[1] [2] [3] ¶Some say that a great part of this variance that chanced betwéene king Iohn and his barons,The causes [...] the discord betwixt the king and his barons. Fabian. Caxton. The earle of Chester. Hector Boet. The kings couetousnesse. was bicause the king would without skilfull aduise haue exiled the earle of Chester, and for none other occasion than for that he had oftentimes aduised him to leaue his cruell dealing, and also his accustomed adulterie with his brothers wife and others. Other write, that the same dissention rose by reason of the great cruel|tie, and vnreasonable auarice, which the king vsed towards all the states and degrées of his subiects, as well towards them of the spiritualtie, as of the tem|poraltie. The prelats therefore of the realme sore re|pining at his dooings,The repining of the cleargie against the K for that they could not pati|entlie suffer such exaction to be leuied of their liuings (contrarie as they toke it to the libertie of the church) found means through practise, to persuade both the kings of Scotland and France to aid and support them against him, by linking themselues togither with sundrie noblemen of England. But these séeme to be coniectures of such writers as were euill affec|ted towards the kings cause.