea totally neglected, or ſeldome put in uſe in times of Popery by their makers, as Lindewode himſelf acknowledgeth in his Epiſtle to Henry Archbiſhop of Canterbury before his Provinciale. You may judge of theſe trees by their fruits, Ex cauda draconem. Praemoniti praemuniti. I now proceed to Records of this year.

The Biſhop of Durham having ſequeſtred all Benefices of the Biſhop of Karleol, within the Dioceſſe of Durham, and the Gardian of the Biſhoprick of Karleol intending to ſue out an Inhibition to take off the ſequeſtration; the King iſſued this Writ to the Gardian to let all things continue at preſent in the ſtate they then were, till the day he had appointed to hear and determin the buſineſſe.

REX Waltero de Rudham Cuſtodi Epiſcopatus Karl. ſalutem. Quia diem pr…fiximus Clauſ. 41 H. 3. …. 6. dorſ. Pro Epiſcopo Dunelm.Venerabili Patri Dunelm. Epiſcopo, uſque ad Crastinum animarum prox▪ futur. ſuper ſequeſtris Eccleſiarum ad Epiſcopum Karl. ſpectantium quae ſunt infra Dioc. dicti Dunolm. Epiſcopi, Ita quod ſequeſtra illa interim in eodem ſtatu in omnibus in quo nunc ſunt remaneat, ſine aliqua immutatione facienda, vel ſine aliquo de praedictis ſequeſtris hinc inde recipiendo. Vobis mandamus, quod ſequeſtrum dictarum Eccleſiarum in ſtatu in quo prius extitit eſſe permittatis in omnibus, abſque aliqua injunctione inde facienda uſque ad praefatum terminum, ſicut praedictum eſt.

Teſte meipſo apud Wodeſtock, 16 die Julii Anno regni noſtri 41. Eodem modo mandatum eſt Vic. Northumbriae.

He likewiſe made this Letter of procuration concerning his right to this Church of Karliol during the vacancy.

REX Omnibus, &c. Noverit univerſitas veſtra quod nos dilectum Clericum nostrum Ibidem. Pro Rege.Walterum de Rudham, & Johannem de Beleſhall, noſtros conſtituimus Procuratores, ad aſſidendum, petendum & recipiendum nomine noſtro decimas, redditus ſeu penſiones nobis debitas ratione Epiſcopatus Karl. vacantis, & in manu noſtra existentis, ſive ſint in Archiepiſcopatu Eborum, ſive Ciceſtrenſi, ſive Dunelm. Epiſcopatibus. Dantes eiſdem vel eorum alteri poteſtatem & ſpeciale mandatum pro ſtatu noſtro & ſuo Appellandi, & appellationem proſequendi coram quibuſcunque Judicibus ordinariis ſeu Delegatis in cujus, &c. Teſte ut ſupra.

The Church of Colen wherein the three Kings were buried being burnt, the King iſſued this Writ to the Archbiſhip and Biſhops to give way and furtherance for a Collection toward the repair thereof, and not to hinder it.

Cum Eccleſia Colonienſis, in qua Corpora trium Regum beatorum requieſcunt, perPat. 41 H. 3. m. 11. dorſ. incendium inopinabili ac miſerabili caſu ſit conſumpta; Rex ad petitionem p. 913Conradi Archiepiſcopi Colon. ſcribit Archiepiſcopo Cantuar. et aliis Praelatis ac fide libus totius Angliae quod nuncios ipſius Fabricae, cum pro peteno… Subſidio ad ipſos venerint, benigne recipiant, et quod nullum eis inferant moleſtiam, &c.

Pope Alexander being very prodigal of what he had no right to grant, and to grant the ſame thing to ſeveral perſons, after he had granted King Henry the fruits of vacant Benefices and Eccleſiaſtical dignities in England and Ireland for five years, towards the Holy Wars, granted the Archbiſhop of Tuam in Ireland, formerly Dean of London, the profits of all Benefices before he was Archbiſhop for two years, not excepting his former grant to the King, whereupon the King iſſued this Writ to the Archbiſhops Proctors, not to gather the ſaid profits for the Archbp. threatning to call them to an account, and make them return what they had or ſhould receive thereof.Pat. 41 H. 3. m. 13. intus, in Cedula. De negotio Crucis & Decimae.

REX Procuratoribus Archiepiſcopi Tuam. quondam Decani London. ſalutem. Cum Dominus Papa de fructibus dignitatum et aliorum Beneficiorum vacantium per annum habendis, ad proſecutionem voti noſtri, uſque ad quinquennium nobis gratiam fecerit ſpecialem, ac ſicut intellexinius, idem Dominus Papa praefato Archiepiſcopo fructus Beneficiorum ſuorum per biennium ſibi conceſſerat, nulla de privilegio ſuper dictis fructibus nobis conceſſis facta peuitus mentione: vobis diſtrictius inhibemus, ne ad fructus Decanatus et Praebendi London. aliorumque Beneficiorum, quae in Regno noſtro ante ſuam promotionem in Archiepiſcopum obtinebat praeſumatis extendere manus veſtras. Scituri, quod ſi ſecus praeſumpſeritis, nobis reſpondebitis de eiſdem. Teſte Rege apud Windeſ. 23. die Junii.

The King this year commanded all the monies raiſed or to be raiſed out of the vacancies of Biſhopricks in his hands, to be paid to his Treaſurer at the New Temple, towards the ſatisfaction of his debts, by theſe Letters Patents.

REX Theſaurario Novi Templi London. ſalutem. Quia omnes exitus de EpiſcopatibusPat. 41 H. 3. m. 5. intus. De Theſauro cuſtodiendo apud Novum Templum London. & aliis cuſtodiis in manu noſtra exiſtentibus provenientes, in certo loco volumus reſervari, in ſolutionem quarundam debitorum noſtrorum convertendos, nos de fidelitate & promptitudine veſtra ſpecialiter confidentes: Vobis mandamus rogantes, quod totam pecuniam quam Willielmus le Bretun, & Johannes Blundell, cuſtodes Epiſcopatus Norwicen. vacantis in manu noſtra exiſtentis, vel alii cuſtodes vel Ballivi noſtri vobis ſub ſigillis & clavibus ſuis liberaverint ad opus noſtrum reſervandam, ſalvo cuſtodiatis in praedicta domo veſtra ſub ſigillis & clavibus eorundem, donec aliud à nobis ſuper hoc habueritis in mandatis. In cujus, &c. Teſte Rege apud Wodeſt. 6. die Julii.

Et mandatum eſt Willielmo le Bretun, & Johanni Blundell, cuſtodibus Epiſcopatus Norwicen. quod totam pecuniam per eos receptam & recipiendam de exitibus ejuſdem Epiſcopatus, dum Epiſcopatus ille vacans fuerit, & in cuſtodia ſua liberent praefato Theſaurario, cui Rex mandavit, quod pecuniam illam recipiat & ſalvo cuſtodiat donec Rex aliud eis ſuper hoc dederit in mandatis. Teſte ut ſupra; & ſunt clauſae.

What waſts and ſpoiles were then committed in vacant Biſhopricks to raiſe monies, you may conjecture by this relation.

Eodem tempore, cum Monachi Elyenſes ſuum Subpriorem, virum idoneum & irreprehenſibilemMat. Paris Hiſt. Angl. p. 913. Rex non accep. tavit electum Elyenſem. ritè in ſuarum paſtorem animarum ad officium Praeſulatus Elyenſis elegiſſent, Domini Regis, qui pro alio Literis ſuis & Nunciis ſolemnibus inſtanter poſtulaverat, voluntati non obſecundantes; Rex iratus valde, cuſtodiam commiſit, quaſi lupo agnum eſurienti, Johanni Valerano, qui lucos explanavit, homines depauperavit, Monachos damnificavit; ita ut viderentur omnia, contempto Dei timore et ſanctorum reverentia, patere diſcrimini; et Eccleſiam ultimae ſvbjacere ſervituti, et patere praedis violenter occupantibus.

p. 914You had an account the year before, how expenſive, troubleſome the Popes grant of the Kingdome of Sicily to King Henries ſon Edmund proved to him, upon what cheating, hard, if not impoſſible termes it was granted, and what Letters paſſed between the King, Pope, Cardinals and his Legats concerning it: I ſhall now peſent you with further Tranſactions touching that affair, this year out of our Records, to the ſame effect.

MEmorandum, quod privilegium Domini Innocentii Papae quarti, de dono quod fecit Pat. 41 H. 3. m. 6. Cedula dorſ. ejuſdem.Domino Edmundo filio Regis Angliae, de Regno Siciliae, tranſmiſſum fuit per Alexandrum de Valeynes Cleric. Cancellar. Magiſtro Ruſtando, & Artaldo de Sancto Romano deferendum, Simoni de Monteforti, Comiti Leceſtr. & Petro de Sabaudia, prout praedicti Petrus & Ruſtandus, conſuluerunt. Ita quod ſi praedictus Comes Leyceſtriae & Petrus de Sabaudia, adeant perſonaliter Curiam Romanam profacto Siciliae, ſicut Rex injunxit, tunc praedictum privilegium ſecum deferant. Et ſi non …ant perſonaliter, tunc privilegium illud remittatur▪ Regi.

Per Artaldum de Sancto Romano.

REX Magiſtro Ruſtando & Artaldo de Sancto Romano, ſalutem. Mittimus vobisIbidem. per Alexandrum de Valeynes Clericum Cancellariae noſtrae, privilegium Domini Innocentii Papae quarti, de dono quod fecit nobis & Edmundo filio noſtro de Regno Siciliae, ſicut Petrus de Sabaud. & vos Magiſter Roſtand. conſuluiſtis deferendum Simoni de Monteforti Com. Leyceſtr. & praedicto Petro. Ita quod ſi iidem Comes Leyc. & Petrus de Sabaudia, perſonaliter adeant Curiam Romanam pro facto Siciliae, ſicut nuper eis injunximus, tunc praedictum privilegium praedictis Com. & Petro liberetis ſecum ad Curiam deferendum. Si v…ro perſonaliter non …ant ad Curiam, tunc vos Artoldo privilegium illud nobis ſalvo reportetis. Teſte Rege apud Wodeſtock. 5. die Julii Anno Regni noſtri 40.

EOdem modo hoc idem mandatum eſt praedicto Artaldo perſe, ut praedictum privilegium Ibidem.recipiat à praedicto Roſtando, & illud tradat praedictis, Com. & Petro ſi procedant ad Curiam, alioquin illud privilegium Regi reportet ſicut praedictum eſt. Teſte ut ſupra.

Surely this empty Priviledge, and illegal, ridiculous grant, was not worth ſo much care and ſeriouſneſſe as this, being a meer cheat to drain the Kings and his ſubjects purſes to fill the Popes coffers. It ſeemes that Roſtand received it according to the Kings directions, by this next Record.

EXcellentiſſimo Domino ſuo H. Dei gratiâ Regi Angliae, &c. Magiſter Roſtandus, Pat. 41 H 3. Dorſ. Cedulae 16.&c. ſalutem. Veſtra noverit Celſitudo quod cum Dominus Artaldus de Sancto Romano transfretaſſet die Sabbati poſt Octobas Apostolorum Petri & Pauli, Alexandri de Valen. ad nos propter hoc accedente privilegium ſuper conceſſione Regni Siciliae, Recepimus ab eodem & de ea faciemus prout vestra Celſitudo mandavit. Valeat excellentia vestra per tempora longiora. Dat. apud Roff. dicta die Sabbati. Iſta litera tradita fuit, Petro de Winton. Clerico Garder. Regis cuſtodienda.

The King directed this gratulatory and ſupplicatory Letter, with ſundry Letters of Procuration in his own and Sons name, to the Pope, touching his grant of Sicily to his Son, and a power to renounce his right thereto, if it ſhould be expedient for the good of the Church of Rome.

DOmino Papae Rex ſalutem, Cum omni reverentia & honore. Sanctitati vestraePat. 49 H. 3. m. 9. dorſ. Litera directa Papae de negotio Apull. gratiarum aſſurgimus uberimas actiones, quod talem & tantum virum, utique circumspectum Summae Religionis & prudentiae venerabilem patrem J. Archiepiſcopum Meſſanen. veſtri ac noſtri honoris fervidum Zelatorem, pro negotio regni Siciliae, ad nos deſtinare curavit, qu…m ad benignitatis veſtrae praeſentiam de concilio Procerum & aliorum Nobilium Regni noſtri remittimus, prout melius ad Eccleſiae Romanae, ac noſtrum commodum & honorem potuimus feliciter expeditum. In praeſentia quidem ipſius tractavimus & efficaciter ordinavimus, & de Capitaneo Nobili probo & aliis ſolempnibus nunciis, p. 915cum magna Summa pecuniae ad veſtram Clementiam, deſtinandis habentibus plenariam poteſtatem faciendi omnia, quae nos ipſi faceremus fi praeſentes eſſemus prout idem Archiepiſcopus beatitudini veſtrae plenius referre poterit vivâ voce; veſtr… igitur Sanctitati, cum affectu quo poſſumus ſupplicamus quatenus memoratum negotium, pro quo tot ſuſtinuiſtis labores, ſumptus innumerabiles, faciendo manutenere velitis, et veſtrae munificentiae gratiam affluentem, quam de praedicto regno in Edmundo Kariſſimo nato noſtro veſtra liberalitas nobis fecit, benevolo continuare curetis nullum negotii praedicti mutationem vel innovationem citra dictorum nunciorum adventum aliquatenus fieri patientes. Teſte Rege apud Merton. 10. die May.

Sub eadem forma mutatis mutands ſcribitur venerabili Cetui Cardinalium per Literas Clauſas.

SUmmo Pontifici ac Venerabili Cetui Cardinalium, H. Rex Angliae, &c. ſalutem.Ibidem. Cum reverentia & honore. Quia negotium Regni Siciliae plurimum reſidet cordi noſtro, volentes ut foelicem ſortiretur eventum, ecce quod juxta veſtrum & Eccleſiae Romanae conſilium, parati ſumus cum Illuſtri Rege Francorum inire pacem & concordiam, ut per hoc veſtro etiam mediante conſilio, auxilio & favore praefatum negotium, negotium ad honorem Dei et Eccleſiae Romanae ac noſtrum proſperis ſucceſſibus convaleſcat. In cujus, &c. Teſte ut ſupra.

SUmmo Pontifici Rex, ſalutem. Noverit veſtra paternitas quod nos venerabilemIbidem. Patrem R. Tarataſien. Archiepiſcopum, Simonem de Monteforti Com. Leycestr. Petnum de Sabaudia, Joh. Manſill Theſaur. Ebor. quemlibet eorum inſolidum noſtro ac dilecti filii noſtri Edmundi nomine Procuratores noſtros & conſtituimus nuncios Speciales, dantes eis plenam ac liberam poteſtatem ac ſpeciale mandatum componendi cum Eccleſia Romana ſuper negorio Regni Siciliae, praefato filio noſtro ab Apoſtolica ſede conceſſi, prout ipſi melius viderint expedire: Ratum habituri quincquid per ipſos, & cum ipſis, vel per duos ipſorum factum fuerit in hac parte. In cujus &c. Teſte ut ſupra.

SUmmo Pontifici & Venerabili Cetui Cardinalium, H. Rex Angliae, &c. ſalutem.Ibidem. Noverit veſtra paternitas reverenda quod nos venerabilem Patrem Tarataſien. Archiepiſcopum Simonem de Monteforti. Com. Leyc. Petrum de Sabaudia, & Joh. Manſell Theſaur. Ebor. noſtro ac dilecti filii noſtri Edmundi nomine procuratores noſtros conſtituimus & Nuncios ſpeciales, dantes eis plenam & liberam poteſtatem ac ſpeciale mandatum renunciandi regno Siciliae nobis & dicto Edmundo ab Apoſtolico ſede conceſſo ſi viderint expedire: Ratum habituri & firmum quicquid ipſi vel duo ipſorum nomine noſtro & dicti Edmund. filii noſtri ſuper hoc duxerint faciendum. In cujus rei teſtimonium, tam pro nobis quàm praedicto Edmundo praeſentibus literis ſigillum noſtrum duximus apponendum. Teſte Rege apud Windeſ. 28. die Junii.

SUmmo Pontifici R. ſalutem. Cum reverentia quod nos Venerabilem Patrem R. Ibidem.Tarataſien. Archiepiſcopum, ac dilectos & fideles noſtros Simonem de Monteforti Com. Leyc. Petrum de Sabaudia, & Johannem Manſell Theſaur. Eborum, procuratores noſtros, quemlibet eorum in ſolidum conſtituimus & Nuncios ſpeciales, videlicet ad petendum à veſtrae Clementia Sanctitatis meliorationem & reformationem Conditionum in privilegio Apoſtolico contentarum ſuper conceſſione Regni Siciliae dilecto filio noſtro Edmundo facta, & ad tractandum de novis conditionibus apponendis obligandique nos & eundem filium noſtrum ad obſervandas eaſdem ſubquibuſcunque modis pactis, aut etiam Juramentis prout ipſi vel alter eorum viderint expedire. In cujus, &c. Teſte Rege apud Windeſ. 28. die Junii.

REX Univerſis Chriſti fidelibus praeſentes Literas inſpecturis vel audituris, ſalutem.Ibidem. Noverit univerſitas veſtra quod nos Venerabilem Patrem… R. Tarataſien. Archiepiſcopum, Simonem de Monteforti Com. Leyc. Petrum de Sabaud. & Johannam Manſell Theſaur. Eborum noſtro ac dilecti filii noſtri Edmundi nomine procuratores p. 916noſtros conſtituimus & Nuncios ſpeciales; Dantes eis plenam & liberam poteſtatem ac ſpeciale mandatum tractandi, componendi, cum Eccleſia Romana ſuper negotia Regni Siciliae & ad mutuum recipiend. & ad omnia alia facienda nomine noſtro & dicti Edmundi filii noſtri, pro praedicto negotio & aliis quae ſibi injunximus expediend. in Curia Romana, quae nos ambo facere poſſemus, ſi praeſentes eſſemus & ad praeſtandum in animas noſtras cujuſlibet generis Sacramentum. Ratum & firmum habituri quicquid ipſi omnes vel duo ipſorum nomine noſtro & dicti Edmundi, ſuper praemiſſis duxerint faciendum. In cujus rei teſtimonium, tam pro nobis quàm praedicto Edmundo filio noſtro, praeſentibus literis ſigillum noſtrum duximus apponendum. Teſte ut ſupra.

SAnctiſſimo in Chriſto Patri ac Domino Alexandro Dei gratia ſacroſanctae Romanae Ibidem.Eccleſiae Summo Pontifici, **He reckoned therein before his Hoſte.Edmundus eadem gratia Rex Siciliae, devota Pedum Oſcula beatorum. Noverit veſtra paternitas reverenda, quod nos dilectos noſtros venerabilem Patrem Tarataſ. Archiepiſcopum ac nobiles viros Simonem Com. Leic. Petrum de Sabaud. & Johannem Manſell, quemlibet in ſolidum de mandato & Authoritate Domini Patris noſtri H. Dei gratia Regis Angliae Illuſtris procuratores noſtros conſtituimus & nuncios ſpeciales, videlicet ad petendum à veſtra clementia Sanctitatis meliorationem & reformationem conditionum in privilegio Apoſtolico contentarum, ſuper conceſſione praefati Regni Siciliae nobis facta, & ad tractandum de novis conditionibus apponendis; obligandumque nos ad obſervandas eaſdem ſub quibuſcunque modis, pactis, aut etiam Iuramentis prout ipſi vel alter eorum viderint expedire. Ratum promittentes nos habituros et flrmum quicquid per ipſos et cum ipſis vel quolibet eorum in ſolidum factum fuerit in praemiſſis. In cujus rei teſtimonium Bullam noſtram auream praeſentibus duximus apponendum. Dat. Windeſ. 26. die Junii, Anno gratiae 1257. & Anno Regni noſtri ſecundo.

REX Simoni de Monte forti Com. Leic. & Petro de Sabaud. ſalutem. Licet diligenterPat. 41 H. 3. in Cedula. Litera directa Com. Leic. & P. de Sabaud. inſtiterimus pro Magiſtro N. de Plimpton, & Johanne Clarell, vobiſcum mittend. ad Curiam Romanam, neutrum tamen ipſorum, ſeu alium Clericum idoncum potuimus obtinere; Unde per dilectum Clericum noſtrum Artaldum de Sancto Romano, diverſa paria Literarum Patentium ex ordinatione Magiſtri Roſtandi confecta Domino Papae & Cardinalibus, ac ſimiliter univerſis directarum, tam ſuper melioratione conditionum facti Siciliae, quam ſuper renunciatione ejuſdem Regni ex parte noſtra et Edmundi filii noſtri facienda, vobis mittimus, una cum quadam proviſione, ſigillo noſtro ſignata, quam idem Magiſter ſuper diverſis Articulis ordinavit: quibus omnibus inſpectis & diligenter intellectis c…mmunicato etiam conſilio Epiſcopi Wygorn. praedicti Magiſtri & aliorum de Conſilio noſtro apud vos exiſtentium faciatis, ſuper hiis prout honori et utilitati noſtrae et hujuſmodi negotii expeditioni videritis melius expedire, quia haec omnia veſtrae diſcretioni totaliter committimus. Ad haec mittimus vobis viginti Cedulas Albas & vacuas ſigillo noſtro ſignatas, & octo paria Cedularum Albarum ſigillo Edmundi filii noſtri ſignatarum, una cum decem Albis Chartis vacuis auro Bullatis, ſub nomine Edmundi filii noſtri, ſicut nuper vobis praeſentibus fuit proviſum, quas omnes Cedulas praedictas ſi perſonaliter ad Curiam iveritis, quod petimus modis omnibus, pro munere ſpeciali vobiſcum deferatis, alioquin quod abſit, praedictas Cedulas damnatas nobis remittatis, niſi fortè aliquas pro novis Procuratoriis faciendis retinueritis, quas in praeſentia veſtra ſtatim conſcribi faciatis, prout videritis melius expedire. Caeterum jam obtinuimus licet cum magna difficultate, quod Epiſcopus Bathon. conceſſit ire ad Curiam Romanam pro negotio praedicto, quem ad vos in Franc. deſtinamus, ſuper praemiſſis omnibus & aliis nobis voluntatem veſtram ſignificetis. Teſte meipſo apud Rading, 28. die Junii, Anno Regni noſtri 41.

He likewiſe iſſued this Patent for proviſion of monies for theſe his Proctors and Commiſſioners ſent to Rome, to treat with the Pope about the Kingdom of Sicily, out of their Collections of the Diſmes granted him for relief of the Holy Land.

p. 917REX Collectoribus pecuniae Crucis & Decimae in Provincia Eboram, ſalutem.Pat. 41 H. 3. m▪ 6. intus. Cum de Conſilio noſtro jam ſit proviſum, quod tota pecunia Crucis & Decimae praedictae, & ex quacunque alia cauſa tàm ex beneficiis vacaturis, quàm ex aliis gratiis, nobis â ſede Apoſtolica conceſſis proveniens, uſque ad ſummam viginti millium Marcarum aſſignetur Magnetto Spinae & ſociis ſuis, Dentegto Guilli & ſociis ſuis, & Hugoni Maze & ſociis ſuis, Civibus & Mercatoribus Florent. ad liberand. in Curia Romana dilectis & fidelibus noſtris Simoni de Monte forti, Petro de Sabaudia, & Johanni Manſell Theſaur. Eborum, quos in Nuncium noſtrum pro negotio Regni Siciliae ad praedictam Curiam, in brevi miſſuri ſumus, vel illis quos ad Curiam Romanam pro eodem negotio venire contigerit: Vobis mandamus, quod totam pecuniam praedictam quam penes vos habetis, & quam inde recepturi eſtis, habere faciatis praedictis Mercatoribus ad liberandum praefatis Nunciis noſtris, vel illis quos ad praedictam Curiam venire contigerit, pro expeditione negotii memorati, donec à nobis aliud inde receperitis in mandatis, nos enim ſolutionem quam praedictis Mercatoribus feceritis de pecunia praedicta ratam habebimus & acceptam. In cujus rei teſtimonium, &c.

Teſte Rege apud Windeſ. 24. die Junii. Per Regem & Conſilium ſuum.

Conſimiles Literae diriguntur Collectoribus in Dioc▪ Winton. Collectoribus in Dioc. Lincoln. Collectoribus in Dioc. Landaven. Collectoribus in Dioc. Bathon. Collectoribus in Dioc. de Sancto Aſaph.

Collectoribus in Dioc. Lincoln.

Collectoribus in Dioc. Ebor.

Collectoribus in Dioc. Meneven.

Collectoribus in Dioc. Coventr. & Litchf.

Collectoribus in Dioc. Karleol.

Collectoribus in Dioc. Bangor.

Collectoribus in Dioc. Roffen.

Collectoribus in Dioc. Ciceſtren.

Collectoribus in Dioc. Cantuar.

Collectoribus in Dioc. Wygorn,

Collectoribus in Dioc. Norwicen.

Collectoribus in Dioc. Hereford.

Memorandum, quod omnes iſtae Literae proceſſerunt de conſilio Petri de Sabaud. S. de Monte forti Com. Leic. Epiſcopi Wygorn. Magiſtri Roſtandi, & aliorum de Conſilio Regis.

As the laſt Writs aſſure us of the collecting of this Diſme, ſo theſe enſuing, and ſome of the preceding will inform us, how the monies collected for the pretended ſupply of the Holy Land, were diſpoſed of to other ends by the Kings, Popes, and Rustands will, whoſe account of part of theſe monies is thus recorded.