[1] Ralfe Neuill elected arch. of Canturburie. After the deceasse of this archbishop Richard, the moonks elected Ralfe Neuill bishop of Chichester the kings chancellor, an vpright man, and of iust dea|ling in all his dooings. In whome also it is to be no|ted, he would not giue one halfepenie to the moonks towards the bearing of their charges in their iour|nie to Rome, which they should take vpon them from thence to fetch his confirmation, according to the manner, least he should burthen his conscience with the crime of simonie which he greatlie abhorred, al|though some imputed this to proceed rather of a clo|ked spice of couetousnesse. Which practise of his ma|keth greatlie to the confounding of the indirect means now vsed to aspire vnto promotions, for the obteinment whereof no remedie is forborne; no, though the same be repugnant to reason, and vtterlie against conscience and honestie. But this is the tem|ptation of auarice and ambition, which poison the minds of men in such sort, that rather than they will want their wished aduancement, they will vse these meanes that may further them most, namelie, fréendship, monie, and mightie mens countenance; which one no [...]eth verie well in a distichon of neat de|uise, saieng,

Artis, honestatis, recti, praecepta, decus, vim,

Conculcat, superant, spernunt, fauor, aera, potentes,

But to the purpose from whence we are digressed. When the moonks came to the popes presenc [...], vp|on inquirie made,Simõ Lang|tons report of the conditi|ons of Ralfe Neuill. and chéefelie by report of Simon Langton, who (as some thinke) gaped for the dignitie he vnderstood that the said Ralfe Neuill should be a man vnlearned, a courtier, hastie and short of word, and that which most displeased the pope, it was to be feared, that if he should be preferred to that roome, he would go about to deliuer the realme of England from the thraldome of the pope, and the court of Rome (into the which being made tributorie by king Iohn it had latelie beene brought) that (as he should alledge) it might serue God and holie church in the old accustomed libertie.