[1] In this yeare the king held his Christmasse at Winchester, and after comming to Marlebridge, chanced there to fall sicke,The king to sicke. so that he laie in despaire of life for certeine daies togither. In the meane time also came the daie appointed for the parlement to be|gin at Westminster, where the legat and other of the spiritualtie and temporaltie being assembled, the said Otho shewed the popes letters, and according to the tenour and purport of the same, was earnestlie in hand to haue the priests to grant the yearelie pai|ment of a certeine pension or tribute to the pope, towards the maintenance of his estate, which they generallie denied. When he saw that this bait would not take, he onelie demanded a tenth part of all their spirituall liuings for maintenance of the wars a|gainst the Saracens, which was easilie granted, as more reasonable than the first.