[1] IN this meane time Laurence archbi|shop of Dublin died at the castell of An|giers in Normandie, about the kalends of December 1180. He was a (1) iust and a good man, but somwhat in displeasure with the king, who had him in suspicion bicause he was at the coun|cell of (2) Laterane, and there inueighed much a|gainst the king of England and his honour; & for that cause in his returne homewards through Norman|die was staied, and in the end there died, where he was buried in the high church of our ladie. After him Iohn Comin an Englishman borne, and a monke in the abbeie of Euenham was by the kings means elected orderlie by the clergie of Dublin archbishop, and afterwards confirmed by pope Lucius at Ui|terbe, where he was also made a cardinall. A man he was verie well learned and eloquent, and verie zealous in causes of the church, wherein he would haue doone verie much good, If shal he had not beene too worldlie, & haue sought to haue pleased worldlie princes, and to haue beene in the kings fauour.
(1) This one thing is and was a common obser|uation in the Romish church, that if anie one had re|ceiued the charact thereof, that although he were ne|uer so rebellious, nor so great a traitor against his prince; yet the same was to be interpreted to be in defense of the holie church, and such a one was coun|ted a godlie and a holie man, though by the scrip|tures he who resisteth his prince is said to resist God himselfe.
(2) The councell of Laterane is said to be one of the greatest synods or generall councels that hath bin, it was kept at Rome vnder pope Innocent the third An. 1204. Manie decrées were there made for the aduancing of the Romish antichrist: but yet the councell could not be brought to his full perfection by reason of the ciuill wars in Italie. But among o|ther decrées this was concluded, that all controuer|sies betwéene kings and princes, the correction ther|of should apperteine to the pope: as also no man should be counted emperour, except the pope had ad|mitted him and crowned him.