Mal. Pal. in suo Cap.
----vita est quàm proxima letho,
Quàm meritò spernenda animum si nulla voluptas
Mulceat, atq; leuent solatia nulla laborem.
The pope requireth the French king to make war against England.
The French king refuseth to gratifie the pope therein.
But that no plesure shuld passe without some staine of gréefe, there was a rumor spred abroad, that the pope conceiued fresh rankor in his stomach against the king and realme of England, for the complaints which had béene exhibited in the councell at Lion by the English orator, for the oppression doone to the church of England: that therevpon, minding now to be reuenged, as was said, he earnestlie mooued the French king to make warre against the Englishmen and to subdue them vnder his dominion: which enterprise the French king vtterlie refused, both for that he and the king of England were coosens, and againe, bicause the king of France had no iust title or right to make claime to England.
The countesse of Prouance dealeth vniustlie with the king of England hir sonne in law.
Further, there was as then a truce betwixt England and France, and before that England could be subdued, much giltlesse bloud should be spilt. Also, the christians in the holie land were sore oppressed, and looked dailie for the arriuall of the king of France, and therefore he would be loth to attempt any new enterprise to hinder his iornie thither. But about the feast of the Epiphanie, other news came out of Prouance, that troubled the king of England worse than the other before, as thus, That the countesse Beatrice his wiues mother had deliuered vp the countie of Prouance into the French kings hands, togither with sixtéene castels, which in right of the quéene ought to haue remained vnto the king of England. For the safe kéeping wherof to his vse, the said countesse Beatrice had receiued yéerelie for the terme of fiue yeares last past, the summe of foure thousand marks of the king of England, and yet now in the deliuering of them, with the residue of the countrie vnto the French king, she neuer made any mention of his right.
Charles the French kings brother is made earle of Prouance.
The archb. of Canturburie purchaseth grant of the pope to leuie monie.
Shortlie after also, Charles the French kings brother maried the ladie Beatrice, yoongest daughter of earle Raimond, and had with hir the same countie of Prouance, and so was intituled earle thereof, as in the French historie appeareth. Moreouer, the archbishop of Canturburie procured a grant from the pope to recouer for one yeare the first fruits of all cures that chanced to be void within the citie, diocesse, and prouance of Canturburie, by and during the tearme of seauen yeares then next following, till the summe of ten thousand marks were leuied, towards the discharge of the said archbishops debts. The collection of the which ten thousand marks was assigned by the popes bulles vnto the bishop of Hereford, who should also leauie two thousand marks of the reuenues belonging to the church of Canturburie, to be conuerted to the same vse. The king at the first was sore offended herewith, but shortlie after, he was pacified and so the archbishop had his will.