Ranulfe Briton taken out of his house, and led to the tower.
About the same time, by reason of an accusation made by a prisoner against Ranulfe Briton (sometime the kings chancellour, but now leading a priuat life, being a canon of the cathedrall church of S. Paule in London) the same Ranulfe (by commandement from the king sent to the maior of the citie William Ioiner) was taken out of his house, had to the tower, and there imprisoned, whervpon the deane of Paules, maister G. Lucie, in absence of the bishop accurssed all those that had presumptuouslie attempted to laie hands on the said Ranulfe, and further, he put his owne church of saint Paule vnder interdiction.
Great raine.
To conclude, through threatning of excommunication to be pronounced against the king, and other for this fact by the legat and the bishops of the realme as namelie, Canturburie and London, the king was compelled to release and set at libertie the foresaid Ranulfe. Finallie, the prisoner that had accused the said Ranulfe and other, being one of the kings purseuants, when for his wicked dooings he came to suffer death, openlie confessed, how he had accused those persons, onelie in hope to deferre his owne execution, being conuicted as accessarie to the treason of the clearke that suffered at Couentrie the last yeare. He had accused not onelie the said Briton, but diuers of the nobilitie also to be priuie and giltie of the same conspiracie. ¶ This yeare for the space of foure moneths togither, fell excéeding great raine, yet at length it began to hold vp about Easter.
The legat beginneth to looke to his owne cōmoditie.
Sir Robert de Twing.
In this while, the lords of the realme practised sundrie drifts likewise, as men that would faine haue béene rid of the legats companie: but the king did what he could on the otherside (by sending to the pope for licence) to haue him remaine still here, who began now indéed to look to his owne profit, as by waie of procuracies and other meanes, so that he got togither great summes of monie, although in the beginning he séemed to forbeare, and not to séeke for anie such gaine. Also, he tooke vpon him to bestow benefices without consent of the patrones that were temporall men, wherevpon complaint was made to the pope, namelie, by one sir Robert de Twing, who claimed as patrone the presentation of the rectorie of Luthun in Yorkeshire, and could not be permitted to inioy it, by reason of the popes prohibition, but vpon the hearing of his title in the popes consistorie, he obteined letters from the pope to be restored, and also an inhibition, that from thencefoorth no person should be promoted to anie spirituall benefice or church, without consent of the patrone. The king and the péeres of the realme vnderstanding themselues to be touched in this wrong offered to this knight, had written in his fauour to the pope, so that his suit had the better successe.
The Iewes punished by the pursse.
A synod holden at London.