Martine the popes collectour.
Moreouer, in this meane while the pope trusting more than inough vpon the kings simplicitie and patience, who indéed durst not in any case séeme to displease him, had sent an other collector of monie into England named Martine, not adorned with power legantine, but furnished with such authorities and faculties as had not béene heard of. He was lodged in the temple, where he shewed what commission he had to gather vp the popes reuenues, and to exact monie by sundrie maner of meanes, and so fell in hand therewith, vsing no small diligence therein, vnto the great gréefe and hurt of conscience of manie: he had power to staie the bestowing of benefices, till he was satisfied to the full contentation of his mind. Benefices of small value he regarded not greatlie, but such as were good liuings in déed felt his heauie and rauenous hands extended towards them. He had power also to excommunicate, to suspend, and to punish all such as should resist his will, although neuer so wilfullie bent, in so much that it was said, he had sundrie blankes vnder the popes bulled seale, bicause that vpon the sudden he brought foorth such as séemed best to serue for his purpose. He vsed this his vnmeasurable authoritie to the vttermost, and therein did not forget his owne profit, but tooke palfries and other presents of religious men.
¶ But to declare all the practises of this the popes agent, as it would be too long and tedious a processe, so it is nothing strange that these his landloping legats and Nuncios haue their manifold collusions to cousen christian kingdoms of their reuenues. For if they were not furnished with foxlike fraud and wooluish rauine, they were no fit factors for him; sith it is required that like maister haue like man. And therefore he is aptlie described in the likenesse of a man, his head and face excepted, wherein he resembleth a woolfe; besides that, he is set foorth with a crosiers staffe in his hand, at the hooke whereof hangeth his Iudas pursse, wherein are powched vp his pilfered Peter pence, and I wot not what extorted paiments and pretended duties. As for his deceits and crafts, he hath more varietie of them, than the cat of the mounteine hath spots in his skin, or the pecocke hath eies in his taile. Wherevpon it is trulie said of a late poet,
Antithesis de Christi & papæ facinorb. sub authore anonymo.
Sydera nemo potest quot sunt numerare polorum,
Quot neq; vere nouo gramina campus habet,
Sic quoq; nemo potest vafri ludibria papæ
Eius & innumeros commemorare dolos:
Huic scopus immensum seducere fraudibus orbem,
Huic scopus humanum ludificare genus.
The nobles complaine to the king of the popes collector.
The king writeth to the pope.
But to procéed, when men saw such vnreasonable couetousnes and polling, by the popes procurement; some of the nobility of the realme, not able longer to beare it, came to the king, and exhibited to him their complaint hereof, namelie for that the popes procurator bestowed diuers rich prebends and other rooms in churches vpon strangers knowne to be infamed for vsurie, simonie, and other heinous vices, which had no respect to preaching, nor to kéeping of any hospitalitie, for maintenance whereof their ancestors had giuen foorth their lands to the inriching of the church, not meaning to haue the same bestowed on such maner of persons. The king vnderstood that truth it was which was told him, and therefore writ to the pope in humble wise, beséeching him of his fatherlie care to take order for some redresse therein.
Polydor.