[1] Furthermore he gaue eight hundred marks to the pope, but whether of his owne free will, or by con|streint, I cannot saie; but now vtterlie misliking all things doone by the legat contrarie to his mind, after he had doone and said what he could for redresse, and when he saw no hope at hand for anie reformati|on either in the king or legat, who estéemed not his words, as a man not longer able to see his countrie so spoiled, he went ouer into France, and got him vnto Pontney, there to remaine in voluntarie exile, after the example of his predecessour Thomas Bec|ket, whose dooings he did follow in verie manie things. Uerelie the collections of monie, which the pope in these daies by his legats gathered here in this realme, were great and sundrie, so that (as it ap|peareth by historiographers of this time) the cleargie and other found themselues sore grieued, and repined not a little against such couetous dealings and vn|measurable [page 225] exactions, in so much that they spake to the king of it,Complaint to the king of the collections made for the pope. and said;

Right famous prince, whie suffer you England to be made a prey and desolati|on to all the passers by, as a vineyard without an hedge, common to the waifaring man, and to be de|stroied of the bores of the field, sith you haue a suffici|ent priuilege that no such exactions should be made in this kingdome? And suerlie he is not worthie of a priuilege which abuseth the same being granted.

The king answered those that went thus about to per|suade him, that he neither would nor durst gainsaie the pope in any thing: and so the people were brought into miserable despaire.The answer of the king.