dispute which he had had with the dean and canons of his Chapter. From Lyons he wrote to express his great gratification at the way he had been received by the pope and the cardinals.' He was accompanied on his journey by his great friend and constant adviser the Franciscan, Adam Marsh, who gives the same account of the bishop's reception on 7th January, 1245. The pope promised Grosseteste that he would attend to his business immediately, and the sanguine Friar Adam Marsh hoped that the decision about the Chapter rights would be obtained "very shortly." However, as the pope desired Bishop Grosseteste to be present at the Council in June, he and his companion had been ordered to remain at Lyons for that meeting; consequently Friar Adam asks that some books may be sent on to him; the Morals of St. Gregory, which had been left at Reading, and Rabanus de Natura Rerum, which Friar Thomas of York had in his keeping.' Very shortly after Grosseteste's departure from England he was followed to Lyons by the archbishop-elect of Canterbury and the bishops of Worcester and Hereford, and these four bishops remained for the celebration of the Council of Lyons, which Innocent IV summoned to meet on the feast of St. John the Baptist, 24th June of this year, 1245.3

It had been suggested at this time to King Henry by some of the cardinals that he should ask the pope to pay a visit to England. "It would be a great honour and immortal glory," they wrote, "if the lord pope, who is the father of fathers, should personally visit your country, which no pope has ever done. We remember, indeed, that he himself said, and we were very glad to hear it, that he would rejoice to see the delights of Westminster and the riches 2 Mon. Franciscana, i. 376.

1 Grosseteste, Epist., 333.

3 Matthew Paris, iv. 410.

of London." The king at first appeared to welcome the suggestion, but there were others who looked upon the proposal with suspicion, especially when they reflected that in his train would come the Florentine money lenders and usurers, and the crowd of Italians and Romans, who would certainly expect to grow rich upon the spoils of the English Church. And so the proposal was allowed to drop.'

Meanwhile a few only of the English prelates journeyed to Lyons to the Council. The king sent his clerk, Laurence of St. Martin, to be his proctor, not only in the meeting of the Council, but to represent several other matters on which he wished for the direction and guidance of the papal Curia. One of these related to the election of Robert Passelew to the See of Chichester, which Boniface, the elect of Canterbury, had quashed in spite of the king's protests. Laurence of St. Martin reached Lyons a month before the date of the Council; for, on 20th May, Innocent IV wrote to the king to say that he accepted the excuses made for the non-appearance of certain bishops and abbots; but requiring the presence of the archbishop of York. At the suggestion of Laurence of St. Martin, the pope also confirmed to the king all rights in the presentation to churches, etc., which he claimed as belonging to his royal dignity, and the following day he reversed his policy in regard to David of Wales, at the suggestion of the king's envoy. He had found out from him, he says, that "from time immemorial" the prince of that country had been a vassal of the English king, and that he had been induced to act as he had done in the matter on the representation of Prince David that he had only been compelled by fear to swear allegiance to King Henry. He conse

1 Matthew Paris, iv. 410.

quently recalls his previous letters taking the prince under his protection.'

On the eve of the opening of the Council a fire occurred in the papal apartments at Lyons, in which many documents perished. Amongst others of importance, it is said that the Great Charter of King John, by which he undertook to pay the annual tribute to the pope for the kingdom of England, was wholly destroyed. In preparation for the work of the Council, Henry had caused agents in the various counties of England to make inquiries as to the entire amount of yearly revenue which Romans and Italians had at that time in their hands. To the king's astonishment the total came to some sixty thousand marks -more than the annual revenue of the Crown at that time. Henry determined to make representations to the Curia about these manifest exactions. A letter was consequently composed, protesting, on behalf of the nation, against the tribute of King John, and against the extraordinary powers that had been given to papal collectors and their extravagant demands upon the English. This letter was dispatched to Lyons by certain nobles and others to be discussed in the Council.

Rumours of difficulties and discontent had already reached the ears of the pope. On 10th April, 1245, consequently, he sent a letter, partly of expostulation, partly of explanation to the king. "The Apostolic See, your mother, loving your person above other Catholic kings and Christian princes," only desires to preserve inviolate all those rights and privileges upon which the greatness and safety of a kingdom depends. For this reason it is only proper "that you as a son, blessed in the Lord, should have a filial reverence for the Roman Church, and 2 Matthew Paris, iv. 419.

1 Rymer, i. 255.

Q

show yourself favourable and kind to it, in carrying out its desires." But it has been lately told us that " your Majesty at the suggestion of some, and in particular the nobles of your kingdom, has prohibited Martin, our nuncio, from proceeding to make certain provisions in your kingdom by our authority, until we should write to you as to our pleasure." Further, you have directed him to remove certain sentences of excommunication and suspension, which by our authority he had issued in regard to these provisions against religious and others. Though willing to do what the king desired, as far as possible, the pope declares that he feels bound to do something for those who have helped him in his difficulties, and he begs that the king will not stand in the way of his recompensing their faithful services with benefices. He asks him, however, to understand that he does not intend to present to any benefices to which lay people have the right of presentation.'

Meanwhile, within a few days after the assembly of the fathers at Lyons, the nobles in England determined to get rid of the papal clerk from England, as his presence was causing great discontent. On 30th June, 1245, they sent to warn him to leave the country within three days. Martin appealed to the king, who professed not to be able to restrain the angry nobles, and advised him to depart as they had ordered him. The papal agent had no choice; and in his fright fled under the care of one of the king's officers to Dover, where he embarked on 15th July, 1245, and coming to the pope at Lyons, stirred the papal anger at the recital of the way he had been compelled to retire from England.

On 15th January, shortly after his arrival at Lyons, 1 Rymer, i. 256.

Innocent IV had consecrated Boniface the archbishop, who had now for more than two years been merely elect of Canterbury.' About the same time the bishops of Chichester and Lichfield also received the episcopal consecration, in spite of the protestations of the proctor of the English king. He was told that for such promotion "the royal assent was not required," that it was merely a privilege the king had been allowed, and one which could be ignored, unless it was used properly. When this reached the ears of Henry, he directed the property of the two dioceses to be confiscated. Innocent addressed a letter to the king explaining his attitude in regard to the appointment to Chichester. Henry had complained that Passelew had been rejected by the archbishop, and that another bishop had been appointed by the archiepiscopal authority without either election or royal assent. The pope declares that, upon examination, he approves of the action of the archbishop-elect in quashing the choice of Passelew: but that whilst approving of the choice made by the elect of Canterbury and confirming it, declares that he does not do so because the archbishop has any powers to "provide" for a See in this way, but "by the plenitude of his Apostolic powers." For this reason the fact that he has appointed the same individual that Archbishop Boniface had chosen is not to be considered any prejudice to Henry's royal rights.'

1 Gervase of Cant., ii. 202.

2

Rymer, i. 261.