New orders deuised by the lords.
But although the king had got the pope to write in his fauour vnto the lords both spirituall and temporall, to aid him in that his demand of monie, there was much adoo, and plaine deniall made at the first, to grant at that time to anie such paiment as was demanded: and eftsoones they fell in hand with deuising new orders, and namelie to renew againe their suit for the confirmation of the ancient liberties of the realme, so as the same might be obserued, according to the grant thereof before made by the kings letters patents, without all fraud or contradiction. They also appointed, that there should be foure lords chosen of the most puissant and discréetest of all other within the realme, which should be sworne of the kings councell, to order his businesse iustlie and trulie, and to sée that euerie man had right without respecting of persons. And these foure chiefe councellors should be euer attending about the king, or at the least thrée or two of them: also that by the view, knowledge and witnesse of them, the kings treasure should be spent and laid foorth, and that if one of them chanced to fall awaie, an other should be placed in his roome by the appointment of the residue.
Vnreasonable requests.
They would also that the lord chiefe iustice and the lord chancellour should be chosen by the generall voices of the states assembled, and bicause it was néedfull that they should be oftentimes with the king, it was thought they might be chosen out of the number of those foure aboue rehearsed conseruators of iustice. And if the king at anie time chanced to take the seale from the lord chancellour, whatsoeuer writing were sealed in the meane time should be of none effect. They aduised also, that there should be two iustices of the benches, two barons of the excheker, and one iustice for the Iewes; and these for that present to be appointed by publike voices of the states, that as they had to order all mens matters and businesse, so in their election the assents of all men might be had and giuen: and that afterwards, when vpon anie occasion there should be anie elected into the roome of anie of these iustices, the same should be appointed by one of the afore mentioned foure councellors.
The pope sendeth for some aid of monie to mainteine wars against the emperour.
Escuage grāted the king.
But as the Nobles were busie in thrée wéekes space about the deuising of these ordinances and other, to haue béene decréed as statutes, the enimie of peace and sower of discord, the diuell, hindred all these things by the couetousnesse of the pope, who had sent his chapleine master Martin, with authoritie to leuie also an aid of monie for his néed to mainteine his wars withall against the emperour; and the emperour on the other part sent ambassadours to the king, to staie him and his people from granting anie such aid vnto the pope: so that there was no lesse hard hold and difficultie shewed in refusing to contribute vnto this demand of the popes Nuncio, than vnto the kings. At length yet in another sitting, which was begun thrée wéekes after Candlemasse, they agréed to giue the king escuage to run towards the marriage of his eldest daughter, of euerie knights fée holden of the king twentie shillings to be paid at two termes, the one halfe at Easter, and the other at Michelmasse.
The K. with an armie goeth towards Scotland.
The king of England and Scotland made fréends.