[1] It is reported by some writers, that the pope at first, not vnderstanding the truth of the whole cir|cumstance, should send to king Richard, comman|ding him by force of the canons of the church to deli|uer his sons the bishop and archdeacon out of their captiuitie. To whom the king sent their armour with this message written in Latine,

Vide an tunica filij tui sit an non

, that is, See whether these are the garments of thy sonnes or not: alluding to the saieng of those that caried Iosephs coate to Iacob. Genes. 37. Which when the pope saw, he said:

Naie by S. Peter, it is neither the apparell of my sonnes, nor yet of my brethren: but rather they are the vestures of the children of Mars: and so he left them still to be ransomed at the kings pleasure

. The bishop thus séeing no hope to be deli|uered without some agréement had betwixt the two kings, became now through irkesomnesse of his bonds, an earnest mediatour for peace, whereas be|fore he had beene an extreme stirrer vp of war. Such a schoolemaister is imprisonment, & plucker downe of loftie courages. But to proceed.