[204] Chron. Majora, IV, 424, ‘vir moribus et scientia eleganter insignitus;’ V, 644, ‘vir omni laude dignissimus.’ We may perhaps see a result of his contact with the Franciscans in his exhortation to the clergy of his diocese ‘to preach often in the vulgar tongue, simply and without discussion, to the people, using practical not subtle arguments.’ B. Twyne, MS. XXI, 280 (Episc. Coventr. ‘in suis institutis MS.’).
[205] Opera Inedita, pp. 88, 428.
[206] Chron. Majora, IV, 245.
[207] Ibid. 647.
[208] Lanerc. Chron. p. 130; cf. ibid. pp. 45, 58.
[209] Mon. Franc. I, 348. The statute was to be subscribed by ‘the Chancellor and all the regent masters in Holy Scripture ... and Friar Adam called de Marisco.’
[210] Mon. Franc. I, 335.
[211] For Grostete, see Lanerc. Chron. p. 45: ‘The friars then going to Robert as to a pedagogue relate what has happened and beg him to say what he thought,’ &c. The extraordinary activity of Adam Marsh in this and in many other spheres has been too often and too well described to detain us here: see Brewer’s pref. to Mon. Franc. I, Pauli, ‘Pictures of Old England,’ pp. 67, 68 (extract quoted by Lyte, p. 51), and his ‘Grosteste and Adam Marsh.’ Cf. Bacon, Op. Ined. p. 186. Adam’s description of the ideal pastor might be applied to himself. Mon. Franc. I, 445.
[212] For Adam’s influence with Hen. III, see Lanerc. Chron. p. 24; Mon. Franc. I, 142 and 268 (on behalf of Earl Simon). He incurred the royal displeasure ‘propter verba vitae;’ ibid. 275. Cf. ibid. 335: one of the grounds on which he declines to assist the Archbishop in his visitation is ‘districtum domini regis mandatum, quo interdictum fuit domino archiepiscopo ne me, velut proditorium inimicum, ad comitivam suam evocaret.’ Cf. p. 387, he is summoned to Reading and London ‘on matters of the highest importance, touching the sceptre and the kingdom.’
[213] Ibid. p. 110. Compare Nicholas de Lyra’s commentary on Psalm xliv. quoted by J. Rouse, ‘Hist. Regum Anglie,’ ed. Hearne, p. 38.