Compare 1577 edition: 1 This yeare after the feast of the Epiphanie, Anno Reg. 25. 1297 Eli|zabeth the kings daughter was married vnto king Iohn earle of Holland.The earle of Holland mar|rieth Eliza|beth the kings daughter. N. Triuet. Humfrey de Bohun earle of Hereford and Essex was sent to conueie them into Holland, there to take possession of the earledome, as then descended vnto the said Iohn, by the death of his father latelie before slaine by his owne subiects, bi|cause he would haue disherited this Iohn, and made a bastard sonne which he had to be his heire. ¶ The day appointed for the parlement to be holden at Lon|don being come, and the cleargie continuing in their deniall to grant any subsidie, the king excluded them out of his protection, for the redeeming whereof, ma|nie by themselues, and manie by mediators, did af|terwards giue vnto the king a fift part of all their goods. The archbishop of Canturburie being found stiffe in the matter, the king seized all his lands, and commanded all such debts as were found of his in the rolles of the excheker, to be leuied with all spéed of his goods and cattell. Some write, that when the archbishop of Canturburie in name of all the resi|due, Abington. The archbi|shop his words. had declared to them whom the king had appoin|ted commissioners to receiue the answer, that where|as they of the cleargie had two souereigne lords and gouernours, the one in spirituall matters and the o|ther in temporall, yet they ought rather to obeie their spirituall gouernour than their temporall. Neuer|thelesse, to satisfie the kings pleasure, they would EEBO page image 302 of their owne charges send to the pope, that by his li|cence and permission, they might grant the king some aid, or else receiue some answer from him, what to doo therein:

for (saith the archbishop) we beléeue that the king feareth the sentence of excommunication, and would be as glad to auoid it as we.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 When the commissioners heard this answer, they required that they would appoint some of their owne companie to beare this message vnto the king, for they durst not report it to him: which being doone as the commissioners had required, the king in his fu|rie procéeded against them, in such rigorous manner as ye haue heard, in somuch that the lord chéefe iustice sitting vpon the bench,The declarati+on of the lord chéefe iustice. spake openlie these words;

You sirs that be attornies of my lords the archbi|shops, bishops, abbats, priors, and all other the clear|gie, declare vnto your masters, and tell them, that from hencefoorth there shall no iustice be doone vnto them in the kings court for any manner of thing, al|though neuer so heinous wrong be doone vnto them: but iustice shall be had against them, to euerie one that will complaine and require to haue it.

Compare 1577 edition: 1 2 3 The clearke|lie handling of the matter by the archbi. of Yorke his suffragans.Henrie de Newarke the elect bishop of Yorke, with the bishops of Durham, Elie and Salisburie, with certeine other, fearing the kings indignation thus kindled against them, ordeined to laie downe in the churches, a fift part as ye haue heard, of all their goods, towards the defense of the realme, and main|tenance of the kings warres in such time of great necessitie, and so the king receiuing it, they were re|stored to the kings protection againe. The freends of the bishop of Lincolne found means, that the shiriffe of the shire leuied and tooke the fift part of all his goods, and restored to him againe his lands and pos|sessions. Also, all the monasteries within his diocesse, and within the whole prouince of Canturburie, were seized into the kings hands, and wardens appointed, which onelie ministred necessarie finding vnto the moonks and other religious persons, and conuerted the ouerplus vnto the kings vse. Wherevpon the ab|bats and priors were glad to follow the court, and su|ed to redéeme, not their sins, but their goods, with gi|uing a fourth part thereof. The cleargie suffered ma|nie iniuries in that season, for religious men were spoiled and robbed in the kings high waie, and could not haue any restitution nor remedie against them that thus euill intreated them, till they had redéemed the kings protection. Persons and vicars, and other of the cleargie,The miserie of churchmen. when they rode foorth any whither, were glad to apparell themselues in laie mens gar|ments, so to passe through the countrie in safetie.